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Ultimate Kho Kho inks three-year deal with Rise Worldwide
Mumbai: Ultimate Kho Kho has signed Rise Worldwide as its exclusive broadcast production partner and league consultant in a three-year deal.
Rise will work closely with Ultimate Kho Kho to give the game a makeover and make it more viewer friendly. It will help create standard operating procedures from the TV broadcast perspective in terms of presentation such as the look and feel of the game, duration of the game, grooming and training players and experts and sponsor integration.
“The motive is to create a brand that builds on all elements within the league and helps develop the sport year on year with exclusive and well researched enhancements,” said the statement. “This partnership will leverage the extensive experience Rise has with regard to building and sustaining leagues, to establish brand Ultimate Kho-Kho in the sports landscape of India.”
“Our emphasis is to bring forth Kho-Kho’s new avatar and make it popular among the masses,” said Ultimate Kho Kho CEO Tenzing Niyogi. “We are delighted to welcome RISE Worldwide on-board. The game changes within seconds in this sport. It prepares the players to respond swiftly and in a different way, making them as dynamic as the sport itself. And this partnership will put major emphasis on the versatility within the coverage and creativity in providing uniqueness to different segments in the broadcast. I am also confident that with the coming together of Ultimate Kho Kho and RISE Worldwide, Kho-Kho is ready to take over India and the globe.”
“We are excited to partner with Ultimate Kho Kho and take the game, which has been played in rural India for centuries, to the world stage,” said Rise Worldwide head of broadcast James Rego. “Viewers would get to see kho-kho in a stunning new avatar which will inspire youngsters and help grow the sport.”
He added, “High on pace, high on strategy, the enhanced version of this game will make for an interesting, high-octane viewing experience through our world-class production expertise, leveraging our multi-sport brand experience, multilingual content to lend thrill and intrigue to a fast-paced sport, engaging the audience. We are committed to working closely with the team at Ultimate Kho Kho to make watching kho-kho a world-class experience.”
Ultimate Kho Kho has signed Sony Pictures Networks India as its official broadcast partner and the league’s live action will be available on SPNI’s sports channels as well as on its OTT platform SonyLIV in English, Hindi and multiple regional languages.
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.
