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US Open smashes records in India with 877m watch minutes on JioStar
MUMBAI: When the ball hit the lines at Flushing Meadows this year, Indian audiences weren’t just watching, they were glued to their screens in record numbers. JioStar Network has revealed that the US Open 2025 clocked a staggering 877 million minutes of watch-time across Linear TV and Digital platforms, marking a watershed moment for tennis in India.
This year’s edition opened with a twist: a novel mixed doubles format that instantly broadened the tournament’s appeal. On Linear TV alone, the event amassed 388 million minutes of total watch time, the highest ever for the US Open in the BARC era. The Hindi commentary experiment struck gold, drawing in viewers far beyond the sport’s traditional base. In fact, 18 million Indians tuned in, a 96 per cent jump year-on-year setting new records for reach.
On JioHotstar, the digital stream lit up as fans followed Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz lifting the singles crowns. Together, online audiences clocked 489 million minutes of watch time, a figure that underlines both the pull of tennis and the power of accessible streaming.
JioStar Sports head of audience engagement and monetization Siddharth Sharma said: “We have a strong belief in the fandom for tennis and the US Open in particular, and our proposition was built around that. The success we achieved across both our linear and digital platforms is a clear sign of the ever-growing passion for tennis in India.”
The achievement cements JioStar’s positioning as India’s ultimate sporting destination, adding the US Open to a roster that already includes rights to ICC events, India’s men’s and women’s cricket teams, the TATA IPL and WPL, the Premier League, Wimbledon, and the Pro Kabaddi League. With such a calendar, JioStar has created a platform where global and domestic sporting milestones converge for Indian fans.
The success of the US Open is more than a stat-sheet triumph. It signals tennis breaking through to a wider audience in India, a country where cricket usually reigns unchallenged. With 877 million minutes of passion, it’s clear the sport has found a new gear and JioStar, the perfect stage.
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.
