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Set point PVL Season 4 spikes big with a digital first play
MUMBAI: If proof of growth is in the numbers, the Prime Volleyball League has just served an ace. Season 4 of the RR Kabel Prime Volleyball League, powered by Scapia, wrapped up earlier this year in Hyderabad with a landmark 239 million views across live TV and Youtube. The figure represents a 27.2 percent jump over Season 3, making it the league’s most successful outing yet and underlining the impact of its digital-first strategy.
Beyond match broadcasts, the scale widened dramatically. Season 4 clocked 1.1 billion views across content categories and platforms, aided by a first-of-its-kind partnership with YouTube, a first for any Indian sports league. PVL also leaned into short-form storytelling through platforms such as Snapchat, while formally recognising volleyball-focused creators as league ambassadors, pushing the sport beyond matchday viewing and into everyday feeds.
The approach delivered tangible results. Youtube emerged as a central engagement driver, hosting over 500 hours of live coverage across six channels of the Sony Sports Network and in six languages. On television, cumulative live viewership touched 88.2 million, a 7 percent increase over the previous season, with a notably balanced audience split of 57 percent male and 43 percent female.
For the first time, PVL streamed all live matches on YouTube in Hindi, English, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada, generating 151 million cumulative views. Significantly, 80 percent of the digital audience fell in the 18–44 age bracket, reinforcing the league’s appeal among young, mobile-first viewers at a time when emerging sports are fighting for attention.
Reflecting on the season, Prime Volleyball League CEO Joy Bhattacharjya said innovation has always been central to PVL’s thinking, from presentation to consumption. He noted that Season 4 demonstrated how strongly a platform-led, digital-first approach resonates with modern audiences.
Social traction mirrored broadcast gains. PVL generated 105 million social engagements during the season, nearly 30 times higher than the previous year. Creator-led content proved disproportionately powerful, delivering 48 million views across 353 videos, despite only a marginal increase in output compared to Season 3.
Baseline Ventures managing director and co-founder Tuhin Mishra PVL’s exclusive marketing partner, said the focus was on putting digital at the centre of growth. By integrating platforms and creators meaningfully into the league ecosystem, he added, PVL was able to expand its audience in a way that felt both authentic and sustainable.
With surging digital consumption, steady gains on television and a rapidly expanding youth fan base, PVL Season 4 has set a clear benchmark. For emerging sports leagues in India, the message is hard to miss: build where the audience lives, speak their language, and the numbers will follow.
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.
