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Ten Sports to launch in M East on 1 August
MUMBAI: Ten Sports will launch in the Middle East on 1 August.
Broadcast from Dubai, the Taj Television promoted Ten Sports will now be seen on the Arab Digital Distribution and E-Vision platforms, says the company. The Middle East beam of the channel will begin with exclusive live coverage of the Champions Trophy hockey (featuring both India and Pakistan) live from Amstelveen in the Netherlands from August 16 to 24.
August will also see, for the first time in the Gulf, highlights of the recent Cherry Blossom Sharjah Cup and the Bank Alfalah Cup from Sri Lanka. In coming months, there will be extensive cricket coverage on the channel including India’s home series against Australia and New Zealand, Sri Lanka’s home series against England and Australia, the Sharjah Cup and England’s tour of the West Indies, says a company release.
Apart from this, there will be regular/weekly shows like Cricket Classics, Gillette World of Sports, Indoor Cricket World Cup, One on One with Raageshwari, Ian Healy on Wicketkeeping, Sharjah Greats, Speed, Western Union Football Show and Superfund World Series.
Ten Sports will be available to subscribers on the Pehla silver, Pehla gold, Firstnet silver and Firstnet gold packages on ADD, and also on E-Vision. The channel will be available to viewers in the Middle East, North Africa and Europe. Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Egypt, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait as well as existing viewers in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and the Maldives, the release adds.
The channel recently announced the acquisition of exclusive rights in both Asia and the Middle East to all cricket played in the West Indies, adding to its bouquet of exclusive cricket rights from Sharjah, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Morocco.
Says Taj Television CEO Chris McDonald “We are very pleased to launch Ten Sports into the Middle East. The region is home to many dynamic and growing economies, and the television industry is a direct beneficiary of that growth”.
He adds,”We are also very happy to have entered into a long term carriage agreement with the Middle East’s leading pay television platform, Arab Digital Distribution. ADD’s excellence in aggregating and marketing television channels, together with the tremendous product on Ten Sports, points to a very bright future indeed.”
Established in January 2001, Taj Television is broadcast from Dubai Media City and maintains five offices across the sub-continent.
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.
