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Reliance Industries appoints IPL ex-COO Sundar Raman As CEO – Sports
MUMBAI: Former sports administrator and sports marketing and management professional Sundar Raman is joining Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) as its CEO – Sports. He will be responsible for consolidation and integration of RIL’s sports portfolio including its Foundation activities in sports. In addition to the existing sports properties of RIL, Raman will be driving newer avenues of growth in this area and also at integration with Reliance’s digital services of Jio.
Over the course of last few years, RIL has invested in a variety of sports properties and is now positioned as one of India’s leading sports businesses. RIL is involved in multiple sports (cricket, football, basketball, tennis, golf) either on its own or through its Joint Ventures. In addition, the Reliance Foundation has several initiatives such as Basketball and Young Champs.
Raman said “I am delighted at the opportunity to join Reliance. The group’s existing sports properties coupled with its Jio digital services provides newer areas of growth. RIL has a huge aspiration in the sports area. The opportunity to be engaged in integrating the entire sports portfolio and make Sports also an integral and important element in RIL’s growth will be an exciting journey”
Raman brings with him to Reliance a rich and unique experience of over two decades in understanding consumer insights and as a pioneer in the growth of sporting properties in India. Until November 3, 2015, Raman was COO of the Indian Premier League (IPL), a post from which he resigned. Raman was officially appointed as IPL COO after a decade in strategic media thinking business working for brands such as Unilever, PepsiCo, Motorola, Samsung and Amex through J. Walter Thomson and later as Managing Director of Mindshare.
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.
