India is set to host 11 international sporting events in the next six months, including the Badminton World Championships. The Sports Ministry has pledged to provide top-notch facilities, addressing previous criticisms of playing conditions, and is actively preparing for future Olympic bids.
The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) on Tuesday announced that the India Open Competitions in July will be named in honour of legendary shooters Jaspal Rana and Raja Randhir Singh, who died recently, leaving the fraternity shocked.
IIT Madras, in partnership with Herbalife International India, has inaugurated India's first Centre of Excellence for plant cell fermentation technology. This new facility aims to be a national hub for sustainable innovation, research, and development, focusing on producing herbal biomass, enriched extracts, and high-value phytochemicals, while bridging the gap between lab research and industrial applications.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Seychelles, engaging in biodiversity conservation efforts with President Patrick Herminie. The visit included observing Aldabra Giant Tortoises and planting the unique Coco de Mer, symbolising India and Seychelles' commitment to environmental protection and strengthening bilateral ties.
IIT Ropar's ANNAM.AI, in collaboration with Syngenta and Google, has launched 'HACK CORE 2026', a national AI hackathon. It invites innovators to develop AI-driven solutions for critical agricultural challenges like crop health, pest management, and climate-resilient farming, offering significant prizes and mentorship.
Indian women's hockey coach Sjoerd Marijne acknowledges the tight schedule between the World Cup and Asian Games but expresses confidence in the team's ability to manage the physical demands. Former captain MM Somaya also highlighted the importance of the World Cup as preparation for the Asian Games, where a gold medal secures a spot in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Sanju Samson heads into the second T20I against England with his place under the spotlight, as teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi waits in the wings after another underwhelming outing from the India opener.
The Durand Cup, Asia's oldest football tournament, will commence on July 25 and conclude on August 23. This edition will feature 24 teams, including two foreign sides, with matches spread across five cities, including debutant host Ranchi. The tournament continues to be a vital platform for Indian football talent.
Five diamonds, including two of gem quality, have been discovered during scientific exploration in Chhattisgarh's Mahasamund district. This significant find in the Baloda-Belmundi Diamond Block could establish a new diamond-bearing region, promising future investments, revenue generation, and employment opportunities for the state and strengthening India's domestic diamond resources.
India is sending a strong contingent of U-19 and U-23 boxers, including Asian Champion Vishvanath Suresh and World Boxing Futures Cup gold medallist Chandrika Bhoresh Pujari, to the Asian Boxing Championships in Jakarta. The championships will provide a crucial platform for young Indian talent to compete against the best in Asia.
Indian golfers Vishnu Vardhan Bhati and Ankush Saha achieved podium finishes at the Czech Disabled Golf Masters in Prague. Bhati secured second place, while Saha clinched third, showcasing strong performances in the Nett Stroke Play event.
Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions moderated slightly in June from a record high in May, reaching Rs 28.9 lakh crore. Despite a month-on-month decrease in volume, the daily average transactions hit a new high, indicating UPI's strong adoption for low-value payments. The platform also demonstrated significant annual growth and expanding international presence.
Indian para badminton star Pramod Bhagat clinched the men's singles SL3 gold medal at the British & Irish International, defeating compatriot Nitesh Kumar in the final. Bhagat also secured a bronze in mixed doubles. Tokyo Paralympic champion Krishna Nagar added a silver and two bronze medals to India's tally, highlighting a strong performance by the Indian contingent in Dublin.
The fourth edition of the Oriental Cup, an inter-school football tournament, is scheduled from July 7 to 16 in New Delhi. It will feature over 45 school teams, 1,500 student-athletes, and offer scholarships worth Rs 2.5 lakh to encourage young talent. Organisers aim to make it India's leading school football competition, with growing participation, especially among girls' teams.
Former Pakistan captain Sana Mir has criticised fans and critics for applying a 'sexist' tone to the national women's team's performance in the T20 World Cup. Mir highlighted the double standards in how men's and women's teams are judged, urging a change in mindset and more respect for female athletes.
India's junior badminton team was eliminated from the Badminton Asia Junior Mixed Team Championship after a 1-2 loss to Hong Kong in the quarterfinals. Despite a strong start in the opening match, India could not maintain their lead and ultimately fell short in the decider.
Team India secured a dominant 2-0 victory over Kazakhstan in their opening Group C match at the Badminton Asia Junior Mixed Team Championships in Yatsushiro, Tokyo, sealing their spot in the quarterfinals. The Indian team showcased strong performances in both sets, preparing for their upcoming clash against Chinese Taipei.
The 22nd Delhi International Open Grandmasters Chess Tournament, scheduled for January 2027, will feature a record-breaking prize pool of Rs 1.32 crore, making it the open tournament with the highest prize money globally. The event will have three categories, attracting FIDE-rated players, Grandmasters, and amateurs alike, with over 3,000 participants expected. This tournament has historically been crucial for developing Indian chess talent, including stars like D Gukesh and R Praggnanandhaa, and aims to establish New Delhi as a global chess hub.
The Knight Riders Cricket Ground in Pomona, Los Angeles, which is set to host cricket at the 2028 Olympics, recently held its inaugural competitive match. Developed by the Knight Riders Group, the venue saw the Los Angeles Knight Riders play against Washington Freedom in Major League Cricket, with Washington Freedom securing a six-wicket victory. This new, purpose-built stadium is a significant development for cricket in the United States.
A man has been arrested in Mumbai for creating an AI-generated video that falsely linked a plane crash involving former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, with the intent to defame the latter.
Ace Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra was awarded 'Best Male Athlete of the Year 2025' at the inaugural Indian Athletics Awards. Chopra expressed his emotional connection to the award, given in the presence of multiple generations of athletes. The ceremony also honoured Parul Chaudhary as Best Female Athlete and P T Usha with a Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising significant contributions to Indian athletics.
India's top-seeded U-19 mixed doubles pair, P.B. Abhinandh and Divyanshi Bhowmick, secured a bronze medal at the Asian Youth Table Tennis Championships by reaching the semifinals after defeating a Chinese combination. They are now set to face Thailand in the next round.
The NCERT has included in the class 9 social science textbook a section on Emergency, which it described as "one of the major challenges to democracy in India" with Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan hailing the move saying future generations should know about the "dark deeds".
Meghalaya has shown significant progress in digital transactions and financial inclusion, recording 32.76 crore digital transactions and nearly 10 lakh Jan Dhan accounts by 2025-26. Efforts like the JAM Trinity and financial literacy programmes have expanded banking access, with a high percentage of bank account holders adopting digital modes. The next phase focuses on enhancing financial literacy and cyber resilience, especially in rural areas.
A BJP MLA from Unnao, Anil Singh, has sparked controversy after a video showed him stating that those who embezzled donations from the Ram temple in Ayodhya would suffer from cancer and die painfully. His remarks come amidst a political row over alleged misappropriation of funds, leading to arrests and opposition criticism.
India's Om Semwal defeated Spain's Hugo Jaen in a hard-fought five-game match at the HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour in Mumbai. Several other Indian players also advanced in both men's and women's categories, showcasing strong performances on home ground.
Indian badminton players, including Kidambi Srikanth, faced a challenging start at the Canada Open Super 300 event, with most shuttlers failing to advance past the opening round. Only Tanya Hemnath and Aakarshi Kashyap secured spots in the women's singles second round.
The Indian Railway Ministry has issued a new circular allowing sportspersons to carry oversized and bulky sports equipment, such as javelins, on trains. This relaxation, however, excludes pole-vault poles due to technical feasibility. The equipment can be transported in designated luggage spaces on a priority basis, subject to freight charges, and existing weight limits will not apply.
Calling iPhone addicts: Launch timeline and everything we know so far about Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max
The National Inter-State Championships saw two new national records being set. Anushka Yadav broke the hammer throw record with a 67.02m effort, while Dev Meena set a new pole vault record by clearing 5.47m.
The Durand Cup football tournament will feature 24 teams, including seven debutants, across five cities from July 25 to August 23. Kolkata remains the primary hub, hosting the final, while Ranchi, Imphal, Shillong, and Guwahati will also host matches, bringing together a diverse mix of Indian and overseas teams.
Indian-American golfer Akshay Bhatia is in a strong position, tied for third place at the Travelers Championship, heading into the final round. Despite slipping five shots behind leader Viktor Hovland, Bhatia, who previously won the Arnold Palmer Invitational this season, is aiming for his fourth PGA Tour title. The tournament also features a close battle between Hovland and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler.
The ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (ICAR-CIFT) has secured an Indian patent for a novel technology designed to make live fish and aquatic animal transport safer and more efficient without the use of chemicals. This innovative system employs controlled hypothermic anaesthetisation, gradually cooling aquatic animals to prevent shock and improve survival rates during transit, offering a practical and affordable solution for the seafood industry.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented a range of exquisite Indian handicrafts and textiles, including Kanchivaram silk, Maheshwari silk, and Toda embroidered shawls, to the top leadership of Seychelles and their spouses during his recent three-day visit to the island nation.
Debutants Cape Verde have made history by qualifying for the World Cup round of 32 after a 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia. This unexpected achievement sets up a clash with defending champions Argentina. Despite a low-quality match, Cape Verde secured second place in their group, sparking celebrations among players and fans, while Uruguay and Saudi Arabia were eliminated.
In one of the biggest upsets ever seen at the World Cup, Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill saved the efforts of Kai Havertz and Nick Woltemade before Jonathan Tah fired over the bar, paving the way for Jose Canale to blast home the decisive spot kick.
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.
Although the front seat in my car will miss his presence, the echoes he left behind will remain for long. K R Nayar mourns legendary cricket writer Qamar Ahmed.
Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) has successfully deployed advanced drone technology for inspecting high voltage transmission corridors, leading to an 85 per cent reduction in power outages. This initiative has improved operational efficiency, workforce safety, and enabled precise fault detection and predictive maintenance across over 11,000 transmission towers and 3,370 km of lines.
Five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand was awarded the Sports Journalists' Federation of India (SJFI) medal, joining a distinguished list of Indian sports legends. Anand expressed pride in being a catalyst for chess growth in India.
