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Zee TV launches first-ever music league, Indian Pro Music League
MUMBAI: With the ongoing festive season, Zee TV has been packing one exciting surprise after another for its audiences by way of three new fiction shows in October and another exciting supernatural fantasy thriller Brahmarakshas on its way in November. Things are only going to get bigger and better in the coming year as the channel is all set to revolutionise the face and sound of music on television in early 2021. In what will be a clutter-breaking format innovation on reality TV, Zee TV in collaboration with Fathom Pictures will present audiences with the world’s first ever music league, the ‘Indian Pro Music League’ (IPML).
While the world of sports has seen several league competitions, be it in India or abroad, this first-of-its-kind music league will have six teams owned by the likes of Shraddha Kapoor along with her father and brother – Shakti Kapoor and Siddhant Kapoor, Govinda along with wife Sunita, Rajkummar Rao, and Riteish Deshmukh along with wife Genelia D’Souza Deshmukh, representing different regions of India, battling it out against each other in a musical championship.
Each of these teams will have celebrated playback singers, one male and one female vocalist as their captain. Additionally, every team will also have reality stars and to add to this pool of talent, six fresh voices from various regions of the country, one for each team, will get a chance to be a part of this league! To be hosted by two top anchors, the Indian Pro Music League will be launched in early 2021. Akin to the format of a sports league, the show will have five innings comprising the league matches and a super match where audience votes and umpire points will decide the outcome of the league and declare one of the teams as the league champions.
About the format breakthrough, Zee TV business head Aparna Bhosle said, “At Zee TV, we constantly endeavour to provide audiences with new, unique and cutting-edge content that gives them a sense of novelty alongside engaging entertainment for the entire family. Over the years, we've seen how league formats have become immensely popular amongst sports viewers and as a country where Cricket is nothing short of a religion, audiences at large, have embraced and internalised this exciting format. With the Indian Pro Music League, the idea is to infuse the space of music reality television with the same energy and competitive spirit that is typical of a sports league. The quotient of excitement and anticipation is enhanced by top Bollywood stars and sports celebrities owning the six teams that will compete in the championship. While we have the top playback singers of the country as our team captains and rising reality stars on board to ensure the highest bar of excellence in the music the show will produce, we're on a quest to find some new talented singers from across the country through an intensive scouting initiative as Zee TV has always believed in leveraging the strength of its reality formats to give the common man an opportunity of chasing his dreams.”
Zee Studios will be the creative and production house on the show.
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.
