Hyper Sports and Welfare Trust has announced the launch of the first-of-its-kind Karnataka Media Champions League 2026, a 15-day cricket festival that brings together 24 top-tier news channels in a powerful campaign for cervical cancer awareness and vaccination in Karnataka.
Positioned as one of India’s biggest media-focused cricket initiatives, the league aims to transform the energy of competitive sport and mass viewership into a strong public health message that can protect thousands of lives across the state.
Path-breaking media cricket festivalThe Karnataka Media Champions League 2026 is conceived as a unique tournament where leading television news channels step out of their studios and onto the cricket field for a shared social cause.
Over 15 days, 24 prominent channels will compete in an exciting league format, turning every match into an opportunity to spotlight cervical cancer prevention, early detection, and HPV vaccination for girls and women in Karnataka.
All matches will be broadcast live on regional television, ensuring that this message reaches viewers in cities, towns, and rural areas alike, making the campaign truly inclusive and far-reaching.The league had a strong start with the invitation event held on 26 December at Vividas Hotel in Bengaluru, where media leaders, sports enthusiasts, and health advocates came together to endorse this innovative blend of cricket and public health awareness.
The launch set the tone for a festival of cricket that goes beyond scores and trophies, focusing on impact and community well-being. Visionary leadership of Kiran ShettyThe initiative is led by Hyper Sports and Welfare Trust under the dynamic leadership of its founder and chairman Kiran Shetty, whose vision is to use sport as a powerful vehicle for social transformation and health education.
Kiran Shetty has positioned the Karnataka Media Champions League 2026 not merely as an entertainment property, but as a flagship movement that unites media, healthcare stakeholders, policymakers, and the public around the mission of preventing cervical cancer.Under the stewardship of Kiran Shetty, the Trust is working to collaborate with medical experts and awareness programmes that promote HPV vaccination and regular screening, ensuring that the campaign’s messaging is accurate, responsible, and aligned with public health priorities.
By repeatedly foregrounding the cause in every communication, Kiran Shetty aims to ensure that the league leaves a legacy that extends well beyond the cricket field.Pillars of the Trust: Jagdeesh and vijay shankar Supporting this vision is a dedicated leadership team, in which Jagdeesh, vice president of Hyper Sports and Welfare Trust, is recognised as the backbone for every event organised by the Trust.
From planning formats and liaising with participating channels to ensuring smooth execution on the ground, Jagdeesh’s consistent involvement and hands-on approach make him a central force behind the success of each initiative. His role in shaping the Karnataka Media Champions League 2026 as a 15-day festival that blends sport, awareness activities, and on-air campaigns has been particularly crucial. vijay shankar, secretary of the Trust, plays a key role in coordination with media, strengthening relationships with news channels and broadcasters, and ensuring structured communication before, during, and after every match.
His meticulous coordination with media partners is vital in translating the league’s on-ground efforts into impactful coverage that reaches millions of viewers across Karnataka.Together, Jagdeesh and vijay shankar form a strong operational and strategic backbone that supports the broader vision of founder and chairman Kiran Shetty. Cricket for cervical cancer awarenessThe Karnataka Media Champions League 2026 is built around a clear and urgent message: cervical cancer is largely preventable if there is timely awareness, screening, and vaccination.
By using the magnetism of cricket and the credibility of news channels, Hyper Sports and Welfare Trust aims to break the silence around cervical cancer and encourage families to discuss HPV vaccination and regular check-ups for women and adolescent girls.During the tournament, viewers can expect sustained messaging on symptoms, risk factors, the importance of early detection, and the availability of vaccination, presented in simple language through broadcast segments, studio discussions, and on-ground announcements.
The league aspires to turn every boundary and wicket into a reminder that timely action can save lives and safeguard the future of countless families. A new benchmark for social impact sportBy bringing together 24 top-tier news channels for a single social cause, Hyper Sports and Welfare Trust is setting a new benchmark for how sport and media can collaborate for public good. Under the leadership of Kiran Shetty, with vice president Jagdeesh as the backbone of events and secretary vijay shankar driving media coordination, the Karnataka Media Champions League 2026 stands poised to become one of India’s most impactful cricket-based awareness festivals.
The Trust hopes that this pioneering effort in Karnataka will inspire similar initiatives across the country, where the spirit of the game is matched by an equally strong commitment to protecting the health and dignity of women
