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Pawar quits BCCI’s marketing committee
MUMBAI: In a surprise move, Sharad Pawar has resigned from the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) marketing committee.
The development is perceived as a big blow to the anti-Dalmiya camp since a final decision on the sale of TV telecast rights to the India-Sri Lanka series, which kicks off on 25 October, is still pending. The marketing committee, which handles TV rights and other marketing matters, is polarised between Dalmiya and Pawar supporters.
It is still unclear as to what prompted Pawar to resign. PTI has quoted a source in the Mumbai Cricket Association as stating that Pawar, who also heads the Disaster Management Committee, resigned as he could not devote time in view of the earthquake relief work. Raj Singh Dungarpur, on the other hand, claimed that the Maratha strongman had quit because the BCCI accounts were not in order.
“Mr Pawar has resigned from the BCCI’s Marketing Committee and has sent a letter to this effect. He has said in the letter that because of his busy schedule in the government’s Disaster Management Cell he would not be able to devote time to the committee’s matters,” the source told PTI.
Pawar and Dalmiya were engaged in a fierce battle to control BCCI. Though not part of BCCI’s orignal Marketing Committee, Pawar was inducted into the panel at the last AGM of the board in Kolkata which was adjourned last month. Following today’s development, Pawar would not be attending the committee’s sitting in Mumbai on 16 October which is to be chaired by BCCI president Ranbir Singh Mahendra.
In the latest turn of events in the telecast rights saga, the Delhi High Court had allowed BCCI to open technical bids for grant of telecast and broadcast rights in India for the next four years after Zee Telefilms said it had no objection to it. The court had also asked the cricket body not to disclose the outcome. The BCCI would inform the outcome to the court on 19 October, when the matter would come up for further hearing.
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.
