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ESS gets World Rally Championship rights
MUMBAI: With a view to being the home of Motorsport, ESPN Star Sports (ESS) Asia has signed a deal for World Rally Championship (WRC).
The deal sees ESS make a four-season commitment to WRC, up to and including 2008/09. Fans of the sport will be able to enjoy more action, news, thrills and spills than ever before. ESPN Star Sports will deliver extensive WRC coverage on Star Sports. The channel also airs Formula One.
Broadcasting daily news and highlights from each of the 16 rounds of the WRC, ESS will also deliver the best action from the two support series’, the Junior and Production car World Rally Championships, as well as mid- and end of season reviews.
From 2007, viewers will also be able to watch the Rally Magazine show, featuring highlights of the best footage from the world of rally including national and regional championships, such as the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship. In addition to the daily programmes, WRC fans will also be able to watch a 52-minute highlights show for each rally.
ESS Asia MD Jamie Davis said, “Our successful acquisition of the FIA World Rally Championship sees us continue our winning streak of securing top flight motorsports programming to satisfy the growing passion for the sport across Asia. Together with Formula One, A1 as well as MotoGP, there is no sports broadcaster in the region that delivers as much motorsport coverage as we do.”
ISC managing director Simon Long says, “Asia is the fastest growing region in the world for WRC as well as a crucial market for car manufacturers and advertisers. We are very excited to be entering into this pivotal agreement with ESPN Star Sports which will allow more fans than ever to watch the adrenaline-fuelled action of WRC.”
The agreement was jointly put together by ISC and International Sports Media, which represented WRC TV rights in the region until the end of 2005. Regional WRC TV interests are now being managed by Total Sports Asia.
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.
