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JioStar inks three-year broadcast deal with Indianoil UTT to serve table tennis turbo
MUMBAI: Indianoil Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) has found a powerful broadcast ally in JioStar. The league announced a three-year partnership with India’s leading sports broadcaster to bring the fastest hands in sport to screens across the country through 2027. The move is poised to give Indian table tennis the spotlight it has long chased.
Under the agreement, JioStar will deliver live, multilingual coverage across Star Sports 2, Star Sports Khel, and Star Sports Tamil, along with streaming on JioHotstar in English, Hindi and Tamil. Season 6 of Indianoil UTT kicked off with behind-the-scenes programming on 12 May, building anticipation before the on-table action unfolds.
“Over the past few years, Indian table tennis has made meaningful strides, and Indianoil UTT’s mission has been to accelerate that progress by providing a world-class platform for homegrown talent. Our partnership with JioStar for the next three seasons will help us deepen that impact by reaching more households, engaging new audiences, and laying a stronger foundation for the next generation of Indian table tennis stars”, said UTT co-promoters Vita Dani and Niraj Bajaj.
This season’s player line-up promises a mix of star power and fresh energy. International aces like Aruna Quadri, Alvaro Robles, Bernadette Szocs, Adriana Diaz, and China’s Fan Siqi join India’s elite — Manika Batra, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran, Harmeet Desai, and Sreeja Akula. Rising domestic stars such as Diya Chitale, Payas Jain, Ankur Bhattacharjee, and Yashaswini Ghorpade round out the action-packed roster.
The league will field eight franchises: Ahmedabad SG Pipers, Chennai Lions, Dabang Delhi TTC, Dempo Goa Challengers TT, Jaipur Patriots, Kolkata ThunderBlades, PBG Pune Jaguars, and U Mumba TT. Defending champions Dempo Goa Challengers, led by Harmeet Desai, are chasing their third consecutive title.
Sanctioned by the Table Tennis Federation of India and co-promoted by Dani and Bajaj, Indianoil UTT continues to climb as one of the sport’s premier global properties. The 2024 edition clocked 20 million viewers across TV and OTT, marking a 1.3x year-on-year jump. With JioStar now in its corner, the league is aiming higher—in both reach and impact.
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.
