News Broadcasting
President Kalam blesses Premier Hockey League; meets captains
New Delhi, November 29, 2005 – The honorable president of India, his excellency Dr A P J Abdul Kalam today met the five captains of the Premier Hockey League Tier I teams to convey his best wishes before the start of the second edition of the innovative Premier Hockey League. The five captains Dilip Tirkey (Hyderabad Sultans), Gagan Ajit Singh (Sher-e-Jallandhar), Viren Rasquinha (Maratha Warriors), Arjun Halappa (Bangalore Hi-Fliers) and Rajpal Singh (Chandigarh Dynamos) called on the President to seek his blessings for the future of the League and his support for the sport. K P S Gill, President, Indian Hockey Federation; K Jothikumaran, Secretary General of the Indian Hockey Federation; R C Venkateish, Managing Director, ESPN Software India Pvt Ltd; and S S Dasgupta, Managing Director, Leisure Sports Management, also met His Excellency along with the five captains
Giving words of encouragement to the five Premier Hockey League Captains, the President of India, Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, said, “You must always think that you are winning when you are practicing. This habit along with hard work and God’s blessings will help you in winning. You should become Captain of the problem and defeat the problem itself.”
The President further added, “Like any other economic activity sports & games are also important.” A staunch advocate of developing the youthful human resources of the country, the President had said in his address at the opening of the 14th Parliament: “The youth constitute a large and vibrant segment of India’s population. Their energy, zeal and motivation will be harnessed through special programmes to enable them to realize their potential and achieve their ambitions in all activities, ranging from economic and social spheres to the arts and sports. We extend the very best wishes to our sportspersons participating in all forthcoming events.”
Speaking on the occasion, K P S Gill said, “I am extremely grateful to the President for giving his valuable time to inspire the five captains of the Premier Hockey League. I am sure that the encouraging words from the President will inspire all the teams to give their best during the league.”
ESPN Software India Pvt Ltd. Managing Director R C Venkateish said, “The league has an interesting format which is aimed at getting the people back to watch India’s national sport.”
The visibly happy captains presented a ‘PHL Hockey Stick’ to the President. Speaking on behalf of all the players and captains, Dilip Tirkey, Captain of the Indian Hockey Team and Captain of Hyderabad Sultans, said, “PHL could not have asked for a better boost. The Championship, only in its second avatar, is already recognized as the most innovative one in the world. His Excellency’s gesture will inspire us to scale further heights.”
News Broadcasting
Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.








