Subbaraman Vijayalakshmi, India's first female International Master and Women's Grandmaster, asserts that India is the strongest chess-playing nation globally and will only grow stronger. She highlights Chennai's pivotal role in this revolution, crediting pioneers like Manuel Aaron and Vishwanathan Anand, and expresses confidence in the next generation, including Gukesh and Vaishali. Vijayalakshmi also reflects on her own career, a near-miss men's GM title, and her plans for a comeback after a personal tragedy.
India's Senior B and Men's A bridge teams have successfully advanced to the semifinals of the fifth Asia Cup Bridge Championship, held in Panaji. The Senior B team topped the Swiss league, while the Men's A team secured a third-place finish, setting the stage for Friday's knockout rounds.
India's top shooters will compete in National Selection Trials 3 in Delhi to secure spots in the national squad for upcoming international competitions. The trials will feature Olympic disciplines and rifle prone competitions.
All India junior ranking medallists Tanvi Patri and Abhinav Garg will spearhead the Indian contingent at the Badminton Asia Junior (U-19) championships in Yatsushiro, Japan, from June 26 to July 5. The Badminton Association of India (BAI) is confident of a strong performance and multiple medals from the squad, which includes direct selections and players chosen through trials.
Indian women's assistant volleyball coach Radhika Paruchuri believes that franchise-based leagues, like the upcoming Volleyball Champions League, are crucial for transforming Indian volleyball. She highlights their potential to provide much-needed match exposure for young players, strengthen the talent pipeline, and help identify and nurture new talent, ultimately raising the standard of the sport in India. Paruchuri also notes the decline in Indian women's volleyball due to a lack of international exposure and domestic competition, which these leagues aim to address.
A national record holder at just 18, Uttar Pradesh athlete Anushka Yadav has a simple wish -- to make hammer throw match the popularity of javelin which has a massive fan following in the country.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju expressed confidence that Indian fencers will secure medals at the upcoming Asian Games and qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. He emphasized the need to popularize fencing in India, highlighting its potential to capture the youth's imagination and its significant medal opportunities at the Olympics. Rijiju also commented on the government's non-interference policy regarding sports federations' internal affairs, specifically addressing the Manika Batra selection issue.
Former champion Dinesh Khanna sees similarities between his 1965 Badminton Asia Championships win and Ayush Shetty's current run in the tournament.
Railways Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) players Jeet Chandra and Anirban Ghosh won the men's doubles title at the 87th UTT Senior National Table Tennis Championships. Sutirtha Mukherjee and Kaushani Nath secured the women's doubles title. The men's and women's singles pre-quarterfinals saw both expected wins and upsets, setting the stage for intense quarterfinal matches.
Reigning 48kg world champion Meenakshi Hooda, scheduled to fight in the opening bout in the women's section, was seen curled up on a yoga mat inside the hall late afternoon, conserving energy while waiting for word on when she would fight.
Teenage sprinter Gout Gout won the men's under-20 100 metres at the Australian junior championships in Brisbane, clocking 10.21 seconds.
The Meghalaya Football Association (MFA) felicitated state footballers Sanfida Nongrum and Ribansi Jamu for their pivotal roles in India's victory at the SAFF Women's Championship 2026. The players, who contributed significantly to India reclaiming the title, were honoured with cash rewards and recognition, inspiring young girls in the state to pursue football.
India is set to field its strongest-ever contingent at the Asia Cup Bridge Championships 2026 in Goa, featuring top international stars and Asian Games medallists. The tournament, organised by the Bridge Federation of India, will host 46 elite teams from Asia and Oceania, highlighting India's growing prominence in intellectual sports.
Spain and Portugal are set to clash in the World Cup Round of 16 in Texas, a rematch of last year's Nations League final. The match features a generational battle between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lamine Yamal, with Spain entering unbeaten in 34 matches and Portugal looking to overcome recent struggles.
Spain face Belgium on Friday in a World Cup quarterfinal that pits one of the tournament's smoothest operators against a side emboldened by a thunderous 4-1 win over the United States that followed one of football's most bizarre political interventions.
Chandigarh and Bhubaneswar have been awarded the rights to host the Asian Relays in 2027 and the Asian Indoor Championships in 2028, respectively, marking a significant achievement for Indian athletics.
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) barred an under-17 wrestler from the National Championships after her father presented two different birth certificates, highlighting issues in document verification.
Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi praised Kajal Vala for her role in India's silver medal-winning performance in the women's 4x100m relay at the Asian U-20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong.
A prominent member of India's shooting coaching staff, Ankush Bhardwaj, has been accused of sexual harassment by a minor shooter.
Aadrash Ram Jothi Shankar won a bronze medal in the men's high jump at the 12th Asian Indoor Athletics Championships. Praveen Chithravel finished fourth in the men's triple jump. Manikanta Hoblidhar was disqualified in the 60m heats.
It happened in 2017, two years after Scaloni ended his playing career. De la Fuente, then in charge of Spain's youth teams, was among the figures who helped guide a recently retired player taking his first steps towards management.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya highlighted India's growing global sporting stature, evidenced by the increasing number of international events the country is hosting. He announced that India is set to host 36 international events between January 2025 and June 2026, along with 9 events this year and 19 in 2027-2028. Mandaviya also spoke about government support for athletes, transparent selection processes for major events like the Commonwealth Games, and improved domestic athletic performances, citing 26 national records broken in Indian athletics recently.
Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will compete in the final of the 87th UTT Senior National Table Tennis Championships after defeating Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka respectively.
Teenaged high jump star Pooja Singh shattered the national senior record en route winning the gold medal to lead a strong Indian show on the second day of the Asian U20 Athletics Championships here on Friday.
A communication from United World Wrestling's anti-doping department confirmed Vinesh Phogat's retirement intimation to the International Testing Agency (ITA) in December 2024, amidst claims and controversies surrounding her comeback and eligibility for the Asian Games.
Indian shot putter Krishna Jayasankar is aiming to break the national outdoor record after setting a national indoor record in the USA. She is training to qualify for the Commonwealth and Asian Games.
Defending champions India U20 will face Bhutan in the semi-finals of the SAFF U20 Championship, while Nepal will play Bangladesh in the other semi-final. India topped Group B after a win against Pakistan and a draw against Bangladesh. Coach Mahesh Gawli has praised his players' performance but stressed the need for more clinical finishing and defensive focus.
India's snooker team, featuring Pankaj Advani and Aditya Mehta, narrowly lost 3-2 to hosts China 'A' in the World Team Snooker Championship final. Despite Advani's strong performance, Aditya Mehta's loss in the decisive frame cost India the gold medal in a challenging, error-ridden contest.
Germany's World Cup misery continued as Paraguay stunned the four-time champions on penalties in the Round of 32, extending a decade-long decline marked by defensive frailties and major tournament disappointments since 2014.
Chandigarh and Bhubaneswar have been awarded the rights to host the Asian Relays in 2027 and the Asian Indoor Championships in 2028, respectively, marking a significant moment for Indian athletics.
India has once again topped the Athletics Integrity Unit's global list of dope offenders with 162 names, highlighting a significant doping problem in the country's sporting landscape. This led to the Athletics Federation of India being re-categorised to 'Category A' due to high doping risk, requiring more stringent testing.
Promising youngster Jadumani Singh upstaged seasoned campaigner Amit Panghal to storm into the final
Sakshi Chaudhary overcame a series of setbacks, including a loss at the World Championships and missing out on Asian Championships selection, to secure her place at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games after a strategic shift to the 51kg category.
Legendary Indian sprinter and Indian Olympic Association president P T Usha was conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award at the inaugural Indian Athletics Awards. Other recipients included Gurbachan Singh Randhawa, Bahadur Singh Chauhan, and Anju Bobby George, recognising their significant contributions to Indian athletics.
Serena to reignite Venus partnership after receiving Wimbledon doubles wildcard.
Teenaged high jump star Pooja Singh broke the national senior record en route to winning the gold medal at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships. The 19-year-old cleared 1.93m, bettering Sahana Kumari's 14-year-old record. India secured seven medals, including four gold, on the second day of the competition.
Former England coach Paul Revington has been appointed as the head coach of Hyderabad Toofans for the upcoming Hockey India League season. Revington aims to build a championship-winning culture and develop Indian talent, leveraging the team's past success as bronze and silver medallists.
Rohit Yadav lit up Bhubaneswar's Kalinga Stadium with a career-best throw of 87.05m in the men's javelin throw on the concluding day of the 65th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has decided not to renew the contract of women's team head coach Amelia Valverde, opting to consider Indian coaches for the role following recommendations from its technical committee.
Olympian Manu Bhaker emerged victorious in the women's 10m pistol event at the national selection trials, showcasing her shooting prowess.
