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Women Olympians dominated TV ads during Tokyo Games: BARC
Mumbai: Women Olympians dominated TV ads during the telecast of the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020, according to data provided by Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India. 31 per cent of ads on TV during the telecast of the Olympics featured Indian athletes, out of those, 69 per cent featured female Olympians, it said.
The most visible athletes included pistol shooter Manu Bhaker, badminton player PV Sidhu, wrestlers Yogeshwar Dutt and Bajrang Punia, professional archer Deepika Kumari, sabre fencer Bhavani Devi, boxer Mary Kom, table tennis player Manika Batra and field hockey player Rani Rampal.
PV Sindhu and Bajrang Punia brought home a bronze medal from the Tokyo Olympics in women’s singles badminton and freestyle wrestling (65 Kg) respectively.
Weightlifter Mirabai Chanu (silver), boxer Lovelina Borghohain (bronze), wrestler Ravi Kumar Dahiya (silver), track and field athlete Neeraj Chopra (gold) and the Indian men’s hockey team (bronze) brought home five medals for India. Lovelina Borghohain, Ravi Kumar Dahiya and Bajrang Punia made their debut in the Olympics this year.
The Indian men’s hockey team comprised PR Sreejesh, Harmanpreet Singh, Rupinder Pal Singh, Surender Kumar, Amit Rohidas, Birendra Lakhra, Hardik Singh, Manpreet Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad, Nilakanta Sharma, Sumit, Shamsher Singh, Dilpreet Singh, Gurjant Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Krishan Pathak, Varun Kumar, Simranjit Singh under the captaincy of Mandeep Singh and guidance of coach Graham Reid.
Notably, the women’s hockey match against Great Britain for the bronze medal garnered 311.3 million viewing minutes which was higher than the final men’s hockey match against Germany that garnered 260.9 million viewing minutes.
Source: BARC data – L/T Tokyo 2020 Oly-21 | Hockey Bronze Medal Matches | 5 August 2021 – men’s hockey | 6 August 2021 – women’s hockey | Channels Sony SIX (HD)(v), Sony SIX (v), Sony Ten 1, Sony Ten 1 HD, Sony Ten 2, Sony Ten 2 HD, Sony Ten 3, Sony Ten 3 HD, Sony Ten 4 (HD)(v), Sony Ten 4 (v), DD Sports / *Ads by duration (secs)
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.
