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Sony Six to live telecast Vivo IPL 2016 player auction
MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India’s sports channel Sony Six and Sony Six HD will live telecast the Vivo IPL 2016 Player Auction from Bangalore on6 February from 9 am onwards.
Viewers will get to witness franchises bidding from a pool of 351 cricketers, including 230 from India at the auction.
For the ninth season, the franchises have a salary purse of Rs 66 crore each, which is a Rs 3 crore jump from last season’s purse with a balance sum of RS 198.28 crores remaining with the eight franchises.
Sony Pictures Networks India sports cluster business Prasana Krishnan said, “The Vivo IPL is the biggest T20 cricket league in the world with top Indian and international names in cricket participating in this tournament. The player auction always sets the tone for the tournament and 2016 will surely be more exciting with two new teams fiercely bidding to build their player line-up.”
“Telecast on Sony Six, the viewing experience will be further enhanced by the panellists who will engage fans with their expert insights on the bidding strategies employed by the teams,” he added.
Apart from last edition’s most expensive players – Yuvraj Singh and Dinesh Karthik, the other names at the auction table will include Irfan Pathan, Kane Richardson, Michael Hussey, Ishant Sharma, and Mohit Sharma. The auction will also see the inclusion of two new teams, Rising Pune Supergiants and Gujarat Lions, who will be bidding to build their teams for the first time.
As many as 100 cricketers including 36 overseas players have been retained by the franchises for the 2016 season.
The auction will be led by Richard Madley, a professional auctioneer from England who has been shepherding the player auctions since its inception in 2008. Former Indian cricketer, Navjot Singh Sidhu and Extraaa Innings host Gaurav Kapur will be present at the auction to share their insights on both, team as well as player strategies.
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.
