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ESS adds Brazilian feather to its Soccer cap
MUMBAI: It may have lost the fight to bag the cricket rights in India, but when it comes to football ESPN Star Sports (ESS) is moving full steam ahead.
Earlier this year it had announced that it had acquired the rights to the most important football event: the 2006 Fifa World Cup. Now it has announced that it has secured the rights to Brazilian football for the year.
The acquisition will see ESS showcase 64 regular season matches from the Brazilian Championship, the Brazilian Cup and the Paulista League. ESS will telecast 64 soccer matches from Brazil this year starting March 05 from the three premium tournaments – ‘Paulista league’, ‘Brazilllian Cup’ and ‘Brazillian Championship’. Besides the telecast of matches, the network will also telecast 46 half-hour highlights package.
ESS already has the English Premier League (EPL), the Spanish Primera Liga, the Uefa Champion’s League, the Uefa Cup, the FA Football Package and the Asian Football Confederation package in its kitty.
ESPN Software India VP Sricharan Iyenger said, “We have acquired Brazilian football to further build our status as the home of soccer in India. Over many years we have steadily invested in soccer to grow its popularity and bring a variety of soccer to fans in India. The range of soccer has been as wide as EPL to IFA Shield. Our acquisition of Brazilian football will add more variety.
“Brazil has an exciting and a robust soccer itinerary at the state and national level. Most of the Brazilian national squad plays in the Brazilian Cup and the Championships. And the leagues are long and interesting giving exciting soccer to fans round the year. We plan to continue our efforts to familiarie our viewers with the Brazilian acquisition.”
Sports fans here get to watch ten matches each competition week including a line-up of programming that covers predictions, highlights, news and information as well as pre- and post-game analysis. By the close of the season, sports viewers in India would have seen up to 380 league matches compared to the previous 165.
ESPN Software India director, corporate communications and event management Himanshu Verma said, “There has been a steady increase in viwership for soccer. EPL for instance has grown at the rate of 21 per cent. This has happened because of an increase in the number of matches showcased and the publicity push.
“During Euro 2004 we also realised that localising content also played a major role in increasing viewership. Our first experiment with Hindi commentary also opened new markets for international soccer. We will continue to localise content and bring-in innovations to further boost popularity of soccer and all other sports.”
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.
