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Super Singer Jr: Star Vijay ropes in five advertisers; title sponsorship open
BENGALURU: Star India’s Tamil general entertainment channel has roped in five sponsors for season 5 of Super Singer Junior – three ‘Powered by’ sponsors and two co-presenting sponsors. Negotiations are on for the title sponsorship, says a source at Star Vijay unwilling to reveal with whom. In all, there have been nine seasons of Super Singer – five for seniors and four for juniors. Super Singer Junior will be the tenth time that the channel will search for singing talent in Tamil Nadu.
Airtel has been associated with Super Singer from day one i.e. 2006. Mechanical and civil engineering and hospitality group Arun Excello has been constantly associated with the show for more than six years now.
Apart from Sunflower oil brand Gold Winner, health clinic brand V Care, Sunland Sunflower Oil, Chennai’s retail store chain Saravana Stores Thanganagai Maligai have been associated with the show consistently.
Super Singer Junior Season 5 will be aired from 26 November every Saturday and Sunday at 7 pm. Each episode will run through 90 minutes including 18 minutes of advertisements. For season 5 of Super Singer Junior, the channel has roped in sanitaryware brand Cera, apparel wear brand Twin Birds and Gold Winner are the ‘Powered by’ sponsors. The co-presenting sponsors are Arun Excello and Prisma
While the channel has not disclosed the number of episodes that the fifth season of Super Singer Junior will air for, Super Singer season 5 for seniors crossed 200 episodes, while Super Singer Junior season 4 ran through 235 episodes. The team of judges include melody queen, Chithra, singer Subha and singer Mano. Ananth Vaithyanathan will train the young voices during their musical journey.
Star Vijay plans to market the show through various media platforms including print, radio and outdoor in Chennai with posters, malls, bus shelters, hoardings, wall graphics, centre median, barricade branding and also through trade media portals for effective reach.
Contestants were selected through direct on-ground audition for the kids aged between 6-14 years of age in Chennai, Coimbatore and Trichy few weeks ago. The channel says that the stars of super singer show have sung for movies with prominent music composers in the industry like A R Rahman, Illayaraja, Imman and Anirudh Ravichander. Previous seasons have unearthed many a young talent that has blossomed into a passionate singer. To name a few – Krishnamoorthy, Alka Ajith, Aajeedh Khalique, Spoorthi are title winners of Super Singer Junior the seasons. Other promising talents from the show such as Pragathi, Yazhini and many more have got a chance in playback singing.
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.
