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Bangalore FC to now focus on AFC Champions League
MUMBAI: Addressing the media formally for the first time, after beating Dempo 2-4 and going on to win the coveted I-League championships, Bangalore FC members have spelt their future course of action.
Present for the press briefing held on Wednesday were Club CEO Parth Jindal, COO Mustafa Ghouse, coach Ashley Westwood, assistant coach Pradhyum Reddy, skipper Sunil Chhetri and team consultant Mandar Tamhane
“This has been a fantastic journey for all of us at the club. The fact that we are I-League champions is yet to sink in. Things will only get bigger and better from here. When we started we were fighting with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) that we don’t get relegated. So, to come here as a champion, is unexpected. One thing is for sure, we are not going let go of the title soon. But for that we will have to improve and reinforce our team. We want to be the first India team to qualify for the AFC Champions League,” said Jindal.
Westwood said it was an absolute honour to lead this team to the title. “Any championship title is a huge success. I wouldn’t compare it to anything else but it’s a fantastic honour and I am really proud and privileged to be the head coach. It’s right up there with the most successful things I have done throughout my career. It’s the greatest feeling in the world and I wouldn’t take any shine off it by comparing it with anything else,” said the Englishman when asked if this was his biggest achievement.
With the winning title being taken, there is an individual award at stake which also could come to BFC. Well known Skipper Sunil Chhetri is tied top scorer on 14 goals and with the game against Sporting Clube de Goa left, he could well be on track to bag the award. “People have said that I play for the country but never turn up for clubs and I’m glad they do that. It only motivates me to perform better. There is the possibility of me ending up top scorer in the League and that says a lot,” said Chhetri who has been a revelation playing on the left, a position he has never operated from in his career.
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.
