Joga Purty and Deepu Mallesh, India's speed climbing representatives, are set to make their Asian Games debut. The athletes, who discovered the sport through different paths, discuss their journeys, the challenges of pursuing a niche sport, and their excitement for the upcoming competition, where India aims for its first climbing medal. They also highlight the need for better support and exposure for the sport in India.
'People usually send audition videos, but I didn't even send one because I never planned to participate.' 'I had gone there to prepare my students for the auditions.' 'Eventually, I ended up competing and became the winner.'
Esha Singh reveals how her mother's blunt 'shut up and sleep' advice helped her overcome pressure and win silver in the Asian Games 25m pistol.
Prachiti Nagpurkar, a former chartered accountant, has made history as the first Indian to referee a mixed martial arts (MMA) bout at the Asian Games in Nagoya. She left her lucrative profession to pursue her passion for MMA, where she also owns a gym and trains fighters. Nagpurkar advocates for women in male-dominated sports, expressing pride in her role as a female official in the cage.
India's Dhiraj Bommadevara has set a new Asian Games men's recurve qualification record with 698 points, topping the standings in Okazaki City, Japan, and securing a bye into the second round of the individual elimination draw. This performance follows his recent World Cup Final triumph.
Avengers: Endgame Encore adds four crucial scenes that connect the old MCU to Avengers: Doomsday, from Loki's shocking return to Doctor Doom's sinister plans for the multiverse.
Deaf and non-verbal since birth, Sana Bahadar has found her voice through squash, overcoming financial and communication barriers while reaching the Asian Games and targeting the world top 100.
Matthew Breetzke's century led South Africa to a 67-run victory over Australia in the first ODI in Durban. Despite a strong start, Australia's chase faltered due to poor shot selection, losing nine wickets for 101 runs. South Africa posted 297/8, with Breetzke scoring 112 and Marco Jansen adding 75. Australian captain Mitch Marsh expressed disappointment over the team's inability to form partnerships.
'And now since Lakshmi Mittal owns Rajasthan Royals, he will never let Vaibhav Sooryavanshi go anywhere. And if it ever happens, not just me... the entire IPL world of owners are waiting.'
MS Dhoni's reported bid for a stake in Chennai Super Kings has been denied by the franchise, which said the former captain never approached them about buying a share in the IPL team.
The Ramayana event was a mixed bag. Here's why.
India's teenage squash sensation Anahat Singh staged a remarkable comeback from two games down to defeat Japan's Satomi Watanabe and reach the Asian Games women's singles final. Her victory puts her one step closer to securing a direct qualification spot for the 2028 Olympics, a thought that motivated her throughout the challenging semifinal match.
Mushtaq Khan, celebrated for his memorable roles in films like Welcome and Gadar: Ek Prem Katha, passed away after a battle with cancer.
Prachiti Nagpurkar, a former chartered accountant, has made history as the first Indian to referee a mixed martial arts (MMA) bout at the Asian Games in Nagoya. She left her lucrative profession to pursue her passion for MMA, where she also owns a gym and trains fighters. Nagpurkar advocates for women in male-dominated sports, expressing pride in her role as a female official in the cage.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has urged significant investment in AI infrastructure, semiconductors, and quantum technology, identifying them as India's next major growth frontiers. Speaking at an IIT Madras Alumni Association event, she emphasized the need to build hardware, skills, and institutional ecosystems to harness these technologies, countering perceptions that India is lagging in AI. Sitharaman also highlighted the potential for increased investment in defence production, particularly in unmanned systems and drones, stressing collaboration between academia and industry.
'Giving up is very easy. But don't give up. Try out whatever you can. Something will happen.'
'I can't imagine anybody else doing the kind of things he did in the war,' Group Captain Deb Gohain asserts about Flight Lieutenant Alfred Tyrone Cook, the 1965 War hero who passed into the ages last week.
Zepto is sharply scaling back Zepto Cafe, closing hundreds of outlets and shrinking its menu as it reworks the business.
Researchers have developed a new atomic clock using the element lutetium, which they claim is the most stable and accurate in the world. This clock can measure a trillionth of a second precisely and is highly resilient to environmental changes like temperature and magnetic fields, making it a significant advancement in timekeeping technology.
Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray has threatened legal action if the "character assassination" campaign targeting his family over the 2020 Disha Salian death case does not cease. His son, Aaditya Thackeray, also denied any connection to Salian, whose death is now under CBI investigation following a Bombay High Court order.
The Indian men's hockey team secured a dominant 8-2 victory over Korea at the Asian Games, largely thanks to a hat-trick from striker Dilpreet Singh. This win marks India's third consecutive triumph, placing them at the top of Pool A and virtually guaranteeing a spot in the semifinals.
The Indian men's team continued its fine performance, defeating Spain 3-1, with World champion D Gukesh showing the way with a very clean victory over former world championship challenger Alexei Shirov.
Mention Anant Nag to almost anyone in Karnataka and the reaction is immediate: 'Anant? Oh my God! What a fascinating man!' 'Such an intellectual. Such a great speaker. Brilliant actor.'
Indian athletes secured five medals, including two silvers, at the ongoing Asian Games in Nagoya. Long jumper Ancy Sojan and high jumper Sarvesh Kushare each won silver, while decathlete Tejaswin Shankar, 3000m steeplechaser Parul Chaudhary, and 200m runner Harita Bhadra clinched bronze medals, contributing to India's growing tally.
'If the intention was simply to replicate what's already been done elsewhere, there was no need for a committee at all -- there's already an Act passed there (in Uttarakhand); just copy it, paste it, and you're done. Why waste everyone's time convening a panel for that?'
Indian badminton players, including PV Sindhu and Unnati Hooda, were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Asian Games individual competitions, failing to secure any medals.
India, through First Secretary Petal Gahlot, strongly criticised Pakistan at the UN General Assembly, labelling it a "puppet regime" and warning of consequences for its continued support of terrorism. This came after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif raised the Kashmir issue and credited Donald Trump for intervening in a hypothetical 2025 conflict. India highlighted Pakistan's internal political issues, its history with Osama Bin Laden, and the human rights situation in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, while also condemning its blasphemy laws and treatment of minorities.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, addressing the UN General Assembly, condemned the targeting of commercial shipping and seafarers in the Gulf, calling it "simply unacceptable." He also voiced deep concern over the "weaponisation of everything," which he stated has severe consequences for Global South nations, impacting peace, progress, and development globally. India urged restraint, de-escalation, and protection of civilians, while also highlighting the 4F crisis (food, fuel, fertiliser, finance) faced by developing countries.
From Filhaal to Daayra, we look at Meghna Gulzar's filmmaking journey, including the highs of Talvar and Raazi and the films that fell short.
Indian archers Dhiraj Bommadevara and Chikitha Taniparthi delivered exceptional performances at the Asian Games archery qualification, topping individual recurve and compound events respectively. Their strong showing also secured high team seedings, setting India up for a promising medal hunt, especially in compound events where they are defending champions.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the withdrawal of all cases against the Kurmi community filed by the previous TMC government. He also pledged to include Kurmali and Rajbanshi languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution and reactivate the Kurmi Development Board, allocating Rs 50 crore for community development.
India's men's and women's kabaddi teams continued their winning streak at the Asian Games, securing comprehensive victories against Bangladesh and Iran respectively. The women's team defeated 2018 gold medallist Iran 37-23, while the men's team beat Bangladesh 48-25, showcasing their strong performance and aiming for gold.
Iran's star striker Sardar Azmoun has been recalled to the national football team, four months after his controversial omission from the World Cup roster. His return follows a social media post that reportedly angered Iranian authorities. Azmoun expressed his joy and readiness to fight for his country as Iran prepares for the Asian Cup.
In Rediff's new series on modern marriages, young couples from across India discuss how they deal with differences of opinion, lifestyle preferences and personal choices. Here, Tanya* tells Rishika Shah/Rediff how discovering that her husband met his ex-girlfriend left her struggling to rebuild trust, even though she has no proof that he cheated.
A stranded message that failed for three days over telephone lines was delivered in minutes by a MiG-21 pilot flying above the desert.
The Indian men's and women's chess teams delivered strong performances at the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, with the men's team defeating Spain 3-1 and the women's team securing an identical 3-1 victory over Mongolia. World champion D Gukesh led the men's success with a clean win against Alexei Shirov, while Arjun Erigaisi also contributed significantly. In the women's section, B Savitha Shri and Divya Deshmukh were instrumental in their team's win.
'The biggest difference between our marriage and that of our parents' generation is not simply that times have changed. It is that modern marriages require two people to continuously understand, support and adapt to each other while navigating a much more demanding world,' says Rahul Kulkarni.
A 70-year-old mother in Azamgarh recounts the tragic loss of her second son, Arvind Singh, who allegedly shot dead his wife and two priests before being killed in a police encounter. The incident followed an argument during a religious ritual, leaving three children orphaned and traumatised.
Hunkkaar: The Roar is a fairly familiar fight for justice that builds far too many flimsy narratives around its core conflict, runs out of ammunition and speaks out of turn in a needlessly cussing tone, notes Sukanya Verma.
Bihar-born Abhishek Anand's journey from tennis-ball cricket and IIT Kanpur to Japan's national team has culminated in a historic opportunity to face India on Tuesday.
