MAM
Adani and GMR buy teams in Ultimate Kho Kho
Mumbai: Corporate giants Adani Group and GMR group have acquired the Gujarat and Telangana franchises respectively in the Ultimate Kho Kho league, which is poised for a 2022 launch to promote the homegrown sport.
Promoted by Dabur Group chairman Amit Burman, in collaboration with the Kho Kho Federation of India, the league aims to revolutionize the indigenous sport of Kho-Kho by adopting a modern-day professional structure, which would bring the fast-paced action to the living rooms of the fans in a new avatar.
Welcoming the two team owners Ultimate Kho Kho CEO Tenzing Niyogi said, “I am delighted to welcome the Adani Group & GMR on board on our Ultimate Kho Kho journey. We are committed to bring this sporting spectacle to the masses of India and it’s of great pride to collaborate with corporates as stakeholders. This is certainly a strong foot forward for Ultimate Kho Kho becoming a sports movement”
Adani Sportsline, a part of the Adani Group, is already associated with many sporting leagues in the country and is determined to contribute to creating an ecosystem that props up future sports icons and inspires the youth of the country.
Speaking of this acquisition, Adani Enterprises director Pranav Adani said “At Adani Sportsline, we are delighted to be in a position to promote yet another exciting homegrown sport.”
He added, “We have always believed that the best way to promote homegrown sports and build engagement across the national audience is to adopt a professional, structured approach. Our experience with the Kabaddi and Boxing League gives us confidence that the Ultimate Kho Kho League will do wonders for this much-loved traditional sport. Our decision to partner with this league is an extension of our aim to build a world-class ecosystem that nurtures sporting talent, accelerates the sports economy and plays the role of an enabler in India’s journey to become a leading sporting nation.”
GMR is hoping that its association with UKK will help ‘Kho-Kho’ break the shackles and soar high in terms of popularity.
GMR Group corporate chairman Kiran Kumar Grandhi said, “At GMR Sports’ our aim is to promote sports amongst youth, connect with the community at large and build a supporting ecosystem. Since its inception, over 15 years ago, the company has done pioneering work in growing popular sports such as Cricket and other indigenous sports like Kabaddi and Wrestling across India and overseas. With a vision to nurture talent at the grass-root level, it has invested in providing access to professional sports by setting up Sports Training Academies across India.”
Ultimate Kho Kho has already roped in Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) as its official broadcasting partner in a multi-year deal. The high-octane games will be broadcast exclusively across SPNI’s sports channels and their dedicated OTT platform SonyLIV which will enable viewers to watch the Ultimate Kho Kho ‘on the go’.
MAM
Raghu Rai passes away at 83, leaves behind iconic legacy
Padma Shri-winning photographer documented history across 5 decades.
MUMBAI: The lens may have stilled, but the stories it captured will never fade. Raghu Rai, one of India’s most celebrated photojournalists, passed away on April 26, 2026, at the age of 83. He breathed his last at a private hospital in New Delhi after battling cancer and age-related health issues.
His son, Nitin Rai, revealed that Rai had been diagnosed with prostate cancer two years ago, which later spread to the stomach and, more recently, the brain. Despite multiple rounds of treatment, his health had declined in recent months.
Born in 1942 in Jhang, Punjab (now in Pakistan), Rai entered photography in his early twenties, inspired by his elder brother, photographer S. Paul. Beginning his career in the mid-1960s, he went on to build a body of work that spanned more than five decades, contributing to global publications such as Time, Life, GEO, Le Figaro, The New York Times, Vogue, GQ and Marie Claire.
His global recognition took a decisive leap in 1977 when legendary French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson nominated him to join Magnum Photos, placing him among the world’s most respected visual storytellers.
Rai’s lens chronicled both power and poignancy. He photographed towering figures such as Indira Gandhi, Dalai Lama, Bal Thackeray, Satyajit Ray and Mother Teresa, while also documenting defining moments like the Bhopal gas tragedy later captured in his book Exposure: A Corporate Crime.
Over the years, he published more than 18 books, building an archive that blended journalism with artistry. His contributions were recognised early when he was awarded the Padma Shri in 1972 for his coverage of the Bangladesh War and refugee crisis. In 1992, he was named “Photographer of the Year” in the United States for his work in National Geographic, and in 2009, he was honoured with the Officier des Arts et des Lettres by the French government.
Rai is survived by his wife Gurmeet, son Nitin, and daughters Lagan, Avani and Purvai. His last rites will be held at Lodhi Cremation Ground in New Delhi at 4 pm on Sunday.
With his passing, Indian photojournalism loses not just a pioneer, but a patient observer of history, one frame at a time.
