News Headline
ESPN reportedly pitching for Star News’ sports bulletins post divorce from NDTV
NEW DELHI: ESPN is understood to be negotiating with Star India to supply it sports news for Star News when the Rupert Murdoch company takes full editorial control of the news channel post 31 March, 2003.
According to sources in Star, some preliminary talks have been held on the issue as it makes sense, considering ESPN does generate news relating to sporting events for its own consumption.
ESPN already has a working relationship with Star through the joint venture, ESPN Star Sports (ESS), where both ESPN, a Disney group company, and Star, a News Corp company, have equal equity stakes.
ESPN India’s country head Manu Sawhney was not available for comments to indiantelevision.com on the issue of sports news.
According to the sources, Star News, which is building up a news team of its own, may also stand to gain if the talks with ESPN fructify into something concrete as then it would not have to worry about an important component of news and it would also be “all in the family.”
However, the full details of what ESS can offer to Star News is not yet known. But what is known certainly is that ESPN is also hiring people with journalistic background these days. It can be for its own site or it can also be for the proposed alliance with Star News for supplying it with sports news. Or, it could be a combination of both.
ESPN’s daily news bulletin Sportsline has been one of the channel’s most popular properties, and has been appreciated for its slick packaging and presentation.
Sportsline was launched in April 2001 and has been hosted from its inception by Dorain Shahidi. Co-presenter Poonam Sharma came on board early this year.
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.
