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JioStar locks in a blue-chip sponsor line-up for WPL 2026
MUMBAI: Women’s cricket is no longer a promise. It is a business. JioStar has stitched together a heavyweight sponsor roster for the fourth edition of the Tata Women’s Premier League, underlining the league’s arrival as a mainstream sporting and advertising property.
The 2026 season runs from January 9 to February 5, with JioStar, the official broadcaster and streaming partner, securing 15 sponsors across categories that span the old economy and the new. The line-up includes State Bank of India, BHIM Payments App, Kingfisher Premium Packaged Drinking Water, Kalyan Jewellers, TVS Eurogrip Tyres, VIDA powered by Hero MotoCorp, OpenAI (ChatGPT), OnePlus, Tata Capital, Policybazaar, Pidilite, Wipro, Reckitt Benckiser India, Mast Masala and Crystal Cook N Serve.
FMCG, beverages and consumer technology remain the league’s commercial backbone. But the growing presence of BFSI, fintech and payments, auto and EVs, gems and jewellery retail and AI points to a broader shift. The WPL is no longer an emerging sports bet. It is a platform offering scale, cultural relevance and repeat engagement.
Anup Govindan, head of sports sales at JioStar, said the 2026 season marked an inflection point. Brands, he noted, are looking beyond short-term visibility towards long-term association, and the WPL now delivers the reach and intensity needed to justify that commitment. The widening category mix, he added, reflects confidence in women’s cricket as a premium media property.
The tournament opens on January 9 with Mumbai Indians taking on Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Matches will air live on the Star Sports Network, with digital streaming on JioHotstar.
For advertisers, the message is clear. Women’s cricket has moved from the margins to the main stage. The sponsors have arrived. The spotlight is fixed. And the momentum is no longer waiting to be proven.
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.
