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ESPN’s SportsCenter celebrates 1st anniversary in India
April is a record month for ESPN’s SportsCenter show in Asia as all three local versions achieved notable milestones with SportsCenter in Taiwan incorporating presenters into the programme, SportsCenter Hindi celebrating its first year anniversary as India’s one-stop source for the latest sports news, and SportsCenter Asia becomes the most popular sports news programme on cable in Singapore.
SportsCenter Hindi, which claims to be India’s first-ever live Hindi sports news bulletin, celebrates its first anniversary. Darain Shahidi hosts the show and segments include Headlines, International News, Cricket News, India Diary, India Results. The show airs at 8pm with a repeat at 11pm from Monday-Friday.
SportsCenter Taiwan is expected to strengthen its market presence with the addition of news presenters Teng Kuo-Hsiung, Julian Lin and Francis Chang, an official release states. The latest decision emulates the winning formula of the American show. Show sponsors are Daimler Chrysler and President PoSweat while segment sponsors include Federal Express, UBS and Adidas.
The live pan-regional edition of the show, SportsCenter Asia broadcasts entirely in English. In markets where peoplemarket research is conducted cable data shows that 39 per cent of professionals, managers, executives and businessmen watch the show in Taiwan. It attracts 47 per cent of male professionals in Singapore and more than half of upscale adult male cable viewers in India. (AC Nielsen Taiwan, TN Sofres Infosys Singapore and TAM India Media Xpress, 13 August 2001-15 March 2002)
In Singapore peoplemeter research shows that SportsCenter Asia is watched by 39 per cent of all cable individuals. The number increases to 52 per cent among professionals, managers, executives and businessmen ages 25 to 44. Competing sports news programmes on other news and sports channels on cable are lagging behind, an official release states.
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.
