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SportzPower Pro Leagues Forum to convene in Mumbai on 10 December
MUMBAI: India’s professional leagues are no longer just cricket’s sideshow. On 10 December, the SportzPower Pro Leagues Forum will gather the architects of this Rs 1.3 lakh crore sports economy at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Club in Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai, to decode what is driving the transformation.
The conference, themed “The Business of Leagues, Redefined”, will examine the economics, technology, sponsorship deals, governance structures, media rights and fan engagement innovations that are turning niche sports into commercial juggernauts. Organised by SportzPower, the country’s leading sports business media platform, it targets league and franchise owners, media innovators, investors, brand decision-makers and entrepreneurs shaping India’s league economy.
The speaker roster includes Anupam Goswami, league commissioner of Pro Kabaddi; Vishnu Vardhan Induri, founder of the Celebrity Cricket League and managing director of Vibri Media; Anil Singh, founder and managing director of Procam International; and Gaurav Natekar, founder and chief executive of World Pickleball League, who will deliver the keynote speech.
Vinit Karnik, managing director for content, sports and entertainment at GroupM South Asia, will discuss what brands seek when they use sport and entertainment to reach audiences in a fireside chat. Yannick Colaco, co-founder of FanCode; Dhiraj Malhotra, chief executive of Washington Freedom; Indranil Das Blah, founder of AMP Sports & Entertainment; and Gourav Rakshit, commissioner of the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League, will also speak.
Other voices include Aditya Datta, founder and chief executive of Impetus Sports Capital; Arun Sadasivan, chief business officer at Fan Play; and Aahna Mehrotra, founder of AM Sports Law & Management. Subhamoy Das, national director at WPP Media Entertainment & Sports Partnerships, will present data and analytics on the economics of sponsorship in the Indian market.
Sessions will tackle building sustainable professional sports leagues, the economics of media rights and sponsorship, how technology and artificial intelligence are reshaping league monetisation, and the rise of “sportainment”, where sport, entertainment and fan culture collide.
The forum is powered by Sony Sports Network and Celebrity Cricket League, in association with World Pickleball League, with WPP Media ESP as knowledge partner, The Free Press Journal as outreach partner, and Accred Master handling lanyards.
As India’s sports landscape splinters into a true multi-sport ecosystem, this gathering promises hard truths about what works, what pays and what keeps fans coming back. The league economy is being redefined. And the people doing the redefining will all be in one room.
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.
