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TPL serves up Season 7 in Ahmedabad with global stars and local passion
MUMBAI: Game, set, Ahmedabad, India’s only professional tennis league is ready to smash new ground. The Tennis Premier League (TPL), under the aegis of the All India Tennis Association (AITA), will stage its 7th season from 9–14 December at the Gujarat University Tennis Stadium, marking its first-ever move outside Maharashtra.
In hitting this milestone, TPL becomes only the fourth Indian sporting league to enter a 7th season, joining the ranks of IPL, Pro Kabaddi, and ISL. The eight-franchise tournament has heavyweight backers, from Leander Paes, Sania Mirza, and Mahesh Bhupathi to Rakul Preet Singh and Sonali Bendre. On court, fans can expect fireworks as international players ranked between 30 and 50 in the ATP rub shoulders with India’s finest, including two-time Grand Slam champion Rohan Bopanna.
What sets TPL apart is its trademark 25-point format quick, high-octane matches designed to keep crowds hooked. Over 400 tournaments across 20 plus cities in a single year and its Race to Gold Scholarships have made TPL a genuine grassroots-to-glory pipeline. Gujarat has already felt its impact, with age-group tournaments and scholarships energising the local tennis scene.
“This will be a real shot in the arm for tennis in Gujarat,” said Gujarat state Tennis Association secretary Shrimal Bhatt highlighting the historic arrival of top-ranked ATP stars. For co-founders Kunal Thakkur and Mrunal Jain, the shift to Ahmedabad is about scale and spirit bringing world-class tennis to a city fast emerging as a sporting capital.
With 250 plus matches played across seasons, international stars, and the promise of electrifying rallies, Season 7 is primed to be TPL’s most exciting chapter yet. Ahmedabad, brace yourself, tennis fever is about to hit full throttle.
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.
