Unseeded Indian women's doubles pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand advanced to the pre-quarterfinals of the BWF World Championships after stunning 16th seeds Lauren Lam and Allison Quynh Lee of the United States.
Noted scientist Prof V Ramgopal Rao highlights India's significant progress in higher education and research but points out a critical gap in converting scientific discoveries into market-ready technologies. He advocates for a robust institutional framework, multidisciplinary collaboration, and stronger academia-industry ties to foster innovation and translate research into practical products.
The Asian Junior Classical Championship in Mumbai saw top seed Mayank Chakraborty win his opening match, while other leading contenders Vignesh Advaith Vemula and Akhilbay Imangali were held to draws. The girls' section witnessed several upsets, with lower-rated players securing draws or victories against higher-rated opponents. The tournament features a strong field of 85 players from nine federations, including International Masters and FIDE Masters.
The Sports Ministry has approved a 492-member Indian contingent, comprising 265 male and 227 female athletes, for the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Athletics forms the largest group with 73 participants, including star athletes like Neeraj Chopra and Jyothi Yarraji. Other prominent sports like shooting, weightlifting, badminton, boxing, and wrestling also feature strong teams, with some adjustments made due to doping violations.
Mumbai Indians' cryptic Instagram post has ignited fresh speculation about Hardik Pandya's IPL future.
FC Goa has been drawn into a challenging group for the AFC Challenge League 2026-27, Asia's third-tier men's club competition. They will face Qadsia SC of Kuwait, Fortis FC of Bangladesh, and FC Regar-TadAZ of Tajikistan in Group C, with matches hosted in Kuwait. This follows their recent exit from the AFC Champions League 2 preliminary stage.
A bank employee in Lucknow allegedly shot dead his wife and sister before taking his own life, reportedly due to marital discord. The incident involved shootings outside an ICICI Bank branch and at his home, with the accused posting a WhatsApp status alleging 'betrayal' by his wife.
Harry Kane, the prolific striker for Bayern Munich, has stated that the Premier League no longer holds the same appeal for him, despite previous speculation about his return to England.
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 world motorsport body FIA has strongly endorsed 11-year-old Indian racer Atiqa Mir, highlighting her as a rising star redefining the future of the sport. Atiqa, the first Indian backed by the F1 Academy, has achieved significant success in European karting series, including a pole position and top-10 finishes in FIA European Championship rounds.
The Bombay High Court has ordered the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to pay Rs 5 lakh compensation to a Pune-based sweets shop. The court criticised the FDA for suspending the shop's license despite a 98 per cent compliance report, calling its policy "strange and perverse" and stating the regulator was "going overboard."
The Jharkhand government has cancelled 44 recruitment examinations conducted by the state Public Service Commission (JPSC) and an outsourced agency since 2014, including the JSSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) examination, following a 25-day student agitation over alleged irregularities. This decision has led to protests from around 2,000 candidates who had already been appointed to various state government departments after clearing the JSSC-CGL exam.
A fresh clash erupted between protesters from Assam and Arunachal Pradesh in Dhemaji district, leading to police firing in the air, as an indefinite economic blockade against Arunachal Pradesh entered its second day over land encroachment issues and an earlier firing incident.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has accused the BJP of being 'anti-religion' following an alleged 'purification' ritual after his speech in Uttarakhand, and challenged the ruling party's claims of patriotism, questioning their involvement in India's independence struggle.
The Indian women's hockey team secured a dominant 6-1 victory over South Africa in the FIH World Cup, marking their first win of the tournament. Multiple players scored for India, achieving their biggest World Cup win, and setting them up for their next match against England.
Denmark's football association (DBU) has declared it has lost confidence in FIFA President Gianni Infantino and will seek a credible alternative for the 2027 election, citing a 'fundamental crisis of confidence' over his aborted proposal to sell commercial stakes in FIFA tournaments.
Clement Vandenkerckhove, a 26-year-old Belgian car salesman, has been formally recognised as the son of Prince Laurent of Belgium, ending a long-standing paternity dispute. This recognition grants him royal status and a share of his father's estate, though he plans to keep his mother's surname.
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.
Indian golfers Shubhankar Sharma and Yuvraj Sandhu had a challenging opening round at the Nexo Championship in Scotland, with Sharma tied 38th and Sandhu tied 62nd amidst strong winds. Sweden's Marcus Kinhult leads the tournament.
Indian benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, closed flat on Friday, with elevated crude oil prices due to geopolitical uncertainties and a rebound in US Treasury yields making investors cautious and preventing a decisive market rally.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla has resigned from all his party positions and primary membership, citing pressing financial and personal circumstances. He had initially offered to resign on July 30, but the party requested him to reconsider. Poonawalla confirmed his final decision on Monday, stating he would move into the private sector but continue to support Prime Minister Modi's vision.
Researchers at IIT (ISM) Dhanbad have secured a patent for a novel temperature-independent optical sensor designed to precisely measure structural tilt in two directions. This lightweight sensor, utilising Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) technology, offers enhanced monitoring capabilities for various applications including bridges, robotics, aerospace, and geotechnical systems, promising low maintenance and long-term stability checks.
The Supreme Court has extended its order staying the arrest of Sumit Roy, personal assistant to Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, in connection with the Salboni land-grabbing case. The West Bengal government alleged Roy was not cooperating with the probe, while Roy's counsel argued he has a right to silence and the case is politically motivated. The court will review a sealed cover report from the police before further proceedings.
As NSRCEL enters its next phase, the incubator plans to focus on AI, deep technology and global partnerships as it looks to expand its reach.
National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) Director-General Anant Kumar highlighted the need for a collective effort from all stakeholders in the Indian sports ecosystem to reduce doping incidents. He made these remarks during a National Roundtable on Doping Prevention in Sports, which discussed various factors contributing to doping and strategies for prevention.
Axis Bank has opened 50 new branches across India, while Abakkus Mutual Fund has surpassed Rs 10,000 crore in AUM. YES Bank launched a new credit card for women, and J&K Bank partnered with HDFC Life to enhance its insurance offerings, showcasing significant growth and strategic developments in the Indian financial sector.
The Congress Working Committee has decided to adhere to its 1937 resolution, mandating that only the first two stanzas of 'Vande Mataram' be sung at all party events, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from the BJP, which labelled the Congress the 'new Muslim League'.
The last major business daily to launch in India was Financial Chronicle in April 2008, preceded by Mint on February 1, 2007.
Three months after winning power in West Bengal, the BJP is confronting a significant political challenge: how to expand and consolidate its presence without adopting the very political culture it campaigned against, particularly concerning the integration of former TMC leaders and the need to curb practices like extortion and intimidation among its own cadres.
More than half of the bills introduced in the 18th Lok Sabha have been passed by both Houses in the same session, a significant acceleration compared to previous terms, raising concerns about the time available for legislative scrutiny and stakeholder consultations.
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.
Ten people, including a 3-month-old baby, were injured when a hydraulic crane toppled onto houses in Mumbai's Kurla East during preparations for demolition work, affecting goods train movement and damaging vehicles.
Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has expressed comfort with his current squad despite ongoing transfer uncertainty, acknowledging that key players Rodri and Savinho have made their desire to leave clear, while the club remains prepared for further movements before the transfer window closes.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has renewed his call for the restoration of special status and statehood to the region, asserting that the decision to accede to India 80 years ago was correct. He highlighted the importance of upholding India's federal structure and suggested that if Article 370 hadn't been revoked, PoK residents might be seeking reunification. Abdullah also criticised centralised governance models, arguing they erode state autonomy.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has urged his Arunachal Pradesh counterpart, Pema Khandu, to order an inquiry into a recent firing incident along the inter-state border that injured 12 people from Assam. The incident occurred amidst ongoing efforts to resolve long-standing boundary disputes between the two northeastern states, with Sarma emphasising the need for cooperation despite the setback.
The Sports Ministry is set to commence the nomination process for the National Sports Awards next month, following a delayed announcement of the 2025 awards. The delay was due to a re-evaluation process aimed at preserving the integrity of the honours, which resulted in no Khel Ratna awardee for 2025 and fewer Arjuna awardees than recommended. The article also details the criteria for these prestigious awards and highlights some of the notable Arjuna awardees for 2025.
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.
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.
Govinda's wife Sunita Ahuja has withdrawn her divorce petition against him.
Reserve Bank Deputy Governor S C Murmu has highlighted the "cash paradox" where currency in circulation continues to grow despite a significant increase in digital payments. This trend complicates the RBI's forecasting and planning for currency production and distribution, prompting the central bank to seek solutions and explore ways to extend banknote life and reduce the carbon footprint of the cash cycle.
