Mirabai Chanu secured a silver medal in the women's 49kg weightlifting category at the Asian Games in Nagoya, ending her 12-year pursuit for this elusive honour. This marks India's first Asian Games weightlifting medal since 1998. Chanu expressed immense relief and joy, calling it a dream fulfilled and her life complete. She also discussed her future plans regarding the 2028 Olympics' 53kg category.
Lalremsiami Hmarzote, Mizoram's first female Olympian and Asian Games medallist, is now India's offensive lynchpin, aiming for a first Asian Games hockey gold since 1982, after overcoming initial family resistance and training on dirt pitches.
Double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker and defending shot put champion Tajinderpal Singh Toor have been named India's flag-bearers for the Asian Games opening ceremony. Both athletes have significant achievements, with Bhaker making history at the Paris Olympics and Toor winning gold in previous Asian Games editions. Their selection highlights the importance of shooting and athletics to India's medal tally.
India's Quimcy Dsouza lost her Teqball women's singles semifinal match to Indonesia's Sumaya in a gruelling three-game contest at the Asian Games. Despite the defeat, Dsouza remains in contention for a bronze medal and is scheduled to compete in the playoff.
Thea Frodin made her US Open debut on Tuesday but one dream remains unfulfilled for the 17-year-old, who is still waiting to meet Serena Williams five years after appearing as the American's tennis double in the film King Richard.
Five years after playing young Serena Williams' tennis double in 'King Richard', 17-year-old Thea Frodin makes her US Open main-draw debut against Elena Rybakina.
At 41, Roelof van der Merwe aims to conclude his international cricket career at the upcoming ODI World Cup, ideally in Centurion, South Africa, representing the Netherlands. He discusses his dedication to national duty over franchise cricket, his fitness goals for future World Cups, and his continued impact as a left-arm spinner and fielder. He also highlights the potential of the European T20 Premier League to unearth new talent.
Several pilgrims from Tamil Nadu, including Ilavarasi and Chitra, have gone missing in Nepal following devastating flash floods, leaving their families distraught and appealing for urgent government rescue efforts.
Long jumper Ancy Sojan secured a silver medal for India at the Asian Games, bringing immense joy to her family in Nattika, Keralam, despite initial hopes for gold. Her parents, Sojan and Jansy, expressed happiness over the medal but noted that adverse weather conditions impacted her performance. The family now aims for Ancy to compete at the World Championship level.
Lamine Yamal has made Champions League glory his primary target, aiming to help Barcelona end their 11-year European drought while embracing greater leadership responsibility.
Veteran Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja lauded young spinner Manav Suthar's opening delivery in the first Test against Sri Lanka, describing it as a 'left-arm spinner's dream ball' after it dismissed Dinesh Chandimal with sharp turn and bounce.
Leg-spin all-rounder Vipraj Nigam has been named as the replacement for senior spinner Varun Chakravarthy in India's Asian Games cricket squad. Chakravarthy was ruled out due to a side strain, marking a setback after his recent return from injury. Nigam, a Delhi Capitals player, brings IPL experience to the team.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his 80th Independence Day address, expressed strong confidence that India will achieve developed nation status by 2047, urging citizens to embrace big dreams and unwavering resolve to realise 'Viksit Bharat'. He highlighted India's economic transformation and significant growth in various sectors, including defence production, electronic manufacturing, and mobile phone production.
Five young Indian women's hockey players - Ishika, Lalthantluangi, Sakshi Rana, Shilpi Dabas, and Sunelita Toppo - are set to make their World Cup debut, having overcome various challenges and long waits to reach this significant milestone.
Indian MMA fighter Varun Sanyal was forced to withdraw from the Asian Games after blacking out during a solo weight-cutting session, citing a lack of support staff. He expressed disappointment but also pride in the team's overall medal performance despite logistical challenges and his late inclusion in the squad.
Rani Mukerji's mother, Krishna Mukherjee, passed away after a brief illness.
Michael Carrick faces his biggest test as Manchester United's permanent manager when rising expectations, an indifferent league start and last season's revival meet Manchester City in Sunday's derby.
Rediff Movies columnist Dinesh Raheja's second book of poems ... Unfulfilled Desires will release on August 14.
World number two Elena Rybakina defeated Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-2 6-4 to progress to the third round of the U.S. Open. Rybakina, aiming for a third Grand Slam title and the top WTA ranking, showcased a dominant performance despite a late service break. She expressed happiness with her win and her recovery from fitness doubts, setting up a clash with Yuliia Starodubtseva.
Star Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu won a silver medal in the women's 49kg event at the Asian Games, ending a 12-year wait for this prestigious honour. This marks India's first Asian Games weightlifting medal since 1998, adding to Chanu's impressive collection of Olympic, World, and Commonwealth medals.
Kartik Aaryan, Yami Gautam were honoured at the 72nd National Film Awards.
Indian rower Salman Khan, who once worked as an Uber driver, has won a historic bronze medal in men's double sculls at the Asian Games. His journey from supporting his family after his father's death to joining the Indian Army and becoming an Asian Games medallist is truly inspiring.
Star Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu has secured a silver medal in the women's 49kg event at the Asian Games, ending a 12-year pursuit for the prestigious continental honour. This marks India's first weightlifting medal at the Asian Games since 1998, adding to Chanu's impressive collection which includes an Olympic silver.
Star Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu has finally secured an Asian Games medal, winning silver in the women's 49kg event in Nagoya. This achievement marks India's first weightlifting medal at the Asian Games since 1998 and completes Chanu's impressive collection of accolades, including an Olympic silver and World Championship titles.
India's Anahat Singh has become the first Indian to win the World Junior Squash Championship, defeating Ruqayya Salem of Egypt in the final. The 18-year-old expressed her joy, calling the victory a dream come true, especially as it was her last year on the junior circuit. Her win is hailed as a historic moment for Indian squash.
Tilak Varma, despite his white-ball success, expresses a strong desire to play Test cricket for India, considering red-ball cricket his true strength. He discusses the challenges of balancing international white-ball commitments with domestic red-ball opportunities and his eagerness to participate in the Duleep Trophy final amidst a tight schedule.
The 146th US Open begins with Novak Djokovic aiming for a record 25th Grand Slam title and Jessica Pegula hoping to secure her first major on home soil.
Chinese lucky loser Bu Yunchaokete caused a major upset at the U.S. Open, defeating 12th seed Rafael Jodar in straight sets. Jodar, a former junior champion, struggled with unforced errors, allowing Bu to secure his first-ever Grand Slam main-draw victory after entering the tournament as a last-minute replacement.
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha and Norway striker Erling Haaland have been named in the fan-voted FIFA World Cup dream team, with both rewarded for standout performances during unexpected runs by their teams.
Mairaj Ahmad Khan, a 50-year-old Indian skeet shooter, is set to compete in his fourth Asian Games, showcasing remarkable longevity. The article traces his unique journey from a promising cricketer, who even played with Virender Sehwag, to becoming a decorated shooter with Olympic appearances and World Cup medals. Despite past disappointments, Khan approaches the upcoming games with renewed spirit, embodying wisdom gained over decades in sport.
Indian tourists are abandoning their trips to Nepal and returning via the Sonauli border due to severe flooding, which has disrupted road connectivity and raised safety concerns. The floods have caused a high death toll and left nearly 1,000 people missing, including many foreign nationals, significantly impacting Nepal's tourism sector.
Injuries have forced England's 36-year-old express fast bowler Mark Wood to retire from international cricket after an 11-year career yielding 253 wickets across all formats.
Mumbai-born Indian youth international Yohaan Benjamin has signed a two-year deal with Portuguese club Guarda FC, marking a significant step in his European football career. This move aligns with Guarda FC's strategy to develop talent from emerging football markets like India. Benjamin, a midfielder, previously played for Shillong Lajong, where he achieved success in the Shillong Premier League.
Trans-athlete Anaya Bangar, daughter of former India cricketer Sanjay Bangar, has been cleared to play community-level cricket in Australia and is aiming for the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) by March 2027, following her gender-affirming surgery and Cricket Australia's comprehensive review of her case.
Jay Meena dreamed of becoming a cricketer, but fate had other plans.
Indian long-distance runner Seema won a bronze medal in the women's 10,000m race at the Asian Games. She revealed that she kept her participation a secret from her 78-year-old mother, who suffers from high blood pressure and worries excessively when Seema travels. Seema, from Himachal Pradesh, is only the third Indian woman to medal in this event at the Asian Games and plans to compete in the 5000m race to try for a different medal. She credits her training under Scott Simon for her success.
India added significantly to its Asian Games medal tally with strong performances across athletics, squash, and boxing. Ancy Sojan and Sarvesh Kushare secured silver medals in long jump and high jump respectively, while Parul Chaudhary and Harita Bhadra earned bronzes. Despite high hopes, Indian squash players missed out on Olympic berths, settling for silvers. Boxing saw three athletes advance to semifinals, assuring more medals, though individual badminton campaigns concluded without a medal.
Fariba Hashimi, who disguised herself as a man and faced attacks while cycling in Afghanistan, fled to Italy and now uses her Asian Games journey to inspire women.
Sreeti Mukerhi's cliched coming-of-age delivers its moments of sass but never quite defines the age of confusion, sighs Sukanya Verma.
'The groom is not a privilege, he is a responsibility. The bride is not a responsibility, she is a privilege. Yeh Prem Mol Liya revolves around this thought.'
