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LIV Sports bags rights for UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying tournament
MUMBAI: Multi Screen Media (MSM) today announced that its digital property, LIV Sports, holds the mobile and internet broadcast rights of the UEFA Euro 2016 Qualifiers for India. The qualifying schedule is currently underway, starting September 2014 and will run through November 2015. LIV Sports will offer both live and video-on-demand match content with rich and informative statistics and analysis.
The digital destination will enable viewers to watch the live telecast of the qualifying tournament at a nominal rate of $3 per match. It will also offer video-on-demand (VOD) highlights. The VOD content on LIV sports will include match highlights, goals, penalties, red cards, free kicks and misses.
Sony Entertainment Network executive vice president and digital head Uday Sodhi commented, “We are excited to bring to you the qualifying matches for the 15th European Championship for men’s national football teams – Euro 2016. Since our inception as the official mobile and internet broadcaster for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, the idea behind LIV Sports was to offer quality content that is mass inclusive and not designed to cater only to ardent sports fans. We are committed to keep every cross section of our consumers actively engaged through quality interactive sports content.”
For the first time, the European Championship final tournament – Le Rendez-Vous will be contested by 24 teams, having been expanded from the 16-team format that had been in place since 1996. Under this new format, the finalists will contest a group stage consisting of six groups of four teams, followed by a knockout stage including three rounds and the final. As hosts, France has automatically qualified for the final tournament while the other 53 national teams will compete in a qualifying competition to secure the remaining 23 places. Among these teams are back-to-back defending champions Spain, and for the first time since their affiliation with UEFA, Gibraltar.
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.
