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Formula E & Star India sign multi-year broadcast deal
KOLKATA: Formula E has inked a new multi-year media partnership with Star India to broadcast the pinnacle of electric motorsport live across the Indian subcontinent.
Star Sports will provide exclusive coverage of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Maldives.
Following coverage of the Rome E-Prix earlier this month, each remaining qualifying and race will be shown on OTT platform Disney+ Hotstar, with live races, highlights, preview shows and other programming content also Star Sports’ television channels.
Disney+ Hotstar will show all of this weekend’s DHL Valencia E-Prix qualifying and race sessions live, including a specific Indian race feed.
The partnership will see Formula E and Star Sports collaborate on bespoke content with a 30-minute live build up show ahead of each race. Star’s linear and digital channels will provide year-round editorial coverage and comprehensive scheduling of non-live programming, telling those stories from across the paddock which are most relevant to Formula E fans across the Indian subcontinent.
With a strong following in the region, the fortunes of India’s Mahindra Racing team will be a natural focus for Star India’s coverage, as the team looks to add to the four race wins and 15 podiums it has achieved since joining Formula E as one of the 10 founding teams. It remains the only Indian manufacturer and team in the series.
Mahindra Racing chief executive and team principal Dilbagh Gill said: “We are very excited that Formula E will be broadcast on Star Sports from this season onwards. We know that sports fans across India love to get behind their national teams, and now we will be able to bring edge-of-the-seat, unpredictable electric street racing to many more homes across the sub-continent. We look forward to bringing viewers exclusive content from the very heart of the action and to delivering on track results across the season to make our fans proud.”
Formula E chief media officer Aarti Dabas said: “I am confident that through its bespoke content approach focused on the Indian fans, this new partnership will engage more people in the most unpredictable racing series in the world, its world-class drivers and Formula E’s vision to accelerate sustainable human progress through the power of electric racing.”
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.
