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ESPN, WTA in new TV rights agreement for US
FLORIDA: The WTA Tour and ESPN have reached a multi-year agreement for the cable network to broadcast the season ending WTA Tour Championships presented by Porsche.
In India viewers can catch WTA action on Ten Sports. In the US the season ending finale to the WTA Tour takes place from 5-10 November at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. In the US this will be televised everyday on ESPN2.
As part of the new extended deal, ESPN2 will provide at least 16 hours of coverage from all six days of the WTA Tour Championships, including at least 10 hours of live coverage. The network’s featured team of Cliff Drysdale, Mary Joe Fernandez and Pam Shriver will work the broadcast booth.
An official release informs that this year ESPN2, which reaches more than 85 million homes, covered 10 prominent tournaments on the WTA Tour calendar, including three Grand Slam events, the Pacific Life Open and the Nasdaq-100 Open.
This year’s WTA Tour Championships will feature a new format involving an eight-player round-robin singles draw and a four-team single elimination doubles draw. The world’s top eight singles players and top four doubles teams will battle for a $3 million purse, with the singles winner receiving a record-tying $1 million in prize money.
Kim Clijsters, Justine Henin-Hardenne and Serena Williams have already qualified for the women’s singles event. Henin-Hardenne, the reigning US Open and French Open singles champion, leads the current Porsche Race to the Championships standings, followed closely by the top-ranked Clijsters who has still to win a Grand Slam and the third-ranked Williams, who is a six-time Grand Slam champion.
In the US the ESPN networks claim to televise
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.
