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Nike campaign backs India’s next generation of cricket dreamers
MUMBAI: In a country where cricketing greatness often feels pre-booked, Nike is asking a disruptive question: why not you? The sportswear giant has unveiled ‘Born to Beat the Odds’, a new India-focused campaign that puts the spotlight not only on the country’s biggest cricketing stars, but also on the next wave still finding its feet in maidans, gullies and academies. The message is simple, but pointed every giant once started out feeling small.
The campaign taps into a truth many young Indian athletes live with daily. In a nation of 1.4 billion people and a galaxy of sporting heroes, imagining yourself as “the next one” can feel wildly unrealistic. Nike’s film reframes that intimidation as fuel, arguing that the very pressure and expectations that weigh heavily on young athletes are the same forces that shaped India’s most elite, high-stakes performers.
Indian cricketers Jemimah Rodrigues, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma and Shafali Verma feature as the campaign’s “Giants” not as untouchable idols, but as proof of what belief can unlock.
“Growing up, there were many times people told me what I dreamed of wasn’t possible,” said Jemimah Rodrigues. “Too focused on the challenges and odds stacked against me, versus the belief that I could get there. But this is what drove me… I hope my story helps another young girl or boy see it, believe it, and think ‘why not me?’”
Shubman Gill echoed the sentiment, noting that in a cricket-obsessed nation, greatness can feel reserved for someone else. “But every athlete has a moment when they decide to trust themselves and do it anyway. That belief is where everything changes,” he said.
What sets the campaign apart is its deliberate refusal to stop at elite names. Alongside international stars, Nike has featured young academy and elementary-level players including Zaina Ahmed Baig, Ishan Deshpande, Debark Maity and Ramra Chaudhary athletes who represent the sport’s raw, unfinished future.
The most striking visual statement comes from the streets themselves. Borrowing from India’s love for larger-than-life celebrity hoardings, Nike has rolled out near-40-foot-tall “Giants” installations across Mumbai, giving everyday cricketers the same monumental treatment usually reserved for icons. The campaign launches with a towering installation of three-year-old batting prodigy Debark Maity, a viral sensation whose fearless strokeplay has already captured national attention.
Running alongside the installations is an anthem film titled ‘The Odds’, supported by a teaser and a series of social-first films that will drop over the course of the month as new Giants are unveiled across the city. Adding gravitas to the storytelling is the unmistakable voice of Harsha Bhogle, who lends his commentary to the films.
By placing superstars and street-level dreamers on the same pedestal quite literally Nike’s ‘Born to Beat the Odds’ reframes Indian cricket as a continuum rather than a closed club. The takeaway is hard to miss: the odds may be stacked, but belief is where every innings truly begins.
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.
