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JioStar bowls advertisers a golden opportunity with Brand Spotlight during IPL opener
MUMBAI: As cricket-mad Indians prepare to be glued to their screens for the Tata Indian Premier League (IPL), JioStar is padding up to bowl advertisers a rather tempting delivery. The media behemoth is launching the second innings of Brand Spotlight—a scheme to showcase select commercials exclusively during the golden first six overs of matches, when viewership hits fever pitch.
For the first time, this advertising honeypot will extend beyond digital platforms to linear television, allowing deep-pocketed sponsors to splash their wares during the tournament’s opening clash on Star Sports. A veritable who’s who of Indian advertisers—including My11Circle, Campa Energy, GPay, Birla Opus, Poker Baazi, PhonePe, Thums Up, Dream 11, TVS, Asian Paints, MRF, Joy Consumer Products and Carat Lane—have stumped up handsomely for the privilege.
“The opening match at IPL is a marquee moment in India’s sporting calendar, commanding unmatched audience attention,” said an excited JioStar chief business officer for sports revenue, SMB and creator Ishan Chatterjee. “Brand Spotlight places brands at the centre of this excitement.”.
JioStar’s masterstroke includes a dedicated Brand Spotlight content tray on the JioHotstar app, where advertising mavens will explain the creative genius behind their commercials. This behind-the-scenes peek aims to transform mundane adverts into “cultural moments”—corporate-speak for “please don’t skip our ads.”
Last year’s maiden venture proved quite the crowd-pleaser, with six brands dominating the crucial early overs of the curtain-raiser between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore. Unlike traditional ad spots, where viewers typically dash to the loo or frantically search for the remote, these commercials enjoyed what JioStar calls “uncluttered and appointment-driven visibility”—a fancy way of saying “you can’t escape them.”
What JioStar is attempting—with considerable chutzpah—is to create India’s version of America’s famed Super Bowl advertising extravaganza, where commercials often generate more buzz than the sporting action itself.
By transforming IPL’s opening overs into prime advertising real estate, JioStar is exploiting cricket’s vice-like grip on the national psyche. It’s a textbook case of capitalism meeting cricket fever—a marriage made in commercial heaven.
Whether viewers will embrace this Super Bowl moment or simply use it as an opportunity to stock up on samosas or kathi rolls remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: in the battle for eyeballs, JioStar has just hit advertisers for a commercial six.
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.
