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SPSN signs nine sponsors for India Tour of England
Mumbai: Sony Pictures Sports Network (SPSN) has wooed an impressive line-up of sponsors for India Tour of England Test series, starting on Wednesday.
Mahindra & Mahindra, BYJU’S, Pan Bahaar, PharmEasy, Ultratech, Fogg, WhatsApp, Cars24 and MRF Tyres have signed up as co-presenting and associate sponsors.
Additionally, SPSN has roped Kent RO as a presenting sponsor for its studio show ‘Extraaa Innings’. Other advertisers who have come on board are Policybazaar, Dafa News, Paisabzaar, TVS Tyres, Apollo Pharmacy, Castrol, Accenture, Netmeds, Housing.com, Apple, Tata Motors, Wolf 777 news, 1mg.com and Perfetti Van Melle.
The series is all set to begin on 4 August and all five Test matches will be aired on Sony Six, Sony Ten 3, and Sony Ten 4 channels and on-demand OTT platform, SonyLIV from 2.30 pm onwards. The English and Hindi feeds will air on Sony Six and Sony Ten 3 channels, respectively, while the Tamil and Telugu regional feeds will be broadcast on Sony Ten 4 channels.
The English broadcast of ‘Extraaa Innings’ will be presented by former players like Sunil Gavaskar, Shaun Pollock, Sanjay Manjrekar, and Harsha Bhogle along with Alastair Cook, Nasser Hussain and Mike Atherton (on-ground).
The Hindi broadcast of the studio show will be presented by former cricketers Ashish Nehra, Virender Sehwag, Ajay Jadeja, Ajit Agarkar, Mohammad Kaif and Vivek Razdan along with Arjun Pandit.
The Tamil commentary box will feature Laxman Sivaramakrishnan, WV Raman, Vidhyut Sivaramakrishnan, TR Arasu and S Seshadri. Telugu commentary will be presented by Venkatapathy Raju, Gnaneshwar Rao, C Venkatesh, Vijay Mahavadi, RJ Hemanth and Sandeep Kumar.
Sony Pictures Networks India, chief revenue officer, distribution and head – Sports Business, Rajesh Kaul said, “We have received tremendous response from various advertisers across Housing, finance, education, technology sectors and are confident to attract more sponsors as we progress further into the series.”
To amplify the series, Sony Pictures Sports Network has also launched the #BackOurBoys campaign across its digital assets.
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.
