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ESS unveils its ‘Summer of Sport’ initiative
MUMBAI: 2005 will be a challenging year for ESPN Star Sports (ESS). The broadcaster has come out with a new initiative that it has branded Summer of Sport.
The tagline refers to its initiatives from this month and extends to September 2005. ESPN will telecast the final of the UEFA Champions League between Liverpool and AC Milan at midnight on 26 May.
Still ESS to a degree will be banking on the king of sport cricket to bring in some viewership. India plays a triangular in August with New Zealand and Zimbabwe. The seven ODI series kicks off on 27 August . This is followed by a 2 test series between India and Zimbabwe that concludes on 29 September 2005.
While non India cricket does lag behind if there is one series a true cricket fan will not want to miss it is the Ashes. That is because the top two teams in the world Australia and England will vie for supremacy. Australia are on a hot streak having flayed the daylights out of New Zealand not too long ago. The five test series starts on 21 July 2005 and ends in September.
Before that the broadcaster will showcase The NatWest Series featuring Australia, England and Bangladesh on 16 June 2005.
Where ESS will really look to score heavily though is in soccer. After all it will air the soccer World Cup next year. In order to build up momentum towards that huge event ESS will whet the appetite with the Fifa Confederations Cup 2005.
To be held in Germany, this year the event is regarded as a dress rehearsal for the World Cup. Other than the hosts, teams in the Confederations Cup include Argentina, Brazil, Tunisia, Australia, Mexico, Greece, and Japan.
As had been reported earlier by indiantelevision.com, ESS extended its relationship with TNA Wrestling. It started airing on Star Sports on 3 May. Star Sports airs the TNA programmes – TNA Impact, TNA Xplosion and a weekly programme from the archives of TNA Wrestling on a weekly basis and also features a Monthly Special – the ultimate battle after a month long build up, every month. TNA Xplosion, TNA Wrestling and TNA Impact air once a week for an hour on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays respectively.
ESS will also be hoping that Indian tennis hope Sania Mirza puts on a better display at Wimbledon following her disastrous first round exit at the French Open. While Wimbledon does produce wonderful stories like Goran Ivanisevic finally triumphing in 2001 Mirza’s advance will guarantee heavy viewership. The tournament kicks off in June.
What is certainly good for ESS is the fact that Formula One has gotten a whole lot more interesting now that Michael Schumacher is struggling. Three drivers fighting for supremacy is better than one person merely xeroxing his number one performance month in and month out.
Other sports that ESS will showcase are NBA Basketball, NFL Superbowl, MLB World Series Baseball, Asian Bowling Tour Grand Final, X-Games to name a few. In Golf, the coverage includes the US Masters, the Augusta and the PGA Tour.
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.
