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Sahara withdraws India team sponsorship
MUMBAI: Looks like the Sahara “Parivar” decided enough was enough. The Indian cricket team sponsor today withdrew its sponsorship and opens the possibility of the ongoing backroom maneuverings between the Indian cricket board BCCI and the ICC getting seriously messy.
Sahara’s decision to withdraw its multi-million-dollar sponsorship came after the International Cricket Council objected to the “wings” graphic on its logo. Now it remains to be seen how the BCCI responds to this one-stroke wipeout of what at the time the deal was announced in June 2001 was called the largest of its kind worldwide. Industry speculation has put the deal as being worth Rs 1,000 million over five years. However, Sahara India promoter Subrata Roy has gone on record at a press conference in Lucknow in February this year that the actual value of the deal was much lower.
The Press Trust of India first put out the news that Sahara had withdrawn its sponsorship not too long after the Indian team took the field against Zimbabwe, in their Champions Trophy lung-opener in Colombo today without any logo on their jerseys.
Now all eyes (and ears) will be on BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya’s next move. Dalmiya had been quoted as saying yesterday that said the board was looking into the matter and would be making a statement today.
The developments followed Thursday’s refusal by the ICC to accept Sahara India’s revised logo, which had “Subrata” (after its chairman Subrata Roy) on the team shirts. The ICC’s contention that the wings graphic in the new logo conflicts with the interests of global sponsor South African Airways was termed as unacceptable by the Sahara management, which even threatened to take the matter to court.
“ICC’s new objections 24 hours before India’s first match is beyond any reasoning or rationale,” Sahara India’s spokesman Sanjay Lal was quoted as saying yesterday in a statement.
The ICC approved the new brand name of ‘Subrata’ but said, “It is subject to the removal from the proposed design of any element that is carried over from the Sahara brand. What it [the logo] can’t use is elements of the Sahara logo. We are simply seeking to ensure that the new brand is actually a new brand and not simply Sahara in a different form,” an ICC statement said.
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.
