News Headline
Sony’s Uday Sodhi upbeat about VoD platform Liv Sports
MUMBAI: Multi Screen Media’s (MSM) sports Video On Demand (VOD) platform Liv Sports is set to take audiences to a whole new frontier. Liv Sports is a VOD service that offers sports content from Sony Entertainment Network.
India now has 300 million internet users, up from 200 million a year ago, with a little more than 50 per cent having access to mobile Internet, which makes India a big market for online content consumption.
With the on-going Cricket World Cup, various VOD platforms are coming up with innovative shows to build interest. Speaking about Liv Sports’ plan for the World Cup, Sony Entertainment Network executive vice-president and head digital Uday Sodhi tells Indiantelevision.com, “We are in the process of packaging and will release them in phases. Our exclusive package will include articles from journalists, news coverage, and result analysis through innovative graphics and text.”
Commenting on the catalog of Liv Sports Sodhi says, “We have streamed Australian Open live and reached more than a million viewers. We are also streaming Indian School and College Basketball League, which is not aired on television. Moreover, we also streamed Syed Modi International Badminton Grand Prix. We are moving ahead and will invade into new territory whenever we get an opportunity.”
Responding to the marketing strategy to popularise the portal, Sodhi asserts, “As of now there is no such campaign coming out, we are promoting the portal on our network. But soon when there is an opportunity we will opt for aggressive advertising.”
Though digital platform is growing with time there is no clear revenue model for the portals. When quizzed about the revenue model of the digital platform, Sodhi says, “Advertisers are showing significant interest on the digital platform, and the fact that it is the fastest growing media, I think good content will rope in big endorsements. There will be creative banners, pre-rolls, exit rolls and also in the middle of the event there may be banners. There is always a room from creative innovations to grab attention.”
“Television is a medium to consume content at home and that will continue to grow. We are seeing modern infrastructure like 4k and HD on TV. Digital platform is for consumption of content on the go and that will grow independently. Both may be a medium of communication but individually different in their mode of operation,” says Sodhi, when asked about digital media’s impact on television.
“We are a six to eight months old venture and we aspire to be the digital destination of quality sports. With digital platforms we can reach to new audiences and that is a good sign. Bandwidth will increase and more and more people will use internet on their mobile, which increases our possibility of growing bigger. And the main factor is time spent in front of screen. We don’t expect people to sit and watch TV full time so more screens are essential and digital is one of them,” he concludes.
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.
