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Dream11 aims to increase user base with Hero ISL season 5: Vikrant Mudaliar
MUMBAI: Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) season five is just around the corner and Dream11 being the official fantasy football partner and home to more than four crore fantasy sports fans is looking to capitalise on the championship’s buzz to expand its user base.
Looking at the increase in the number of users playing fantasy football on the platform, the company felt partnering with the Hero ISL was an ideal opportunity to deepen fan engagement
The fifth edition of the Hero ISL is set to kick off on 29 September 2018 with broadcast in six different languages English, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Bengali and Kannada. On the digital front, the league will also be live streamed on Hotstar and Jio TV.
Dream11 CMO Vikrant Mudaliar said, “Fantasy sports enjoys a symbiotic relationship with real-life sports and we firmly believe in growing with sports leagues by partnering with them. Globally, almost all major sports leagues are using fantasy sports as their primary tool of fan engagement and in India we have taken the lead to partner with some of the sports leagues like Hero ISL to provide great fan experience.”
According to Mudaliar, Hero ISL has helped bring football to the mainstream and aided the popularity of the sport at the grassroots level. It is good to see another sport taking the lead for a change in a cricket focused country.
Mudaliar believes that the whole experience of consuming the sport can be made more enriching by offering fans experiences which cater to their lifestyle and living experiences. Right from the commute to the stadium to the food delivery at home to the sports merchandise being bought by the ardent fans – it is all a part of the overall sports experience.
These are all opportunities and touch point for brands to get involved in a sports fan’s life and provide them with an enriching, immersive experience. He also believes in working with sports leagues to drive sports promotion and awareness.
For Dream11, associating and partnering with sports leagues and platforms is a natural fitment. It enjoys a close relationship with real-life sports and therefore sports leagues become the natural choice for association. It also provides sports leagues an opportunity to deepen their fans’ engagement with the sport.
“We can together dip into each other’s expertise offering a great product + market fit to cater to a loyal fan base and provide incremental connect for the users,” he concluded.
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.
