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Spartan Poker launches new campaign for IOPC 20
Mumbai: It’s time for all the poker enthusiasts to #JoinThePokerEvolution as Spartan Poker, the destination to India’s largest poker tournaments, arrives with the 15 edition of the India Online Poker Championship (IOPC) on 1 June 2023 with a colossal 47 CRORE Guaranteed prize pool, the largest in the history of Indian poker circuit. This edition of IOPC will be hosted on Spartan Poker, BlitzPoker, PokerHigh, PokerDaddy, and Myteam11.
Celebrating the momentous event, Spartan Poker has rolled out its brand new campaign #JoinThePokerEvolution by roping in the famed Rocket Boys character who played the Father of ISRO to take Poker into Space and uncover the reel version behind the discovery of gravity.
#Jashn-e-poker, the theme for this year’s flagship mega event, is a call out to all poker pros and enthusiasts to come and be a part of the 15 edition celebrations with a special theme – Toh Aao India, Saath Milkar Manayein – JASHN-E-POKER. With the highest-ever prize pool of rS 47 Crore GTD, the 15th edition promises to be a Poker Carnival to remember.
The 18-day carnival, which will conclude on June 18, is packed with 142 remarkable tournaments and the participants stand a chance to win the prestigious ‘Golden Crown’ made of 18-carat gold and 0.6-carat diamonds. This edition of IOPC will also see the biggest-ever leaderboard in the history of Indian Poker, with a massive Rs 1.5 Crore GTD up for grabs.
IOPC gives players an opportunity to showcase their skills across all stakes – Low, Mid & High – with buy-ins starting at as low as Rs 110.
What began as an online dimension to Spartan Poker’s offline flagship event India Poker Championship (IPC), today IOPC is the country’s most premier poker series that takes place bi-annually. From its first edition in 2015 with Rs 7 lakhs GTD, IOPC has had enormous growth in the last 15 editions to scale the Poker series to a mammoth 47 Cr GTD.
Over the years, the event has grown considerably with 5,600+ participants (87,000 entries) taking part in the recently concluded 14th edition (Jan 2023), which had a then-highest Rs 43 crore prize pool. The 15th edition raises the bar with the participation expected to soar even more.
To mark the grandness of the occasion, India’s most trusted and premium poker platform, Spartan Poker has rolled out its new campaign to encourage people to #JoinThePokerEvolution & #EvolveWithSpartanPoker.
In a quirky take, the current brand film takes forward the fictional concept established in the previous films about how Poker helped in the evolution of various momentous aspects through the course of human history. Be it the Evolution of Humanity via the discovery of fire, the Evolution of cricket from 50- 50 to 20-20 format, or the Evolution of Technology with AI, Spartan Poker’s original creativity continues to evolve.
The new brand film takes the popular folklore of how Newton discovered gravity and gives a poker twist to it! Contrary to the popular belief that the fall of an apple planted the Idea of Gravity into Newton’s mind, it was indeed a eureka moment when the cards fell down from his hand while playing a game of poker with his friends! And that’s how Poker helped in the evolution of humans via the discovery of gravity which then culminated in space exploration.
To endorse this idea, they have roped in Ishwak Singh, who recently played the character of Vikram Sarabhai, the father of the Indian Space Program, in the famed show Rocket Boys to much critical acclaim.
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.
