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Cannes ad festival introduces The Lions Academy
LONDON: The organisers of the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival have announced the introduction of the “Lions Academy” as part of the Festival’s 5oth anniversary celebrations. The ad festival kicks off Sunday.
The Academy aims at providing a one-week training and educational programme to the best students already studying advertising, marketing, communication and design.
Each year, a class of 20-30 students between 18-23 years of age, from different countries will be invited to attend the festival. They will follow an intensive programme of seminars, ad viewings and tutorials. The students will be accompanied throughout the week by a tutor. This year it will be Head of the Advertising Course at Central Saint Martins, London Clive Challlis.
A Dean, who will be nominated every three years, will head the Academy. The first Dean of the Academy will be Michael Conrad, formerly Leo Burnett’s worldwide chief creative officer.
Tutorials will be given by Saatchi & Saatchi worldwide creative director Bob Isherwood; Wunderman (NY) executive VP and chief creative officer Joel Sobelson, and Universal McCann, Australia MD James Warburton.
In addition, the organisers of the ad festival have also announced the introduction of a new award – a Titanium Lion. This award will be presented every year to the work in any category, or any combination of categories, that causes the industry to stop in its tracks and reconsider the way forward. The Titanium Lion will honour innovation – innovation in design, thinking, execution or sensibility, or innovation in the development of new forms of communication or the interrelationship between existing ones.
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.
