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Fosters signs on Australian cricketer Shane Warne
MUMBAI: They may not be allowed to advertise. However,
that is not stopping beer brand Fosters from using Australia’s
upcoming cricket tour of India as a vehicle to build brand connect with the consumer.
The company has signed up leg spinning wizard Shane Warne for a series of promotional activities.
Speaking on the initiative, Fosters India MD Pradeep Gidwani says, “We have lined up a slate of activities with Warne over the next month. We will organize press briefings. We will also be advertising our association with the cricketer in bars and restaurants across the country.”
“We will be having contests where consumers can meet and spend time with the cricketer. We have also tied up with speedster Brett Lee. As the Australian team has just arrived we are in the process of negotiating deals with some of the other players,” Gidwani says.
Warne, who was also present at the media briefing, said there were currently no plans for him to do any television commercials for any brand. In the past, Warne has done a few TVCs for Pepsi along with India’s cricketing icon Sachin Tendulkar and former West Indies cricket captain Carl Hooper. Warne will also be writing a series of columns for The Times Of India.
The Australian cricket star also made a mention of the Shane Warne Foundation. This is an initiative to help underprivileged kids. He added that he plans to start an Indian foundation sometime in the future.
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.
