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Need for corporates to take sport seriously stressed at CII Summit
MUMBAI: “Corporates must treat sports as a part of their annual growth plan, a part of running their enterprise.” This statement was made yesterday by the Confederation Of Indian Industries (CII) National Sports Committee chairman B. Muthuraman.
The occasion was a summit that the CII organised in association with the Tata Group. The aim was to dissect ways in which Indian companies could help build future sports champions.
Muthuraman is also the Tata Steel’s MD. He noted that two members of the Indian cricket team which secured a historic win against Australia yesterday were employees of Tata Steel. They are the skipper Saurav Ganguly and bowler Ajit Agarkar. ” While industrial organisations are recent they are the wealth generators. A part of this wealth should be ploughed back towards enriching the society and sports is one of those areas. Over the decades Tata Steel has supported games like archery and football where we have academies. If we did not do this then our bottomline would in fact get eroded.”
He regretted the fact that most Indian companies sponsor sport events with narrow objectives such as their logo getting seen on television. “The involvement should go beyond donations. Direct involvement is needed. We at CII have started a programme called Golden Hopes for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. To this end our sports group has managed to secure funds and we will be raising more by holding two corporate sporting events. We will also be starting an award which will felicitate those companies who have made significant contributions in the sporting arena.”
He also said that other companies could learn from Tata Steel on how infrastructure can be created. In this manner a successful model could be replicated such as the running of a sports academy. He also regretted the fact that sports medicine was an area about which very little is known in India. Through sponsorship doctors could be sent abroad for training. As far as funds are concerned he said that it was incorrect to depend on government agencies as they have too much of an agenda.
Former chief of the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) I.S. Bindra issued a tongue lashing to the Indian sports federations warning them to get their act together. “”If this does not happen then the efforts of corporates will yield little. It would be like taking a horse to the water and forcing him to drink. Many people who head sports federations have been there for decades. Mr. Gill has headed the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) for far too many years. A regulation should be put in place so that they can be removed for non-performance.
“At the moment Indian sports federations are lethargic. Even if you give them millions of dollars it will simply be frittered way on lavish foreign jaunts. The Indian Olympic Committee (IOC) recently sent FICCI and CII a list of fund and sponsorship requirements. However if the IOC cannot do this themselves then what the hell are they doing?”
He also said that the federations were extremely unprofessional in their attitude. He gave the example of the IHF. A few years ago IHF had signed a contract with ESPN Star Sports. However not long after the IHF signed a similar contract with another broadcaster. “How can organisations work with these federations when there is no guarantee of any kind of commitment? All sports can make money. It is a fallacy to think that only cricket can be profitable. The management issues at the federations will have to be sorted out if they hope to make any headway.”
Even today after getting a sponsor in the form of Sahara hockey players are grumbling over payments. Later on in the evening a panel discussion was held. Tennis ace Mahesh Bhupathi, billiards champion Geet Sethi, writer Anil Dharkar, Bindra were some of the speakres. The session was chaired by commentator Charu Sharma. Dharkar opined that cricket has the edge because it is telegenic. “The cameras allow you to see the expression of Saurav Ganguly the expressionless Rahul Dravid. Therefore we connect with their personalities. Hockey and football are field games and so for the viewer to form an emotional connect with a player is difficult. They are also faster.”
Writer Milind Rege concurred saying that a shot or a catch or a run out could be seen form different angles. “There are so many possibilities with each delivery bowled and the viewer gets different perspectives thanks to around 16 cameras that are used for the replays. Badminton on the other hand due to lack of funds has just two cameras.”
Bindra said that one should not accuse television of making a monster out of cricket. “Cricket was popular much before television arrived on the scene. In fact the credit should go to All India Radio. Over the decades cricket has been marketed superbly and my hope over the years has always been that other sports would learn a trick or two.”
Bhupathi said that cricket was a game of the masses. Tennis on the other hand needs investment in terms of club membership, racquets. “Interest in sports is achievement driven. Interest in tennis has picked up now that myself and Leander Paes won Grand Slam titles. Golf will slowly rise with Arjun Atwal making a name for himself on the international circuit. However sponsors are still very hard to find. I went around to sponsors for the WTA tournament and was rejected. The reason was that all the money had gone towards the Cricket World Cup.”
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
