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Team Pune to kick start Hero ISL domestic player draft
MUMBAI: The Hero Indian Super League (ISL), on 21 July, conducted its ‘Clubs Sequence Selection’, based on which the central domestic player draft will be organised on 22 July and 23 July.
IMG football vice president global business development Jefferson Slack was entrusted with the responsibility of conducting the selection through a lot pick in presence of all the Hero ISL club representatives.
Among the six participating teams, Team Pune will be the first club to make its best player selection from the list of 84 Indian talents.
Pune will be followed by Mumbai City FC, Kerala Blasters FC, Team Bengaluru, Atletico de Kolkata and Delhi Dynamos FC, in order. The seventh and eighth teams participating in the draft will be team Goa and NorthEast United FC. These two teams have retained their set of 14 domestic players from their respective I-League tie-ups Dempo sports club with Goa and Shillong Lajong football club with NorthEast United FC. Pre selected players will be announced as the draft progresses.
The central player pool (CPL) proceedings will commence at 10 am on both the days, with each day featuring seven rounds of the draft.
The league, co-promoted by IMG-Reliance and Star India and supported by All India Football Federation (AIFF), will have 84 Indian footballers in the central domestic player pool. The league has made provision of additional seven players in the central reserve pool to serve as replacement in case of injuries or other emergencies.
The CPL features a mix of seasoned, experienced senior national players and promising young talents from across the country. A total of 39 players have represented India at senior level and 22 of them are or have been a part of the national team set-up in the past two years.
ISL through a statement said, “The central player pool boasts of a combined 750 plus national team caps, proving the imperative experience at international level. In addition, 75 players have played a major role in their respective I-League teams in the past three years, with 29 of them leading their clubs to top three finishes. Emphasis has also been given to promote young players and to provide them with required experience through Hero ISL with 17 signed players in the under-23 year age category. Two players also vaunt of playing on international soil for various clubs.”
In terms of playing positions, the Hero Indian Super League has 27 attackers (forwards and wingers), 21 midfielders, 26 defenders and 10 goalkeepers. The pool includes 30 players on loan from four I -League clubs, as well as Free Agents who have been centrally contracted.
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.
