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ESS to package World Pool Championships for global broadcasters
MUMBAI: Asia’s top pool exponents will join other world masters in Taiwan next month. The World Pool Championships 2004 cue up for the first time in Asia from 10-18 July.
ESPN Star Sports (ESS) is the exclusive Asian broadcaster of the event. Pool enthusiasts can look forward to more than 60 hours of live coverage as telecast of the competition reaches more than 183 million subscribers
ESS will package and produce programming of the event directly from Taipei. Over 13 channels around the world, including BSkyB in the UK, Fox World in the US and Fox Sports in Australia among others, will take this coverage. ESS live feed will also be carried on channels in Canada, Japan, Hungary, Holland, Latin America, Russia and Scandinavia.
The host country will be Taiwan. Around 38.8 million cable viewers tuned in to watch last year’s World Professional Pool Championships on Star Sports, In India, Taiwan and Singapore, the event attracted 17 million cable viewers.
ESS has stated that with a growing number of Asian players competing against the world’s best and claiming the World championships the demand for pool programming has grown significantly in the region.
Defending champion Thorsten Hohmann of Germany will be back to defend his title. He will be joined by 127 players from an estimated 40 countries, who will go head to head for the top prize of $75,000 from a total prize purse of $350,000.
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.
