News Headline
LexSportel Vision Bags the Rights to broadcast the best – FIFA Football Awards
MUMBAI: Gurgaon based Lex Sportel Vision, today announced the acquisition of broadcast rights for the Indian sub-continent for The Best – FIFA Football Awards, the premier awards for recognition of footballing excellence in the world. This will be Lex Sportel’s second association with FIFA after the Round 2 draw for Asian qualifiers to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 preliminary competition.
The award ceremony will be brought LIVE to the Indian audience on DSPORT from 12:00 AM onward on September 24, 2019.
The Best FIFA Football Awards which constituted in the year 2016, is aimed at reviving the FIFA World Player of the Year, which was merged with France Football’s Ballon d'Or in 2010 to become the FIFA Ballon d'Or in a six-year partnership. The first awarding ceremony was held on January 9, 2017 at Zurich, Switzerland. The 2018 edition was held in London. The 2019 edition of the annual awards ceremony is going to be held at La Scala, Milan, Italy.
Commenting on the acquisition, Mr. R.C. Venkateish, MD and CEO, Lex Sportel said, “We are really happy to have secured broadcast rights in the Indian subcontinent for the greatest award ceremony in football. This is a small yet a very important step for us continuing our association with FIFA”
This fresh ceremony involves fans more than ever before, with their votes helping decide the winners of The Best FIFA Men's and Women's player and coach awards, as well as the inauguration of a new FIFA Fan Award which recognised an outstanding celebratory fan moment or gesture.
The Key Nominations:
The nominations for Best FIFA Men’s Player are as follows:
1. Cristiano Ronaldo – Juventus
2. Lionel Messi – Barcelona
3. Virgil Van Dijk – Liverpool
The nominations for Best FIFA Women’s Player are as follows:
1. Lucy Bronze – England
2. Alex Morgan – USA
3. Megan Rapinoe – USA
The nominations for Best FIFA Men’s Coach are as follows:
1. Pep Guardiola – Manchester City
2. Jurgen Klopp – Liverpool
3. Mauricio Pochettino – Tottenham Hotspur
The nominations for Best FIFA Women’s Coach are as follows:
1. Jill Ellis – USA National Team
2. Phill Neville – England National Team
3. Sarina Weigman – Netherlands National Team
The nominations for Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper are as follows:
1. Alisson – Liverpool
2. Ederson – Manchester City
3. Marc-Andre Ter Stegen – Barcelona
The nominations for Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper are as follows:
1. Christiane Endler – Chile
2. Hedvig Lindahl – Sweden
3. Sari van Veenendaal – Netherlands
The other categories at the awards include:
– The FIFA Fair Play Award
– The FIFA Puskás Award
– FIFA FIFPro World11
– The FIFA Fan Award
– The FIFA Award for an Outstanding Career
Awards
Hamdard honours changemakers at Abdul Hameed awards
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.









