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DHL is presenting sponsor of All Rugby Coverage on ESS
MUMBAI: DHL has announced that it will be partnering with ESS as the presenting sponsor of the rugby coverage. Beginning with Sanzar Test that is scheduled to start this month till the Rugby World Cup in October 2003, the express and logistics company will be partnered with Star’s sports broadcaster ESPN Star Sports, says a company release.
With a sponsorship deal in place with ESS, DHL will be consistently in the public view throughout the year. The rugby sponsorship deal will cover all the four beams of STAR Sports in Asia. The deal includes sponsorship of live rugby action from the Super 12’s, England Home Tests, Sanzar Tests (including Bledisloe Cup) half-hour magazine show World of Rugby and live and exclusive, full cable and satellite coverage of the 2003 Rugby World Cup.
Scheduled to take place from 10 October to 22 November 2003, Rugby World Cup will have 20 teams competing for the top spot. Ranked as the third largest event in the world after the Olympics and Soccer World Cup, the Rugby World Cup attracts an estimated global television viewership of 3.1 billion. ESS is scheduled to broadcast all 48 matches with daily and weekly highlights, plus a preview show.
According to a Roper Starch Consumer Study in 2000 and 2001, there is a huge and growing audience for rugby in Asia. It is estimated that around 47.9 million cable viewers in Asia (including 21.7 million in India and 3.3 million in Taiwan), mostly male, upscale professionals, constitute ESS Sports’ rugby viewership in the region.
The new global brand campaign currently on-air, with the tagline “we move the world” depicting the monumental construction of the pyramids is quite an interesting watch. Whether the promo created to portray the capabilities of the new DHL, providing “more power” and “more solutions”, will register in the minds of soccer fans remains to be seen.
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.
