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Poker: Delhi Panthers win final table, takes home INR 11.5m
MUMBAI: The first season of the Poker Sports League concluded at Deltin Casino Royale in Goa with Delhi Panthers being crowned the inaugural champions. After completing a magnificent run in the playoffs for five days, Delhi Panthers won the final table and took home the prize money of Rs 11.5 million. Mumbai Anchors finishes Runner-Up with the prize money of Rs 10 million, Kolkata Royals takes Rs 5 million and Punjab Bluffers takes Rs 3.5 million.
The excitement of the tournament will be aired in a post-production show to showcase the journey of Poker Sport League for audience. With season one being a huge success by smashing expected views, PSL has big plans for season 2.
Owned by Abhishek Jain of Leela Jewels, Gaurav Goel of Dhampur Sugar, Rishi Kajaria of Kajaria Ceramic, Ruchirans Jaipuria of Jaipuria Group, and the team was mentored by Akash Malik. The other team players included Vinod Megalmani, Aman Dhamija, Akshay Nasa, Samay Modi, Kunal Bhatia, Prashant Bhutoria, Dhruv Patel and Erik Rise. Delhi Panthers will now share the first prize as well as the honour of being the first team to win India’s first Poker Sports League.
Speaking about the League, Pranav Bagai, CEO and Co-Founder, Poker Sports League, said, “The journey of the league has been a roller coaster ride and initially many could not believe that the league would materialise in to something as large as other sports leagues in the country. The never seen before structures and massive prize pool kept the adrenaline rush going for the players along with a chance to make some serious money. On closing our first season with a splendid grand finale, we are sure that this is definitely not a one-and-done season and we have plans to come up with season two next year.”
The brainchild of Amit Burman (Vice Chairman, Dabur India Ltd) who partnered with Anuj Gupta (Co-Founder Adda52.com), India’s largest online Poker website for the league was spearheaded by Pranav Bagai, (Co-Founder and CEO) and Nikita Luther, (COO).
Akash Malik, mentor of the winning team said, “Punjab Bluffers, Mumbai Anchors and Pune Sharks were also topping the leader board, but thanks to the amazing team and support of the team owners, Delhi Panthers has tasted the victory. Poker community really enjoyed the tournament and witnessed the game become a ‘sportified’ game in the country.”
Day 1 of #PokerSportsLeague ended with amazing events. Pune Sharks was leading the #PSL Day 1 leader-board with 216000 points followed by Delhi Panthers with 212400 points & Punjab Bluffers with 189000 points. Day 2 of #PokerSportsLeague ended with massive action with Punjab Bluffers leading the leader-board followed by Chennai Bulls in 2nd place & Bengaluru Jokers in 3rd place. Punjab Bluffers continued to lead the league even on Day 3 with 458400 points, closely followed by Mumbai Anchors and Bengaluru
Jokers. Day 4 witnessed a tough fight between Alec Torelli of Haryana Hunters & Sam Razavi of Kings Hyderabad in ‘Heads Up Holdem’ game. Over 2.8 million poker fans watched the league live streamed on the Facebook page of the league.
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.
