Delhi golfer Kshitij Naveed Kaul secured a one-shot clubhouse lead with a four-under 66 in the second round of the Coal India Open at Tollygunge Club before heavy rain forced the suspension of play. Akshay Sharma is in second, with Om Prakash Chouhan and Saptak Talwar tied for third.
A Goa-based man, Shubhang Borkar, ingeniously used ChatGPT to locate his lost footwear amidst a pile of shoes outside the Mahakal Temple in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. He uploaded images of the footwear and his own shoes to the AI chatbot, which then successfully identified his pair, showcasing a practical and unusual application of artificial intelligence.
Indian golf veteran Jeev Milkha Singh secured a creditable tied 7th position at the 2026 Staysure PGA Seniors Championship in Aberdeen, finishing two-under for the week. South African Darren Fichardt won the tournament, while another Indian golfer, Jyoti Randhawa, missed the cut.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has moved a government resolution mandating the rendition of Tamil Thaai Vazhthu at the commencement of all government events, emphasising the state's linguistic and cultural rights amidst a Union Home Affairs Ministry advisory on Vande Mataram.
The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has honoured the late batting great Dilip Sardesai by unveiling the 'Dilip Sardesai Gate No. 3 Board' at the Wankhede Stadium on his 86th birth anniversary.
This year's Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort uniquely featured the national song 'Vande Mataram', marking 150 years of its profound legacy and historical significance in India's freedom struggle.
India captain Shubman Gill has indicated that Prasidh Krishna is likely to share the new ball with Mohammed Siraj in the upcoming first Test against Sri Lanka.
Indian Grandmasters Nihal Sarin and Arjun Erigaisi have successfully navigated the lower bracket of the Esports World Cup chess tournament in Paris, securing their spots in the quarter-finals. The duo will now compete in the knockout stage, aiming for the US$1.5 million prize pool.
Salman Khan, Gauahar Khan, Mini Mathur, Soha Ali Khan, and many more gathered at Sohail Khan's Mumbai residence to celebrate the success party of Prime Video's reality show The Alliance.
Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi and Madhya Pradesh's Saransh Jain, both uncapped players, have been drafted into the Indian Test squad for the series against Sri Lanka, replacing injured Jasprit Bumrah.
Om Prakash Chouhan has taken the opening-round lead at the Rs 1 crore Coal India Open in Kolkata, delivering a spectacular eight-under 62. His impressive performance included a hole-in-one and an eagle, giving him a one-shot advantage over former Asian Tour winner Ajeetesh Sandhu.
On January 28 this year, a private charter plane carrying then Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others crashed near the Baramati airstrip, killing all on board.
Following Stephen Fleming's departure, Chennai Super Kings are seeking a new head coach. Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has suggested Eoin Morgan as a strong candidate, citing his leadership experience. Ashwin also believes MS Dhoni should continue to provide leadership during this transition period.
Egyptian squash players Seif Refaay and Sohayla Hazem secured the men's and women's titles, respectively, at the HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour. Refaay, the third seed, overcame top seed Mohamed Gohar, while third seed Hazem defeated second seed Menna Walid in their respective finals.
Indian squash player Sanya Vats secured a runner-up finish at the Ballarat Open squash tournament in Victoria, Australia, losing to local favourite Sarah Cardwell in the women's final.
The second edition of the Coal India Open golf tournament is set to begin in Kolkata, featuring a strong field of leading Indian and international professionals competing for a prize purse of Rs 1 crore. Defending champion Angad Cheema and other notable golfers will participate at the Tollygunge Club.
The BJP accused Congress leader Sonia Gandhi of objecting to the full version of Vande Mataram at an Independence Day event, sparking a political row. The Congress denied the charge, stating Gandhi was only seeking a chair for party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and clarified the historical context of the song's usage.
Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has voiced strong support for Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to feature in the 2027 ODI World Cup, emphasising that performance, not age, should be the primary criterion for selection.
Three tribal girls tragically died and three others were hospitalised after being bitten by a venomous snake at a residential school hostel in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra. The district administration has launched a detailed inquiry to investigate the incident, assess safety measures, and determine accountability.
The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) successfully protested an event featuring an ISKCON representative at the university's central library, leading to its cancellation. The JNUSU cited university rules prohibiting religious organisations from holding events on campus, a concern they had previously raised regarding ISKCON's activities.
Indian-origin golfer Sahith Theegala is in contention for a Top-10 finish at the Wyndham Championship, the final regular-season PGA TOUR event. Despite a mixed third round, he remains close to the leaders, aiming for a strong performance to boost his FedExCup Play-offs chances. Beau Hossler and Michael Brennan currently share the lead.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa suffered a defeat against Germany's Vincent Keymer in the Sinquefield Cup, part of the Grand Chess Tour, causing him to slip to joint fourth spot. Meanwhile, Wesley So of the United States emerged as the sole leader after a significant victory over Fabiano Caruana.
Indian golfer Rayhan Thomas finished Tied-71st at the Pinnacle Bank Championship on the Korn Ferry Tour, while Indian-American rookie Mahanth Chirravuri secured a Tied-19th finish, his best on the tour. Frankie Harris won the title with a remarkable 59 and a playoff victory.
Indian esports teams Orangutan and GodLike Esports have successfully qualified for the PUBG Mobile World Cup (PMWC) Grand Finals at the Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris. Both teams secured their spots by finishing in the top five of their respective group stages, and will now compete for a share of the USD 3 million prize pool from August 14 to 16.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa drew with tournament leader Wesley So in the fifth round of the Sinquefield Cup, maintaining his joint second position with 3 points. This result keeps him on track for a podium finish and a strong chance to qualify for the Grand Chess Tour finale.
Indian golfer Jeev Milkha Singh delivered a strong performance at the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship in Aberdeen, Scotland, carding a 3-under-par 69 despite challenging, windy conditions. He recovered from an early double bogey to finish T-11, showcasing his skill on the European Legends Tour. South African Darren Fichardt leads the tournament.
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah surprised attendees at the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) tournament in Srinagar by spontaneously singing the iconic Lata Mangeshkar song "Lag ja gale". His impromptu performance drew significant applause. Later, Abdullah addressed the audience, commending golfers and urging youth to work hard and avoid alcohol to achieve sporting excellence. He also mentioned government support for improving the Royal Springs Golf Course.
Indian Grandmasters Arjun Erigaisi and Nihal Sarin concluded their campaign at the Esports World Cup Chess tournament in the quarterfinals, securing top-eight finishes. Erigaisi was eliminated by Hikaru Nakamura in an Armageddon tiebreak, while Sarin lost to defending champion Magnus Carlsen. Their performance marks India's strongest showing in the event, with both players earning USD 75,000 each from the substantial prize pool.
Indian-origin chess prodigies Bodhana Sivanandan, 11, and Shreyas Royal, 17, have made history by winning the 2026 British Chess Championships. Bodhana became Britain's youngest-ever Women's chess champion, while Royal scooped the overall British title, establishing their status as emerging world-class talents.
Legendary football manager Jose Mourinho disclosed that he had agreed to take over from Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United in 2013 but ultimately chose to return to Chelsea, a decision he made 'with his heart'.
Lionel Messi has shared a deeply personal and emotional tribute to his late father, Jorge Messi, on Instagram, expressing his profound grief and recalling his father's encouragement to play in one final World Cup.
A four-member Indian golf team, comprising Harjai Milkha Singh, Ishnidh Singh Virdi, Guntas Kaur Sandhu, and Rashi Mishra, is set to compete in the prestigious R&A Amateur golf championship across two courses in Scotland. The tournament features both boys' and girls' categories, attracting top junior talent globally, with winners earning significant exemptions into major championships.
Titli Maji secured a silver medal for India in the women's 45kg category at the Asian Youth & Junior Weightlifting Championships in Tashkent, lifting a total of 145kg. Teammate Parishmita Gogoi finished fourth in the same event.
Indian golfers Diksha Dagar and Aditi Ashok have maintained their positions within the top-20 at the London Championship after the third round. Diksha Dagar carded a 1-over 72 to stay T-19, while Aditi Ashok also finished T-19 with a 73. Pranavi Urs, however, dropped to T-38. Canada's Anna Huang leads the tournament with a dominant 19-under-par score.
Arun Vasu, president of the Surfing Federation of India, has been elected as the new head of the Asian Surfing Federation (ASF) after a supervised voting process. He succeeds Atsushi Sakai of Japan and aims to build on the legacy while promoting surfing and SUP across Asia.
Following the Supreme Court's clean chit in the coal block allocation case, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has lauded former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's integrity and accountability, drawing a sharp contrast with the Narendra Modi government's operational style and alleged misuse of investigative agencies.
Indian golfers Pranavi Urs and Aditi Ashok carded identical two-under 71s in the opening round of the PIF London Championship, placing them tied 12th and in contention for a Top-10 finish. Other Indian participants, Diksha Dagar and Avani Prashanth, faced tougher starts.
Umashankar Singh, the Bahujan Samaj Party's sole MLA in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly from the Rasra constituency, has passed away at the age of 55 after a prolonged illness. Political leaders, including Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, BSP president Mayawati, and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, have expressed their condolences.
Two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra has lauded the performance of Indian junior athletes at the World Athletics U20 Championships in the USA, where they secured two silver and one bronze medal.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the 57th Convocation Ceremony of IIT Delhi, advocating for increased female participation among medallists and awardees. He also advised graduates against social media distractions, encouraged self-improvement, and inaugurated the Param Pragya AI supercomputing facility.
