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ESPN Star Sports takes Indian club footballers to Chelsea & Arsenal
MUMBAI: ESPN Star Sports, with its latest initative towards domectic sports, will be flying five footballers from the Kolkata Police Friendship Football Tournament to Stamford Bridge Stadium and High Bury Stadium UK.
The panel of judges in the tournament selected five players, namely Tapas Dolui, Papu Das, Sanjay Mallick, Tapas Das and Arshad Ali.
According to a media release, the sports channel was one of the sponsors for the tournament held in Kolkatta in July and will be taking the above five players on a guided tour of London’s soccer stadiums including Stamford Bridge & High Bury – the home ground of top English Premier League clubs, Chelsea and Arsenal.
ESPN Star Sports VP sales and marketing Sricharan Iyengar, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, says, ” Soccer is a craze in Kolkatta, be it International, European or Local and this is ESPN STAR Sports’ initiative to present a learning opportunity to upcoming talent from the pool of players in the tournament.”
“The five players will have a four day trip where they will undertake a tour to the best of Football stadiums in London and experience practicing sessions of some of the best clubs in football today. This tour will give them a chance to see the facilities on offer, the basics of practice sessions and a chance to meet best talents in world football. ” added Iyengar.
The tournament organised by the Kolkata police is an endeavour to reach out to the youth of Kolkata in an informal and friendly manner. The tournfriendship tournament had generated huge interest in the city with more than 500 teams participating, a significant increase from 461 teams that competed last year.
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.
