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Sports entrepreneur Sidhhant Agarwal nets top CII award for democratising the beautiful game
MUMBAI: When the bespectacled, geek like Sidhhant Agarwal collected the Confederation of Indian Industry’s ‘sports entrepreneur of the year’ award earlier this week, he did what any self-respecting founder would do: he passed the trophy to his team. In entrepreneurship, he reckons, success isn’t about the sprint—it’s about lasting long enough to watch your solution actually solve something.
For seven years, Agarwal’s brainchild SportVot has been doing precisely that: making sports streaming so affordable that even the scrappiest local tournament can look like the Premier League. The platform turns any match into a broadcast-ready event without requiring organisers to flog the family silver.
Before founding SportVot in January 2019, Agarwal had already clocked more than a decade building products for the likes of Oracle and CashCare. Three years as an applications developer at Oracle, nearly two as lead engineer at CashCare, and a stint running ThisGameWeek (because one sports venture is never quite enough) gave him the technical chops and entrepreneurial itch to take the plunge.
The ministry of youth affairs & sports and an esteemed jury—including Anupam Goswami, Abhishek Binaykia, Ayon Sengupta, Vidushpat Singhania and former athlete Ashwini Nachappa—clearly thought he’d earned his stripes. Agarwal’s response? Gratitude to “every organiser, every coach and athlete who trusted our tech on day one.”
From Mumbai’s tech trenches to the winner’s podium, it’s been quite a run. But as the young gun puts it, there’s a long way to go and much more to build. Game on.
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.
