News Headline
PTC to telecast World Kabaddi League from 24 Oct in India, abroad
MUMBAI: The season three of World Kabaddi League will be held from 24 October to 12 November 2017 in India. PTC Channel has been signed on as the broadcast partner to telecast Live the World Kabaddi League (Season-3) in India and also to broadcast the league around the world. Two matches will be played daily under flood lights.
MLA Fatah Jung Bajwa, who is also a WKL patron, said the state government would extend its full support to the league, which was being organised by NRIs whose roots are in Punjab. The first phase of the league would be played at the Guru Gobind Singh Stadium in Jalandhar while the second phase to be played at the Hockey stadium in Mohali.
WKL commissioner Kamaljit Singh Hayre said that the world’s top six teams will play their matches in Jalandhar and Mohali. Hayre, TUT Brothers’ Surjit Singh Tut of the US and Sarb Thiara of USA (both owners), Bajwa and WKL additional commissioner Ranbir Singh Tut, and WKL legal advisor Harpreet Singh Sandhu had jointly addressed mediapersons at Jalandhar.
The regular season will be of 20 days long and then an elimination tournament will take place in Mohali to find a champion. The top participating teams are — Vancouver Lions (Canada), Khalsa Warriors (United Kingdom), Royal Kings (USA) Punjab Tiger (Canada), California Eagles (USA) and United Singhs (United Kingdom).
According to Tut, the matches will see national and international kabaddi players in action. The league will be on touring sports format, and will be played across 33 matches.
Awards
Hamdard honours changemakers at Abdul Hameed awards
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.








