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Premier Handball League goes LIVE with the promo campaign
Mumbai: With a mere few days to go before the newest league of India kicks off, Premier Handball League has launched its promo campaign – “It’s a Different Ball Game” which is going LIVE across the Viacom 18 Network – Sports 18-1 (HD & SD) and Sports 18 Khel and JioCinema.
The promo campaign embodies the spirit of India which is a land of various sports starting from Cricket which captures the largest share but at the same time, the country has grown to make space for various other disciplines like Kabaddi, Football, Volleyball and many other sports. Handball has a long history in India and has been in the shadows. Now, with Premier Handball League, the world’s fastest Olympic sport is going to get its due in India enthralling the Indian audience with high-octane action.
The promo film depicts a conglomeration of sports that are being played in India and handball players taking over all the fields and leading people from various spheres of life to the Handball stadium to experience the new and exciting Premier Handball League.
Speaking about the launch of the campaign, Bluesport Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. president Abhinav Banthia said, “We all know that Handball has existed in the country for a long time and the sole objective of the campaign was to showcase how India is going to awaken and accept a sport that they haven’t seen on their screens and stadium before. We have seen many hero stories coming from a number of new sports leagues that have emerged. Premier Handball League is the very launchpad which was needed for the players to not only showcase their skills to India but at a global level. On 8 June, India will be treated to a truly ‘Different Ball Game’.”
The background score of the film has been composed by Shikhar Naad Qureshi, the son and disciple of the legendary music composer and percussionist Taufiq Qureshi. Qureshi performs his trademark voice and breath percussions and truly brings a flavour of excitement to the whole campaign while keeping the spiel of both urban and rural to it.
“When I was approached to score the vocal percussion for the film, I was completely intrigued by the concept. I was surprised, how the sport is really popular in rural India and has a rich history, but yet hasn’t found its day in the sun at a national level. I, along with Shikhar Naad, designed the music keeping rural India’s calling for the sport, and the backgrounds from where most players emerge, also, connecting it with the kind of contemporary audiences the league wants to appeal to. I am hopeful that the campaign really does wonders in drawing viewers for the league,” said Qureshi
The Premier Handball League (PHL), is sanctioned by the South Asian Handball Federation and affiliated with the Asian Handball Federation (AHF). The league which will feature six teams – Delhi Panzers, Rajasthan Patriots, Garvit Gujarat, Golden Eagles Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra Ironmen and Telugu Talons is scheduled to start on 8 June 2023, and will go on till 25 June 2023, at the Sawai Mansingh Indoor Stadium in Jaipur crowning the first Premier Handball League Champion.
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.
