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Former CAG Vinod Rai to head BCCI
NEW DELHI: In yet another development relating to the embattled Board of Control for Cricket in India, the Supreme Court of India appointed former Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai to head the apex cricketing body.
Noted historian and writer on cricket Ramachandra Guha, former Indian cricketer Diana Edulji and Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation official Vikram Limaye were appointed members.
Declining the Government’s request to appoint Sports Ministry Secretary as the member of the committee, the Court referred to its earlier judgment barring ministers and government servants from holding office in BCCI.
The apex court said Amitabh Chaudhary, Anirudh Chaudhary of BCCI and Vikram Limaye will represent BCCI at the International Cricket Council meeting in the first week of February.
The court had on 24 January 2017 rejected all nine names submitted by the BCCI counsel, but granted senior lawyer Kapil Sibal permission to provide suggestions for an interim panel to run Indian cricket.
On 20 January, the centre moved the Court against the implementation of the Lodha Committee recommendations on behalf of the Railway Sports Promotion Board, Services Sports Control Board and All India Universities – three sporting bodies that held full membership of the BCCI earlier but now stand relegated to associate member status without voting rights as per the Lodha panel’s “one state-one vote” recommendation.
The court had also said any individual over the age of 70 will not be appointed as BCCI administrators.
After removing Anurag Thakur as BCCI president and disqualifying all the board and its state association office bearers who had failed to meet the new norms set by the Justice Lodha Committee, the Court had on 2 January said cricket administrators would be allowed to hold office for a cumulative period of nine years, inclusive of the time they hold office in their respective state associations as well as the BCCI. But in view of the 18 July last year order which stated that the cumulative tenure would be limited to nine plus nine years (nine years within the BCCI and nine in state associations), the Court had last week offered to clarify and set the ineligibility clause as “an office-bearer of the BCCI for nine years or a State Association for the same period”.
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.
