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JioStar hits it out of the park as Tata IPL 2025 smashes a billion-viewer milestone
MUMBAI: The 18th season of the Tata IPL was pure box-office cricket, and JioStar—the broadcast juggernaut of Star Sports and JioHotstar—made sure the world was watching. The tournament clocked a jaw-dropping 840 billion minutes of total watch-time and reached an eye-popping one billion viewers, making it the most-watched season in T20 history.
Digital viewing surged 29 per cent year-on-year, with JioHotstar racking up 23.1 billion views and 384.6 billion minutes of watch-time, riding on a massive 49 per cent jump in Connected TV consumption. Meanwhile, Star Sports delivered 456 billion minutes of live broadcast content, pulling in the highest-ever average TV ratings across demos.
The Tata IPL 2025 Final was nothing short of a cricketing supernova:
. 31.7 billion minutes of combined watch-time
. 169 million TV viewers
. 892 million video views on digital
. 55 million peak concurrency on JioHotstar
. A record-smashing 16.74 billion minutes on digital alone
It was also the stuff of legends on the pitch. Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally lifted the trophy, Virat Kohli tasted long-overdue IPL glory, and 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi stunned the world as the youngest centurion in IPL history.
JioStar CEO – Sports and Live Experiences, Sanjog Gupta said, “The incredible viewership numbers are reinforcement of our belief in the commitment to serve fans and the potential for growth of even a scaled property like the Tata IPL.”
“We had a two-pronged approach this season.We wanted to widen the consideration for the tournament experience, by focusing on key viewer cohorts which had a light-touch relationship with IPL while also offering a deep, navigable consumer journey to grow engagement with committed fans. From non-viewers and fringe viewers co-viewing the IPL to deeply immersed fanatics, JioStar offered customized offerings for a wide spectrum of distinct cohorts defined by age, consumption profile and region. From the invite and proposition to the broadcast, we were committed to delivering hyper-personalized experiences that are inclusive, intuitive, interactive, and immersive. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the fans, whosepassion and love for the game inspires us. We would also thank BCCI and our partners, whose support is critical in our endeavor to constantly raise the bar on industry-defining experiences we offer on our platforms,” he added.
Tech-wise, JioStar upped the ante with MaxView 2.0, voice search, 12-language content, Dolby Atmos, VR 360 Live, and Sign Language feeds—making cricket not just watchable, but immersive. The tournament’s “Yahaan Sab Possible Hai” theme rang true despite a mid-season suspension, with fans tuning in in record numbers from the get-go—49.56 billion minutes in just the opening weekend.
With Shubman Gill and ‘Generation Bold’ now gearing up to face Ben Stokes and Bazball in England starting 20 June, JioStar’s cricketing blitz shows no signs of slowing down.
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.
