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UEFA tournaments return on Sony Pictures Sports Network in India
MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Sports Network (SPSN), the official broadcaster of UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League in India, is all set to broadcast the return of top-tier European football tournaments. With UEFA all set to restart their season, the finest clubs across Europe are back in action to be crowned as Champions of Europe. Football fans can catch the biggest Europeans teams battle for the ultimate football throne, LIVE, from 5 August 2020 only on SONY TEN 1 and SONY TEN 2 channels and the quarter-final stages for the Champions League matches will be aired with Hindi commentary on SONY TEN 3 channels.
The matches from the quarter finals to the finals will be played as a straight knockout tournament in Portugal and Germany respectively. Apart from football fans, the UEFA Champions League has also attracted a lot of interest from brands with Amul, Vivo, Philips One Blade, Kia Motors and Apple already on board for the restart of the season with many more to follow.
UEFA Champions League and Europa League are an annual football competition and home to some of the best football clubs such as Juventus FC, Real Madrid CF, Barcelona FC and Manchester United, Liverpool FC, Bayern Munich among many others.
The resumption of 2019/20 UEFA Champions League will start with the remaining Round of 16 second-leg matches and will have Manchester City take on Real Madrid; Barcelona face Napoli; Bayern Munich welcome Chelsea to the Allianz Arena and Juventus host Lyon for the four pending spots in the quarter-finals. Clubs such as Atalanta BC, Paris Saint-Germain FC, RB Leipzig and Atlético Madrid have already paved their ways into the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Viewers can watch all the round of 16 clashes live on SONY TEN 1 and SONY TEN 2 channels and the quarter-final stages on SONY TEN 2 channels in English and SONY TEN 3 channels in Hindi.
Sony Pictures Networks India Sports Business distribution and head chief revenue officer Rajesh Kaul said, “It is our privilege to be the premier destination for maximum live global sporting events in India whether it is cricket or football. Sony Pictures Sports Network is home to the best footballing clubs in Europe with UEFA Champions League and Europa League. Football followers in India have felt the absence of these two tournaments and we are excited to bring back the LIVE coverage of both these competitions in what will now be a power-pack fortnight of the best European footballing action, along with Hindi commentary, for the last leg of the Champions League games”
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.
