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Star Sports 1 Hindi drags sports channels viewership down in week 7
MUMBAI: The decline in the viewership pattern of sports broadcasters continued in week seven (15-21 February) of Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India ratings. Sports channels, this week, tumbled by over 60 per cent as compared to week six (8-14 February).
Star Sports 1 Hindi of Star India group dragged the viewership of overall sports channels to the lowest level this year. The channel alone fell substantially by over 76 per cent in the current week of BARC.
Despite significant fall in viewership, Star Sports 1 Hindi topped the list of top five sports channels. The channel received 78,298 weekly impressions in week seven as compared to 3,31,536 weekly impressions in week six of BARC.
Star Sports is the official broadcaster for all international matches played in India and New Zealand. It’s also an official partner to telecast limited over matches of the World Cup and Asia Cup across genres.
Cricket is the majorly favoured and watched sport by the Indian audience, followed by World Wrestling Entertainment, soccer, and tennis. However, week seven was dull in terms of any India-specific cricket matches except women’s T20 world cup and the domestic tournament Ranji Trophy.
Dethroning the government-owned channel, DD Sports, from the top five channels’ list completely, Star Sports First bagged the second position. The channel posted a positive show with a marginal rise in viewership of over 6 per cent, by securing 49,263 impressions in week seven as against 46,244 in the previous week of BARC.
Despite being low in numbers as compared to rival broadcasters, Sony Pictures Sports Network channels have put a tough fight in week seven. This week, the group’s two sports channels, Sony Ten 1 and Sony Ten 3, grabbed the third and fourth spots in the list of top five most-viewed channels.
Sony Ten 1 turned green after reeling under a negative space for the last two weeks. The channel improved its performance by gaining over 1 percent to 31,573 weekly impressions as compared to 31024 impressions in the previous week. The channel, in week six, was down by over 50 per cent.
Replacing Star Sports 3 from its position at number four, Sony Ten 3 has been featured for the first time in the top five sports channels list with 25561 weekly impressions in the current week. All thanks to the UEFA: Champions League – Round of 16, a football tournament that began from 19 February, the channel has successfully made a mark in week seven of BARC.
Meanwhile, Star Sports 2, for the first time this year, got featured at the fifth spot in the list of top five channels in terms of viewership. The channel secured at least 20,383 eyeballs in the week seven of BARC. The channel broadcasts the domestic cricket tournament, Ranji Trophy, which has come to its last leg of semis and features many important cricketers that represent Team India at the international level.
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.
