MUMBAI: Cricket’s continental carnival is back, and Sony Sports Network is rolling out the red carpet. Starting 9 September in the UAE, the Asia Cup 2025 returns for its 17th edition with eight teams India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, UAE, Oman, and Hong Kong, all chasing bragging rights before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
For Indian fans, the excitement begins with India’s opener against hosts UAE on 10 September, followed by a series of high-stakes encounters through the Super Four stage and the grand finale on 28 September. Every ball, boundary, and bouncer will be available live across Sony Sports Network channels and streamed on Sony Liv, with commentary in English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu ensuring fans can cheer in their mother tongue.
And that’s not all. The iconic Extraaa Innings T20 makes a comeback, bringing with it a line-up of cricket royalty and sharp-tongued analysts. Ravi Shastri, Sunil Gavaskar, Sanjay Manjrekar, Robin Uthappa, Waqar Younis, Wasim Akram, Russel Arnold, Simon Doull and more will headline the World Feed in English. Hindi viewers get the firepower of Virender Sehwag, Irfan Pathan, and Ajay Jadeja, while regional fans are not left behind Tamil coverage boasts WV Raman and Bharat Arun, and Telugu commentary features stalwarts like Venkatapathy Raju and Venugopal Rao.
Sony chief revenue officer Rajesh Kaul underlined the network’s vision: “The Asia Cup represents not just a battle for supremacy but a fusion of history, culture, and aspiration. With our #RagRagMeinBharat campaign, we’re making world-class cricket accessible from the remotest villages to the busiest metros.”
On the cricketing front, legends are already buzzing about India’s prospects under new captain Surya Kumar Yadav, with Shubman Gill as vice-captain. Sunil Gavaskar hailed the side as a “blend of tenacity and experience” while Ravi Shastri dubbed it the “perfect mix of experience and potential,” spotlighting stars like Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Tilak Varma, and Harshit Rana.
With 8 nations, 1 trophy, 20 days of action, and commentary in 4 languages, Sony’s coverage of the Asia Cup 2025 looks set to bowl over fans before the World Cup even begins.
MUMBAI: Sony Sports Network is serving cricket fans a piping hot platter of drama, nostalgia and chin music with Bharat Tum Chale Chalo – Kahani 2021-22 Ki, a gritty three-part docuseries that rewinds to one of India’s most unforgettable Test cricket campaigns — the 2021-22 tour of England. Premiering on Sunday, 15 June at 1pm across Sony Sports Ten 1, 3, 4, and 5 — and streaming on Sony LIV — the series pulls back the curtain on India’s high-octane cricketing crusade on British soil.
Fresh from their famous Gabba heist Down Under, the Men in Blue marched into England with a searing pace battery and a score to settle. From Lord’s “60 overs of hell” to Rohit’s bat-does-the-talking moment and the leadership shake-up that had fans glued, this is cricketing cinema with sweat, swagger and plenty of sledging.
The series ropes in a solid bench of voices who lived and breathed the campaign — from former India head coach Ravi Shastri and England’s Michael Vaughan, to bowling coach Bharat Arun, fielding wizard R. Sridhar, and Kohli and Rohit’s childhood coaches. With spicy anecdotes and rare behind-the-scenes footage, this is not just a docuseries — it’s a dressing-room pass.
Episode guide:
Episode 1: Pace is pace
Virat Kohli’s long game — building a ruthless pace attack since 2014 — gets its due. Bumrah, Shami, Siraj and Shardul bowl fire and fury into Lord’s, scripting one of India’s grittiest away glories.
Episode 2: Let the bat talk
A redemption arc for the ages: Kohli v Anderson, Rahul’s zen mode, and Rohit’s evolution into a dependable Test opener — capped by that sweet, sweet overseas ton.
Episode 3: Oh captain, my captain
When the final Test got postponed, so did destiny. With Kohli stepping down and Bumrah stepping in, England entered the Bazball era. The finale dives into legacy, leadership, and all the ‘what-ifs’ still echoing at Old Trafford.
Timed to perfection ahead of the upcoming India-England clash, this is Sony Sports Network reminding fans why red-ball cricket still packs the biggest punch.
MUMBAI: The ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 is set for a return, and JioStar Network is pulling out all the stops to deliver an unparalleled viewing experience. From 19 February 2025, cricket fans will witness the world’s top eight teams battle it out with cutting-edge broadcast innovations across television and digital platforms.
JioHotStar will be offering live streaming in 16 feeds across nine languages, including English, Hindi, Marathi, Haryanvi, Bengali, Bhojpuri, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada. This marks the first-ever ICC tournament to be streamed at such a scale, ensuring cricket fans across India can enjoy the action in their preferred language. Additionally, four multi-cam feeds on JioHotstar will provide a fresh perspective on the high-voltage encounters.
On TV, JioStar Network will offer extensive coverage across Star Sports and Sports18 channels, delivering commentary in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada. Indian Sign Language feed and Audio Descriptive Commentary will also return on JioHotstar, making the tournament more accessible and inclusive for all fans.
JioStar head of content–sports Siddharth Sharma said, “The ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 will be presented with an unprecedented range of viewing options. Our expansive linear television network and dominant digital presence will bring cricket deeper, wider, and in a more immersive way than ever before. Every cricket fan, regardless of language or accessibility preference, will have a front-row seat to the action.”
A galaxy of cricketing legends will lend their expertise to JioStar’s coverage, making every match an engaging experience. English commentary will be helmed by Ravi Shastri, Sunil Gavaskar, Nasser Hussain, Matthew Hayden, Ian Bishop, Wasim Akram, Ramiz Raja, Simon Doull, Dale Steyn, Shaun Pollock, and Aaron Finch.
The Hindi panel includes Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Waqar Younis, Sanjay Manjrekar, Ambati Rayudu, Robin Uthappa, Mohammad Kaif, Piyush Chawla, Sanjay Bangar, Aakash Chopra, and Deep Dasgupta.
For regional language coverage, renowned names such as Hanuma Vihari, Venkatesh Prasad, Kedar Jadhav, and Shreevats Goswami will add flavour to the commentary, ensuring fans across India get expert analysis in their native tongue.
The tournament kicks off on 19 February 2025 with Pakistan facing New Zealand in the opener. India, led by Rohit Sharma, begins its campaign against Bangladesh on February 20, before the much-anticipated India-Pakistan showdown on 23 February 2025. The final is slated for 9 March 2025.
Mumbai: Have you ever looked at your favourite biscuit and thought, “I could design something cooler?” Well, now’s your chance! Britannia 50-50 is inviting snack lovers across the country to participate in its latest initiative, the ‘Britannia 50-50 Chief Selector ‘ campaign. This fun and interactive contest lets you step into the shoes of a designer, giving you the unique opportunity to create the next iconic biscuit shape. Whether you’re dreaming up zigzags, spirals, or something completely out of the box, this is your moment to shine.
Conceptualised by Schbang, this campaign is a natural extension of Britannia’s long-standing tradition of putting consumers at the heart of its innovation. The film features Ravi Shastri in a digital avatar where he is in a high-tech lab, conversing with scientists and brainstorming the next big biscuit shape—but he’s counting on you, the consumers, to come up with the most creative ideas! By inviting consumers to become part of the product development process, Britannia continues to push the boundaries of consumer engagement uniquely.
Ravi Shastri perfectly embodies the dynamic and flavorful dual persona of Britannia 50-50. Much like a Chief Selector’s role in identifying top talent and making strategic decisions, Ravi, in his role as Chief Selector for Britannia 50-50, brings his expertise and sharp eye to the task of identifying the new biscuit shape.”
Britannia chief marketing officer Amit Doshi said, “At Britannia, we believe in the power of consumer collaboration. The ‘Britannia 50-50 Chief Selector Campaign’ reflects our commitment to innovation by involving consumers in designing the next biscuit shape, deepening our connection with them. Ravi Shastri’s role as Chief Selector brings a unique blend of insight and charisma, aligning perfectly with the energy of Britannia 50-50. The creative team at Schbang has brilliantly captured this dynamic, ensuring the campaign sets a new benchmark in interactive product development. We are eager to see the incredible designs our consumers will bring to life.”
Ravi Shastri said, “Partnering with Britannia 50-50 has been an absolute delight. The ‘Britannia 50-50 Chief Selector Campaign’ is a brilliant example of how the brand engages its audience by involving them in the creative process. Britannia is doing fantastic work in connecting with snack lovers across the country, and I am thrilled to be a part of this journey, helping in selecting the next biscuit shape.”
Schbang founder and MD Harshil Karia said ”The biscuit world has been confined to a limited selection of shapes for far too long and it was time to break free from the ordinary. With Britannia 50-50 Chief Selector, we empowered consumers to become the architects of the future, shaping the next generation of biscuits. Our platform gave them the power to design their dream biscuit, turning snack time into a creative playground. Schbang is proud to have been at the forefront of this innovative campaign, leveraging technology and creativity to create a truly engaging experience for biscuit lovers.”
Schbang chief design & technology director Sohil Karia said” Our team at Schbang pushed the boundaries of technology to create a platform that seamlessly blends AI and human creativity. Our AI-powered scoring algorithm not only evaluates biscuit designs but also rewards innovation and uniqueness. By combining technology with a touch of human ingenuity, we’ve created a groundbreaking experience that’s sure to inspire a new era of unique biscuit shapes. “ Steps to Design Your Bis-Cut
● Scan the QR code on the Britannia 50-50 pack ● Submit your Bis-Cut ● Stand a chance to win INR 10,00,000 and a trip to Australia*
So, what are you waiting for? Grab your Britannia 50-50 pack, put on your creative hat, and get designing! Your snack-time masterpiece could be the next big thing.
Mumbai: In India, cricket is more than a sport; it’s a cultural phenomenon that unites generations across all demographics. Embracing this passion, Britannia 50-50 announces two quirky campaigns, including Britannia 50-50 T20 Golmaal with Ravi Shastri and a new TVC film for Britannia 50-50 Sweet and Salty. These initiatives feature cricketing icon and former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri, who has been associated with Britannia for the past two years.
Britannia 50-50 kicked off the season with a new TVC with Ravi Shastri in a dual avatar for Britannia 50-50 Sweet and Salty. Conceptualized by Lowe Lintas, the TVC captures the essence of the cracker by showcasing Ravi Shastri in a playful dual persona, conversing with doves. As he experiences the sweet and salty sides of the biscuit, his interactions with the doves mirror the distinct flavours. His persona softens when he experiences the sweetness, but his response takes a witty and playful turn when he encounters the salty crunch. Through this campaign, Britannia 50-50 delivers a perfect blend of sweet and salty sensations that cater to the discerning tastes of today’s snack enthusiasts.
Britannia takes it a notch further by introducing an initiative in partnership with Mindshare India, seamlessly integrating AI technology. The Britannia 50-50 T20 Golmaal with Ravi Shastri offers an innovative way for users to interact with Ravi Shastri during the ongoing cricket season and receive Golmaal advice. Building on last year’s chatbot, Chatbot 2.0 initiative now includes a new AR feature, presenting an animated Shastri avatar that answers “Golmaal” questions with unexpected humor, keeping fans entertained regardless of the game’s outcome. This innovative addition activates the user’s rear camera, projecting a digital avatar of Ravi Shastri onto their screen, allowing users to ask questions directly, thus making the interaction smooth and engaging.
Teams involved in development have delicately crafted and trained this digital avatar of Ravi Shastri, and have humanised it further by mapping the face details, adding mocap to match mannerisms and training the voice using multiple LLM’s. Physical appearance aside, even the personality, way of speaking, and words used have been created to emulate his mannerisms. The chatbot seamlessly combines the best nest of new technology – AR engines of 8th Wall, Conversational AI technology of InWorld, Gen AI voice technology of Eleven labs and Xtendr’s proprietary tech layer to take engagement and experience to the next dimension of “real-time two-way conversations in both voice and text formats.
That’s not all, users can also win* exciting Golmaal cricket hampers and match tickets to Australia by recording and sharing their best Golmaal conversations with Ravi Shastri on Instagram or Facebook, tagging the handle @britanniasnackInc.
“We are thrilled to launch two exciting initiatives that perfectly capture the spirit of Britannia 50-50 and our deep connection with cricket. The Britannia 50-50 T20 Golmaal with Ravi Shastri and our Sweet and Salty campaign, both featuring Ravi Shastri represent our commitment to exploring new horizons and delivering unique experiences to our consumers. With the cricket fever gripping the nation, these campaigns are exciting and unpredictable, much like the sport itself. Ravi Shastri perfectly embodies the essence of Britannia 50-50, and we are confident that both campaigns will resonate deeply with cricket fans and snack enthusiasts alike.” – Britannia Industries CMO Amit Doshi.
Speaking about the campaign, Ravi Shastri said, “Partnering with Britannia 50-50 has been an absolute delight. As someone who is deeply connected to cricket, I appreciate the passion and excitement that Britannia brings to the game through its innovative campaigns. The Britannia 50-50 T20 Golmaal with Ravi Shastri offers fans a unique, interactive way to engage with me, while the Britannia 50-50 Sweet and Salty mirrors the dynamic nature of the sport. Britannia is doing fantastic work in connecting with cricket lovers and snack enthusiasts across the country, and I am thrilled to be a part of this journey.”
Ravi Shastri first brought his distinctive charm to the iconic Britannia 50-50 Maska Chaska TVC in 2022, where he perfectly depicted the desi and videsi styles of watching cricket and the emotions evoked by the flavors in Britannia Maska Chaska. Additionally, Shastri was featured in five humorous films for Britannia 50-50 Golmaal, where a player approaches him for guidance in each film. In response, in his inimitable style, Shastri imparts the ultimate strategy of “Golmaal.” His dynamic persona perfectly matches Britannia 50-50’s spirit, celebrating the brand’s long-standing association with cricket.
“Britannia 50-50, Cricket and Ravi Shastri are such powerful ingredients that you have to craft the right balance, or one can easily overpower the other two. Also, when you have a long cricketing season you don’t want your ad to be an irritant, instead something people look forward to in the breaks. We feel the Doves and the Guturgoos may have just helped us land these two things right.” – Lowe Lintas India regional creative officer Sarvesh Raikar.
“Generative AI is revolutionizing brand experiences, creating deeper connections with audiences and becoming a cornerstone of our marketing initiatives. By integrating AI with cutting-edge technologies like AR avatars, Mindshare is pioneering experiences that are not just industry firsts, but world firsts. Britannia 50-50 T20 Golmaal with Ravi Shastri exemplifies this innovation, offering a sustained, evolving property that continuously delights consumers with fresh and engaging interactions. We are committed to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, ensuring that each encounter with our brand is memorable and impactful.” – Mindshare, South Asia CEO Amin Lakhani.
“At Xtendr our mission has always been to augment human vision using spatial computing & AI. We have been blending technology, design and human imagination to make objects talk and narrate brand stories in an immersive manner. This partnership with Britannia and the team at Mindshare had us take branded content conversations to the next level of engagement – creating something that has never been done before. We made brand storytelling real-time & immersive about the moments that matter the most.” – Xtendr founder and CEO Anurag Sachdeva.
Steps to chat with Ravi avatar:
1 Click on the link: https://www.5050cricket.in/ 2 Verify your details 3 Ask or Type your cricketing queries to Ravi 4 Get live Golmaal responses from Ravi’s AR avatar 5 Record and share your Golmaal conversation with Ravi on Instagram or Facebook tagging @britanniasnackinc 6 Stand a chance to win* a trip to Australia to watch a match or exciting Golmaal cricket hampers *T&C applied
Mumbai: Behaviol Pty Ltd, the visionary gaming company behind META11 Fantasy, proudly introduces the world’s inaugural fantasy cricket tournament featuring AI-powered athletes. This groundbreaking event, scheduled to commence on 26 September at 12 PM for 24 hours only, is set to captivate cricket enthusiasts and fantasy sports devotees. Those wanting to play can register and play for free at www.meta11.com.
META11 Fantasy represents a pioneering fusion of advanced technology with the beloved sport of cricket, offering a glimpse into the future of sports entertainment. And you can play for free.
Co-founder and CEO Krishan Deegalla articulated the company’s mission, stating, “For far too long, sports fans have had to pay to be able to participate in and get closer to their favourite sports, including cricket. When we established our campany, our vision was to leverage emerging technologies to create a gaming experience that rewards fans for their passion. With META11 Fantasy, for the first time ever, sports enthusiasts can employ their cricket knowledge to win without any financial commitment.”
META11 Fantasy is not just another entrant in the fantasy sports arena; it’s a transformative solution to the challenges that have long plagued the industry. Recognising the limitations of traditional fantasy games, META11 has engineered a platform that prioritises player well-being and enjoyment. By adopting a free-to-play model and introducing pioneering immersive A.I athletes that adapt and learn dynamically as they play, META11 bridges the gap between reality and the digital world. It accurately predicts game outcomes and crafts intricate narratives for the characters and their virtual realm.
Co-founder Kumar Sangakkara emphasised the inclusivity of META11 Fantasy, stating, “Cricket is evolving, and with META11, we’re creating new opportunities for fans to get intimately involved with the sport. We aim to weave untold fan stories into the very fabric of our platform as fans have been central to our vision since day one.”
On the day of the event, users will be introduced to five AI athletes along with QBOT, the META11 resident quiz master powered by the OmniMind Network. QBOT will actively guide users through the game by posing real-time questions during the matches, delivering an unparalleled live fantasy gaming experience. Players can accumulate points, climb the leaderboard, and stand a chance to win cash prizes from a $100,000 prize pool. Additionally, the points collected on 26 September and beyond will be exchangeable in the future for in-game assets, including your very own AI athlete. META11 is dedicated to ensuring that the free-to-play game is immensely rewarding for all participants.
Ravi Shastri, a prominent supporter of META11, shared his excitement, affirming, “META11’s vision offers fans the unique opportunity to step into the roles of managers and coaches for their favourite AI players. Imagine the game being played by the critics, who must make all the strategic calls. If they falter, they will truly understand the pressure.”
Mumbai: From 22 July 2022 digital sports destination FanCode will stream the Indian cricket team’s tour of the West Indies. In the just launched campaign, FanCode highlights the fan-first features it will introduce to empower fans in customising their match-experience through a series of fun banter between former cricketer Ravi Shastri and digital content creator Ashish Chanchlani.
Shastri was recently announced as the brand ambassador for FanCode where he mentioned, “I’m elated to join FanCode in this journey of democratising sports for fans in India.” Chanchlani has now joined the bandwagon to promote the brand’s first India tour on the platform and its fan-first proposition.
The collaboration showcases Chanchlani’s rise from a leading digital content creator to becoming a brand endorser of a mainstream digital sports brand. Right from fans getting to choose their commentator from a wide list of experts calling the game; interactive overlays enhancing the match-viewing experience by providing real-time stats; availing any match or player related data while watching the game, without having to switch the screen; to choosing any replays or highlights on-demand; the campaign sees Chanchlani taking a dig at Shastri’s digital-savviness by highlighting these features.
Chanchlani said, “My entire career is a testament of the power of digital in India. FanCode as a homegrown brand is empowering sports fans by exploring the full potential of digital and resonates strongly with me. It’s a pleasure to collaborate with the legend himself in the fun campaign, and look forward to supporting FanCode’s digital transformation in sports broadcast.”
Speaking about the first campaign, FanCode co-founder Yannick Colaco said, “The India tour of West Indies will change the way fans consume sports and will set a new benchmark for sports fan experiences. With this campaign, we want to introduce our fan-first proposition to a larger audience through a light-hearted narrative, and the unique pairing of Ravi Shastri and Ashish Chanchlani will help us in just that. Their reach and influence is phenomenal, and they both connect with fans across the spectrum in the country.”
The India tour of West Indies is scheduled from 22 July 22 – 7 August. Three ODIs and Five T20Is will be played. ODIs start at 7 p.m. and T20Is start at 8 p.m. While FanCode is curating a digital-first live-streaming experience across the FanCode app (Android, iOS, TV) and www.fancode.com, it has partnered with DD Sports to make the tour accessible to the TV viewing audience across the country.
Former Indian cricket head coach, Ravi Shastri’s fondness for alcohol is well known. Shastri himself has never shied away from acknowledging that a good brew of beer is good enough to lift his spirits! But this has also led him to be the butt of trolls and a source of many memes on social media on numerous occasions in the past. Cashing in on this premise, Cred’s latest and probably the final ad spot for this IPL, celebrates and reinforces this image of Shastri as Indian cricket’s ‘King of good times’. And the internet is loving it!
A day prior to the campaign launch, Ravi Shastri set the internet abuzz by sharing speculative pics of him partying away (which we now know are shots from the ad film) with suggestive captions such as: ‘Good mornings are optional if you haven’t slept at all’, or ‘My family lives in Mumbai and I live in the moment.’ And even bizarre tweets like ‘Mujhe kya mein toh chill hun’ and suspicious sounding ones like: ‘I’m in a good mood today, ask me anything. #AskRavi ‘
Sharing the brand film with a hilarious ‘Don’t remember any of this’ caption, Shastri even went on to update his Twitter bio to ‘Happy Hours always ’ followed by a ‘cheers’ emoji.
The film showcases the former coach in a badass, snazzy avatar, and further drives in his spirit-loving image, with the comical usage of the popular ‘sattar minute’ phrase for happy hours, and lines like ‘I used to be a batsman, but for you, I can be a keeper’, ‘Waste mat karo yaar’ for popping the bubbly.
Also, Jim Sarabh seems to have retired well and truly from the brand’s films, with his signature line taken up by the celebrity himself- in this instance Shastri- spouting lines like, “Being Ravi Shastri is fun. But not as fun as paying your credit card bills on Cred and getting rewards!”
The writing is credited to the AIB team of Tanmay Bhat, Devaiah Bopanna, Puneet Chadha, among others. The Twitterati, of course, lapped it up, with even his former coaches and team India cricketers joining in the fun and banter surrounding the video. Indian Cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal responded to the film with a tweet saying: Ravi Shastri gave the best ’70 minute’ speech ever.
Addressing the senior cricketer, ‘Ravi sir’, cricketer Shubman Gill called it “Dawn of a new era”.
Meanwhile, television and cricket presenter, Gaurav Kapur, known for being the host of the pre-match Indian Premier League show, Extraaa Innings T20 and Cricbuzz Live jumped in, saying, “I can personally vouch for the fact that evenings with the champ are as much fun as this”, following it with partying emojis.
Cred shared the video on YouTube with the accompanying, fun message purportedly from the senior cricketer: “As Ravi Shastri, I want to make it very clear that all my parties are invite-only. But I admire our youth and their potential, so if you’re able to do all of the following, you’re automatically on the guest list.”
It went on to add five pointers for ‘making the cut: “1. Open beer bottles with a bat. If you ask how, you’re already out. 2. Analyse footage from the party to see where drinks were wasted 3. Bartend 24×7 4. Carry an extra case of cough syrup at all times 5. Parallel park the bar-counter If you make the cut, congratulations. You’re never going to remember another night in your life again”.
The caption goes on to make a case for the credit card payment app brand, with the cricketer signing off with: “Believe me, I know what’s fun.”
Gauging from the change in tone and tenor of the latest Cred ‘Play it Different’ ad, from its previous nostalgia-inducing series and before that, the celebrities doing stuff completely uncharacteristic to their personalities – remember the angry Dravid and quirky Kapil Dev films- would this be the beginning of a new series of ad films for the credit card payment brand? One wherein celebrities join in to reiterate and even reinforce their much-maligned image? If so, wonder which other celebrity is going to go next! Wait and watch this space for more…
Mumbai: Star Sports has launched a promo featuring Ravi Shastri ahead of the three-match test series between India and South Africa starting on 26 December at 1.30 p.m.
Titled #FirstKaThirst, the campaign film is created and conceptualised by the in-house team at Star India. It highlights the many firsts that team India has achieved in the Rainbow Nation. The broadcaster is driving the narrative that team India is prepared to go one step further and achieve the best test series result yet in South Africa.
In 1992, India played its first-ever test match against South Africa in Durban, while under Rahul Dravid, now head coach, the team won its first test in 2006. In the last India tour, the visiting team had secured their first ODI series win in over 25 years since India started touring from 1992 onwards.
“The Indian Cricket team has had a remarkable run in test cricket, remaining dominant at home and registering wins all over the world,” said Star and Disney India head – sports Sanjog Gupta. “However, a first-ever series win in South Africa has remained elusive. #FirstKaThirst is a call to action for Indian fans, who desire to see this Indian team create history by triumphing in South Africa and is a continuing chapter of our #BelieveinBlue narrative. The series also assumes historic significance as it marks 30 years of Cricket between India and South Africa adding to the sense of occasion for this marquee series.”
“There couldn’t have been a better time for team India to prove their mettle,” said former Team India coach Ravi Shastri. “Virat has been an impeccable leader and has got a talented team to go along with it. South Africa remains an unconquered bastion. Remember, the Proteas are no pushovers in their own backyard, but we have got the firepower and the arsenal to match that. As always, Team India will always have my backing.”
MUMBAI: The awards night of the annual and flagship initiative of CNN-News18, ‘Indian of the Year – 2017’ will be telecasted on the 9 and 10 of December at 9:30 PM on the channel. The initiative, whichrecognizes and awards the exceptional contribution and achievements of the iconic Indian citizens and organizations, has already received exceptional interest from all over India.
The event, in its eleventh year, witnessed participation from several industry stalwarts, ministers, and renowned personalities from the sports and film fraternity – Minister of Finance, Arun Jaitley, Minister of Commerce, Suresh Prabhu, Stalwarts of the Indian Cricket Fraternity, Virat Kohli, Ravi Shastri, Mithali Raj and Kapil Dev, the newly crowned Miss World Manushi Chhillar, Actors Rajkkumar Rao & Ramya Krishnan, Business Honchos Adar Poonawala & Acharya Balkrishna to name a few.
Sharing his thoughts on the Awards, TV18 president- revenue and Forbes India CEO Joy Chakraborthy said,“Over the past ten years, CNN-News18 Indian of the Year awards have evolved to a significant stature, recognizing the outstanding contributions of the Indians in various categories. The colossal success of this initiative in the past decade, including participation by some of the country’s most distinguished citizens, has raised the bar for this platform making it one of the most accredited awards in the industry. I am of the firm belief that a marquee event like this not only builds equity for the channel but also creates tremendous value for the brands associating with it and my belief was validated when over 10 sponsors partnered with us this year.”
Presented by Jio, this year, the reach of the Awards was multifold. The audience included not just the ones seated at the venue but also across the nation with the event being digitally streamed live on the JioTV app & news18.com and through live television dip-ins on CNN-News18, engaging audiences across the country. It was followed widely on social media and trended on twitter with #IndianoftheYear all through the star-studded evening.
Ace badminton player, Kidambi Srikanth was the winner in the sports category while lawyer and environmentalist Afroz Shah took the honors in the Public Service category. Acharya Balkrishna emerged as 2017’s ‘Indian of the Year’ in Business and Rajkummar Rao was adjudged the winner in the entertainment category. In addition to these, Adar Poonawalla was conferred the Outstanding Achievement in Business & CSR award, Indian Women’s Cricket Team and Miss World Manushi Chhillar were Special Achievement awardees and Team Baahubali was given the Outstanding Achievement award.
The highlight of the grand finale was the final award of the night, the overall ‘CNN-News18 Indian of the Year 2017’, an honour that went to the Captain of the Indian cricket team, Virat Kohli.
