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BSkyB acquires Spanish Primera Liga rights
LONDON: Sky Sports will show David Beckham live in the Spanish Premiere League. A new three-year deal for Spanish league football was secured by BSkyB.
Coverage commenced from 30 August – with Barcelona’s match against Athletic Bilbao at the San Marmes stadium. The match aired on Sky Sports Xtra.
Beckham will be seen live in the opening week of the season as Real Madrid meet Villarreal on Sky Sports 1 from tomorrow. His first competitive game for Real Madrid was shown live last weekend as he faced Real Mallorca in the Spanish Super Cup.
An official release informs that for three seasons – 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 – Sky Sports will now show two live Spanish league games each weekend, on Saturday and Sunday evenings. A new weekly highlights show, featuring all of the goals from the weekend’s fixtures, will also be broadcast on Monday evenings from this month.
The addition of live Spanish football to Sky Sports will ensure that this will be the most televised football season ever on Sky Sports with over 400 live matches. Alongside La Liga other tournaments that Sky Sports will broadcast include Barclaycard Premiership, UEFA Champions League, FA Cup, Carling Cup .
Sky Sports’ MD Vic Wakeling added: “La Liga has long been seen as one of the world’s strongest leagues. It has famous clubs, magnificent stadia and some of the world’s biggest stars. And now David Beckham has joined Real Madrid the interest is unbelievable. Sky Sports viewers can follow his progress, watch live games every week and see every goal in La Liga within our biggest ever season of football – it’s a great signing.”
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.
