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Elite Pro basketball signs top players from India; announces two more try outs
Mumbai: Elite Pro Basketball League is a 5×5 pro basketball league featuring 12 teams filled with Indian players. They held a try-out in May in Hyderabad, which saw over 250 athletes attending it. Now the team has announced two more try outs in October to give another platform for basketball players to try their hand at playing in the biggest basketball league ever organised in India. The league is organised by Elite Pro Basketball and is scheduled to begin matches in January 2023.
The first round of try-outs saw names from the Indian basketball team like Jagdeep Singh Bains, Pratham Singh, K Ravikumar, Vinay Kaushik, Rachit Singh, Prakash Mishra, and Arshdeep Singh, among others. Out of the 250 odd athletes the league signed over 100 players to play in different teams in the league. The team has been receiving calls from across India asking for more try outs and opportunities to be a part of the league which has compelled the organisers to announce two more try outs one in Chennai between 8-10 October and another in Delhi from 28-30 October 2022.
With 12 marquee players already signed, the organisers have signed another 100 or so players who will be playing in the league. These include basketball players from the Indian team and also athletes who excelled in the first try out. Manik Ohlan, Zeemamudin, Shiv Khoiwal, Prasanna Venkatesh S, Praveen Kumar C, Jeevanantham, Baladhaneshwar Poiyamozhi, Gaurav Ohlan, Sunil Rathee, Akshay Adhana, Abhishek Rathee, Abhishek Tyagi, Vikas Mor, Princepal Singh Bajwa, Siddhant Shinde, Himanshu Sharma, and Abhudaya Yadav are a few of the other top names who have been recently signed by the league.
Elite Pro Basketball CEO Sunny Bhandarkar said, “The response we have got is immense. A lot of people who couldn’t make it to the try outs had reached out to us asking if we could hold another try out as they wanted to be a part of the biggest basketball league in India. Hence, we decided to not have one but two try outs to give budding basketball players a chance to showcase their talent. Through this league and everyone’s support, we want to revolutionise the sport of basketball in India and we will leave no stone unturned till we achieve this goal.”
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.
