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Nimbus signs four year deal for India cricket with Sky Sports
MUMBAI: After all the talk of a shutout, some good news for English cricket fans wishing to follow their team’s progress. Sky Sports has won the rights from Nimbus Sport to broadcast England’s tour of India starting with the First Test from Nagpur on 1 March 2006.
It is the first series in a 4-year agreement that includes England’s next series against India in 2009 as well as eight other international series, and Indian domestic cricket.
When asked by Indiantelevision.com on how much Sky has paid to acquire the rights, Nimbus chairman Harish Thawani said he was in no position to reveal the figures.
UK’s Telegraph has however, reported Sky paid about £10 million for the package. What this seems to indicate is that Nimbus’ boss Harish Thawani finally did get close to what was his asking price for the cricket property. Earlier reports in the British press quoting industry insiders had said that talks had broken down after Nimbus hiked its asking price to over £5 million for the current series. This was a five-fold increase from the past wherein BSkyB had secured rights for matches involving India and England for well short of £1 million.
Since the rights that Nimbus has secured involves to England tours (the current one and another in 2008) that effectively works out to £5 million for each series.
The two companies were engaged in intense negotiations after Nimbus won the telecast rights to India cricket for the next four years. Speaking earlier to the Sunday Telegraph, Thawani had said, “We find the terms offered by Sky Sports to be singularly unattractive. We will demonstrate there are some alternatives for cricket in the UK. Their [Sky Sports’] monopoly has just ended.”
What has finally panned out as regards the deal is that Sky gets exclusivity on the England tours and non-exclusive coverage of the eight India home series not featuring England that Nimbus holds rights to.
BSkyB has had a virtual monopoly on England’s overseas Tests for over 10 years and that continues uninterrupted for a further four years.
Nimbus today announced that, in addition to Sky Sports, it shall be licensing a South Asian language network the rights to broadcast live the eight India home series not featuring England. A separate announcement in this regard shall be made at a later date, the company said.
Sources had earlier told Indiantelevision.com that the non-England series would be telecast on Sony Entertainment Television and Pakistan’s Geo TV. However, sources in Sony have denied that they had reached agreement on the matter, so it might finally be Geo TV that will be airing the matches.
Nimbus Sport CEO Digvijay Singh said, “Both Sky Sports and Nimbus Sport walked the extra mile to ensure that sports fans in the UK can view the best of Indian cricket. In Sky Sports we have found the ideal platform to showcase this exciting package of events. Sky Sports’ commitment to international and domestic cricket augurs well for fans of Indian cricket in the UK.”
Sky Sports MD Vic Wakeling said, “Apart from the two tours by England, there are some exciting series planned in India over the next four years. We are delighted that subscribers to Sky Sports will be able to see them all.”
The agreement was signed last night with Nimbus Sport whose offer for worldwide rights to cricket in India was accepted by the BCCI last Friday. Four former England captains – Mike Atherton, Ian Botham, David Gower and Nasser Hussain – are flying out this weekend to join the Nimbus Sport commentary team in 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.
