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Doordarshan in talks with US co as it plans varsity leagues via PPP
MUMBAI: Doordarshan, inspired by the spectacular success of private broadcasters, is preparing to enter into the sports business with three different sports leagues in basketball, kabaddi and football.
Sports sponsorship in India grew 19.33 per cent in 2016 to touch Rs 6,400 crore, according to a report titled Sporting Nation in the Making IV, jointly published by GroupM ESP, and SportzPower, a sports business news company.
The pubcaster is already in parleys with a US-based company, Doordarshan D-G Supriya Sahu said. The league, to be unveiled in couple of months, will be played amongst students from the university/college levels across the nation. Non-cricket leagues saw franchise revenue growing 4.97 per cent from Rs 201.2 crore in 2015 to Rs 211.2 crore in 2016.
The main idea is to bolster a public-private partnership (PPP) to lay a platform for the multi-billion dollar university level sports – beginning with the three sports and later expanded to other sports. The matches will be aired on all Doordarshan channels including DD Sports and will be promoted across the mediums such as radio and outdoor publicity.
DD Sports, she said, was in the process of reforming the content, and rebranding it to make it relevant for its target audience. Sports leagues are major content differentiators in the genre.
In 2012, NDTV had ideated similar sports league with a university-level cricket league in partnership with Association of Indian Universities and the ministry of human resource development and BCCI (Board of Cricket Control in India). The league was aimed at encouraging cricket at the university level but didn’t last beyond the first season.
Apart from Indian Premier League, there are at present five major sports leagues played across India — Indian Super League, Hockey India League, Pro Kabaddi League, Premier Badminton League and International Premier Tennis League.
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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.
