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Cricket telecast bids may open next week
MUMBAI/DELHI: The cricket telecast rights mega show is all set to roll with the rights for BCCI (Board for Control of Cricket in India)-organised home series likely to go under hammer middle of next week. Probable duration of the new contract: four years.
A BCCI meeting, scheduled in Mumbai on 9-10 August, would take a final call on the modalities and yardsticks for awarding the telecast rights for cricket series to be held in India. A formal announcement in this regard is expected on or around 11 August.
Speaking to indiantelevision.com on Tuesday over phone, a guarded BCCI chief Jagmohan Dalmiya said, “We would finalise the details (regarding telecast rights) over the next seven to 10 days.”
BCCI is likely to give bidders approximately 15 days time to finalise bids for submission and there is an expectation that some joint bids may be made too.
Though Dalmiya refused to shell out any further detail, another official of BCCI, on condition of anonymity, indicated that the cricket board expects the new bids to be ‘at least double’ of what was obtained last time.
Last time, Indian pubcaster Doordarshan had bagged the rights for a sum ranging between Rs 2.3 billion to Rs 2.5 billion for five years.
However, industry people are a bit sceptical about BCCIs expectations from the proposed fresh round of bidding. According to sports management company Nimbus chairman Harish Thawani, “It will take courage for someone to even offer Rs. 5 billion. There is so much regulatory uncertainty that when push comes to shove, people’s hands will shake when they have to sign off on a figure of Rs 5 billion plus.”
What is unclear to indiantelevision.com at the moment is the periodicity of the rights that would be finally decided. The BCCI panel that would meet next week may say that in the absence of data on the calendar of events for full five years, bids would be invited for four years only.
According to information collated from the broadcast and sports management industries, as of now, four years rights would comprise 12 Test matches and 48 one-dayers. This works out to 60 days of Tests with four one-dayers per Test, on an average.
What is also hazy is the fact whether the agreement with DD has come to an end or not. Prasar Bharati, which manages DD and All India Radio, is of the opinion that the deal is valid for Australias tour of India later this year, while BCCI feels the contract has come to a natural end.
The bidder list would include the usual suspects (like ESPN-Star Sports, DD, Sony, Nimbus and Ten Sports) and the unusual ones like Reliance, News Corp, Zee Telefilms and Sahara.
As the cricket razzmatazz is set to roll on the BCCI front, fasten your seatbelts for some rapid action and behind-the-scene activities. Simply because there are wheels within wheels and the bidding for the just-concluded Asia Cup could be a good place to start drawing some inferences. Why the Asia Cup? Well, the Asian Cricket Council manages this tourney and BCCI chief Dalmiya heads that too.
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.
