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Ten Sports extends broadcast rights for UEFA Champions League till 2018
MUMBAI: Ten Sports, one of the sports broadcasters in South Asia, has extended the broadcast rights for the premium football competitions: UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League for the next cycle of three seasons starting 2015-16.
Ten Sports is also the current broadcast rights holder for the properties and has been airing these premier football competitions since 2006-07. “UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League rights had become the most key football property up for acquisition and Ten Sports Network reaffirms its commitment to promoting quality football through this major acquisition after beating other rival broadcasters to secure these rights,” the channel said through a statement.
The new deal between UEFA and Ten Sports beginning from the 2015-16 season covers exclusive broadcast rights for the Indian subcontinent which includes India, Pakistan, Sri-Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives and Afghanistan. Ten Sports will broadcast these properties across all its platforms including premium HD offerings and live streaming of matches on tensports.com.
The channel will broadcast 145 matches of UEFA Champions League and 205 matches of UEFA Europa League every season. Apart from these matches, it will also broadcast the annual UEFA Super Cup, the curtain raiser at the beginning of the European season played between the winners of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.
“We are delighted to extend our partnership with UEFA and have the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League on the Ten Sports Network. Over the last decade, the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League have found a home in the Indian subcontinent at Ten Sports. We thank UEFA and team for all their support and hope to continue and build on the strong and mutually beneficial relationship we have with them. Over the next four seasons we will continue to build on the quality programming we offer around these marquee properties and strive to innovate to increase viewership and audience interest and engagement around these properties,” said Ten Sports CEO Rajesh Sethi.
Widely considered as the toughest and most competitive football competition in the world, only the best teams from the top European Leagues make it to the UEFA Champions League. Real Madrid is the most successful team in this competition with 10 titles, the most recent being the current final in May 2014 where the team achieved the unprecedented ‘La Decima’. Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Manchester United, Ajax, AC Milan, Liverpool are some of the other teams who have enjoyed success in this competition.
TEN Sports Network reaches over 140 million households across the Indian sub-continent. The network has a bouquet of premium football properties from across the globe including UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, Copa Del Rey, French League, A-League, Capital One Cup, German Cup, Copa Italia, Skybet Championship and Club TV programming of leading European Clubs.
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.
