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SET closes with 6, DD-Nimbus 8 sponsors
MUMBAI: There’s just over a week left for cricket’s greatest show to kick off in South Africa, and both terrestrial broadcaster Doordarshan and C&S rights holder Sony Entertainment Television (SET) have closed shop as far as sponsorship deals are concerned.
Nimbus has confirmed that all four presenting sponsors (in the categories of TV, soft drinks, two wheelers and telecom) and four associate sponsors (in the categories of cars, lubricants, airlines and insurance) have been signed on.
SET India on the other hand, which had earlier been talking of signing on seven sponsors, is finally going with six
As far as DD-Nimbus is concerned, information available with indiantelevision.com indicates that the four presenting sponsors are LG Electronics, Coca-Cola, VSNL and either Bajaj Auto or TVS Suzuki. Media reports also indicate that Cadburys and Colgate are advertising heavily and exclusively on DD.
As for associate sponsors, the names being mentioned are Maruti, Life Insurance Corporation of India and either Castrol or Indian Oil Servo. Nimbus Communications CMD Harish Thawani would not add anything further on the issue except to say: “Full details of the sponsor line-up will be announced by Nimbus on Monday (3 February), as brand activity plans are only being revealed by clients then.”
SET has closed its sponsorships deals with one presenting sponsor (Pepsi) and five associate sponsors. “MAX and SET have signed six major sponsors for the telecast of the games. These presenting and associate sponsors would account for more than 50 per cent of the total value of the revenues generated,” says SET executive vice president, sales and revenue management Rohit Gupta.
The associate sponsors are Reliance Infocomm, Hero Honda, Samsung, and Clinic All Clear and Close Up from the Hindustan Lever stable.
When queried about the seventh sponsor that Sony had been trying to tie up these last few days, Gupta said that Sony finally settled for six.
Adds Nimbus’ Thawani: “We can also confirm that all on air properties are sold out, such as “4s and 6s” package, “fall of wickets” package and both “action replay” packages; as also all end match properties such as “Master Blaster”, “Best Shots” (another four completes the list). As a result all nine properties are now sold out. All pull throughs are also fully booked as informed earlier,”
Gupta had earlier said: “The live features are completely sold out. Extraaa Innings, which constitutes 10 per cent of the total revenues that would be generated are also fully sold out. Extraaa Innings has been sold as a sponsorship package and fixed buys basis and not as spot buys.”
Sources say that these properties have been taken by companies such as HLL, Pan Parag, Bajaj Auto, Aristocrat, Hero Honda, Coca Cola, Sony Television, Yamaha bikes, SS Sanitary Fittings, Toyota, BPCL, TVS Suzuki, SBI Life, Hyundai and ICICI.
The World Cup will drive revenues of Sony into the Rs 10 billion mark this fiscal, MAX executive vice president and business head Rajat Jain had claimed while announcing MAX plans for the World Cup.
Media sources state that the current estimates are as follows: Sony has bagged around Rs 1.6 billion in sponsorships and an additional Rs 800 million in spot buys.
DD-Nimbus has bagged Rs 1 billion in terms of sponsorships and an additional Rs 400 million in spot buys.
For both DD-Nimbus and Sony, now it is really left to the Indian cricketers to perform. Informed sources say that if India manages to reach the the semi-finals, it would immediately release Rs 200 million in ad spend.
And if India puts on a spectacular display and reaches the Finals? That would mean another Rs 100 million in the ad kitty, say the sources.
So that’s the equation. Now for the sponsors, and the broadcasters, if the India team could just strut their stuff on the field instead of just in ad campaigns…
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.
