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Ultimate Table Tennis: Ceat is title sponsor
MUMBAI: In what can be termed as a major boost to the inaugural edition of Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT), India’s leading tyre manufacturing brand Ceat has come on board as title sponsor.
Ceat has been associated with other sports in the past and their latest association with India’s first-ever Professional Table Tennis League comes as a shot in the arm for the sport. Ceat is the flagship company of Rs 22,000-crore RPG Enterprises.
With this new association, the league will be called Ceat UTT. “Table Tennis is a very dynamic sport and we are very happy to come on board as the title sponsor for Ultimate Table Tennis which has the potential to revolutionise the sport in India. We at Ceat believe that the young crop of players have it in them to create greater success stories in the following years. We already have several Olympians in India from Table Tennis and I am sure that with the right kind of backing and exposure which Ceat UTT will provide, their performances in other major international events will be impacted positively. Ceat is committed to the development of the sport in India and are keen to help the sport in its endeavour to achieve glory,” stated Ceat Limited MD Anant Goenka.
The corporate giant further stated that apart from the title sponsorship, they would continue to help the players in different ways like they do with other Indian sports. “CEAT has been actively involved with various other sports in India for a while now and we are very grateful to them for coming on board as title sponsor. This is another boost in our endeavour to bring about a revolution in table tennis and help the sport grow to greater echelons in India,” said Ceat UTT league owner Vita Dani.
Ceat Ultimate Table Tennis will start from 13 July, 2017 in Chennai then will move to Delhi from 21 July and the ultimate culmination, two semifinals and final will be held in Mumbai from July 26, 2017. The league will have 24 of the best Indians as well as 24 world-class international players competing against one another through six clubs. Each club will have eight players—four men and four women with an equal mix of overseas and Indian players, apart from a foreign and an Indian coach. The league will be broadcast live on Star Sports Select 2 HD, Star Sports Select 2, Hotstar and JioTV.
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.
