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Virtualness onboards Joyee Biswas as head of sports & media partnerships
Mumbai: A mobile-first platform designed to help creators, brands, and the sports, media and entertainment industries navigate the complex world of web3, Virtualness, has announced the appointment of Joyee Biswas as a founding team member, heading sports and media partnerships.
With more than 20 years of leadership experience in top technology, media and telecom industries, and having scaled businesses across the globe, Biswas has differentiated insights and relationships across IP-based industries.
He has held the roles of head of sports at Singtel; managing director Asia at Eleven Sports Network and South East Asia business head at ESPN. Joyee most recently served as Meta’s head of sports and media partnerships for Asia-Pacific. Along with building audience and revenue growth for partners across Instagram and Facebook, he drove virtual reality and metaverse adoption. Biswas holds a graduate degree in mechanical engineering from BIT Mesra and an MBA in marketing and finance from IIM Calcutta.
In a LinkedIn post, Virtualness founder Saurabh Doshi welcomed Biswas to the team and said, “It is a great pleasure to welcome Biswas to the Virtualness team as we venture deeper into sports and media. Biswas and I have known each other for several years being colleagues in the same industry from his days at ESPN, Eleven Sports HQ & more recently at Meta.”
Doshi goes on, “With decades of leadership experience across technology, media and telecom companies; and having scaled businesses across the globe, Kirthiga & I cannot be more excited for Biswas to fuel Virtualness’ expansion. He joins our founding team, alongside Rachel Masters, who leads creator and brand partnerships. Welcome to the pace & momentum that’s Virtualness!”
He also adds, “Peter Hutton, we are excited to make your insights a reality! “Over the years, I have seen a series of transformations in the sports & gaming industry. Now is the time for another big leap, as we open up the opportunities of the Web3 world.”
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.
