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Elite Pro Basketball League expands to 16 teams from 12 teams
MUMBAI: India’s pro basketball league ‘Elite Pro Basketball League’ has announced that the inaugural pre-season will kick-start from 11-20 March 2023 at the Noida Indoor Stadium. The icing on the cake is the expansion to 16 teams from 12 teams which will give more players a chance to turn pro. Nagpur Knights, Goa Saints, Surat Diamonds and Eastern Tigers are the new four teams that are added. The league will also include a minimum of two university players on each team giving them a chance to go professional.
The pre-season which will be held for ten days will have all 16 teams, coaches and staff coming together for the first time. The pre-season will help players get to know each other and gel together as a team. The most attractive part of the pre-Season is the additional salaries and perks the players will get. This became the first Basketball league in India to pay hefty salaries to all players, something that was missing.
Elite Pro Basketball League CEO Sunny Bhandarkar said, “We are excited to announce the expansion of four more teams, this will make the league more competitive and will give more players the opportunity to showcase their talents. We have been working on our dream of having a Pro Basketball league in India for the past year and now it is turning into a reality and we are quite excited about it. The pre-season will help players and coaches gel with each other and start working on a strategy.
“We have got the best players in the country playing in the league and we will leave no stone unturned to make this a landmark league and hope that it inspires the growth of Basketball in the country.”
Indian basketball player Prudhvi Reddy said, “A league like this is what Indian Basketball requires, attractive salaries, great coaches and staff, a platform where people can showcase their talents. Never in India has a basketball league been conducted in such a way with preseason and I am sure this will help grow the sport in a big way in India.”
The key signings include Indian national team players, state players, local players and University players. Mumbai Stars, Pune Pythons, Jaipur Giants, Kochi Pachers, Chandigarh Conquerors, Hyderabad Hoops, Lucknow Swarm, Chennai Turbos, Punjab Gladiators, Ahmedabad Aces, Delhi Dominators, Bengaluru Stallions, Nagpur Knights, Goa Saints, Surat Diamonds, Eastern Tigers concludes the team.
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.
