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Sunset+Vine to produce Volvo Ocean Race for ITV
MUMBAI: Independent sports producer Sunset+Vine has signed a deal with UK broadcaster ITV to provide coverage of the Volvo Ocean Race.
Sunset+Vine will produce 32 weekly half hour programmes for ITV4 and eight one-hour long programmes for ITV1. Sunset+Vine MD John Leach said, “Our Volvo Ocean Race coverage for ITV and the rest of the world will present sailing in a new light. State of the art equipment will record the crews’ adventures, relationships with each other in the confined space aboard the boats, and their battles to overcome the extreme conditions. We want to make the sport much more accessible to a wider viewing public in the same way that we transformed the way cricket has been covered.”
ITV controller of sport Mark Sharman said, “With over eight months of racing in the world’s most treacherous seas, the Volvo Ocean Race provides a terrific adventure story for ITV viewers to follow. Using the latest technological innovations, Sunset + Vine’s production will ensure viewers get closer to the action than ever before.”
The Volvo Ocean Race is said to be one of the harshest sports challenges. Starting in Galicia, Spain in November, the crews will spend a gruelling seven months battling severe weather and each other in demanding conditions, taking in Cape Town, Melbourne, Rio de Janeiro and New York before finishing next June in Gothenburg. The yachts are scheduled to arrive in Portsmouth in May next year.
With 10 cameras onboard each boat, linked by satellite to a purpose built studio and editing facility at race headquarters just outside Portsmouth in the UK, Sunset+Vine’s coverage will show key moments of the battle between the world’s top professional sailors and the worst that the oceans can throw at them.
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.
