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Messi’s India blitz: Four cities, three days, one legend
KOLKATA: Lionel Messi touched down in Kolkata before dawn and instantly set off a football frenzy. Thousands of fans braved the cold, skipped sleep and flooded the streets to welcome the Argentine icon as he kicked off his GOAT India Tour 2025, his first visit to the country in 14 years.
Chants, flags and camera flashes followed Messi from the airport as the city rolled out a rapturous reception rarely seen for a visiting sportsperson. The Kolkata leg marks the opening act of a tightly packed three-day itinerary that will take Messi to Hyderabad, Mumbai and New Delhi.
Kolkata is the tour’s opening act and its most emotional stop. Messi is scheduled to attend multiple interactions and events in the city, including meetings with former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, underscoring the cultural and political heft attached to his visit.
A centrepiece of the Kolkata leg is the virtual unveiling of a 70-foot statue of Messi at Salt Lake Stadium. The event will be attended by West Bengal minister Sujit Bose and Hindi cinema actor Shah Rukh Khan, blending sport, cinema and public life into a carefully staged spectacle.
From Kolkata, Messi travels south to Hyderabad on December 13, where the focus shifts to fan engagement, football showcases and grassroots outreach programmes aimed at young players and coaches. The Hyderabad schedule includes an evening event at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, a short exhibition match, and a football clinic and felicitation.
The tour then moves west to Mumbai on December 14, where the emphasis turns commercial. Messi’s Mumbai schedule includes an event at Wankhede Stadium, a 45-minute philanthropic fashion event, and a Padel Cup at CCI. Messi is expected to attend high-profile sponsor and partner engagements, closed-door stakeholder meetings and select fan-facing appearances. No on-field exhibition is planned, with the Mumbai stop positioned as a strategic pause to leverage brand power, media reach and long-term football partnerships.
The final leg takes Messi to New Delhi on December 15, where the tour concludes with high-level engagements, drawing the curtain on his first India visit in 14 years. The Delhi schedule includes a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, felicitation of Minerva Academy’s youth teams, and a nine-a-side celebrity match.
Four cities. Three days. One global icon. India waited more than a decade. Messi is making every stop count.
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.
