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9 Indian gamers to head for World Cyber Games Final in San Francisco
MUMBAI: Nine Indian gamers are headed to San Francisco to compete for US$ 400,000 prize at the World Cyber Games Final.
About seven hundred gamers from over sixty countries are set to participate in this event.
The India round of the world Cyber Games (WCG) was organized by Mumbai based Indiagames. While the electronic gaint Samsung was the main sponsor, AMD, Encompass and Sify co-sponsored the event that was held at the Hakone grounds in Mumbai.
According to an official release, the month long event that extended over 12 cities across the country received a colossal response.
Deepak Mallic, Lalit Nangia, Jenil Patel, Dhruv Parpia and Rahul Rohira from the team ‘Acid’ won in a game called Half Life- Counter Strike, while Nikunj Bansal (WarCraft), Ashwin Warrier (Unreal tournament), Shushmit Reddy (NFS underground) and Vishal Seth (FIFA 2004) were the individual winners. All the gaming wizards are just between 14 to 23 years of age.
Indiagames Ltd CEO Vishal Gondal says, “It is heartening to see that the interest in gaming has magnified in the last couple of years from 7,000 participants in 2002 to a monstrous 4,00,000 registering this year. Such promising participation will surely enable gaming in India to grow in leaps and bounds ,which would make it possible for us to host the WCG world wide finals in 2006, the most prestigious event in gaming.”
According to the release, with the ebullience in gaming on the up, gaming may soon turn out to be not just a passion but a career of the future.
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.
