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Eurosport & Jio TV acquire broadcast rights for 2022 AFC Women’s Asian Cup
Mumbai: Eurosport India, Discovery Network’s sports brand, and Jio TV Network have acquired the broadcast rights for AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022. India hosts the 20th edition of Asia’s showpiece women’s football tournament between 20 January and 6 February.
Eurosport India will telecast the tournament on television. Meanwhile, Jio TV will stream the matches of the competition on its online platform and across its network.
The Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL), which currently holds the media rights for all Asian Football Confederation (AFC) competitions in the Indian subcontinent, has accorded the PayTV broadcast rights to Eurosport India.
The 20th edition of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup India 2022 will feature 12 teams, which have been divided into three groups. Group A includes India, China PR, Chinese Taipei, and IR Iran, while Group B includes Australia, Thailand, Philippines, and Indonesia. Meanwhile, Japan, Korea Republic, Vietnam, and Myanmar have been slotted in Group C.
The tournament will begin in a round-robin format where each team will face the other three teams of the group to secure a place in the quarter-finals which will be held on 30 January. Hosts India will play their opening game against Iran on 20 January as they aim to gather home points to seal the top spot on an opening day.
The sports event will act as the final stage of Asian qualification for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. With Australia having already qualified as co-host, five more teams will qualify for the main event directly while two of them will progress to the inter-confederation play-offs.
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.
