| Sahara partners with IPL to organize IPL Awards |
| Announcement / Corporate April 19, 2010, 20:12 IST |
The Indian Premier League (IPL) and Sahara India Pariwar announced a long term partnership to organize the exciting IPL awards. The partnership for the awards is initially for a period of 3 years and the awards will be called ‘Sahara IPL Awards’.
The inaugural Sahara IPL Awards night will be hosted by none other than Karan Johar, who will be joined by special guest co-host, Shah Rukh Khan at the Grand Hyatt in Mumbai on Friday, April 23rd, 2010. The Sahara India Pariwar has a long association with sports, especially with cricket, which started 15 years back and is still continuing. The glittering Sahara IPL Awards ceremony promises to be the perfect entrée to the conclusion of the tournament, with the best from the IPL 2010 to be applauded across 22 categories.
Mr. Lalit Modi, Chairman and Commissioner, IPL said, “It is indeed a pleasure to partner with the Sahara India Pariwar for a new and exciting property like the IPL Awards. The Sahara Group has for long been important benefactors of sports and sporting excellence in India. Sahara Indian Sports Awards organised by the Group, has created a landmark platform, providing recognition to sportsmen across all disciplines. I am certain that in the similar fashion, the Sahara IPL Awards will become a fitting platform to recognize and reward the best performances of the IPL season. The Sahara IPL Awards will look to recognize and reward excellence in batting, bowling and fielding, with some interesting categories like the most stylish player, best stadium and commentator. IPL continues to set the standards and this event will further confirm our standing as one of world sports’ true innovators.”
Shri Abhijit Sarkar – Head, Corporate Communications, Sahara India Pariwar, said, “The Sahara Group is extremely proud to be associated with the IPL Awards. Sahara India Pariwar since its inception has been associated with the promotion and development of sports at all levels. We have also initiated the Sahara Indian Sports Awards (SISA) to recognise and encourage the stupendous performances of players across various sports disciplines. The Sahara IPL Awards adds one more feather to the cap. The IPL is undoubtedly the most ground breaking international sports development in living memory which sees congregation of cricketers, from around the world, ranging from cricketing legends to young budding players. The IPL Awards is a step forward to recognize and reward cricketers and are aimed to enhance the cricketing excellence within the league. We are confident that the Sahara IPL Awards are set to emerge as the crowning jewel of the IPL going forward and we look forward to our Pune franchise also being a part of he same, next year.”
The sponsor of Indian Cricket and Hockey, Sahara India Pariwar, had earlier, adopted Indian Boxing, Wrestling and Archery and very recently, Indian Shooting in addition to covering support of a total of 56 sportsmen in these four games until after London Olympics 2012. The group, in order to uplift sports at domestic and grass root level, supports the legendary Calcutta Football League, Sheesh Mahal Cricket Tournament and many other sports at the national, state and district levels. The group has extended its sponsorship to the Uttar Pradesh senior cricket team which represents the state in Ranji and all other domestic tournaments. Earlier, in the year 2009, Sahara had initiated ‘The Sahara Indian Sports Awards’ with an intention to bring together all sports, including those which are very popular and also those which are not so popular, together on a common platform to recognize and honour the achievements of Indian sportspersons who have taken the pride of the nation to the highest level and kept the tricolor flying high. The awards are aimed to provide a forum of encouragement to young sporting talents and motivate them to bring laurels to the nation and sports. Recently, the Sahara Group, under its company Sahara Adventure Sports Limited, has bagged the franchise for Pune IPL team by making the highest bid ever in IPL.
In true IPL style, the Sahara IPL Awards evening will be a fusion of cricketing and entertainment excellence, with some of India’s biggest names, including A.R. Rahman, Katrina Kaif, Priyanka Chopra and Hrithik Roshan, set to deliver their trademark energy and style.
The awards have been divided into viewers’ and critics’ choice categories, giving experts and armchair experts alike the chance to decide on who will walk away with the coveted statuettes. The critics’ choice awards will be adjudged by the IPL Awards Jury, comprising of Lalit Modi, cricket legends Sunil Gavaskar, Brian Lara and Javagal Srinath, the world’s leading umpire, Simon Taufel, and respected cricket commentator, Harsha Bhogle.
About IPL Awards:
The IPL Awards will be filmed by COLORS and screened at a time to be confirmed
- Fans can check nominees for each category and vote for their favourites by visiting www.IPLT20.com <http://www.IPLT20.com> or www.IPLAwards.com <http://www.IPLAwards.com>
- The IPL Awards will be produced by Cineyug and DNA Networks
IPL Awards Jury:
- Lalit Modi (Chairperson)
- Sunil Gavaskar
- Brian Lara
- Javagal Srinath
- Simon Taufel and;
- Harsha Bhogle
Awards & Nominee List:
| IPL Jury Awards | ||
| Best Bowler | Best Debutante Player | Most Dramatic Performance |
| 1) Ryan Harris | 1) Michael Lumb | 1) Yusuf Pathan |
| 2) R. Ashwin | 2) Ambati Rayadu | 2) Juan Theron |
| 3) Pragyan Ojha | 3) Kieron Pollard | 3) Harbhajan Singh |
| 4) Harbhajan Singh | 4) Faiz Fazal | 4) David Warner |
| 5) R. Vinay Kumar | 5) M D Mishra | 5) Murali Vijay |
| 6) Zaheer Khan | 6) Shaun Tait | 6) Shane Warne |
| 7) Doug Bollinger | 7) Robin Uthappa | |
| Best Batsman | Most Consistent Performance | Best Fielder |
| 1) Jacques Kallis | 1) Shane Watson | 1) Suresh Raina |
| 2) Sachin Tendulkar | 2) Harbhajan Singh | 2) Keiron Pollard |
| 3) Suresh Raina | 3) Irfan Pathan | 3) Abhishek Jhunjhunwala |
| 4) Murali Vijay | 4) Keiron Pollard | 4) AB De Villiers |
| 5) Robin Uthappa | 5) Andrew Symonds | 5) Yusuf Pathan |
| 6) Albie Morkel | 6) David Warner | |
| Best Breakthrough Performance | Best Stadium Experience | Best Ground |
| 1) Adam Gilchrist | 1) Bengaluru | 1) Bengaluru |
| 2) Brendon McCullum | 2) Chennai | 2) Chennai |
| 3) Sohail Tanveer | 3) Delhi | 3) Delhi |
| 4) Kolkata | ||
| 5) Mumbai – Brabourne Stadium | ||
| 6) Mumbai – D. Y. Patil Stadium | ||
| 7) Mohali | ||
| 8) Ahmedabad | ||
| 9) Jaipur | ||
| 10) Nagpur | ||
| Viewer’s Choice Awards | ||
| Best Bowler | Best Catch | Best Fielder |
| 1) Pragyan Ojha | 1) Yogesh Nagar | 1) Suresh Raina |
| 2) R. Vinay Kumar | 2) Justin Kemp | 2) Keiron Pollard |
| 3) Harbhajan Singh | 3) AB de Villiers | 3) Abhishek Jhunjhunwala |
| 4) R. Ashwin | 4) David Hussey | 4) AB de Villiers |
| 5) Ryan Harris | 5) Doug Bollinger | 5) Yusuf Pathan |
| 6) Keiron Pollard | 6) David Warner | |
| Best IPL Commentator | Most Fan Friendly Cricketer | |
