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BCCI tender panel meeting inconclusive on India rights
MUMBAI: The India telecast rights intrigue continues. In what has come as no surprise to many in the industry, the crucial meeting of the Tender Committee of the Board for Cricket Control in India (BCCI), which took place in Chennai this morning, failed to come to any conclusions as to which party — Zee Telefilms or ESPN Star Sports — was the rightful claimant of the most prized possession on Indian television today.
Cricket board president Jagmohan Dalmiya and other senior office bearers of the BCCI, including Jyothi Bajpayee, Kishore Rungta and Tamil Nadu Cricket Association president N Srinivasan are among the senior members in this committee. However, BCCI secretary SK Nair, who is also in this panel, is away in England attending a meeting of the ICC, agency reports have said.
What remains to be seen is whether the BCCI’s Marketing Committee meeting scheduled for tomorrow, at which the rights winner was earlier expected to be announced, throws up anything more conclusive. From this vantage, something definitive from the Indian cricket board, which is a divided house on the telecast rights issue, looks increasingly uncertain. This committee includes Dalmiya and former BCCI president AC Muthiah, among others.
While Zee Telefilms has offered $260 million, ESPN STAR Sports (ESS) has come up with an offer of $230 million to the BCCI for four years. SET Max, Prasar Bharati and Ten Sports have also put in their offers. But they were way behind the two main contenders.
The fight between Zee and ESS is for the live television and radio broadcast rights for international matches to be played in India for the next four years
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.
