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Sony Six TAM (es) rating with FIFA World Cup
MUMBAI: It has been 10 days since the FIFA World Cup started and the excitement is only rising for fans and official broadcaster, Sony Six.
According to inputs provided by the channel, 14.8 million viewers have switched on to the channel to watch the games despite the fact that three of the five games take place post midnight.
For the ninth week now, Sony Six has retained its position as the number one sports channel in India, it claims.
Meanwhile, MSM group’s regional channel Sony Aaath providing live Bengali commentary during the matches in West Bengal has proved to be a brilliant business move for the channel. Five million viewers from Kolkata tuned in to watch the games being held in Brazil versus 4.6 million viewers that had tuned in during the 2010 World Cup. Similarly, 1.6 million viewers from the rest of Bengal watched versus 1.2 million viewers who tuned in last time.
Beyond the metros, the ratings have been positive in towns with a population of more than 10 million, while towns within the population range one to 10 million homes have registered a growth of six per cent.
With most games being showcased during the primetime at 9:30 pm, the response so far for the channel has been positive.
Meanwhile, the FIFA World Cup seems to be breaking viewership records in several countries, FIFA has revealed. 34.1 million Japanese viewers tuned into watch their country get deafeated 2-1 by Ivory Coast on NHK at 10 am when the match was telecast. TV Globo reported that 42.9 million Brazillian viewers watched the host nation beat Croatia 3-1. The story in the US was no different with 11.1 million Americans watching Uncle Sam play with Ghana on ESPN.
Audiences were also glued to their TV sets in both Italy and England as the former beat the latter 2-1. The viewership numbers for the BBC were 14.2 million for the match, while RAI1 in Italy notched up 12.8 million viewers – the highest TV viewership in 2014 for both the countries. In Germany, ARD channel lured 26.4 million viewers as it beat Portugal 4-1.
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.
