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MIB broadens the list of sports events of national importance
Mumbai: The Ministry of Information And Broadcasting (MIB) has under the Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act, 2007, broadened the list of sports events of national importance, according to a recent notification. These events will now be shared with Prasar Bharati as the broadcast rights holder.
In terms of cricket, the good news for the Board Of Control For Cricket in India (BCCI) is that there is no mention of the Indian Premier League (IPL) whose media rights will be decided in an e-auction next month. All sports leagues have been kept out of the list. Under the sports act, all test matches played by India are covered. Earlier, only test matches deemed of high interest were covered.
ODIs and Twenty20 matches played by India were already covered. Also, among other new things that have now come under the Act the semi-finals and finals of the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Test Championship will have to be shared. India playing matches, Semi-finals and finals of the Under-19 World Cup will now have to be shared. All Olympic Games including the Winter Olympics are now covered under the Act. The Commonwealth Games and Asian Games continue to be covered under the Act.
These are all the events that will have to be shared with Prasar Bharati. Some were already covered under previous notifications. Some events in football, shooting and archery are deemed of national importance only if India is hosting those events. Following are the lists:
Cricket
(a) All official One-Day, Twenty-20 and Test matches played by the Indian Men’s and Women’s Cricket Team and all ICC Test matches featuring India
(b) Semi-finals and finals of ICC Men’s and Women’s One-Day International World Cup
(c) Semi-finals and finals of ICC Men’s and Women’s Twenty-20 World Cup
(d) All Semi-finals and finals of ICC Champions Trophy (One Day)
(e) All Semi-finals and finals of ICC World Test Championship
(f) Semi-finals and finals of ICC Men’s and Women’s Asia Cup (Twenty -20 and One-Day International)
(g) India playing matches, Semi-finals and finals of Under-19 World Cup.
Tennis
(a) Davis Cup-All matches featuring India
(b) Grand Slam Tournaments – Finals of Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles and all matches featuring Indian players from quarter-finals onwards
(c) Grand Slam Tournaments – All such matches featuring Indian players in men’s doubles, Women’s doubles or Mixed doubles from quarter-finals onwards.
Hockey
(a) World Cup – All matches featuring India and semi-finals and finals
(b) Champions Trophy – All matches featuring India and finals
(c) Indira Gandhi Gold Cup for Women-Semi-finals and finals
(d) Hockey India Sub-Junior National Championship and Hockey India Academy National Championship
(e) Hockey Men’s Junior Men World Cup*
(f) Sultan Azlan Shah Cup- All matches featuring India, Semi-finals and finals;
(g) International Hockey Federation (FIH) – Hockey Pro League matches.
Football
(a) World Cup – Opening match, quarterfinals, semi-finals and finals
(b) Asia Cup – All matches featuring India and semi-finals and finals
(c) Santosh Trophy – Semi-finals and finals
(d) Asian Women’s Football Cup*
(e) Under-17 Federation Internationale de Football Association Women’s World Cup*
(f) World Cup (Under – 17) – Opening match, quarterfinals, semi-finals and finals.
Badminton
(a) All England Open Badminton Championship – All matches featuring Indian players, semifinals and finals
(b) Badminton World Federation World Cup Championship – All matches featuring Indian players, semi-finals and finals.
Kabaddi
World Cup – All matches featuring India, semi-finals and finals.
Khelo India Games
(a) Khelo India Games
(b) Khelo India School Games
(c) Khelo India Youth Games
(d) Khelo India University Games
(e) Khelo India Games for differently abled persons
(f) Khelo India Games for Indigenous Sports
(g) Khelo India Winter Games.
Other Events
(a) International Shooting Sport Federation World Cup Event*
(b) Commonwealth Shooting Championship*;
(c) Commonwealth Archery Championship*
(d) International events organised by National Sports Federations recognized by the Government of India.
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.
