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Star to launch Star Sports 3, continue sports investments: Gautam Thakar
MUMBAI: Uday Shankar, the man on Urmi Estate’s 37th floor, has made his next move. Star India is set to launch a multi-lingual channel Star Sports 3 in place of Channel V on 15 September 2018, the broadcaster has confirmed.
“India’s appetite for sports beyond cricket is growing and viewers are expecting good quality broadcast of a wide range of sports. To cater to this need, we are launching a new channel Star Sports 3, and to begin with we will broadcast the Hero ISL Season 5 in Hindi,” Star Sports CEO Gautam Thakar told Indiantelevision.com, highlighting the rationale behind the network’s decision to add a channel to it sports bouquet.
Thakar, who took over as Star Sports CEO on 15 January, also added that Star India is likely to pump in more cash into its sports business.
“In line with our commitment of fostering a multi-sports culture in the country, we have grown our sports portfolio and its offerings and we will continue to actively invest in,” he said.
Star Sports 3 along with three other channels that went off air on 29 May 2017 were replaced by Star Sports Tamil, Star Sports Hindi 1, Star Sports Select 1 SD and Star Sports Select 2 SD.
Towards the end of last year, Star India contemplated taking Channel V off air, with Star Sports 1Kannada as its substitute. 16 November 2017 had been fixed as the launch date.
However, the broadcaster was unable to get the necessary approvals from Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB).
Star India even launched a promo campaign to support Star Sports 1 Kannada. However, their plans to secure an exclusive sports channel for its Kannada viewers didn’t see the light of day during the Indian Premier League 2018. The Kannada feed was aired on Star Suvarna Plus and the channel launch was put on hold due to regulatory hurdles.
In a public notice dated 26 October 2017, Star India informed viewers that Channel V would continue to remain available in its current form across all addressable platforms (DAS, DTH, IPTV, HITS).
At an event in Delhi in January this year, Star India MD Sanjay Gupta declined to comment on the status of Star Sports 1 Kannada, adding that the launch was still in its planning stage.
Star India’s sports bouquet will now boast of 13 channels – Star Sports 1, 2 and their HD versions, Star Sports 1 Hindi, Star Sports 1 Hindi HD, Star Sports 1 Tamil, Star Sports Select 1, 2 and their HD versions, Star Sports First, the only FTA channel and soon to be re-launched Star Sports 3.
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.
