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Mashal Sports announces schedule for PKL season eight
Mumbai: Mashal Sports has announced the schedule of the first half for Vivo Pro Kabaddi League season eight that will begin from 22 December at 7:30 p.m. The entire season will be conducted at the Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield Hotel and Convention Centre without spectators.
As a special format for PKL season eight, Mashal has scheduled ‘Triple Headers’ on the first four days to ensure that kabaddi fans across the country get to watch each of their favourite teams play in the very initial days of the league.
PKL season eight will begin with U Mumba facing Bengaluru Bulls in the tournament opener. The league’s ‘Southern Derby’ will then take centre-stage as Telugu Titans lock horns with Tamil Thalaivas in the second match and UP Yoddha square off with the defending champions Bengal Warriors in the last match of the opening day.
This season will feature ‘Triple Panga’ driven by Triple Headers on all Saturdays through the course of the tournament ensuring that kabaddi aficionados have their fill of ‘Thigh-Five’ entertainment. The new format will raise the excitement for the season’s weekends and keep fans hooked onto the action, even as the contending teams focus on the first-part schedule to establish a vantage position vis-à-vis their competitors. The release of the season’s second-part schedule by mid-January is also expected to help PKL Teams assess and rebuild their competition strategies for the second half of the tournament.
“The Vivo Pro Kabaddi League is known for reinvigorating and popularising India’s own sport of kabaddi, and with the new format, we aim to continue reinventing the sport,” said Mashal Sports chief executive officer and league commissioner Vivo Pro Kabaddi League Anupam Goswami. “Releasing the schedule in two halves will help teams strategize better and keep the fans engaged. The triple headers and ‘Triple Panga’ will provide more fans more opportunities to watch their favourite players and teams in action as they battle it out for the coveted title.”
Keeping the health and safety of players in mind, Mashal Sports will be undertaking the task of converting the entire venue at Sheraton Grand Bengaluru Whitefield Hotel and Convention Centre into a single integrated and secure bio-bubble. With this unique setup, all 12 teams will be staying and playing at the same venue as Mashal Sports is focusing on following and adhering to the safety protocols set by the authorities.
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.
