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Longines, Tissot official partners and timekeepers of 2002 Asian Games
MUMBAI: Swiss watchmakers Longines and Tissot from the Swatch Group will be the official timekeepers of the 14th Asian Games, which will take place from 29 September to 4 October in Busan, Korea.
During the games, Longines will handle time and score keeping in rhythmic and artistic gymnastics, swimming, synchronised swimming, diving, soccer, volleyball, baseball and horse show jumping. Longines will, in addition, award the Longines Prize for Elegance to the most elegant athlete in rhythmic gymnastics and the Longines Trophy for the best performing female and male athletes in artistic gymnastics. Tissot will be the official timekeeper and datahandler for track and field athletics, track cycling, soccer, field hockey, weightlifting and basketball.
These disciplines are in keeping with Tissot’s other sporting partnerships around the world, including athletics in the UK, basketball in Eastern Europe, exclusive timekeeping for all the UCI official cycling championships worldwide, as well as favouring the sport of the Tissot global football ambassador, Michael Owen. To underline its timekeeping capabilities, Tissot has chosen to launch the V8 chronometer as its official watch for the Asian Games.
In Busan, Longines and Tissot’s activities will entail the coordination of a vast array of equipment and instrumentation, developed for specific sporting disciplines, ranging from touch pads used in the swimming pool through rotating score boards used in all gymnastics events. After being processed for display on the spot, the information is passed on for data handlers and television companies who broadcast it worldwide. Around 40 technicians, 35 tons of material and 30 kilometers of cable will be involved in the Asian Games.
The last Asian Games, held in 1998 in Thailand was also sponsored jointly by Tissot and Longines and attracted a cumulative television audience of over three billion viewers worldwide. 7000 athletes from 42 nations are expected to participate this time round. Competitions will take place in 38 different sporting disciplines and 43 competition venues have been specially prepared.
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.
