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SPN India renews UEFA Euro Championship rights for Indian subcontinent
MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Network (SPN) India has renewed the media rights deal for the UEFA Euro Championship to telecast in the Indian subcontinent according to Insidesports.co. On the flip side, the broadcaster has lost one of its precious football properties, La Liga, to Facebook. The social media giant bagged the rights for the next four-year cycle.
The 2020 European Championship edition will be played across 12 European nations between 12 June and 12 July.
Sony in the earlier UEFA media rights cycle was also the official broadcaster for the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League, which were not the part of the UEFA Euro Championship deal.
The UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying draw will be held on 2 December 2018 at the Convention Centre Dublin in Dublin, Republic of Ireland.
Recently, UEFA has also renewed its worldwide master licensing deal with global sports and talent management agency IMG. The extended terms of the agreement will see IMG continue to serve as the exclusive master licensee for UEFA Euro 2020 and other major national team tournaments through to the end of 2022.
The deal provides Sony Pictures Network with the right to broadcast the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship matches and the Championship Finals. In the previous three-year deal SPN aired 546 UEFA international matches over three years in the run-up to the 2016 finals in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal and Maldives.
The media right for La Liga was acquired by SPN for $32 million in 2014 till May 2018.
The Euro Championship games will be played at London, Munich, Rome, Baku, Saint Petersburg, Bucharest, Amsterdam, Dublin, Bilbao, Budapest, Glasgow and Copenhagen. Each city will host three group stage matches and one match in the round of 16 or quarter-finals. London will host the Group Stage matches, a round of 16 game, semi-finals, and final. Munich (Germany), Baku (Azerbaijan), Saint Petersburg (Russia) and Rome (Italy) Group Stage games and the quarter-finals. Copenhagen (Denmark), Bucharest (Romania), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Dublin (Republic of Ireland), Bilbao (Spain), Budapest (Hungary) and Glasgow (Scotland) will host Group stage and the round-of-16 matches.
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.
