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Sony’s Ek India HappyWala for IPL scores big on social media, wins hearts
MUMBAI: If sports channels are raising the expectations of viewers, the general entertainment channels cannot be left behind.
Leaving no stone unturned, Sony Pictures Network began a month earlier with its campaign EK India…Happywala (One Happy India), so that the excitement builds even before the ninth edition of Indian Premier League.
The campaign Ek India….Happywala (One Happy India) was launched on 1 March with the IPL anthem.
To the launch the Vivo IPL 2016 anthem video, Sony did a Vox Pop activity featuring kids who were asked to answer a few questions about India. The same set of questions was thrown to adults on social media.
The anthem was launched on social media that trended on twitter across India for five hours. The channel recorded 4,526 tweets, more than 42 million timeline deliveries, and had a reach of more than 5 million and recorded 3 million views anthem video. The anthem video received more than 100,000 likes and 26,131 people had shared it on Facebook.
In order to take the campaign forward towards creating a happier nation, Sony started a user-powered activity where they motivated users to spread happiness with #15days Happywala. The core task is to make a stranger smile every day, thus converting users into happiness ambassadors. The activity kicked-off with a lot of user participation resulting in getting the activity to trend across India for more than 4 hours. The channel achieved 3,672 tweets, more than 28 million timeline deliveries and more 4 million plus reach – and 805 entries for the same.
On 17 March, Sony launched the taxi promo, through which they emphasised on how the assurance of safety and well being can spread happiness among our citizens. The activity focused on driving conversations about spreading positivity.
With this activity, the campaign thought #Ek India Happywala once again got a lot of buzz resulting it to trend for over 5 hours across India. More than 10 million people watched that video on social media platforms.
The next in list was the Newsroom promo, with the launch of the news room video urging users to focus more on the country’s positives than the negatives, Sony Pictures Networks decided to reward users who would help support this cause. This activity turned out to be a huge hit amongst the audience as the broadcaster garnered more than 4000+ entries within a week. The Newsroom promo achieved more than 500,000 views on twitter.
The next initiative of the campaign was to spread happiness in the lives of underprivileged kids. Users have to tell the story of a child who aspires to be a cricketer but doesn’t have the means. Sony offered to help 11 children (scouted by the users) with professional cricket kits and so far, they have received 145 entries since the launch of the activity. With 1, 255 tweets, 13 million timeline deliveries and 2 million of reach, the initiative #HappyXI was trended for four hours across India.
To highlight the current mood of the country, the channel started Happiness meter activity. Happiness Meter is a listening activity that tracks the conversation happening on Twitter to gauge what is the current mood of the people in the country.
The next Old Age Home promo recorded 29 million views on social and 1504 likes on Facebook. On 1 April Best Cricket game was a prank where the audiences tricked into playing the best ever online cricket game & having the best cricket experience they can ever have. Later, they realized that it’s the cricket insect that played them.
The idea is to highlight that the best ever cricket experience can only be lived with vivo IPL. 2,045 tweets, 16 million timelines deliveries and 3 million reach, the prank activity was trending for five hours across India.
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.
