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The bids for Indian Super League heat up!
MUMBAI: It’s been just three weeks since the Football Sports Development, a company owned by IMG-Reliance, and broadcaster Star India, invited bids for Indian Super League (ISL) football teams from Indian companies and things are heating up already.
“Between 3 March to 21 March 2014, League organisers have recorded about 30 ‘Invitation to Bid’ (ITB) document purchase. In terms of the numbers, this is by far the highest level of interest that any similar franchise-based sports property has garnered in India,” tournament organisers IMG-Reliance said in a statement.
The curiosity around the ISL football seems to be building with the organisers receiving positive response from about 30 interested parties, even as the deadline for submitting the bid documents has been extended by two days to 26 and 27 March.
The original dates for submission of bid documents were 24 and 25 March.
“The league organisers had requests coming in from a large number of prospective bidders to extend the deadline for submission of the bid. Based on these requests, IMG-Reliance, together with Star India and in consultation with advisory firm Ernst & Young, has decided to grant a one-time extension for bid submission by further two-days,” said a statement released by ISL promoters.
Some of the big names from the country’s corporate world, Bollywood biggies and present sports team owners have shown keen interest to be part of the tourney.
The league was to begin in January but had to be postponed owing to issues like scheduling and lack of a window.
The league is backed by the All India Football Federation (AIFF), the commercial partner of IMG-Reliance and is expected to attract an entire new generation of sports fans into the football grounds throughout the country. With names like former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke, former England forward Michael Owen and former Argentina striker Hernan Crespo associated with the league, it is certain to help expand the market for football in the country.
Bids have been invited for nine cities – Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Goa, Guwahati, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune. The top eight bids will win the right to own and operate football clubs and participate in the Indian Super League.
The ITB is available for a fee of Rs 5 lakh. The bid document has been picked up by actor Shah Rukh Khan, who recently announced that he would like to extend his Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders, to other sports, especially football. Former Indian cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly is also said to have picked up a bid document, and he would certainly want to bid for his city (Kolkata).
Others in the fray include actor and producer John Abraham, actor Ranbir Kapoor, Ronnie Screwvala, Rhiti Sports and JSW Sports. Salman Khan too is part of a Mumbai-based group which has picked up the bid documents for owning a team in the league.
It was also learnt that Rendezvous, group of builders who owned the former IPL franchise Kochi Tuskers, too have picked up the bid documents and is one of the 30 parties who have shown interest in the league.
“The mandate for winning a city team in the Indian Super League had a novelty factor wherein it’s not only based on the highest financial bid, but also on the bidders’ proposal of a sound plan for developing football in the catchment area they wish to bid,” said the statement.
This plan would also form a part of the agreement that each franchise would sign with the League, and would be expected to adhere to it. It also involves a robust business proposal and a committed five-year grassroot/community development plan (spending Rs 2 crore every year) starting with a million in-school kids engagement plan, age group specific training, youth team and leading to having a full-time football academy.
The delay in submitting bids was due to the “demanding documentation.”
The winning bids announcement will take place in the second week of April. Ernst & Young, the advisory firm, has been entrusted the responsibility of evaluating the bid documents.
The new bid submission process will start from today and will now be open till 5:00 pm of 27 March instead of the earlier-announced date of 25 March. The winning bids will now be announced in the second week of April.
The base price for bidding for a franchise is Rs 12 crore per year for a tenure of 10 years. The football league, fashioned after the cash-rich IPL twenty-twenty tournament, will have eight teams in its inaugural year.
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.
