News Headline
BCCI extends India media rights submission till 3 April
MUMBAI: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has extended its last date for submission of bids for the media rights for international and domestic matches at home for the next five years from 27 March to 3 April.
The BCCI media rights contract with Star India has been extended by 15 days to accommodate the Indian women team’s ODI series against England, according to a report.
The decision was taken by BCCI because the Indian women team is supposed to take on England in a three-match ODI series, which is part of the ICC women’s ODI championship, on 6, 9 and 12April at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur. Star’s contract with the BCCI was earlier supposed to end by 31 March but now will end on 15 April 2018.
The rights have been split across three categories – global television rights plus rest-of-world digital rights package, an Indian subcontinent digital rights package, and a global consolidated rights package.
BCCI has set Rs 33 crore per match base price for the global TV rights and the rest of the world digital rights package, Rs 7 crore for the digital rights package for the Indian sub-continent, and Rs 40 crore for the consolidated package for global rights. This gives the bidders an option to submit separate bids for the global rights, Indian subcontinent rights or a consolidated bid for all the rights. The bid increment was fixed at Rs 50 lakh for the global TV and digital rights as well as the consolidated global rights and at Rs 12 lakh for the Indian sub-continent digital rights.
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Awards
Hamdard honours changemakers at Abdul Hameed awards
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.








