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First ever ISL player auction to be held on 10 July
MUMBAI: Player auction for the second season of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) will be held on 10 July, 2015. Hero ISL franchisees will put their boardroom strategy into practice while bidding for the best Indian talents for season 2015.
Ten of India’s finest footballing talents, which includes Sunil Chhetri will feature in the first Hero Indian Super League ‘Player Auction’.
The player auction list is as follows: Sunil Chhetri, Jackichand Singh, Seityasen Singh, Karanjeet Singh, Thoi Singh, Robin Singh, Rino Anto, Anas Edathodika, Arata Izumi and Eugeneson Lyngdoh.
All ten players in the auction list had missed on the inaugural season of Hero ISL last year owning to their individual contracts with respective I-League clubs. However they showed keen interest to be a part of the unrivalled football league for the 2015 season. The success of the inaugural season of the Hero ISL has brought back world’s interest into Indian football. Hero ISL’s 11-week format featuring eight city-based franchisees, international footballing stars, renowned coaches, Indian talents, competitiveness and celebrity owners has helped reignite Indian football not just within the country but also internationally.
Six of the ten players in the auction list i.e. Sunil Chhetri, Robin Singh, Thoi Singh, Arata Izumi, Anas Edathodika and Karanjeet Singh, have signed with Football Sports Development Limited – the promoters of Hero ISL, as free agents. Jackichand Singh and Seityasen Singh have been loaned from I-League club Royal Wahingdoh FC while Rino Anto and Eugeneson Lyngdoh are loaned from Bengaluru FC.
The four times AIFF Player of the Year Chhetri commands the highest base price in the Hero ISL Player Auction at Rs 80 lakh, followed by goalkeeper Karanjeet Singh at Rs 60 lakh. Robin Singh, Arata Izumi and Anas Edathodika have been pegged at Rs 40 lakh base price, while Thoi Singh is just a notch below at Rs 39 lakh. Eugeneson Lyngdoh will be at Rs 27.50 lakh base price and the Royal Wahingdoh loaned duo Jackichand Singh and Seityasen Singh will be at Rs 20 lakh each. Rino Anto commands the lowest base price in the auction list at Rs 17.50 lakh.
Additionally, Football Sports Development Limited also announced an extensive list of 113 Indian players for Hero ISL 2015 Draft. The eight ISL franchisees as of date have 64 Indian players on their roster either retained from last year or signed from the open market. The comprehensive Draft list will help ISL franchisees to fill up a total of 40 positions of the Indian player quota. The Draft will be held on the same day as the Player Auction on 10 July 2015.
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.
