Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi discusses D Gukesh's mental strength challenge for his World Championship defence against Javokhir Sindarov, highlighting Gukesh's recent inconsistent form. Vidit also assesses India's strong prospects for the upcoming Chess Olympiad, praising the form of players like Praggnanandhaa, Erigaisi, and Sarin, while cautioning against overconfidence. He also reflects on his Arjuna Award and the need for better organisation in chess formats.
Sonal Dinusha's maiden Test hundred sparked Sri Lanka's fightback in Galle, but India retained firm control after bowling out the hosts for 284 to secure a 178-run lead.
Bangladesh has not yet decided on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit to India for the upcoming BRICS summit, with his office stating that Dhaka is awaiting New Delhi's response to its request for the extradition of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and other 'fugitive criminals' currently residing in India.
Australia's top-scorer Steve Smith admitted he believed he nicked the ball during a DRS review on day one of the first Test against Bangladesh in Darwin, despite the not-out decision being upheld. His crucial innings of 71 helped Australia reach 198, but Bangladesh finished the day strongly at 96 for one, trailing by 102 runs.
A delegation from the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) visited Kolkata to inspect venues and infrastructure for the upcoming international friendly against India on October 3. The inspection covered the stadium, training facilities, accommodation, and security, with West Bengal's Sports Minister assuring world-class arrangements.
Virat Kohli, who debuted 18 years ago, has amassed over 28,000 international runs and 85 centuries, establishing himself as one of cricket's all-time greats with numerous unmatched records across all formats.
JNU Professor Emerita Zoya Hasan's Independence Day speech at a private school in Delhi was cancelled following a protest by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). The school and police cited security concerns, a decision criticised by Sahmat, which alleged pressure from the VHP.
Indian benchmark equity indices, Sensex and Nifty, traded marginally higher in early deals despite cautious global cues stemming from elevated crude oil prices due to geopolitical uncertainties and a sharp fall in US markets. Track Sensex, Nifty on August 21, 2026.
The UTT National Ranking Table Tennis Championships in Kanpur witnessed top seed Manush Shah narrowly escape an upset in the men's singles, while the women's singles draw experienced significant upheavals with several seeded players, including eighth-seeded Sayali Wani, making early exits after intense five-game battles.
According to former India coach Rahul Dravid, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's development must balance white-ball success with sustained red-ball exposure, giving the teenager time, patience and experience to eventually become a Test cricketer.
A special NIA court in Jammu has rejected the bail plea of Insha Jan alias Insha Tariq, an accused in the 2019 Pulwama suicide attack that killed 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel, observing that sufficient material existed on record to presume that the accusations against her were prima facie true.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu expressed disappointment after her pre-quarterfinal defeat at the World Championships, suggesting her opponent Wang Zhi Yi's mid-match cramps might have been tactical. Sindhu also reflected on her own performance, acknowledging the need for greater patience and improved stroke-making, while vowing to continue her pursuit of a sixth World Championships medal.
BJP MLA Sumitro Chatterjee, a descendant of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, has demanded an unconditional apology from Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi. This demand follows an alleged incident at the AICC headquarters on Independence Day, where Chatterjee claims there were attempts to prevent the full singing of "Vande Mataram," which he described as a "shameless repetition of a historical mistake."
Educator and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has stated his hunger has 'stabilised' on the 13th day of his indefinite fast, asserting his constitutional right to protest should not be violated by attempts to remove him from the site. He continues to support the Cockroach Janta Party's (CJP) demands for Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation and government accountability over alleged examination irregularities, as well as an early resolution for Ladakh's issues.
The Wagener Stadium, site of a historic 1973 India-Pakistan hockey World Cup semifinal, is set to host another clash between the arch-rivals. Former captain M P Ganesh recounts the intense 1-0 victory for India in 1973, highlighting the fierce competition and political undertones of the era.
Devdutt Padikkal and KL Rahul performed well, but India captain Shubman Gill had a disappointing outing, getting dismissed for 16 runs. His dismissal, attempting a lofted shot against Prabath Jayasuriya on a flat pitch, led to significant criticism from fans on social media, who questioned his shot selection and recent form.
Indian golfer Pranavi Urs showed improvement in the second round of the VP Bank Swiss Ladies Open, moving to T-24. While Urs progressed, fellow Indian golfers Tvesa Malik and Diksha Dagar faced challenges, with Dagar at risk of missing the cut. Sweden's Kajsa Arwefjall leads the tournament, maintaining a strong performance.
'For someone who found his patriotism for India while living in America, this is a very momentous occasion.'
Lingam Ravindra Rao, 72, and his 17-year-old grandson, Anuraag Pokuri, have successfully scaled Mount Elbrus, Europe's highest peak. Rao is now the oldest Indian to achieve this feat, while Anuraag is the youngest Indian-origin person to climb both the West and East peaks back-to-back. This remarkable expedition highlights their shared passion for mountaineering and their ambition to complete the Seven Summits.
A heated exchange between Australian pacer Mitchell Starc and Bangladesh's Mehidy Hasan Miraz during the first Test has gone viral, after Starc confronted Miraz for running across the pitch's danger area.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged girl students to "smash patriarchy" and criticised the "Manusmriti mindset" during an interaction in Pune, highlighting issues of sexual harassment, safety, and economic independence for women.
Indian golfers Shubhankar Sharma and Yuvraj Sandhu had a challenging start at the Danish Golf Championship, with Sharma likely to miss the cut after a 2-over 74. Frenchman Felix Mory set a course record with a 7-under 65 to take the lead.
Pakistan hockey captain Abu Bakar Mahmood expressed confidence in his team's ability to defeat arch-rivals India at the upcoming FIH World Cup, stating that "rankings don't matter" in such high-stakes encounters and performance on the day is key.
Hull City marked their Premier League return after nine years with a deserved 2-0 victory over Manchester United, exposing flaws in Michael Carrick's promising side.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will get a golden chance to improve upon his none too impressive first class numbers when East Zone take on the severely inexperienced North East Zone in the quarter-final of the Duleep Trophy.
Students in Jharkhand are intensifying their protests against alleged irregularities in state recruitment examinations, demanding Chief Minister Hemant Soren's resignation and planning to gherao his residence on August 20, while the CM assures impartial investigations and systemic reforms.
Congress-ruled states, including Karnataka, Kerala, and Telangana, are preparing to challenge the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026, in the Supreme Court. They allege the new law undermines states' rights by restricting their powers to levy taxes on mineral resources, a claim the Centre denies, stating it aims for uniform mineral rates.
Authorities in New Delhi have demolished structures outside the Pakistan high commission, citing a breach of approved boundaries, in a move that mirrors Pakistan's recent removal of barricades outside the Indian high commission in Islamabad.
Two individuals have died and 19 others have been hospitalised in Gujarat's Bhavnagar district after consuming spurious liquor. Authorities have detained four bootleggers and are investigating the source of the duplicate Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) bottles, which are believed to have originated from Madhya Pradesh. Gujarat is a dry state where alcohol is banned.
Girls at a government-run residential school in Lucknow staged a protest, the second in four days, demanding more teachers and better class conduct. The demonstration disrupted traffic, leading to official intervention and ongoing discussions with students regarding their grievances, which include a lack of science teachers despite approaching board exams.
Devdutt Padikkal scored his maiden Test hundred against Sri Lanka, attributing his success to a clear strategy against spin and a strong desire to convert big scores. He focused on developing specific plans for bowlers and maintaining full commitment to every shot, while also emphasising the importance of staying focused after reaching a century.
Riya tells Divya Nair how a brief separation from her husband gave her clarity and encouraged her to make peace with her mother-in-law.
This rustic khichdi is the epitome of ghar ka khanna. Whole masoor dal is cooked with rice, spices and coconut milk and served with a generous blob of ghee.
India's Devdutt Padikkal struck his maiden Test hundred to underline his credentials for the number three slot and propelled the tourists to a commanding 288-2 in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle on Saturday.
Kashmir witnessed its first-ever underwater Tiranga rally, as water sports athletes carried the national flag beneath Pokribal lake ahead of Independence Day.
'There are days where I feel things are not going my way. I feel helpless, dejected and rejected.' 'But then what do you do? You wake up, dust it off and go.'
Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles (TMPV) reported Q1FY27 results showing significant margin pressures at both Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) and its domestic operations, despite strong volume growth in the India business. Analysts expect these margin headwinds to persist, potentially offsetting gains from increased sales and new launches.
Indian benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty continued their upward trend for a second consecutive day, with the Sensex gaining over 800 points, driven by strong performances from heavyweights like Reliance Industries, ICICI Bank, and HDFC Bank, alongside positive cues from easing crude oil prices and robust IT sector earnings.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has cancelled the JSSC-CGL exam and all tests conducted by outsourced agency TDPL since 2014, following widespread protests by job aspirants over alleged irregularities. An examination reforms committee has been formed, while some protesters continue to demand a CBI probe.
'It's in the magic realism/supernatural space and I'm very excited about it.'
