India's senior bridge teams, both A and B, have made an impressive start at the fifth Asia Cup Bridge Championship in Goa, positioning themselves among the top contenders after the opening day. While the senior teams excelled, the women's teams faced a challenging start.
ISRO has issued an Announcement of Opportunity, inviting Indian scientists and researchers to submit proposals for accessing data from its XPoSat Mission. Launched in January 2024, XPoSat is India's first satellite dedicated to X-ray polarimetry measurements, designed to study extreme astronomical X-ray sources like black holes and neutron stars, thereby enhancing understanding of celestial emissions.
The Indian men's hockey team was defeated by England 1-4 in a penalty shootout after their FIH Pro League match ended in a 2-2 draw during regulation time. Dilpreet Singh scored both goals for India, while David Goodfield and Nicholas Bandurak netted for England. England secured the bonus point with a dominant shootout performance at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre.
Indian rugby player Sumit Kumar Roy highlights the critical role of international exposure and the Rugby Premier League in the team's recent success, including a silver medal in Asia's top rugby sevens competition. The team aims for the 2030 Commonwealth Games and 2036 Olympics, learning from global players and focusing on discipline. Uruguay's Diego Ardao also emphasizes the need for skilled coaches and dedicated players to develop the sport in India, acknowledging the nation's vast potential despite the long road ahead for Olympic aspirations.
Chennai-based deep-tech startup The ePlane Company has successfully completed the assembly of its full-scale electric air taxi, the e200X. This prototype, designated PT-01, is now ready for ground testing, marking a significant step towards flight testing and eventual type certification. The versatile e200X is designed for passenger air taxi services, urban cargo transport, and air ambulance operations, aiming to leverage existing city infrastructure.
Zoho Corporation Founder Sridhar Vembu has echoed IBM CEO Arvind Krishna's concerns about a potential "bubble" in the multi-trillion dollar AI data centre build-out. Vembu stated that Zoho will adopt a measured approach, investing in AI capabilities like data curation and compiler infrastructure, but will not chase the current investment spree, contrasting with other global tech giants' massive spending.
The case for long-term investment in gold, however, remains intact.
ArcelorMittal has announced a partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to automate its global manufacturing operations using AWS's cloud and AI capabilities. This collaboration aims to enhance safety, asset reliability, and energy efficiency by deploying AI at the point of production for predictive maintenance, quality control, and process optimisation.
Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani stated that artificial intelligence will amplify, not replace, IT firms, projecting a massive USD 400 billion AI-first services opportunity by 2030. Addressing shareholders, he highlighted Infosys's readiness to help clients navigate enterprise AI complexities and capitalise on the structural shift in technology.
Japan's Masaru Yamada and Sano Yui clinched gold medals in men's epee and women's sabre respectively at the Senior Asian Fencing Championships. Hosts India, including Olympian C. A. Bhavani Devi, had a disappointing outing with fencers finishing in lower ranks across both events.
Human skeletal remains from the ancient Indus-Saraswati Civilisation site of Rakhigarhi in Haryana have been formally transferred by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to the Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI) for detailed scientific investigation. This transfer, under a new MoU, aims to advance multidisciplinary research into one of the largest known settlements of the Indus-Saraswati Civilisation, with archaeologists having uncovered eight burials, including three complete skeletons, during recent excavations.
The Delhi High Court has upheld the Equestrian Federation of India's (EFI) selection process for the Asian Games dressage team, dismissing petitions from riders Anush Agarwalla and Sudipti Hajela. The court found no arbitrariness or procedural impropriety, reinforcing the principle that judicial interference in expert selection bodies is limited. Challenges regarding Minimum Eligibility Requirements (MERs), criteria interpretation, and bias were all rejected.
India's national Pokemon UNITE team achieved a remarkable runner-up position at the AESF-sanctioned Pokemon UNITE Asia International Tournament in Bangkok, showcasing strong strategic play and resilience against 11 national teams from across Asia.
The Indian junior women's hockey team, led by Khaidem Shileima Chanu, will undertake an exposure tour of the United Kingdom from July 5 to 14. Under new coach Tim White, the 24-member squad will play seven matches against teams from Scotland, the United States, England, and Belgium, aiming to fine-tune strategies for upcoming international competitions like the Junior Asia Cup.
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.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has introduced a new "Strategic Dialogue" phase in its host selection process for the 2036 Olympic Games, aiming for greater transparency and cost control. This new phase will impact India's bid, with the final host decision expected in mid-2029.
Six Indian women golfers, including Diksha Dagar and Avani Prashanth, are set to compete at the Czech Ladies Open. Diksha Dagar, a former champion at this event, returns in strong form, aiming for her second title, while Vani Kapoor and Ridhima Dilawari join the field via sponsor invites.
Tashi Network and DroneVerse successfully conducted a live drone swarm field trial in Delhi, demonstrating advanced autonomous capabilities for defence and internal security. The trial showcased decentralised mesh technology, allowing drone swarms to maintain mission coherence even with communication disruptions, marking a significant step towards India's technological sovereignty in autonomous warfare.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami attended the 'terahvin' rituals of legendary shooter Jaspal Rana in Dehradun. Dignitaries paid their respects to the Padma Shri recipient, who passed away on June 11 due to cardiac complications. Rana, a celebrated pistol shooter and coach, was instrumental in guiding Manu Bhaker to Olympic success.
Researchers have identified two new species of microscopic snails, Georissa meghalayaensis and Acmella bensoni, in the limestone caves of Meghalaya, India. This discovery highlights the rich, yet underexplored, biodiversity of the region's subterranean ecosystems, while also raising concerns about threats from increasing tourism and mining activities.
Hyderabad-based SETL, a precision engineering company, has acquired a 51% majority stake in GScale Energy Private Limited, an AI Datacenter Engineering infrastructure specialist. This strategic move involves an initial investment of Rs 190 crore, with a total commitment of Rs 500 crore, marking SETL's expansion into the rapidly growing AI Datacenter sector and leveraging its expertise from pharmaceutical and chemical industries.
Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, the UN Secretary-General's Special Advocate for Financial Health, visited Mumbai to understand India's digital public infrastructure, including UPI and AI, in improving financial health for salaried individuals. She interacted with healthcare professionals and SalarySe leaders, praising India's advancements in financial inclusion and technology's role in empowering individuals.
Investors should do thorough due diligence when selecting a platform.
Kunal Shah, founder of CRED, has been appointed global head of WhatsApp, joining a growing list of Indian-origin executives leading major technology companies worldwide. This trend underscores the increasing demand for Indian talent in strategic leadership roles across Silicon Valley.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel expressed optimism about the state securing hosting rights for the World Athletics Championship 2031 after meeting a delegation from the international governing body. The delegation is assessing Gujarat's sports infrastructure and readiness for both the 2028 U20 Championships and the 2031 senior championships, highlighting the state's growing ambition to host major global sporting events.
India's top-seeded squash pair, Abhay Singh and Velavan Senthilkumar, secured their third consecutive men's doubles title at the Asian Doubles Squash Championships in Sarawak, Malaysia. They defeated Pakistan's Nasir Iqbal and Noor Zaman in a thrilling final. India also earned bronze medals in women's and mixed doubles through Joshna Chinappa.
Researchers have identified a new process, 'chronoferroptosis', where excess iron in neurons reduces their resilience to stress, increasing vulnerability to neurodegenerative diseases. This discovery highlights iron accumulation as a critical target for predicting, preventing, and treating conditions like Alzheimer's.
'Of our population of 1.4 billion, 80 per cent are into doomscrolling.'
Indian Seniors have taken the lead in their section at the 5th Asia Cup Bridge Championship in Panaji, while China has shown strong dominance across other categories. India's "A" and "B" teams are also in contention for a podium finish, with the tournament progressing towards the semifinal rounds.
The BWF World Championships are returning to India after 17 years, to be held in New Delhi from August 17-23. Tickets, priced from Rs 499 to Rs 5,500, are now on sale through BookMyShow, with various categories and early bird discounts available. Indian stars like Lakshya Sen and PV Sindhu, alongside international badminton greats, are set to compete.
A reported taunt after India A's Super Over defeat triggered Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's angry reaction and a brief on-field confrontation.
The Table Tennis Federation of India (TTFI) has clarified that Manika Batra's exclusion from India's Asian Games squad was due to strict adherence to existing selection criteria. Despite her name being considered, Batra did not meet the requirements, primarily lacking a national ranking and not being in the top 50 of international rankings at the time of selection. The decision was a collective one by the selection committee, based on a comprehensive assessment.
Indian javelin throw superstar Neeraj Chopra is set to make his competitive return at the Doha Diamond League on June 19. The Olympic champion has been recovering from a back injury that kept him out of action earlier this season. His management firm confirmed his participation via Instagram.
A mild earthquake of 3.8 magnitude struck Bhadradri Kothagudem district in Telangana early Sunday morning. The National Centre for Seismology reported the tremors, which were felt in Kothagudem and Paloncha. Fortunately, no damage to property or injuries have been reported.
Indian gymnasts Harshit Damodaran and Akshat Bajaj achieved a historic gold-silver finish in the junior men's vault event at the Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Zunyi, China. Harshit secured gold with 13.649 points, while Akshat took silver with 13.433 points, marking a significant achievement for Indian gymnastics.
South Korea and Japan secured gold medals in the men's sabre and women's foil team events, respectively, at the Asian Senior Fencing Championships. Indian teams, despite facing strong competition, demonstrated grit and finished 10th overall, showing promising developmental strides for the future of Indian fencing.
India's race walk coach Ronald Weigel has urged national selectors to consider the extremely humid conditions during the National Inter-State Championships when picking the team for the upcoming Asian Games. He highlighted how tough weather significantly slows down endurance athletes and suggested holding future selection events in more favourable conditions like Bengaluru.
Indian pugilists Jyoti, Minakshi, Prachi, and Deepak have secured spots in the finals of the World Boxing Cup 2 in Guiyang, China, showcasing a strong performance. Additionally, Jugnoo and Nikhil earned bronze medals, contributing to India's impressive medal tally at the prestigious event.
Indian golfer Saptak Talwar has secured a spot inside the top-20 at the English Open after carding his second consecutive under-par round. He is currently T-18 with a total score of 4-under par. George Bloor and John Catlin are the joint leaders at 10-under par. Another Indian golfer, Veer Ahlawat, missed the cut.
Before Diego Maradona's famous blue shirt became a $9.28 million auction item, it may have had a humbler beginning in Tepito, Mexico City's market district.
