News Headline
Chennai Singams sign 16 players for Rs 96.4 lakhs in Indian Street Premier League
Mumbai: Business stalwarts Rajdipkumar Gupta, Sandipkumar Gupta, and actor Suriya Sivakumar, promoters of Chennai Singams bought 16 players, including star player Sumeet Dhekale aka ‘Bahubali’ for the inaugural edition of ISPL. The Chennai-based franchise is among the six teams competing in the street-to-stadium league’s premiere edition from 6 to 15 March 2024 in Mumbai.
The Chennai Singams team, with a purse of Rs 1 Crore, bought 16 players for a cumulative amount of Rs 96.4 Lakhs, making the team the highest bidder at the auction. Representing Chennai Singams were co-owners, Rajdipkumar Gupta, and the core team consisting of Rahul Pandey, Ashish Jaiswal and Sandeep Jaiswal.
Entrepreneur Chennai Singams co-owner Rajdip Gupta said, “Our team strength is our players. We are elated to have bought some of the best players in the lot. The scouting camp that we hosted was very fruitful. Can’t wait for the Chennai Singams team to take to the field.”
Chennai Singams co-owner Suriya Sivakumar said, “Witnessing the dedication, skill and talent on display, namely Sumeet Dhekale, Ketan Mhatre, R. Thavith Kumar, Venkatachalapathi Vignesh among others, I am confident that Chennai Singams will cross a milestone in the upcoming inaugural edition of the Indian Street Premier League. Our team is marked by passion, determination, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Experience and raw talent are hard to resist! Chennai Singams is more than just a team; cricket is more than just a game for us. It’s an emotion! Like all cricket lovers, I also eagerly await the game of our players in the ISPL matches. Sports and sportsmanship are forever inspirations! Let us roar together, Chennai Singams!”
A team formed with players from different corners of the country, Chennai Singams, bought Sumeet Dhekale for Rs 19 Lakhs who is one of the most expensive players followed by Ketan Mhatre for Rs 16.5, Farman Khan for Rs 10.5 Lakhs, Dilip Binjwa for 9 Lakhs, Sanjay Kanojjiya for Rs 7 Lakhs, Sagar Ali for Rs 4.4 Lakhs, Harish Parmar for Rs 3 Lakhs, Vedant Mayekar for Rs 3 Lakhs, Pankaj Patel for Rs 3 Lakhs, Farhat Ahmad for Rs 3 Lakhs, R. Thavith Kumar for Rs 3 Lakhs, Venkatachalapathi Vignesh for Rs 3 Lakhs, Aniket Sanap for Rs 3 Lakhs, Bablu Patil for Rs 3 Lakhs, Rajdeep Jadeja for Rs 3 Lakhs and Vishwanath Jadhav for Rs 3 Lakhs.
The strength of Chennai Singams comes together with 6 players from the West zone, and two each from the East, North, South, Central and under 19 categories.
Zone Wise Break–Up
East Zone
. Sagar Ali – Left Handed– Batsman
. Sanjay Kanojjiya – Left Handed – Batsman – Right Arm spinner
North Zone
. Farman Khan – Right-Handed – Bowler – Right Arm Fast
. Farhat Ahmad – Right-Handed – Bowler – Right Arm Fast
South Zone
. R. Thavith Kumar – All-rounder– Left-Handed – Left Arm Fast
. Venkatachalapathi Vignesh – All-rounder– Right-Handed – Right Arm Medium
Central Zone
. Dilip Binjwa – All-rounder– Left-Handed – Left Arm Medium
. Pankaj Patel – Bowler – Right-Handed – Left Arm Fast
West Zone
. Sumeet Dhekale – Batsman – Left Handed
. Bablu Patil – All-rounder
. Ketan Mhatre – Batsman – Right-Handed – Right Arm Fast
. Aniket Sanap – Bowler – Left Handed – Left Arm Spinner
. Rajdeep Jadeja – Bowler – Right-Handed – Right-Arm Spinner
. Vishwanath Jadhav – All-rounder– Right-Handed – Right Arm Fast
In the under-19 category, Vedant Mayekar (18-year-old) and Harish Parmar (19-year-old), both from the west zone were added to the Chennai Singams squad.
. Vedant Mayekar – Right-Handed – All rounder – Right-Arm Fast
. Harish Parmar – Right-Handed – All rounder – Right Arm Fast
The six teams who are part of ISPL – are Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Srinagar and Chennai.
| Sr No | Zone | Player Name | Age | Playing Roles | Batting Handednes | Preferred Bowling Style |
| 1 | East | Sagar Ali | 26 | Batsman | Left Handed | |
| 2 | Sanjay Kanojjiya | 28 | Batsman | Left Handed | Right Arm spinner | |
| 3 | North | Farman Khan | 29 | Bowler | Right Hand | Right Arm Fast |
| 4 | Farhat Ahmad | 33 | Bowler | Right Hand | Right Arm Fast | |
| 5 | South | R. Thavith Kumar | 32 | All rounder | Left-Handed | Left Arm Fast |
| 6 | Venkatachalapathi Vignesh | 26 | All rounder | Right Hand | Right Arm Medium | |
| 7 | Central | Dilip Binjwa | 40 | All rounder | Left-Handed | Left Arm Medium |
| 8 | Pankaj Patel | 26 | Bowler | Right Handed | Left Arm Fast | |
| 9 | West | Sumeet Dhekale | 37 | Batsman | Left Handed | |
| 10 | Bablu Patil | 39 | All rounder | |||
| 11 | Ketan Mhatre | 28 | Batsman | Right Handed | Right Arm Fast | |
| 12 | Aniket Sanap | 36 | Bowler | Left Handed | Left Arm Spinner | |
| 13 | Rajdeep Jadeja | 31 | Bowler | Right Handed | Right Arm Spinner | |
| 14 | Vedant Mayekar | 18 | All rounder | Right Handed | Right Arm Fast | |
| 15 | Harish Parmar | 19 | All rounder | Right Handed | Right Arm Fast | |
| 16 | Vishwanath jadhav | 29 | All rounder | Right Handed | Right Arm Fast |
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.
