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India-Pak ‘Showdown’ on ESS highlights package
MUMBAI: Persistence pays. After initially being given the cold shoulder by the India-pakistan cricket series telecast rights holder Prasar Bharati, ESPN Star Sports secured a daily two-hour highlights package from Doordarshan.
ESS announced that from the current Test match being played in Kolkata onwards, it will air a daily two-hour highlights programme titled Showdown that will examine the progress that India and Pakistan are making in the series. The special will air on all match days starting today 16 March at 8 pm on Star Sports.
ESS is highlighting the fact that its expert commentary team is the best in the business including the likes of Geoffrey Boycott, Sunil Gavaskar, Wasim Akram, Alan Wilkins, Ravi Shastri and Harsha Bhogle.
A Few Good Men (as the commentary team is called) will analyse each day’s game for the remaining two tests and six ODIs.
ESS India MD RC Venkateish said, “Each day we will show an hour’s footage of the match. Doordarshan made an offer to broadcasters to avail of footage and we have availed of the same. This package was put together by us in the past 48 hours and Airtel is the title sponsor.
“For the fan it is an additional opportunity to revisit the exciting instances from the day’s play. Our commentators, definitely the best in the business, will be getting into a confrontationist posture while siding with India or the Pakistan team or while presenting conflicting points of view.”
It may be recalled that Ventakateish had earlier protested at DD’s denial of the daily highlights to ESS citing a memorandum of understanding signed between ESS and Prasar Bharati, which had stated that the latter “would have to provide highlight packages if it caught the telecast rights.”
The MoU, signed last year, also envisaged that ESS would have to share with Doordarshan, controlled by Prasar Bharati, the terrestrial feed and a highlight package if ESS had the rights for Indian cricket.
At that time Prasar Bharati CEO KS Sarma was quoted in media reports as saying, “My agreement with ESS is applicable only in case of either of us bagging four-year telecast rights. Presently this is a temporary arrangement under an interim order and we are not obliged to provide them one-hour telecast packages.”
Meanwhile, ESS is quite confident that Showdown will get an enthusiatic response from both viewers and advertisers. The broadcaster claims that in the past highlights programming has done well. When India toured Australia the highlights programme called Sunny By Night reached out to 48.3 Million individuals in C&S households. In the male segment Sunny By Night, reached out to 63 per cent of Males (15+, SEC ABC, C&S homes). In the Metros Sunny By Night received highs of 2.4 TVR in Mumbai, 3.9 in Kolkata, 2.9 in Delhi, 3.8 in Hyderabad and 2.5 in Bangalore and an overall rating of 0.9 on an All India level (Males, 15+, SEC ABC, C&S homes).
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.
