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Former cricket boss slams BCCI for TV rights sale loss
NEW DELHI: Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) president and former boss of the Indian cricket board I S Bindra today claimed sale of telecast rights for one-day series against Sri Lanka and South Africa to pubcaster Doordarshan has resulted in a loss of Rs. 440 million.
“Doordarshan clinched the deal after offering the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) a deal of Rs 75 million per match. Another TV company had offered the Board Rs 1,350 million for telecast of 12 matches as against Rs 910 million what it will get now,” the Press Trust of India (PTI) quoted Bindra in report filed from Mohali, the headquarters of PCA.
The former BCCI chief, a trenchant critic of present Board officials, said the organization was playing “fraud” with the country’s cricketers and the cricket-crazy public.
“It is a big fraud with the cricketers, state associations and the general public. Last year, the Board lost Rs 3,500 million by undervaluing what it could have earned by awarding various rights,” Bindra told PTI.
He added that on Monday he approached the Delhi High Court regarding the alleged fraud by the Board.
PCA and Rajasthan Cricket Board have joined issues with Zee Telefilms, which has filed a petition against the BCCI in Delhi HC relating to TV cricket rights. This case’s next hearing is mid-November.
Bindra, who has earlier on several occasions alleged that the Board was not interested in marketing domestic cricket, said the Board’s reluctant attitude had cost domestic players Rs 375 million last year.
Though the Indian government last week passed a law making it mandatory to share feed of important sporting events and cricket with the pubcaster on a mandatory basis, the legislation is yet to take effect.
Meanwhile, another agency report from Delhi states that decks have been cleared for holding the adjourned annual general meeting (AGM) of the BCCI at Kolkata before 30 November as disputing parties to the Board elections mutually arrived at consensus on six-point terms and reference for an observer to the polls.
Taking on record the draft notes of the discussion on which the warring factions agreed, a Supreme Court Bench comprising Justices B P Singh, S B Sinha and P K Balasubramanyan said that after the elections the observer would send his report with brief reasons for his ruling on voting rights and on eligibility/disqualification to the apex court within a week, the PTI report stated.
The Supreme Court has posted the matter for further orders on 12 December, PTI said on Tuesday.
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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.
