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Sonakshi Sinha now co owns WKL team
MUMBAI: Bollywood cinestar Sonakshi Sinha has announced her association with World Kabaddi League which is slated to kickstart from 9 August in London. Sonakshi has bought the United Singhs team along with the Hayre Group of UK. She becomes the third celebrity to associate with the League after Akshay Kumar and Honey Singh.
Speaking to media and her fans at a meet in Mumbai, Sinha said, “I am really excited to be part of World Kabaddi League. This is my first such endeavor. Kabaddi is a fast paced sport and I am looking forward to some adrenalin rush moments during the League.” Sinha is likely to travel along with her team as much as possible.
Sinha is already making amends in her shooting dates so that her commitment to World Kabaddi League is intact. “Please, please, please support World Kabaddi League as this is surely taking Kabaddi places,” she said.
World Kabaddi League Commissioner Pargat Singh said, “We are very excited with the support World Kabaddi League is getting from various celebrated personalities. Sonakshi is truly a gem in the crown. We are confident that her association will add to the growing fan following of the League.”
World Kabaddi League promises to present the sport to its fans in a completely new avatar by adding more action-oriented elements. WKL will be played in Circle style which is the most popular kabaddi format followed across 26 countries globally.
Earlier this month, bollywood actor Akshay Kumar had endorsed the league by buying a team. The actor has always been enthusiastic in promoting fitness and sports which encouraged him to take this decision. He believes that Kabaddi is an authentic sport that puts up raw power for display and keeps the adrenalin rushing at all times.
Talwinder Singh of Hayre Group said, “It gives me immense pleasure to have an A-list actor like Sonakshi to be a co-team owner. Her movies are eagerly watched internationally and am sure she can make Kabaddi look cool as a sport to play and follow. She has some very innovative winning strategies up her sleeve that she continues to share with me and my players. We will play to win and I am sure the fans will enjoy it thoroughly.”
“It gives Kabaddi a ‘gladiatorial’ persona and adds loads of spunk and aura. We need to vie for a niche currently occupied by well-established sports like soccer and cricket. Our visual identity, tone and texture is global and aspirational,” added Singh.
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.
