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Aircel Chennai Open gears up for its 20th edition. Mind It!
Mumbai: The year saw many sports being launched in the country, reconfirming the belief that sports bug has bitten the country.
While India saw two new tennis leagues, Champions Tennis League and the International Premier Tennis League, being introduced, the Aircel Chennai Open slated to begin from 5 to 11 January 2015, will be in its 20th edition.
Aircel remains the title sponsor till 2016, the platinum sponsors include Government of Tamil Nadu, Indian Bank, United India Assurance, Murugappa Group and Indian Overseas Bank. The official partners are FedEx, Ricoh, KGS , FIAT, The Hindu, Hyatt Regency, TATA water Plus, Billroth Hospitals, Air Asia, Wilson, Reliance Footprint, and Chennai Live FM. Tennishub.in will be ‘Official Merchandise Partner’ of the tournament.
Star Sports had bagged the broadcast deal for three years for the Open till 2016. Fans can watch the live telecast of group stage, quarterfinals, semifinals and finals of the open on its channels and live streaming will also be available on starsports.com.
The tournament, which first began in 1996 and owned by IMG and organised by IMG Reliance, has set a budget of Rs 12 crore. The title sponsor provides 42 per cent of the revenue which is five crore, the other sponsors bring in 37 per cent of the revenue amounting Rs 4.5 crore, the broadcast partner brings in 17 per cent of the revenue share, which is close to two crore while the ticket revenue is pegged close to Rs 50 lakh.
For this year’s edition the assembly of talent includes four top-25 players and three 2014 ATP World Tour Award winners who will be participating. These include world number four and defending Singles champion Stan Wawrinka, Feliciano Lopez, Roberto Bautista Agut, and former Champion Janko Tipsarevic, returning to competitive tennis after surgery and granted a wild card. India’s Somdev Devvarman and Ramkumar Ramanathan have been granted wild cards
The tickets of the tournament have been priced at Rs 5,000, 3,000 and 1,500 on the tournaments official ticketing partner, bookmyshow.com.
Speaking about the three tennis league in India, GroupM ESP national director entertainment sports and live events Vinit Karnik says, “The Champions Tennis League may need some improvement, while the IPTL has created a mark in terms of visibility because of the big stars . Tennis is still considered to be a premium sport. Therefore, one needs to build affinity for the sport, since the affinity levels are low because there are not many people playing the sport. Therefore consistency, in terms of ratings, viewership and followers will not be there for the three leagues. But these three are trying to create enough buzz that at least the urban youth start playing tennis.” he concludes.
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.
