ITV

Tag: Prakash Padukone

  • Machaxi aces $1.5m fund raise from Padukone and Nithin Kamath’s Rainmatter

    Machaxi aces $1.5m fund raise from Padukone and Nithin Kamath’s Rainmatter

    BENGALURU:  Machaxi, a Bengaluru-based grassroots sports-tech startup, has netted $1.5 million in fresh funding to power its AI-driven badminton coaching revolution. The round was led by Rainmatter, the investment arm of Nithin Kamath’s Zerodha, and featured a rousing smash from Indian badminton legend Prakash Padukone himself.

    The funding will fuel Machaxi’s expansion into Hyderabad, Pune and Chennai, while laying the groundwork for over 1,000 tech-enabled coaching centres over the next four years, in partnership with the Padukone School of Badminton. At the heart of this initiative: an AI-led training system built to bring consistency, performance tracking and scalability to India’s fractured coaching landscape.

    “I’ve always believed the future of Indian badminton lies in structured grassroots development,” said Padukone. “Machaxi’s AI vision ensures quality without compromise — no matter where you’re from.”

    The startup’s tech doesn’t aim to replace human coaches but to empower them — standardising training methods, flagging performance gaps, and ensuring even remote centres can tap into world-class insights.

    Machaxi co-founder Pratish Raj said, “This partnership is a big step forward in our mission to make quality sports coaching accessible to everyone in India. With the support of Rainmatter and the visionary backing of Padukone, we’re working toward a future where every aspiring athlete no matter where they come from can train with consistency, purpose, and access to world-class infrastructure. Our AI powered model is built to ensure that potential is discovered and nurtured, not overlooked. We’re proud to be at the forefront of this shift in grassroots sports.”

    The playbook is timely. According to MarketsandMarkets, the global AI-in-sports market is set to grow from $1.03 billion in 2024 to $2.61 billion by 2030. Machaxi aims to ride that wave straight into India’s heartland, transforming courts and communities alike.

    Founded in 2022, Machaxi has made a name blending on-ground grit with digital smarts — and now, it’s game on for India’s next gen of champions.

    (Pictured Above (L-R)-Nithin Kamath,  Ashish Anand, Tushar Raj, Prakash Padukone, Pratish Raj, and Dilip Kumar)

  • PNB MetLife launches eight edition of Junior Badminton Championship

    PNB MetLife launches eight edition of Junior Badminton Championship

    Mumbai: PNB MetLife has announced the eighth edition of its Junior Badminton Championship (JBC), which is set to ignite the passion and potential of young badminton enthusiasts across the country. Building on the resounding success of preceding editions, the championship aims to continue its legacy of fostering sportsmanship, skill development, and the pursuit of excellence among India’s young shuttlers.

    This year’s championship spans 10 major cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Guwahati, Kochi, Jalandhar, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Ranchi, and Lucknow, providing a stage for young players to showcase their skills and compete at a state level. The city matches are scheduled to commence in New Delhi on 1 August.

    Since its inception, the PNB MetLife Junior Badminton Championship has grown in stature and popularity. The past seven editions have attracted over 48,000 participants in more than 38,000 matches. The championship was recognized by the World Record Certification Agency (WRCA) with a World Record for ‘Most kids participating in a Badminton Championship in multiple cities’ two years in a row, in 2022 and 2023.

    Serving as a pivotal platform for aspiring players aged between 7 and 17, the PNB MetLife Junior Badminton Championship offers categories ranging from Under 9 to Under 17, with matches conducted in singles format. Each participant can play in a maximum of two age categories, as long as the maximum age limit is upheld.

    PNB MetLife’s MD & CEO Sameer Bansal expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming games. “The PNB MetLife Junior Badminton Championship has become synonymous with nurturing talent and promoting sportsmanship among the youth of our nation. Over the years, the championship has grown exponentially. As we gear up for the 8th edition, our focus remains on providing budding shuttlers with a platform to showcase and refine their talents, setting them on the way to achieving their big dreams. We look forward to an even larger turnout this year and to continuing our mission of encouraging and empowering the next generation of athletes.”

    Asian Games gold medalist and PNB MetLife Junior Badminton Championship mentor, Chirag Shetty, shared his excitement. “It’s an incredible honor to continue my association with PNB MetLife Junior Badminton Championship as a mentor for a second year. My passion for badminton compels me to give back to the sport that has shaped my life, and I’m excited to help the next generation discover their potential and love for the game through JBC. The championship provides a fantastic platform for young players to learn valuable lessons in sportsmanship and perseverance. As mentors, both Satwik and I are looking forward to guiding and motivating these young athletes, sharing our experiences to help them navigate their sporting journeys.”

    His doubles partner, Asian Games gold medalist and fellow JBC mentor Satwiksairaj Rankireddy added, “I’m thrilled to continue my role as a mentor for the PNB MetLife Junior Badminton Championship. This initiative is more than just a tournament; it’s a steppingstone for young badminton players to hone their skills and to achieve their dreams. It’s incredibly fulfilling to mentor these young champions and witness their growth and passion for the sport. This initiative is truly building the future of Indian badminton.”

    JBC remains committed to promoting excellence and fostering a strong badminton ecosystem in India. Through initiatives like the JBC Boot Camp, endorsed by top Indian players and coaches including Prakash Padukone and Ashwini Ponnappa, participants receive expert guidance and training to enhance their game.

    JBC 2024 registration details:

    The registration process for JBC 2024 can be completed by calling +91 9820006190.

    The complete tournament schedule:

  • PNB MetLife unveils seventh edition of Junior Badminton Championship

    PNB MetLife unveils seventh edition of Junior Badminton Championship

    Mumbai: PNB MetLife, one of India’s leading life insurance companies, is excited to announce the much-awaited seventh edition of the Junior Badminton Championship (JBC), a premier junior badminton tournament dedicated to nurturing young talent and cultivating a new generation of champions in the sport.

    The PNB MetLife Junior Badminton Championship has captivated audiences as a thrilling spectacle and competitive platform that hones the skills of junior badminton players. Since its inception in 2015, the league has successfully conducted six editions, with the impressive participation of over 40,000 aspiring players in more than 30,000 action-packed matches.

    This year, the championship will span ten cities across India, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Guwahati, Kochi, Jalandhar, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Ranchi, and Lucknow. All badminton players and aspirants in these ten cities between the ages of seven and 17 are eligible to compete in PNB MetLife JBC 2023. The different categories include Under nine, Under 11, Under 13, Under 15, and Under 17. The match format will be singles and each participant can play in a maximum of two categories, as long as the maximum age limit is upheld. The State Winners will be invited to New Delhi for the grand finale and awards ceremony.

    PNB MetLife MD & CEO Ashish Srivastava expressed his excitement for the upcoming championship. “Over the course of six extraordinary editions, the PNB MetLife Junior Badminton Championship has brought together top young sporting talent from across the country, seamlessly crossing geographical borders and cultures. More than just a sports tournament, JBC is an arena for personal transformation – nurturing aspirations for the future, instilling sportsmanship, and sculpting the potential champions of tomorrow. JBC embodies the true essence of sports as a unifying force.”

    JBC is globally recognised as the world’s largest junior badminton tournament played across multiple venues, a remarkable achievement acknowledged by the esteemed World Record Certification Agency (WRCA). This recognition solidifies the league’s status as a trailblazer in promoting junior badminton excellence in India.

    Top players and coaches in India including PV Sindhu, Prakash Padukone, Ashwini Poannapa, Vimal Kumar and Chetan Anand support this initiative through the JBC Boot Camp. The JBC Boot Camp is an innovative online badminton academy that offers valuable insights and techniques, enabling young players to refine their skills and reach their full potential.

    The grand launch event of the PNB MetLife Junior Badminton Championship 2023 is scheduled to take place in Hyderabad on 15 September. This event will mark the commencement of an exciting journey across the ten states, where talented young players will compete for glory on the badminton court.

  • Why the Premier Badminton League looks promising

    Why the Premier Badminton League looks promising

    MUMBAI: There was a time not so long ago when India was just a one-trick pony as far as sport is concerned. And we all know what that game is: cricket. Recently a clutch of new sports have been getting a shot in the arm: kabaddi, soccer, basketball and of course badminton.

    The shuttlecock sport – which has its origin in British India Poona and was even called by that name once – has had its Indian champions in the form of Khanna, Nandu Natekar, Prakash Padukone, Syed Modi, and Pulela Gopichand who brought home international titles and got accolades from the government. Most apart from Padukone are but a memory.

    Over the past decade Badminton has been getting a lot of media coverage courtesy the emergence of a new crop of players such as  PV Sindhu,  Srikanth Kidambi, Saina Nahiwal who have gone on to top the world rankings and won some major titles and Olympic silvers and bronzes.

    A survey by British research firm SMG Insight in 2012 revealed that badminton ranks just behind cricket in terms of a sport that Indians choose to play regularly and the fourth most followed after cricket, tennis and football. Additionally, another survey in 2018 revealed that the interest in Badminton among Indians has more than doubled since 2017, and has gone up by 40 per cent in 2019 over 2018. 

    India’s success at the global level and in the Badminton World Federation (BWF) championships since 2010 has no doubt helped in buoying the popularity of the sport even further. And the Star India network (now Disney Star India) has been putting all its might behind badminton by continuously backing the Premier Badminton League (PBL) since 2016. Its creators SportzLive had a stop-start in its first edition which was called the Indian Badminton League in 2013.

    That sports other than cricket are getting popular in India is evidenced by the commercial success of the PKL, and the ISL. Reams have been written about how valuable they have become.

    But, almost silently, the PBL too has been growing. In its second edition in 2016 (under Star’s steerage) it had a reach of 35 million. However, the PBL’s 2019 reach was a staggering 133 million.  That’s an eye-popping increase of 280 per cent between Season 1 and Season 4.

    The second and third editions had 14 days of live telecasts, while the next two had 23 days. The number of teams participating went up from six in 2016 to nine in 2018- 2019. The 2019-20 version will see seven franchises slugging it out on the badminton courts for the Rs six crore prize for the winner and Rs three crore for the runner up  as the PBL gets into its sixth edition in end December.   24 matches are scheduled to be played in toto.

    PBL’s rising popularity can also be gauged from the fact that awareness of the league has gone up from 50 per cent in 2018 to 57 per cent in 2019, as per an industry survey.

    Thanks to the immense popularity of PBL, international Badminton icons like Carolina Marin and Lee Chong Wei have garnered huge fan following in India, at times, even surpassing their fan following in their home countries. Marin, for instance is the brand ambassador to promote Spain’s premier soccer league – La Liga – in India. Brands are also trying to leverage the rising popularity of Badminton players. PNB Metlife, Visa, JBL, Yonex, Stayfree, Flipkart, Bridgestone, Moov, Gatorade, Nokia, and Panasonic have partnered with PV Sindhu. Chinese sports brand Li Ning has partnered with both Sindhu and Srikanth Kidambi. Also, seeking to cash-in on the rising popularity of PBL, new sports brands like Victor have also entered India.

    Fans and the public have recognised that the PBL has successfully achieved what it set out to do. On almost every front: improving its exposure and the standards of the sport, becoming success, improving the financial lot of the players, making it entertaining for non-fans,  as well as providing a bond between family and friends who watch the matches.

    With such positive strides being made by the world’s largest badminton league, the 2019-2020 edition looks set to be a must watch. And indeed it will be thanks to the PBL matches being short, fast paced and with intense drama.

  • PBL S3 to launch with Saina vs Sindhu match

    PBL S3 to launch with Saina vs Sindhu match

    MUMBAI: The Vodafone Premier Badminton League (PBL) season 3 is just around the corner featuring top Indian and international badminton talent in the world, including eight Olympic Medal Winners.

    The league kicks-off on 23 December 2017 and will go on till 14 January 2018. Guwahati will open the third season. The pan-Indian league will be hosted in five cities this time, with Delhi, Lucknow, Chennai, and Hyderabad being the others. Hyderabad, which is very much Indian badminton’s hub, will get the honour to host both the semi-finals as well as the final.

    The defending champions Chennai Smashers will take on Awadhe Warriors on the first day, with the clash between India’s top two shuttle queens, Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu.

    Indian badminton has a strong legacy from the past with players like Prakash Padukone and Pullela Gopichand who have put India on the global badminton map. Season one of the PBL attracted more than six crore badminton fans in India through various social media and other platforms, and this number only increased in season two.

    The costliest player this time is India’s HS Prannoy. The World No 10 was bought by the Ahmedabad Smash Masters for a whopping Rs 62 lakh.

    The women’s singles top-ranked player, Tai Tzu Ying, who has won five superseries titles this year, is a new name in the PBL and she will represent the Ahmedabad franchise. Men’s singles No 1 Viktor Axelsen, who was crowned the world champion in August, will play for Bengaluru Blasters.

    Besides showcasing the best of international and Indian talent, the tournament has also been successful in widening the base of the game.

  • Star Sports 1, HD, Hotstar & BWF YouTube to show World Badminton C’ship from 330pm today

    Star Sports 1, HD, Hotstar & BWF YouTube to show World Badminton C’ship from 330pm today

    MUMBAI: The World Badminton Championships 2017 are scheduled to be telecast live from Monday (21 August) at 3:30 pm India time from Glasgow in Scotland on Star Sports 1 and Star Sports 1 HD. Simultaneously, it will be live-streamed on Star India’s Hotstar and YouTube. The BWF championships will conclude on Sunday (27 August). 

    The BWF World Championships is held every year except for the year of an Olympic Games. It is a showcase of the very best in the sport and it determines who are the World Champions in each of the five disciplines, men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles and mixed doubles. The championships is an individual event and each Member Association is invited to enter their players through the world ranking qualification. For each event, the joint third place winner gets a bronze medal, the runner-up silver and the winner is awarded a gold medal and title “World Champion”.

    Since Prakash Padukone’s bronze medal in 1983, India never won a medal in men’s section at the world championships. Srikanth, who has been handed a comparatively easier draw among the four, will start his championships campaign against Russia’s Sergey Sirant.

    Ajay Jayaram, B Sai Praneeth, Kidambi Srikanth, and Sameer Verma will represent India in men’s singles while PV Sindhu, Rituparna Das, Saina Nehwal and Tanvi Lad will participate in women’s singles. Three teams — Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty, Manu Attri/Sumeeth Reddy and Arjun MR/Shlok Ramchandran will represent the country in men’s doubles. Ashwini Ponnappa/Sikki Reddy, Sanjana Santosh/Arathi Sara Sunil and Meghana Jakkampudi/Poorvisha S Ram would play in women’s Doubles.

    Four Indian teams of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/K Maneesha, Ashwini Ponnappa/Sumeeth Reddy, Prajakta Sawant/Yogendran Krishnan and Pranaav Jerry Chopra/Sikki Reddy would play in the mixed doubles event.

    India’s hopes for medals depend on Australian Open and Indonesian champion Kidambi Srikanth, and Olympic medallists Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu. The mixed doubles team of Sikki Reddy and Pranav Jerry Chopra could probably win too.

    Schedule for Indian players on 21 August

    Men’s singles

    Sergey Sirant Vs Srikanth Kidambi — 6.10pm approx.

    Pablo Abian Vs Sameer Verma — 8.30pm approx

    Men’s doubles

    Chung Eui Seok/Kim Dukyoung Vs Manu Attri/Sumeeth Reddy — 8.45pm approx

    Women’s singles

    Airi Mikkela Vs Rituparna Das — 9.50pm approx.

    Chloe Birch Vs Tanvi Lad — 8.30pm approx

    Women’s doubles

    Natalya Voytsekh/Yelyzaveta Zharka Vs Sanjana Santosh/Arathi Sara Sunil — 8.30pm

    Mixed doubles

    Sawan Serasinghe/Setyana Mapasa Vs Ashwini Ponnappa/Sumeeth Reddy — 3.30pm

    Tam Chun Hei/NG Tsz Yau Vs Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/K Maneesha — 6.10pm approx

    Lu Ching Yao/Chiang Kai Hsin Vs Prajakta Sawant/Yogendran Krishnan — 6.30pm

    ALSO READ :

    Star to focus on school-level games via FTA sports channel

    Rise of Indian sports leagues: South India loves Kabbadi

    Sports TV 2016: Digital explosion, player consolidation & confusion

    FIFA U-17 draw: Hosts India to take on U.S. in Delhi

  • Star India dedicates 8 channels for 24×7 coverage of Rio 2016

    Star India dedicates 8 channels for 24×7 coverage of Rio 2016

    MUMBAI: Living to its campaign tag line #issebadakuchnai, Star India will be pulling out non-stop coverage of the Rio 2016 Olympics games by dedicating eight channels to the blockbuster event on a 24×7 basis. Beginning 5 August 2016, the Brazil Olympics games will be broadcast in two languages, English and Hindi.  

    Apart from the eight channels, Star India will extensively cover the global multisport event on its OTT platform Hotstar. Together Star Sports and Hotstar will broadcast 3000 plus hours of live content from the Olympics offering Indian sports fans every opportunity to catch every medal live.

    Star Sports HD channel cluster (Star Sports HD1, HD2, HD3, HD4) will mirror the SD one (Star Sports 1, 2,3, 4). Star Sports1 and 4 and its corresponding HD feed will have the English language telecast and Star Sports 2 and 3 with the corresponding HD feed will telecast the Hindi coverage. 

    Star Sports CEO Nitin Kukreja said, “Star Sports has been at the forefront of establishing a multi-sport culture in India. While cricket continues to reach new heights, Indian sports fans have already shown their love for kabaddi and football. The Olympics are the pinnacle of a multi-sports event, and as India prepares to send its largest ever contingent, Star Sports is leaving no stone unturned to provide the most comprehensive access to Indian sports fans. We will provide unprecedented coverage by dedicating eight channels on a 24×7 basis across the entire duration of the event. Also for the first time ever, the Olympics will be broadcast (24×7) in two languages, English and Hindi.”

    Talking about the numbers, Kukreja said, “Rio 2016 is something that goes beyond advertising and viewership numbers. As a brand, we truly believe in that India is getting ready to accept more and more sports. That the largest contingent going to the Olympics this year from India is remarkable in itself.”

    Apart from this, Star Sports has also exclusively empanelled an elite panel of International and Indian Olympians as well as sports experts who will share, analyse and connect with the Indian viewers as live actions unfolds at the Olympics. This select list of eminent sports personalities includes Ian Thorpe, Prakash Padukone, Anjali Bhagwat, Viren Rasquinha and Rehan Poncha. Holding them together would be the credible voice of presenter Paula Malai Ali in English, while in Hindi, Divya Jaitley, the well-known face amongst Indian sports presenters will be engaging the viewers. 

    Star’s video streaming platform Hotstar will be rolling out an unprecedented coverage of the Olympics, with 14 live feeds consistently and up to 36 concurrent seeds at peak times on the Olympics video player, available to users on demand through the event. 

    Hotstar CEO Ajit Mohan said, “While Hotstar is covering Olympics for the first time, we are excited that we are bringing an all-round coverage of the Olympics for the Indian digital user that will be the best in the world. Like in our coverage of other sporting events, our focus will be not just on making every moment of the Olympics available to the fans but also provide them the ability to create personalised, interactive experiences that allow them to follow and watch what is of unique interest to them.”

    Coverage of Olympics has created new digital benchmarks in the past in North America and Europe, and with Hotstar emerging as a primary screen in affluent metro homes in India, the platform is seeking to break new records on the breadth of coverage and viewership. Central to Hotstar’s offering to sports fans will be the rollout of an interactive, data rich Olympic player on the web where users will have the option to switch between the 14 live feeds, have access to day wise listing of events and medals tally, and the ability to personalise the experience by following specific countries and sports disciplines.

  • Star India dedicates 8 channels for 24×7 coverage of Rio 2016

    Star India dedicates 8 channels for 24×7 coverage of Rio 2016

    MUMBAI: Living to its campaign tag line #issebadakuchnai, Star India will be pulling out non-stop coverage of the Rio 2016 Olympics games by dedicating eight channels to the blockbuster event on a 24×7 basis. Beginning 5 August 2016, the Brazil Olympics games will be broadcast in two languages, English and Hindi.  

    Apart from the eight channels, Star India will extensively cover the global multisport event on its OTT platform Hotstar. Together Star Sports and Hotstar will broadcast 3000 plus hours of live content from the Olympics offering Indian sports fans every opportunity to catch every medal live.

    Star Sports HD channel cluster (Star Sports HD1, HD2, HD3, HD4) will mirror the SD one (Star Sports 1, 2,3, 4). Star Sports1 and 4 and its corresponding HD feed will have the English language telecast and Star Sports 2 and 3 with the corresponding HD feed will telecast the Hindi coverage. 

    Star Sports CEO Nitin Kukreja said, “Star Sports has been at the forefront of establishing a multi-sport culture in India. While cricket continues to reach new heights, Indian sports fans have already shown their love for kabaddi and football. The Olympics are the pinnacle of a multi-sports event, and as India prepares to send its largest ever contingent, Star Sports is leaving no stone unturned to provide the most comprehensive access to Indian sports fans. We will provide unprecedented coverage by dedicating eight channels on a 24×7 basis across the entire duration of the event. Also for the first time ever, the Olympics will be broadcast (24×7) in two languages, English and Hindi.”

    Talking about the numbers, Kukreja said, “Rio 2016 is something that goes beyond advertising and viewership numbers. As a brand, we truly believe in that India is getting ready to accept more and more sports. That the largest contingent going to the Olympics this year from India is remarkable in itself.”

    Apart from this, Star Sports has also exclusively empanelled an elite panel of International and Indian Olympians as well as sports experts who will share, analyse and connect with the Indian viewers as live actions unfolds at the Olympics. This select list of eminent sports personalities includes Ian Thorpe, Prakash Padukone, Anjali Bhagwat, Viren Rasquinha and Rehan Poncha. Holding them together would be the credible voice of presenter Paula Malai Ali in English, while in Hindi, Divya Jaitley, the well-known face amongst Indian sports presenters will be engaging the viewers. 

    Star’s video streaming platform Hotstar will be rolling out an unprecedented coverage of the Olympics, with 14 live feeds consistently and up to 36 concurrent seeds at peak times on the Olympics video player, available to users on demand through the event. 

    Hotstar CEO Ajit Mohan said, “While Hotstar is covering Olympics for the first time, we are excited that we are bringing an all-round coverage of the Olympics for the Indian digital user that will be the best in the world. Like in our coverage of other sporting events, our focus will be not just on making every moment of the Olympics available to the fans but also provide them the ability to create personalised, interactive experiences that allow them to follow and watch what is of unique interest to them.”

    Coverage of Olympics has created new digital benchmarks in the past in North America and Europe, and with Hotstar emerging as a primary screen in affluent metro homes in India, the platform is seeking to break new records on the breadth of coverage and viewership. Central to Hotstar’s offering to sports fans will be the rollout of an interactive, data rich Olympic player on the web where users will have the option to switch between the 14 live feeds, have access to day wise listing of events and medals tally, and the ability to personalise the experience by following specific countries and sports disciplines.

  • Important to make sports TV friendly for viewers, says Viren Rasquinha

    Important to make sports TV friendly for viewers, says Viren Rasquinha

    MUMBAI:  For the upcoming Hero Hockey India League (HIL) the Mumbai franchise has roped in former Hockey India captain Viren Rasquinha as its strategic advisor and mentor.  Rasquinha is also the CEO of Olympic Gold Quest (OGQ).

    OGQ is a non-profit organisation, founded by Indian sporting legends like Geet Sethi and Prakash Padukone that helps Indian athletes win Olympic Gold medals. One of the athletes that is part of the organisations portfolio is five time Amateur Boxing World Champion – Mary Kom.

    Speaking about the organisation, Rasquinha informs, “We currently support the training of 58 athletes across six individual Olympic sports like badminton, boxing, shooting, athletics, archery and wrestling.  We are happy with the progress at the London 2012 Olympics as four out of the six Olympic medal winners were supported by OGQ. These are Vijay Kumar, Gagan Narang, Saina Nehwal and Mary Kom. And incidentally post the Olympics the other two winners Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt are also supported by us.”

     Moreover, athletes supported by OGQ have won 16 medals at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and 13 medals at the Incheon Asian Games.

    Rasquinha was speaking at an event where Mary Kom was presented a Rs 5 lakh cheque by Edelweiss that was collected via crowd funding. This was followed by a discussion on how the sports portfolio in India is seeing a growth through ongoing alternate sports leagues. Voicing his opinions on the improved television coverage of sports he comments, “Television coverage is definitely helping the growth of sports. I feel TV is the king today. And it is very important to make it a good package on screen. Star Sports for example has done a fantastic job in producing the Hockey India League, Pro Kabaddi League and the ongoing Indian Super League. I also think it’s important to make sports TV friendly for viewers.”

     On the opportunities presented by the upcoming leagues, he says, “It is a good sign for Indian sports as it is now becoming more mature and professional. It has attracted better TV coverage and sponsorships. Leagues are also presenting   multiple job opportunities.  But the quality of performance of Indian teams in the respective sports will only improve when we rub shoulders with the best talent in the world.”

    Delving into the upcoming season of HIL and Olympics, he says that Olympics remains a big challenge and it is important to keep improving and helping athletes in the best possible way. Rasquinha is also excited about the new role coming his way as the mentor of HIL’s Mumbai franchise and is content with the coaching team and the players selected.

     

  • Savitha Goud is Essel Karnatakas best sportsperson

    MUMBAI: Ms Savitha Goud, National-level Cycling Champion has won the “Essel Karnataka’s Best Sportsperson” Award. The award was presented to her by the Chairman of the Essel Group and Zee Network, Mr. Subhash Chandra at a ceremony in Bangalore on February 22, 2007. The other winners are Mr. Arvind Savur (Cue Sports), Mr. Madiah (Golf), Ms. Malathi Holla (Wheelchair Athlete) and Mr. Pankaj Advani (Billiards and Snooker).

    The process of selecting Karnataka’s Best Sportsperson began in January. Nearly 150 nominations were received from the sportspersons and their well-wishers. A committee comprising senior journalists short-listed 15 sportspersons from among the nominations received. The list of the short-listed candidates was in-turn placed before an eminent Jury headed by Justice M. Ramakrishna, which selected five finalists.

    The public was invited to choose one among the top five finalists as the “Essel Karnataka’s Best Sportsperson” through SMS and tele-voting. Ms. Savitha Goud secured the highest number of votes and emerged as the winner.

    At the award ceremony held on February 22, 2007, sportspersons who have rendered yeoman service were also felicitated. They included: Ms. Ashwini Nachappa (Athletics), Mr. Ahmed Khan (Football), Mr. T.R. Swamy (Wrestling), Mr. Brijesh Patel (Cricket) and Mr. Prakash Padukone (Badminton).

    This is the second in the series of awards instituted by the Essel Group in Karnataka. The first award ceremony held in January was dedicated to Karnataka’s Best Legislator. “Our’s is a Group fired by the spirit of nationalism and patriotism. Through these awards, we hope to inspire the youth and instill in them a pride for India’s rich heritage. The awards represent the group’s strong resolve to empower the people and thereby build a vibrant and resurgent India” said Mr. Subhash Chandra, Chairman of the Group.

    “Our effort is to identify unsung heroes and celebrate their achievements. So that it serves as an inspiration to the youth,” said Mr. M. Gautham Machaiah, Vice-President, Corporate and Public Affairs, Essel Group.