News Headline
Agreement on cricket row in sight , formal announcement expected Thursday
NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: It is all about money, honey! Forget patriotism and all that blah blah. And since it has all boiled down to hard economics, a solution to the whole cricket controversy was arrived at in principle today. Though the deal is not signed and delivered as yet, it should be by Thursday, sources close to the negotiations said.
According to cricketing sources, the five top Indian players – Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble and Virendra Sehwag – together have reportedly sought a compensation of about Rs 50 million from the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) in lieu of signing on the dotted line. And while the finer points are still being discussed, the board has agreed to the terms.
The BCCI and Jagmohan Dalmia, the strongman of Indian cricket, are understood to have worked out a three-point formula for a face-saving solution to the vexed issue that has hogged the headlines these past few weeks.
The three-point formula includes a proposal that the cricketers will get a percentage of the money that the International Cricket Council (ICC) will give to BCCI, and that in future the players will be kept apprised of all such sponsorship deals being inked by the BCCI, the ICC and other stakeholders of the game.
And who are the other stakeholders? Some of the global partners who have paid through their nose to get sponsorship rights to the ICC tourneys. These parties have contested the ICC’s reported stand that the global sponsors are ready to re-negotiate the terms and conditions of the sponsorship deals.
A senior executive of one of the global sponsors of ICC cricket today told indiantelevision: “We have read media reports from London where ICC has been quoted as saying that the global partners may re-negotiate the contracts. But as of today there has been no official intimation on this front.”
Echoing a similar sentiment a senior executive for Pepsi Foods India Pvt. Ltd. said that there has been “no indication from the ICC on renegotiations of the contract.” The executive further added that if any term of the contract is changed (as the binding on personal endorsement by players is only limited to the up and coming Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka, for example) or is being sought to be changed, then the whole agreement has to be re-negotiated.
The global sponsors of the upcoming Champions Trophy and Next March’s World Cup in South Africa, which include the likes of Pepsi, LG, Hero Honda, Toyota, South African Airways, United Breweries of South Africa, are reported to have coughed up close to Rs 2,000 million for a bunch of sponsorship rights which they are not ready to give up easily.
But ICC, though apparently facing an uphill task, has kept up its tough stand, including the fact that ICC chief Malcolm Speed when in Mumbai last week, was quoted by Reuters as saying the personal endorsement ban for a month before and after an ICC tournament will stay for the World Cup too.
Now that the stalemate between BCCI, one of the richest sports bodies in the world, and the top Indian cricketers has been breached, it remains to be seen whether LG will finally reach a deal with Sony Entertainment Television, which has the C&S telecast rights to the tournament.
Ganesh Mahalingam, marketing head of LG India, earlier today told indiantelevision.com: “I am not going to freeze any deal with Sony Entertainment TV (scheduled to air the ICC cricket matches on SET Max) unless and until the BCII announces the full and final team for the Champions Trophy.”
LG India had earlier rejected an offer from SET India for getting a certain amount of airtime for the matches of Champions Trophy and the World Cup for Rs 600 million. Reason: “The rates are preposterous and unrealistic,” according to Mahalingam. Since then, SET is believed to have made another offer to LG India on which a decision has not been taken as yet. Now that a full strength squadis almost certain to be headed for the Emerald Isles next month, Sony will certainly have a much stronger bargaining position on the terms it has set.
The other two main India sponsors for the ICC cricket – Pepsi and Hero Honda – have already signed up, industry sources say.
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.
