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Percept Sports and Entertainment bags 35th National Games
MUMBAI: Percept Sports and Entertainment, the integrated sports management and entertainment company of Percept, has been appointed as the official marketing activation agency of the 35th National Games, India’s premier sporting event.
The 35th edition of the National Games will be held over a span of 15 days beginning from 31 January 2015 to 14 February 2015 in the staggeringly beautiful state of Kerala.
The mandate for the games involves various ground activations and event administration duties. This includes multiple activities like game announcements, school activations, flash mobs, countdown timer installations, media launches etc. Given the range of entertainment, media and communications solution offerings available across the Percept Group, PSE has already synergized with Percept Picture Company to shoot a TV commercial with Sachin Tendulkar who is the brand ambassador for the games. It will also look at an alliance with other Percept Group Companies to provide customised products and a complete marketing/activation and branding solution.
The multi-evaluation pitch involved the participation of various other leading agencies with Percept Sports and Entertainment ultimately emerging victorious due to its concept presentation, creative rendition, strong credentials, and a competitive bid. The operation of the games will be handled by PSE out of its Mumbai office with a regional office set-up in Trivandrum.
Percept Sports and Entertainment won the account in November 2014 and has already put a team in place. The agency has begun some of the work which will go on and gain momentum from the first week of January nearing the date of the games.
Percept Sports and Entertainment chief executive officer Sanjay Shukla said, ‘’It is a matter of great pride to be associated with such a prestigious event as the National Games. We are glad to have been given this opportunity to be part of an event that has the potential to make India emerge as an all rounded sporting power. We will strive to make the 35th edition of the National Games the very best the country and the world has seen. To have won such an important and comprehensive pitch is a great honour for us and we look forward to a successful partnership with National Games.”
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.
