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IMG-Reliance and BFI launch two new basketball leagues
MUMBAI: While the country is currently gripped with football fever thanks to the ongoing Hero Indian Super League (ISL), another sport is being promoted at the grassroots level-basketball. IMG-Reliance, the promoters of ISL, has now launched two basketball leagues along with the Basketball Federation of India (BFI). The two properties are: Indian School Basketball League (ISBL) and Indian College Basketball League (ICBL).
The two partners are hoping to inculcate the basic knowledge of the game at the grassroots level, thereby cultivating the talent into national standards. IMG Reliance has signed a 30 year partnership with the BFI which it says is to help develop basketball in the country.
The two leagues began in Delhi and Indore and after a series of matches in cities like Dehradun, Raipur and Hyderabad, the basketball league kickstarted on 17 October in Mumbai, where the matches are being played at Khalsa College.
Speaking on the progress of the league BFI chief executive officer Roopam Harish Sharma commented, “Mumbai is a very active city, full of life and energy. We are looking forward to an exciting display of matches as ICBL and ISBL. The response received so far has been positive from the end of all teachers, students and parents. I am very confident that a revolution will soon be created in the history of basketball in India.”
IMG Reliance COO Ashu Jindal said that India is witnessing a revolution in the world of sports and the second most popular sport in the world, basketball, deserves its share of push. “These two leagues are being played across 22 cities, designed to provide the youth a platform on pan-India basis,” he added.
The ICBL comprises over 450 colleges and over 6000 participants. The city champions from ICBL’s Premier League will participate in a National Championship to be held in December 2014 in New Delhi. In the boy’s category Jhunjhunwala College took on Podar College while VJTI College fought it out with Vaze College in the girl’s category.
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.
