Tag: Siddharth Sharma

Glance, Airtel launch AI-powered Glance TV, rivaling Dor TV’s offerings

MUMBAI: Imagine walking into your living room after a long day, sinking into your favorite corner of the sofa, and glancing at your TV-not as a blank, lifeless screen but as an AI-powered gateway to a world of interactive wonders. A flicker of curiosity, a spark of excitement, and suddenly, your television transforms into more than a passive device-it becomes an experience.

This vision of seamless, intuitive engagement has now been made possible by Glance, the brainchild of visionary founders Naveen Tewari and Piyush Shah. With an eye on reimagining how we connect with everyday technology, Glance has taken a bold leap into the future with Glance TV. This groundbreaking platform breathes life into idle connected TV screens, turning them into vibrant, interactive surfaces powered by AI.

Debuting in India through a partnership with Airtel Xstream and Android TV OS, Glance TV is not just a new product—it’s a revolution in how we perceive home entertainment.

For those who dare to dream big and look beyond the ordinary, Glance TV is here to ensure that every moment spent in front of your screen is worth the glance.

Glance TV redefines traditional connected TVs by turning passive moments into engaging, real-time experiences. Unlike conventional screens, Glance TV remains always-on, delivering live, personalised, and trending content tailored to user preferences, even when TVs are not actively used.

In its first deployment phase, Glance TV has already reached over one million Airtel Xstream devices, with users engaging for an impressive average of 200 minutes across three daily sessions. By June 2025, Glance TV aims to expand to four million devices in India, with plans for entry into select global markets soon.

Glance TV offers live updates across diverse categories, including breaking news, entertainment, sports, finance, technology, and more. Its live sports updates deliver real-time scores, statistics, and detailed scorecards. A weather widget further enhances functionality, ensuring users receive essential updates to plan their day effectively. The platform sources content from leading publishers and currently operates in English.

Airtel Digital TV, CEO, Siddharth Sharma said, “Customers increasingly seek platforms offering more than traditional entertainment. Our partnership with Glance elevates customer experience by integrating advanced AI technology directly into their TVs, creating an unmatched interactive platform.”

InMobi co-founder & Glance president & COO, Shah commented, “Glance TV redefines the television experience by elevating screens into dynamic, AI-powered platforms. By blending content with interaction, we transform TVs from mere entertainment devices into intelligent surfaces that engage, connect, and inspire users.”

As India’s connected TV market crosses 40 million devices, the stage is set for a vibrant battle of innovation and consumer delight. Anuj Gandhi’s trailblazing vision with Dor TV ignited the spark, receiving a warm embrace on its debut. Yet, the plot thickens as Glance TV strides into the spotlight, carving its dominance in the digital age.

The question now isn’t just who will lead, but how far they’ll push the boundaries of what’s possible. Will it be Dor TV, with its homegrown roots and pioneering spirit? Or will Glance TV’s bold strides cement its place as the visionary leader of this transformation?

One thing is certain: the journey ahead promises a kaleidoscope of breakthroughs, rivalries, and endless possibilities for the connected future of India.

The spotlight is on—and the story has just begun.

December 11, 2024
News18, Federal Bank & Tata Trusts host second edition of ‘Sanjeevani: United Against Cancer’

Mumbai: The Federal Bank Hormis Memorial Foundation and News18 Network hosted a national cancer awareness convention under the second phase of the ‘Sanjeevani: United Against Cancer’ programme, with Tata Trusts as knowledge partners. Key stakeholders, industry leaders, and top bureaucrats discussed awareness and early detection of cancer.

In India, cancer cases are estimated at nearly 15 lakh annually, making it the third-highest globally after the US and China. Sanjeevani has been working through partnerships to promote awareness and early intervention for this disease, the second leading cause of mortality worldwide.

At the fireside chat session, actor and national ambassador of ‘Sanjeevani: United Against Cancer’ initiative, Vidya Balan said, “Like with most people, Cancer has always scared me. It’s a direction I’ve never wanted to look in until someone very dear to me was detected with the disease two years back. Then I realized that because it was detected early, he could get treatment immediately and therefore he’s in good health today. The fear around cancer is so huge that it often blinds us to the reality of the fact that regular screening and therefore early detection can make all the difference. So, when Network 18 came to me with this campaign, I felt this is something I need to do. Then I decided to use my voice to get people to get screened regularly and thereby to make a difference in their lives.”

She added, “The fight against cancer is a journey of compassion and resilience, where every act of awareness and every gesture of support becomes a beacon of hope and healing for patients and their families. With Sanjeevani: United Against Cancer’, we showcase our commitment to continue the journey towards creating more awareness towards cancer screening and early detection. With a collaborative effort, we can rip off cancer from its roots.”

Federal Bank CEO KVS Manian said, “India can’t be a Viksit Bharat without being a Swasthya Bharat. So, healthcare is clearly one area where the country needs a lot of investment. It’s important that more people step in, and Federal Bank is happy to be involved here. Our CSR focus is over 60% in healthcare and healthy living space. We have been very supportive of treatment-related spends, but going forward, it’s important also to create more infrastructure kind of spends which gives more sustainable benefits to the society around. Awareness is such a critical thing and it is the most difficult thing to achieve. Early detection in cancer is critical and that’s why campaigns like these are continuously required.”

He added: “‘Sanjeevani: United Against Cancer’ is not just a campaign—it is a movement to empower individuals to take charge of their health and make them understand why timely screening is a must. While a lot of work has already been going on, we aim to continue to raise the bar for cancer care by focusing more on screening and early detection. This conclave is a point of origin for all our efforts towards patient and family care as well as pre-emptive awareness and screening for the disease. Collective effort is non-negotiable to ensure a brighter, healthier future for all. We need to empower one another with critical awareness and ensure every individual is informed about the steps to take. More will always be less, when it comes to cancer.”

Tata Trusts CEO Siddharth Sharma commented, “Tata Trusts have been at the forefront of combating the growing cancer burden in the country. Our focus has been on making world-class cancer care affordable and accessible. As knowledge partners on Sanjeevani, we strive to inform our audience with current practices and information about cancer in its various forms and dimensions. We believe that the collective efforts of all our partners in this endeavour will motivate people to go in for early screening thereby mitigating the increasing burden of cancer in the country”.

Network18 CEO & A+E Networks MD Avinash Kaul stated, “As India’s leading news network, we recognize our responsibility towards the health and well-being of our audience. Sanjeevani is our flagship campaign, crafted in partnership with Federal Bank and Tata Trusts. It has driven significant impact over the years through factual storytelling and a call to action for cancer screening. This convention marks a pivotal moment in our journey, reinstating our commitment to reaching every corner of the nation with a message of hope and good health. We aim to keep this vital dialogue going through various interventions, including on-ground activations, celebrity endorsements, and partnerships across national and regional platforms. Our mission is to make a meaningful contribution to nation-building by advancing this essential conversation.”

‘Sanjeevani: United Against Cancer’ initiative has reached over 600 million viewers through News18’s TV network and generated over 13 million social media interactions. The initiative remains committed to its mission, striving to reach even more individuals and drive lasting positive social change in cancer awareness and screenings.

October 25, 2024
Airtel Digital TV’s new plan offers Amazon Prime benefits to customers

Mumbai: Airtel Digital TV has joined hands with Amazon Prime to offer live TV and Prime Lite benefits as part of its new Ultimate and Amazon Prime Lite plan. Subscribers of the plan can enjoy unparalleled entertainment from Prime Video on 2 devices in HD quality, in addition to enjoying linear TV channels. Prime Lite subscription also includes other Prime benefits like free unlimited same-day delivery on over 10 Lakh products and next-day delivery on 40 Lakh products on Amazon, early access to sale events & Lightning Deals and 5 per cent cashback on purchases on Amazon.in with Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card.

Bharti Airtel CEO- Airtel Digital TV Siddharth Sharma said, “The growing demand for mobile entertainment has prompted us to expand our TV offerings, providing customers with anytime, anywhere access. Our partnership with Amazon Prime enhances our content lineup, complementing our diverse range of home entertainment services. We are excited to offer customers an unparalleled experience, with prices starting as low as Rs 521 for the Hindi content. We are confident our users will maximise the value of this compelling deal.”

“At Prime Video, we are constantly looking at ways to strengthen our distribution and take our much-loved movies and series to an even wider audience,” said Prime Video India director & head – SVOD business Shilangi Mukherji. “The collaboration with Airtel Digital TV makes access to Prime Video’s full selection of content even more seamless while providing other shopping & shipping benefits of Prime Lite, like unlimited free ‘Same-day/Next-Day’ delivery across millions of products, early access to exclusive deals, and much more. The collaboration aims to make premium entertainment even more accessible to customers in India.”

Plans at glance:

Price

Pack Name

Duration (Days)

Rs 521

Hindi Ultimate & Amazon Prime Lite 1M
30

Rs 2288

Hindi Ultimate & Amazon Prime Lite 6M

180

With this offer, Airtel also aims to refine home entertainment with unlimited access to 350+ TV channels, along with over-the-top (OTT) content available on Prime Video, to provide a holistic solution to the evolving entertainment needs of consumers.

Subscribers can enjoy a seamless streaming experience with uninterrupted access to the full selection of Prime Video’s movies and series including highly popular Original series like Mirzapur, Panchayat, The Family Man, Dhootha, Inspector Rishi, blockbuster movies Tiger 3, Kantara, Maja Ma, Bawaal, Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, and many more, along with international series and movies like Fallout, Citadel, The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power, The Boys, to name a few.

September 17, 2024

JioCinema to showcase the most comprehensive Olympics coverage for Paris 2024

Mumbai: Viacom18, the official broadcast and digital partner for Paris 2024, announced the biggest and most immersive Olympics presentation yet in India, with 20 concurrent feeds and a roster of Olympians, starting 26 July 2024, across the Sports18 Network and for free on JioCinema. The network has lined-up an extra-ordinary list of former champions across multiple sporting disciplines to amplify the most comprehensive Olympics presentation ever. It also, launched its campaign film ‘Dum Laga Ke… Haisha’, promising an Olympics like never seen before.

For the first time, Olympics coverage in India will be presented across 20 concurrent feeds on JioCinema for free, allowing fans to catch their preferred action and Indian performances at the Olympic Games anytime, anywhere on their preferred device. The presentation will have 17 sports-wise feeds and three curated feeds, all available in 4K. The curated feeds will include an India feed in English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu, which allows viewers to catch all the action from the Indian contingent as it unfolds on-ground.

In a never-seen-before endeavour, a women athletes feed will exclusively capture the journey of women Olympians for the entire edition. The curated feeds will also feature a global action feed in English and Hindi, thus allowing viewers to track the finest athletes in the world in action at Paris 2024.

Embed link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uhYFCgpSnc

On linear platforms, Sports18 – 1, Sports18 – 1 HD, Sports18 – 2 will run India focused feed, Global Action will be available on Sports18 – 3. Sports18 – 1 and Sports18 – 1 HD will present the Games in English with Tamil and Telugu available on language button. Sports18 – 2 will offer the Paris 2024 in Hindi.

The immersive coverage tips off with a dedicated camera feed on the India float throughout the opening ceremony giving viewers a ring-side view of the Indian contingent. In addition, viewers will be able to enjoy coverage of Indian medal moments with live interviews with their family members alongside a domain expert from the studio.

“Our presentation of Paris 2024 is built on the idea of putting viewers front and centre as our athletes aim for glory. For the first time in India, an Olympics presentation will have a dedicated Indian feed, a women athletes feed, and a global action feed, giving fans high autonomy with a lean-in experience as they follow the Games,” said Viacom18 – sports head of content Siddharth Sharma. “We strive to capture the inspiring journeys of Indian athletes and rally the country to back our heroes through our never-seen-before Olympic experience.”

India’s first female wrestling Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik (2016 Summer Olympics) will be joined by Beijing 2008 bronze medallist boxer Vijender Singh. Four-time Olympian and six-time Grand Slam winner and the first Indian woman to be ranked number one in the WTA rankings, Sania Mirza will be joined by Commonwealth and Asian Games gold medallist, Somdev Devvarman. World No seven long jumper and Commonwealth Games medallist, Murali Sreeshankar will be seen in a whole new avatar as Viacom18’s expert during the Olympics.

The studio line-up will also feature former Indian Men’s Hockey Team Captain Viren Rasquinha, Commonwealth Games gold medallist shuttler Parupalli Kashyap, multiple Asian Games medallist and World Doubles Championship gold medallist squash icon Saurav Ghosal, and India’s two-time Olympic archer Atanu Das will add gravitas to Viacom18’s line-up.

In the lead up to the quadrennial sporting spectacle, Viacom18, the official broadcast and digital partner for Paris 2024, also launched “Dum Laga Ke…Haisha!”, its campaign film for the Olympic Games. The campaign film builds on the philosophy of Olympics unlike anything seen before, breaking away from the conventional advertising template employed by past global sporting events for the Indian market such as tropes of serious looking athletes training to motivational voiceovers. It takes a fresh approach instead, by intertwining the magnitude of the Olympics as a global movement and its impact on our daily Indian lives.

“We wanted to keep the campaign idea rooted in the transformative power of viewing sports. The film is our ode to the Olympic spirit and imagines a world where watching the Olympics vicariously, inspires us to push ourselves like runners, boxers, gymnasts, archers and weightlifters in our quotidian lives. We married this idea with a re-imagination of the timeless chant ‘Dum Laga Ke Haisha! that’s deeply ingrained in the Indian spirit of movement and sports, into multiple regional languages to ignite excitement for the Olympics across the country,” said JioCinema’s head of brand and creative marketing, Shagun Seda. “To bring our concept to life, we partnered with Jugaad Motion Pictures who brought in a fresh approach and elevated the concept to a rich audio-visual experience.”

Viacom18’s comprehensive coverage of Paris 2024 includes content around must-watch events for India fans, Indians to watch out for at the Olympics, greatest performances in Olympics history, unprecedented landmarks Indians can achieve at Paris 2024, and much more.

Here’s the full list of Viacom18’s experts for Paris 2024-

Domain	Expert
Core Group	Sania Mirza
Core Group	Viren Rasquinha
Core Group	Somdev Devvarman
Core Group	Neha Aggarwal
Core Group	Nisha Millet
Core Group	Murali Sreeshankar
Core Group	Saurav Ghoshal
Archery	Rahul Banerjee
Archery	Atanu Das
Badminton	P Kashyap
Boxing	Vijender Singh
Hockey	Jugraj Singh
Shooting	Heena Sidhu
Shooting	Joydeeep Karmakar
Swimming	Virdhawal Khade
Wrestling	Sakshi Malik

July 12, 2024

Cricket.com unveils ‘Asli Fantasy’

Mumbai: Cricket.com, India’s leading platform for cricket news, updates, analytics and videos announced the introduction of ‘Asli Fantasy’ to its mobile application. This latest addition brings back the original and highly competitive format of cricket fantasy, promising users an unparalleled experience of their favorite sport.

Responding to a huge demand from its users, Cricket.com is proud to reintroduce the ‘Asli Fantasy’ format, known for its high competitiveness and thrill. In this format, teams are locked in one hour before the commencement of the match, elevating the anticipation and strategic element for participants. ‘Asli Fantasy’ allows users to curate their teams, devise strategies, and play against peers in a competitive environment. Seasoned fantasy players can choose to play from the 3 contest types – rumble, head to head and winner takes all available on the app. The app also offers a ‘Criclytics Team’ where users can choose from 4 different fantasy teams generated by Cricket.com’s proprietary AI engine.

“Our decision to reintroduce ‘Asli Fantasy’ stems from the commitment to meet the evolving needs of our users and remaining relevant amidst shifting consumption patterns. With a user-friendly interface, we are excited to see our platform’s foray into another revenue stream,” said Head Digital Works business strategy head Siddharth Sharma.

In conjunction with the launch of ‘Asli Fantasy,’ Cricket.com is unveiling a set of brand films that capture the essence of using one’s skills and knowledge of cricket to make fantasy teams on cricket.com. This film underscores the expertise and passion for cricket integral for success on the fantasy cricket experience offered by Cricket.com. The films went live on major OTT, OLV and social channels.

April 12, 2024
Cricket.com unveils ‘Asli Fantasy’

Mumbai: Cricket.com, a platform for cricket news, updates, analytics and videos announced the introduction of ‘Asli Fantasy’ to its mobile application. This latest addition brings back the original and highly competitive format of cricket fantasy, promising users an unparalleled experience of their favorite sport.

Responding to a huge demand from its users, Cricket.com is proud to reintroduce the ‘Asli Fantasy’ format, known for its high competitiveness and thrill. In this format, teams are locked in one hour before the commencement of the match, elevating the anticipation and strategic element for participants. ‘Asli Fantasy’ allows users to curate their teams, devise strategies, and play against peers in a competitive environment. Seasoned fantasy players can choose to play from the three contest types – rumble, head to head and winner takes all available on the app. The app also offers a ‘Criclytics Team’ where users can choose from four different fantasy teams generated by Cricket.com’s proprietary AI engine.

“Our decision to reintroduce ‘Asli Fantasy’ stems from the commitment to meet the evolving needs of our users and remaining relevant amidst shifting consumption patterns. With a user-friendly interface, we are excited to see our platform’s foray into another revenue stream.” said SVP- business strategy head digital works Siddharth Sharma.

In conjunction with the launch of ‘Asli Fantasy,’ Cricket.com is unveiling a set of brand films that capture the essence of using one’s skills and knowledge of cricket to make fantasy teams on cricket.com. This film underscores the expertise and passion for cricket integral for success on the fantasy cricket experience offered by Cricket.com. The films went live on major OTT, OLV and social channels.

April 2, 2024
Star Sports, Tata Play, & Airtel Digital TV collab to elevate Tata IPL 2024 viewing experience

Mumbai: Star Sports Network, the official broadcaster of Tata IPL 2024, is poised to revolutionise content viewing with a range of innovative features designed to enrich the fan experience. This Tata IPL, Star Sports has played a pivotal role, leveraging cutting-edge technology, with the launch of 4K enabled Value Added Services (VAS) which will be available for subscription to Tata Play and Airtel Digital TV subscribers. Additionally, with a focus on interactivity, Star Sports has associated with Tata Play to elevate viewer engagement during this year’s Tata IPL season, introducing special features, Star Sports R.E.D. (Relive, Engage, Decode), accessible at the click of a button.

“This Tata IPL 2024, the enthusiasm amongst fans is at an all-time high. Our association with Tata Play and Airtel Digital TV marks a significant stride towards enhancing the viewing experience for Tata IPL enthusiasts. The introduction of TATA IPL in 4K in the form of VAS stands as a monumental innovation, particularly revolutionizing sports viewing across the nation. We remain committed to serving fans with a holistic and comprehensive viewing experience, harnessing cutting-edge technology, thus enabling them with a best-in-class visual delight,” said Disney Star head – distribution and international Gurjeev Singh Kapoor.

Commenting on the collaboration, Airtel Digital TV CEO Siddharth Sharma said, “4K service on TV is the next leap in television entertainment, promising viewers an unparalleled visual experience. Today, we are thrilled to be launching India’s first 4K service on Airtel Digital TV, just in time to bring even more immersive and breath-taking experience for cricket fans this IPL season.”

“We are excited to partner with Disney Star to launch our new value-added service, Tata Play 4K. This new addition will help our viewers experience sports and entertainment content in a new immersive manner. In just INR 99/month, our subscribers will get to experience the pinnacle of visual excellence with unrivalled quality in stunning 4K resolution at the comfort of their homes. With this development we are not only elevating TV viewing as an interactive experience but also opening doors to exploring new blends of technology and quality for linear television,” said Tata Play chief commercial and content officer Pallavi Puri.

With the launch of 4K as a value-added service (VAS), viewers of Tata Play and Airtel Digital TV will get an opportunity for an enhanced viewing experience, offering unparalleled clarity and detail, bringing every moment to life like never before. This is the first time Tata IPL can be viewed in 4K as a VAS platform service on TV and will be available for subscription to Tata Play and Airtel Digital TV viewers.

Through Star Sports R.E.D. (Relive, Engage, Decode) features, Tata Play viewers can access a range of immersive features designed to enrich their engagement with the matches at the click of a button. This year, the special features will be available throughout the day and not just during the match. Content for three streams will be provided to viewers to Relive, Engage and Decode the sport like never before. Viewers will be able to ‘Relive’ the action through Key Moments and Highlights while the match is going on and get to view concise highlights later. A Star Cam will follow the captain or the star player live on the field, allowing fans to ‘Engage’ with the sport and also get to hear the player’s views after the match. Fans will be able to ‘Decode’ the sport through a live dynamic data feed and review the match with deep data insights later.

March 22, 2024
Viacom18 announce an incredible experts line-up for the 2024 WPL

Mumbai: Viacom18 announced their expert panel for the 2024 WPL, starting 23 February. Anjum Chopra, Reema Malhotra, Sushma Verma, Mona Meshram, Nuzhat Parveen, Karuna Jain, Aakash Chopra, Parthiv Patel, Saba Karim, Srikkanth Anirudha, Sarandeep Singh, Nikhil Chopra, and Abhinav Mukund will come together for a five-language presentation on JioCinema for free.

The season-opener on 23 February will see Delhi Capitals taking on defending champions Mumbai Indians, which will be presented in English, Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, and Telugu on JioCinema. On TV, viewers can catch the action live in English, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada on Sports18 – 1 SD & HD. Sports18 – 2 SD and Sports18 Khel will broadcast the Hindi feed.

“We look to build on the blockbuster Season 1, as we continue to offer viewers an immersive experience which is accessible, affordable, and in multiple languages to scale up the league’s impact and reach further,” said Viacom18 Sports head of content Siddharth Sharma. “After delivering the highest viewership for any women’s event globally last season on JioCinema, we aim to create new benchmarks and celebrate the incredible cricketers who bring the excitement and pizzazz to the league where a boundary was scored every fifth ball in the last season.”

In the build-up to the 2024 season, the network has offered fans and viewers light-hearted content on WPL Huddle that features top players like Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, Deepti Sharma among others. WPL Heroes will take fans through compelling background stories of players with insights from their families and coaches from all franchisees. Fans will also be treated with a peek into the training sessions of all the teams, along with expert reviews leading up to the start of the inaugural season.

Through their exclusive partnerships with Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Delhi Capitals, JioCinema users will have access to a wide variety of exciting content, including exclusive interviews with the marquee players from the franchisees.

Viacom18 will offer studio shows with expert analysis and player interviews to fans throughout the season. The anchor-led daily show will see Sanjana Ganesan, Ridhima Pathak, Supriya Singh, and Preeti Dahiya at the helm.

The full expert panel:

Hindi: Anjum Chopra, Reema Malhotra, Sushma Verma, Mona Meshram, Nuzhat Parveen, Parthiv Patel, Aakash Chopra, Saba Karim, Sarandeep Singh, Sunil Taneja, Nikhil Chopra, Prasanna S

Tamil: Bagawati Prasad, Sudhir Srinivasan, Aarti Sankaran, Niranjana Nagrajan, Shailaja Sundar, Abhinav Mukund, KB Arun Karthick, Srikkanth Anirudha

Kannada: Raghvendra Raj, Sujay Shastri, Karuna Jain, Vanitha VR, Sahana Pawar, Bharat Chippli, Srinivas Murthy

Telugu: Sravanti Naidu, Sunitha Anand, Akshath Reddy, Ashish Reddy, Sandeep Bavanaka

February 19, 2024
Sports For All (SFA) and Viacom18 partnership to bring SFA Championships 2023-2024 on digital and television

National, November 23, 2023: With the presentation of SFA Championships on JioCinema, Sports18- 2, and Sports18 Khel channels, school sporting competitions will now make their way to digital & television. The partnership of Sports For All (SFA), India’s largest tech-enabled multi-sport grassroots competition platform and Viacom18, will together make school sports accessible to millions of sports fans, across the country.

Being home to the most prolific sporting action, Viacom18’s portfolio is curated to engage fans in fresh ways and remove barriers to accessibility, affordability, and languages through digital. The partnership will also further their effort to carve a domain for youth sports. The collaboration is an extension of SFA’s own commitment to make sports accessible to all, especially at the school level. Bringing SFA Championships, the flagship IP by SFA, on Television and OTT will assist in radically transforming the school sporting ecosystem, in the country.

“The partnership with Sports For All (SFA) is our bid to make sporting action from the grassroots level accessible by harnessing the power of digital,” said Viacom 18 Sports content head TV and digital Siddharth Sharma. “We endeavour to continue spotlighting school-level talent by including SFA Championships in our portfolio.”

Viacom18 will present the best action from the SFA Championships 2023-2024 starting 3 December on JioCinema, Sports18-2, and Sports18 Khel channels. This calendar year, the city-based model of SFA Championships is scheduled across Indore, Jaipur, Uttarakhand (Dehradun), Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai, Bangalore, Nagpur, Delhi, and Ahmedabad. With the broadcast of SFA Championships, schools across the country will be able to recognise the sporting potential that their athletes can further harness. Thus, showcasing the untapped talent from schools, competing in more than 30 sporting categories and picking the prestigious title of ‘number one school in sports’ in that city.

“Partnering with Viacom18 is indeed a historic moment, in bringing Indian school sports to the centre stage. The country will now join in to witness the incredible potential of our young athletes”, shared SFA founders Vishwas Choksi and Rishikesh Joshi. “Our aim is to enthuse viewers to witness the journey of future champions, through our broadcast content. The SFA Championships entail an international sporting experience through equitable access to world class infrastructure, match videos, analytics and insights for school athletes. Every episode will showcase the energy and sporting talent of that city, their trials and tribulations and how every athlete contributes in identifying the ‘number one school in sports’, for their city”.

SFA Championships are India’s largest multi-sport school competitions, enabling an opportunity for youth to unleash their fullest potential through joyful and inspiring sporting experiences. These Championships are revolutionising the way school sports are experienced in India. The vision is to host 150 championships across 50 cities, in the next five years. Building a single unifying platform to

discover talent at the click of a button, across multi-sports, is how SFA has envisioned to encourage two lakh athletes to play at the 10 SFA Championships within a span of four months, for the 2023-2024 season.

November 23, 2023
Federal Bank, News18, Tata Trusts launch ‘Sanjeevani’ Cancer awareness movement

Mumbai: Federal Bank Hormis Memorial Foundation and News18 Network, with Tata Trusts as a knowledge partner, unveiled a collaborative initiative ‘Sanjeevani – United against cancer’ in an event in New Delhi. ‘Sanjeevani’ seeks to combat the pervasive fears associated with cancer while emphasising the significance of early detection as a key factor in successfully overcoming the disease.

At the inaugural event of ‘Sanjeevani’, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Dr Mansukh L Mandaviya emphasised India’s commitment to affordable cancer treatment. He stated, “Out of the 90 medicines for cancer, India offers 42 at the most affordable rates. Our approach is holistic and multi-pronged – focussing on expanding cancer hospitals, and tertiary care facilities, enhancing medical education and bolstering health infrastructure through initiatives like Ayushman Bharat. This initiative will lead to discussions and deliberations. Send a note on it to us, so we can track the suggestions coming from people. Public partnership is integral to India’s health model. Share your ideas with us, so we can fight the diseases in the nation.”

Federal Bank MD and CEO Shyam Srinivasan emphasised, “Our commitment to the Sanjeevani initiative goes beyond awareness. We are dedicated to providing on-ground support to caregivers who often bear the brunt of consequent economic and physical pressure. Many caregivers, unfortunately, lack access to proper facilities, and we are keen to take concrete steps to help change this. We have initiated an employee program where our employees actively engage with local communities to spread awareness and encourage testing. Additionally, we are keen to work on AI-based solutions to simplify detection, especially in remote parts of the country, as a part of this CSR initiative. We are dedicated to this long-term mission to raise awareness, reach grassroots communities, and leverage technology for early detection in our nationwide fight against cancer.”

Tata Trusts CEO Siddharth Sharma added, “We remain steadfast in our commitment to combating cancer and making quality cancer care treatment available at affordable prices. The Trusts are dedicated to shaping a healthier future, where timely screening and early detection are paramount. Through continued collaboration and a shared vision, we aim to break down social and economic barriers, making progress in our fight against cancer.”

Network18 Media & Investments Ltd. CEO – digital & president – Corporate Strategy Puneet Singhvi stated, “As a responsible news network, we are unwavering in our commitment to shine a spotlight on issues of significance. Our campaign, Sanjeevani, strengthens the fight against cancer by emphasising the critical importance of early detection and timely tests in saving lives. Through awareness, education, and collaboration with institutions like the ‘Federal Bank Hormis Memorial’ and ‘Tata Trusts’, we aim to take this message effectively across the length and breadth of the country and underscore the value of good health and the vital role of regular health check-ups.”

The event witnessed the participation of prominent personalities, including Padma Shri Dr Rajendra Badwe, director of Tata Memorial Centre, Amitabh Dube, MD of Novartis India, and esteemed oncologists such as Dr Shyam Agarwal from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Dr Vineet Talwar from Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute, Dr Sharmila Pimple from Centre for Cancer Epidemiology (CCE) at Tata Memorial Centre, Dr Harsh Mahajan of Mahajan Imaging & Labs, Dr Vinod Raina from Fortis Healthcare, and Dr Suversha Khanna from Dharamshila Cancer Foundation and Research Centre. In addition, the event featured inspirational figures like renowned actress Lisa Ray, cricketer Yuvraj Singh, and film director Anurag Basu, all cancer survivors themselves.

During a panel discussion themed, ‘Courage Beyond The Spotlight’, Lisa, Anurag, and Yuvraj reflected on their arduous journeys of fighting and overcoming cancer. Lisa Ray recounted her multiple myeloma diagnosis and her decision to use the red carpet to raise awareness about the disease. Anurag Basu spoke about his unexpected cancer journey at the height of his career. At the same time, Yuvraj Singh discussed his initial disbelief upon receiving his cancer diagnosis and how it reshaped his perspective of life.

October 9, 2023

Price	Pack Name	Duration (Days)
Rs 521	Hindi Ultimate & Amazon Prime Lite 1M	30
Rs 2288	Hindi Ultimate & Amazon Prime Lite 6M	180