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Viacom18, Jio to offer unmatched reach & ad opportunities for IPL: Anil Jayaraj
Mumbai: Viacom18’s strategic partnership with Jio will offer unmatched targeting and personalisation opportunities for the Indian Premier League (IPL). In a letter addressed to staff, Viacom18 CEO sports Anil Jayaraj said, “We will be able to offer a compelling proposition to advertisers with better reach and targeting than any other rival & legacy platforms in the country.”
Recently, Viacom18 bagged the exclusive rights to digitally stream the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches in the Indian sub-continent for the 2023-2027 seasons. This also includes the special digital package of 18 games. The value of the combined digital rights stood at Rs 23,758 crore, more than the TV broadcast rights at Rs 23,575 crore.
Viacom18 has also won the television as well as digital rights to three of the five international territories including Asia, Canada, Australia, the Caribbean Islands, Israel, New Zealand, South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, and the UK and Europe.
“The focus on bidding for digital rights comprehensively comes from the core belief that our company is committed to building world-class digital platforms of the future,” said Jayaraj.
He further added, “Our partnership with Jio gives us unparalleled access and reach to each and every Indian. Not only will we be able to build the most successful streaming company in the country, we will also, along with our other businesses, build India’s most profitable digital media and entertainment brand.”
In just ten months, Viacom18 sports has built a formidable line-up of sports programming. It has acquired the rights to FIFA World Cup, La Liga, Serie A and Ligue 1 in the Indian subcontinent. It will offer badminton, tennis and NBA on its channels. With its acquisition of IPL digital rights, it will be able to offer the most high-profile cricket league to audiences globally.
“Viacom18 will take India’s biggest sporting event IPL to every nook and corner of the country and make it available to every Indian consumer, something that even television has failed to do,” asserts Jayaraj.
Viacom18 currently operates the channels Sports18 SD and HD and Sports18 Khel that is available on Free DTH platform DD Free Dish. Its sports content is also available on its streaming service Voot and Voot Select. Paramount Global’s streaming service Paramount+ is expected to launch in India in 2023 in partnership with Viacom18, in which Paramount Global is a stakeholder.
Bodhi Tree Media, backed by James Murdoch and ex-Star Uday Shankar, are investors in Viacom18.
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.
