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Will WPL garner advertiser’s interest?
Mumbai: The Woman’s Premier League (WPL) first match was on 4 March, 2023 between the Gujarat Giants and Mumbai Indians. Viacom 18 acquired the WPL rights for a sum of Rs 951 crore, but is the environment conducive enough for advertisers to invest in the WPL 2023? Advertisers have already earmarked spending between Linear TV and Digital for the high-impact IPL 2023.
BCCI has announced free tickets for women enthusiasts and also unveiled the WPL anthem digitally. Though there is excitement building around WPL, advertisers are in a wait-and-watch mode. The free tickets to women and nominal charges for men by BCCI are to make sure that this year there will be momentum for the matched. All the matches are going to be held at Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium and Navi Mumbai’s DY Patil Stadium, this leaves the rest of the states from participating in the first-ever Woman’s Cricket IPL.
Indiantelevision.com spoke to Karan Taurani, SVP at Elara Capital, on the WPL, the initiatives by BCCI and what are advertisers thinking about investing in this year’s WPL…..
Taurani says, “The strategy that will make sure that this content reaches the masses in a big way. BCCI can provide free tickets and this saves crores of rupees on promotions”
He goes on to add, that nearly 80-90 per cent of revenue for the franchise is from media rights, the giving away of free tickets will not dent this and it will build awareness and more people especially women will come to the stadiums to watch the matches. There are other avenues of revenue for the BCCI in terms of F&B, in-stadia advertising and other tie-ups.
On the question of what would be the 10-sec rates for the WPL, Taurani says, “the rates will be anywhere between 60,000 – 70,000 as compared to 14-16 lakhs for the Men’s IPL. Also this year the environment is a little tough and many new age companies and start-ups who spent large amounts last year on IPL have decided to cut their spends even for the men’s IPL’’.
Taurani says, “WPL depends on Star players to drive eyeballs and this will eventually increase ad spends. If this season WPL throws up a few star women cricketers, it will be a success, but it is a long way for WPL
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.
