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Mary Kom, Bhaichung Bhutia & Dilip Vengsarkar extend best wishes to Indian team for 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022
Mumbai: The much-awaited 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 is here and the excitement surrounding it continues to grow. For India, 655 athletes have been selected to represent the country at the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022. With India sending one of their biggest contingents to the Asian Games, it is their best chance yet to take the medal tally into three figures for the first time with the support of a billion hearts.
Eight athletes from the DreamGold program by the Dream Sports Foundation have qualified for the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022. These include: Pranavi Urs (golf), Sreeja Akula (table tennis), Nethra Kumanan (sailing), Ishwariya Ganesh (sailing), Advait Page (swimming), KM Chanda (athletics-800m), Jyothi Surekha Vennam (compound archery) and Bharath Pereira (sport climbing).
Dream Sports Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Dream Sports, India’s leading sports technology company with brands such as Dream11, FanCode and DreamSetGo in its portfolio on Saturday sent their best wishes to the Indian contingent for the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022, Asia’s biggest sporting extravaganza, which kicked-off on Saturday, 23 September, 2023.
Padma Vibhushan & 2012 London Olympic Bronze medalist and advisor to DSF, M.C Mary Kom, said she is confident that the Tricolour will fly at the grand stage. In her message, she said, “I would like to extend my best wishes to the contingent for the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022. I am sure that their hard work and the efforts put in by them over the past years will bear fruit and they will scale new heights and bring back laurels for the country. All of these athletes have had a stellar season in the lead up to the Asian Games and I am looking forward to seeing these young athletes making a name for themselves in their respective event.”
Former Indian football team captain and advisor to DSF Bhaichung Bhutia also wished the contingent as they set to take the stage. He said, “The Asian Games are the pinnacle of sporting excellence in Asia. All of the athletes have put in years of dedication, hard work and it is their continuous perseverance in their sporting journey that has taken them to the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022. I am looking forward to seeing Indian athletes make a mark on the international stage. As they prepare to etch their names in history, my best wishes are with them. Interestingly, 50% of the Indian contingent are women. We should build on this going forward”
Meanwhile, former Indian cricketer and administrator, Dilip Vengsarkar also wished the athletes. He said, “This Asian Games will be especially special for me considering Cricket is coming back after 2014. The entire country is eagerly looking forward to this edition of the Asian Games and will be cheering loudly for you all.”
Dream Sports chief operating officer and co-founder Bhavit Sheth said, “This year, India is sending the biggest contingent ever to the Asian Games. Dream Sports salutes their passion, dedication and perseverance. On behalf of the entire Dream Sports family and Dream Sports Foundation, we wish them the very best. Let their achievements inspire us to becoming a true sporting nation and fuel the dreams of generations to come.”
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.
