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ISL Auction: Ranbir Kapoor’s Mumbai City FC snaps up Sunil Chhetri for Rs 1.2 crore
MUMBAI: The first auction of Indian footballers’ new dream tournament IMG-Reliance and Star India funded Indian Super league (ISL) kickstarted in Mumbai with national football sensation Sunil Chhetri going under the hammer for a whopping Rs 1.20 crore. Having a base price of Rs 80 lakh, Chhetri was picked up by Ranbir Kapoor’s Mumbai City FC.
Kapoor said, “I am excited to have Sunil in our team and we are looking forward to the next season with him in the team. Sunil and Anelka up in front will certainly be a worthy experience.”
Veteran football commentator John Dykes started the auction proceedings along with auction specialist Charlie Ross.
The first player to go down the hammer was the winner of the I-League Player of the Season Jackichand Singh. His base price was Rs 20 lakh and after much tussling and strategising, Pune FC grabbed his services for Rs 45 lakh. Hrithik Roshan sported a big smile after securing Singh’s services. Mumbai co-owner Kapoor and North East United co-owner John Abraham were also aggressively bidding for Singh.
With a base price of Rs 39 lakh, Thoi Singh managed to raise many eyebrows when Chennai FC clinched him for Rs 86 lakh.
Alongside Chhetri who breached the Rs 1 crore mark, Eugeneson Lyngdoh became the first player in the auction to touch the coveted price point. After several rounds of aggressive bidding, which started from the base price of Rs 27.5 lakh, Roshan had the last laugh as Pune City FC secured the midfielder’s services by investing a sum of Rs 1.05 crore. As many as five clubs were vying for Lyngdoh.
On the other hand, Rino Anto was the show stopper of Pool B of the ISL auction. The one-of-a-kind Indian national Left Back went under the hammer with a base price of Rs 17.5 lakh. However this amount was too little when compared to his class and franchise owners recognised it early on. Defending champions Athletico de Kolkata bagged his services after several rounds of counter bidding against various franchises. Anto’s selling price went up to Rs 90 lakh, which was way over his base price.
Pool B also had nation number 9 Robin Singh. The goal scorer was expected to grab the attention of many a teams but it turned out to be a very cold bidding while he was under the hammer. Delhi Dynamos secured his service paying Rs 51 lakh, a tad higher than his base price of Rs 40 lakh.
A total of Rs 7.22 crore was spent in the first edition of the ISL player auction for garnering the services of top 10 Indian players.
The auction began with an encouraging speech from ISL founder and chairperson Nita Ambani.
Ambani said, “Half a million young minds participated in the Reliance Foundation young minds grassroots program out of which the best 23 were selected and now they are privileged with top class facilities in Mumbai, getting top class coaching from top football coaches. We are committed to make the second season bigger and better. We will try our level best to make India a truly footballing nation. Come on India, let’s football.”
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.
