News Headline
Star Sports to telecast Super Formula live
MUMBAI: Star Sports has come to an agreement with Japan Race Promotion (JRP), promoters of the Super Formula Championship, for live telecast of Super Formula series in India.
The premier Japanese single-seater championship will thus become the only automobile racing championship, other than Formula 1 to enjoy live telecast in the Indian territory.
This season’s grid is extremely impressive with India’s first Formula 1 driver Narain Karthikeyan driving for Team Impul Hoshino Racing, among several highly-rated drivers including former F1 pilots Vitantonio Liuzzi and Kazuki Nakajima. 2010 title winner Joao Paulo de Oliveira is Karthikeyan’s teammate at Team Impul.
Star India president-sports Nitin Kukreja said, “This association is in line with our aim of creating a multi-sport culture in India, and we’re confident that the telecast of this exciting championship will fuel the growth of motor sports viewing in the country.”
“Narain’s participation in the championship along with the other celebrated names has already sparked immense interest amongst the Indian audience,” Kukreja added.
“It is great to see Super Formula being telecast live in India as there is already a lot of interest among the fans and being able to watch the races live will certainly boost its popularity,” commented Narain.
“The races are close, exciting and unpredictable – with pitstops and the tricky weather in Japan like we saw last time around so it’ll definitely make for great racing,” he went on to add.
The next round of the Super Formula series is scheduled to be held at the Autopolis Circuit on 14 September. The race will be live on Star Sports 4 and Star Sports HD 2, from 10 am onwards.
Held across eight rounds in 2014, Super Formula, erstwhile known as Formula Nippon has been running since 1973, with its driver roster including Michael Schumacher, Eddie Irvine, Pedro De La Rosa and Ralf Schumacher.
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.
