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National sports meet to see participation of government and sports persons
NEW DELHI: A day-long Conclave is to inaugurated by Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu tomorrow (28 May 2017) to discuss ways in which India can become a sports superpower.
Organised by Doordarshan Sports, the meet being held at the Central Production Centre of Doordarshan in south Delhi and other venues will have several experts including sports writers and even former sportspersons discussing various subjects.
The concluding session will be addressed by Minister of State for I and B Rajyavardhan Rathore.
The programme will be live on DD Sports channel.
The first session being addressed by Naidu will be in will Delhi and Varanasi.
The second session Edit Page will have Rahul Banerjee from Asian Age, Ayaz Memon who is a sports expert, Shantanu Guha Roy of CEN (Vienna), and Ms Neeru Bhatia of The Week.
The third session ‘State’ of the Nation will have four Sports Ministers of different states: Chetan Chauhan (Uttar Pradesh); Anil Vij (Haryana), Ms Yashodhara Raje Scindia (Madhya Pradesh), and Arvind Pandey (Uttarakhand).
The next session on ‘India mai hai dum’ will feature five figures from the world of badminton from Hyderabad, Jameshedpur, Calicut, Agartala, Pune and other centres of excellence. It will have the National Bandminton coach P Gopi Chand with Ms P V Sindhu, P Kashyap, K Srikanth, and Ms Ashwini Poonappa.
This will followed by a half-hour documentary on the completion of three years of the Narendra Modi Government.
This will be followed by a session on Indian Sports = Today and Tomorrow at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. This will have Adil Summariwala of the Athletics Federation of India, Ms Elena Norman from Hockey India, Kushal Das of the All India Football Federation, and Col. Amarbir Singh of the All India Tennis Federation.
The Making of the Olympians moderated by renowned Ms Ashwini Nachappa at Central Production Centre Delhi and Doordarshan Kendra Guwahati will see the participation of Vijender Singh and Ms M C Marykom from the field of boxing, Sandeep Singh and Jagbir Singh from hockey, Sushil Kumar (wrestling), Gymnastics Coach B Nandi with Dipa Karmakar, Jayanta Talukdar from archery, Thangboi Singto (Lajong FC), a member of the Aizawl Football Club which was the I-League Champion, Ms Karnam Malleshwari (weightlifting), Khazan Singh (swimming) and para athlete Deepa Malik.
This will be followed by ‘Real Heroes’ become ‘Reel Heroes’ by Doordarshan Kendra Mumbai.
Vision 2020 and 2024 at CPC Delhi will be discussed by Union Sports Minister Vijay Goel, Om Pathak and Baldev Singh from the Prime Minister’s Task Force, and TFA and Sports Head Mukul Vinayak Choudhari.
This will be followed by the final session with Rathore who is himself a former sportsperson.
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.
