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Total Sports Asia gets broadcast, sponsorship rights for WRC for three years
MUMBAI: A little over a year has gone by since sports marketing firm Total Sports Asia (TSA) launched in India. The firm is making attempts at pushing an array of sports from badminton to football.
It has now entered the motor rallying arena.
TSA has signed a three-year deal with International Sportsworld Communicators (ISC) for the property World Rally Championships (WRC). ISC are the global commercial right holders for WRC events. TSA will market and distribute the broadcast rights for the event in the Indian subcontinent, Greater China and South East Asia from January 2006.
It will also handle sponsorship. In India WRC has aired in the past on AXN and Ten Sports. The broadcast rights for WRC were earlier with ISM. ISC claims that WRC attracts a viewership of 773 million in 200 countries.
ISC MD Simon Long said, “With it’s dynamic entertainment proposition, data rich content and leading edge technology applications, WRC is better placed than ever to take off in Asia and engage with an ever wider audience of fans. We are confident that TSA, with their multi-platform expertise and local market know-how, are an excellent partner to help fully leverage the unique appeal of WRC across the region. We would also like to acknowledge the invaluable contribution made by ISM in building the foundations for WRC in Asia during the past three years”.
Total Sports Entertainment India (TSEI) MD Navneet Sharma says that there is already awareness around rallying in India with the Himalayan Rallying Championship. It is a question of building up the WRC’s profile in India. TSA will work in conjunction with ISC to figure out innovative marketing strategies that will aim at getting Indian car rallying fans closer to WRC. India of course has mountanous and rugged terrain that are ideal for car rallies. That is where it differs hugely with with FI where a massive investments go into building and maintaining a track. WRC has 16 races in one year in places like Australia, Monter Carlo, Mexico and Sweden. Indian tyre manufacturer MRF sponsors a car at WRC.
Unlike most other races, who crosses the finish line first in a WRC race doesn’t really matter. The drivers compete against the toughest opponent of all – time. Drivers start off at one or two minute intervals and are timed on a fixed route. The team that takes the least amount of time to finish the various stages of the competition wins.
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.
