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Ten Sports’ live foray with WWE a success with packed seats & tight fights
MUMBAI: Chants of C M Punk and Undertaker resonated loud and clear at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. The reason: WWE Live.
It was after 13 years that WWE returned to India. Ten Sports’ foray into live event became a historic one. The sportscaster’s month long brainstorming could not have had a better start. The channel roped in Mountain Dew and Harley Davidson as sponsors, who got adequate eyeballs. What’s more, it also proved to be a new and lucrative revenue stream for Ten Sports, which will definitely be tapped into in the coming years.
The excitement was palpable at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium as millennial wrestling fans, who had been waiting in long queues to grab seats for a hefty amount, lost their voice way before the first bout was belled.
And then there was a big explosion of fire, the masked man’s giant imagery was on the display screen. Kane was heading towards the ring. With their hoarse cries and cheers, the audience made sure that Kane remembers this entry forever. What’s more, it was certainly a one-of-a-kind moment for both Kane and the audience.
After Kane, came the other ‘big’ entry – The Big Show. He looked no different from Polyphemus, it was just that he had a cleaner head, but not many from the bottom row could see that as he is 2.13 meter tall.
The referee in black and white stripes shouted ‘Fight’ and that’s all it took for the freezing Delhi to start sweating like a hot summer noon. The battle became brutal, sometimes it was Kane ruling the roulette, while sometimes the dice favoured The Big Show. After tussling it out, Kane choke-slammed the 200 kilogram monster and it turned out to be too hard a fall for The Big Show to rise again. Kane pinned Show, the referee screamed ‘One, Two, Three’ and Kane was hailed as the winner. The stadium started chanting the Kane anthem as the first bout came to an end. The two-day extravaganza was up and rolling.
The other bouts had WWE Divas, Indian wrestlers, and other prominent wrestle-maniacs. The moments in the swanky Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium will certainly live a long life in spectators mind as memories.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Ten Sports CEO Rajesh Sethi says, “Ten Sports is proud to have brought back a WWE live event to India. The Ten Sports team’s effort to put together this mega show is reaping benefits – all fans went home with great memories. Such events are part of Ten Sports Networks’ conscious effort to bring sport closer to fans and increase engagement opportunities.”
Though Ten Sports had two sponsors on board, the major revenue was generated from ticketing. Speaking about the ticketing Sethi asserts, “The event generated great traction and the ticket sales for this event will be a benchmark for every sport. We have exceeded all our expectations and if this result is something to go by, then we see enormous potential to bring more such events across sports thereby creating a new revenue stream for the network.”
According to information available with Indiantelevision.com, the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium, which has a seating capacity of 20,000, was packed to the brim as all tickets were sold out. While the final calculations have not yet been done, WWE Live was, no doubt, a profitable outing for Ten Sports. With the success of this live event, Ten Sports is now also looking at bringing in several other live events.
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.
