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ESS in overdrive to promote PHL
MUMBAI: ESPN Star Sports’ (ESS) localisation initiative around the Premier Hockey League (PHL) has won stronger response this year. The reason: it is being held in Chandigarh where hockey has more popular support.
The first edition, in contrast, was held last year in Hyderabad. A company executive says that last year when PHL kicked off the first few matches, it had an attendance of 1000 to 2000. The semi-finals and finals managed an attendance of 10,000.
This time attendance has been in the region of 15,000. When the Sher-e-Jalandhar team plays as many as 20,000 people attend a match. Also, the atmosphere is much more participatory with fans carrying banners.
The official adds that in a couple of years time ESS may look at having away matches. That is because there are no floodlit hockey stadiums apart from Hyderabad and now Chandigarh.
Marketing was also beefed up. Last year, the channel’s brand ambassador Sachin Tendulkar and a couple of Bollywood stars were used to promote the event. This time the captains of the teams appeared in television spots as well as in print. The basic aim is for the captains to project the different images of their teams. Also, before the second edition of PHL kicked off, the captains were given a send off in some of the centres through on ground events. Besides, a PHL music album was released.
But wouldn’t it have been better if PHL also had teams that already played hockey like Indian Airlines? The company executive says that it would be difficult for a fan to build up a sense of affiliation with a government firm or a corporate though the team may have great players.
ESS felt that it would be better if each team projected certain personality traits that people from that state can identify with. The official adds that if this identification is there, then people will watch even if away matches are not happening.
He cites the example of Gujaratis watching when the Maratha Warriors play a match. That is because that team has attributes that people in Gujarat connect with.
For on ground promotion, ESS held a junior PHL event in December and January in Ludhiana, Bangalore and Chandigarh. Each centre saw 20 to 25 schools taking part. The winners got to meet their senior counterparts. This, the executive says, is one way for school kids to meet sportspersons that they can look up to. It also helps to finetune their skills and groom them for the future.
The PHL junior activity was an addition to ESS’ school contact programmes which it has been doing for the past couple of years.
Among other activities, the channel conducted workshops for sports teachers in schools. Sports psychologists and professionals were present to offer tips. Clinics were conducted during the summer vacation in May where the schools’ most promising kids took part. 1115 schools in 22 cities were a part of this programme, adds the executive.
On the sponsorship front, Adidas renewed its deal for five years. ESS is also excited about the fact that the sponsors are looking to expand their relationship with PHL. For instance, ING Vysaya which sponsors the Bangalore team has signed on two players for a series of on-ground promotional activities in that state independent of PHL.
These activities are in addition to the on air presence that the financial institution has. Western Union, which supported one team last year, took up two teams, Sher-e-Jalandhar and Chandigarh Dynamos. “They have also signed on some players from these two teams for promotional activities,” says the executive.
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.
