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Percept wins ESPN Star Sports Corporate Challenger Cup
MUMBAI: Team Percept won Mumbai edition of the ESPN Star Sports Corporate Challenger Cricket Cup defeating Syntel India by 57 runs in the final. Percept, who kept an unbeaten record throughout the six week long corporate tournament, emerged a fitting title holder.
Batting first Percept mustered 198 for six in 30 overs, thanks to Indrajeet Yadav’s quick fire 89 runs off 77 balls. He bagged the Best Batsman of the Tournament tirtle and was awarded with Rs 5000. In reply, Syntel was bowled out for 142 in 26.4 overs with some penetrative bowling from Shailendra Singh and Asif Khan.
At a glittering award function attended by Raj Singh Dungarpur, Polly Umrigar and Chandu Patankar; Percept captain Suresh Salunke received the winners trophy with a cheque of Rs 30,000. Syntel received a trophy plus a cheque of Rs 25,000, says an official release.
Syntel’s Mohammad Kazi was named the man-of-the-tournament for which he received a trophy and a cheque of Rs 7,500. Yadav and Charan Shetty, both from Percept, won the Best-Batsman and Best-Bowler of-the-Tournament Award respectively and received a trophy and a cheque of Rs 5,000 each.
Chief guests Dungarpur and Umrigar were heard making tongue-in-cheek observations as to the difference between the prize money offered during their time at the international level and the prize money being given even during a corporate event, informs the release.
ESPN Star Sports Corporate Challenger Cup was presented by Samsung India. Hindustan Times, BDM and Pepsi were the associate sponsors for the tournament.
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.
