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Dabur’s Amit Burman-backed Poker Sports League to launch on 24 May in Goa
MUMBAI: So looking at sports these days we have a national league for each and every game let it be cricket, football, hockey, basketball, badminton, kabaddi and many more. Now you can add poker to that list. Come 24 May, the Deltin Royale, which is anchored in the Mandovi river in Goa, will see the launch of the Poker Sports League (PSL) – the first of its kind in India.
The purpose of the PSL: “To promote the tournament aspect of poker across India and to provide every poker enthusiast an opportunity to play for the pride of winning. To promote responsible poker.”
With a prize money of Rs 3.3 crore, 12 teams consisting of nine players each, the tournament will be held in the largest poker room on board the five storied Deltin Royale over five days. The teams which were formed after a player draft include: Bengaluru Jokers, Chennai Bulls, Delhi Panthers, Goan Nuts, Gujarat Acers, Haryana Hunters, Kings Hyderabad, Kolkata Royals, Mumbai Anchors, Pune Sharks, Punjab Bluffers and Rajasthan Tilters.
The PSL – the brain child of Dabur scion and vice-chairman Amit Burman, – has attracted a clutch of well known entrepreneur businessmen to become team owners:
Team Delhi: Rishi Kajaria, joint MD, Kajaria Ceramics and Ruchiransh Jaipuria of Jaipuria Group, Leela Jewels Abhishekh Jain, and Dhampur Sugars Gaurav Goel
Team Mumbai: Mehul Shah, original promoter of Anchor Electrical;
Team Bengaluru: Kunal Shah, cofounder of FreeCharge
Team Hyderabad: Amit Shah, Karan Bhagat and Yatin Shah of IIFL Wealth Management
Team Gujarat: Harish Bahl,, Manish Vij and Gopikaa Davar of the Smile group and Mukesh Agarwal of VITWO.
Team Kolkata: Ankkit Bahadur of Playboy, North India and Taarun V Jain of Legend Group
Team Goa: Gaurav Mohan of Eventwala
Team Chennai: FreshDesk cofounder Girish Mathrubootam and CaratLane cofounder Mithun Sancheti
Team Harayana: Citrus Payment (PayU) cofounders Amrish Rau and Jiendra Gupta
Team Pune: Rishabh Jhunjhunwala of Bhilwara Group, Shamit Khemka of Synapse India, Chetan Kajaria of Kajaria Ceramics and Sachin Goel
Team Rajasthan: Purrshottam Bhaggeria of Filatex
“This will ensure that the league becomes a success going ahead,” Burman had said during the announcement of the league a few months back.
Each team has a captain, or mentor, and two professional and four amateur players who were chosen from the thousands competing in online and offline events over the past five months.
A gaggle of professionals have also decided to take part Jaideep Sajwan, Zarvan Tumboli , Vidwath Shetty, Manoj Pentakota, Vinod, Megalmani, Aman Dhamija, Vivek ‘ik’ Rughani, Tarun Goyal, Abhinav Iyer. Bhavn Nainani, Pawan Bansal, Alok Ranjan, Madan Kumar, Sangeet Patni, Sahil, Mayank Agarwal Nishant Sharma, Karthik Ved, Deepak Batr, Sharad Rao, Sumit Sapra, Ratul Steves, SAhil Chutani and Siddharth Singvi.
It has also attracted a handful of sponsors in year one: Jet Airways, Bira, Real Activ and John Jacobs.
According to one of the team mentors Kunal Patni, the idea is to sportify the game in year one. “We have the RFID tables and hole card cameras,” he told Radio One. “the idea is to have audiences know what’s going on and have them participate from the comfort of their homes.”
All the matches are to be shot and filmed and a seven- part series is to be created, even as the matches are live streamed online on its facebook page. Sources indicate the series will also be telecast on a TV channels.
Patni believes that the PSL will only grow from here and the sport which is taught in Harvard Business School will soon get the status it deserves, among India’s denizens.
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.
