'Our biggest opportunity lies with the younger age-group teams.' 'If you look at the senior national team, our chances are about 50-50.' 'The gap becomes smaller as you move down the age groups.' 'At the Under-20 level, it's closer to 60-40.' 'By the Under-17 level, it's around 80-20. That's where I feel we have our best chance.'
Indian men's and women's table tennis teams began their 22nd Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships campaign with dominant 3-0 victories over Zimbabwe and Maldives respectively. The hosts showcased strong performances, with key players like Manav Thakkar, Harmeet Desai, Payas Jain, Sutirtha Mukherjee, Yashaswini Ghorpade, and Swastika Ghosh securing comfortable wins. Other nations also saw action, including a surprising close call for top-seeded Singapore against Sri Lanka.
Seasoned shuttler HS Prannoy and rising star Unnati Hooda will lead the Indian contingent at the Taipei Open Super 300 badminton tournament. Both players are looking for consistent performances, with Prannoy facing Japan's Minoru Koga and Unnati taking on a qualifier. Several other Indian players, including Tharun Mannepalli, M Manjunath, S Dayanand, Kiran George, Devika Sihag, Tasnim Mir, and others in doubles, are also set to compete.
Indian boxers Sachin Siwach, Ankush, and Sakshi Chaudhary have successfully advanced to the quarterfinals of their respective categories at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Sachin and Sakshi secured unanimous victories, while Ankush also dominated his bout. Sumit, however, faced a narrow defeat in his round of 16 match.
A 26-year-old Indian-origin woman, Navneet Kaur, was shot dead in a targeted attack in Toronto, Canada. Police have arrested and charged 37-year-old Sharnjeet Singh with first-degree murder. The incident follows another recent case of an Indian-origin woman's murder in Edmonton.
Indian gymnast Protistha Samanta has successfully qualified for the women's vault final at the Commonwealth Games, finishing fifth in the qualification round. While Samanta secured her spot, fellow Indian gymnasts Pranati Nayak, Eshitaa Rewale, and Nishka Agarwal did not advance in individual or all-around events. The Indian women's team also finished ninth in the overall team competition.
Indian squash players Om Semwal, Sandhesh Ravikumar, and Rathika Seelan were defeated in the quarterfinals of the PSA Singapore Challenger, ending their campaign in the tournament.
The Indian men's junior squash team secured their spot in the pre-quarterfinals of the World Squash Junior Team Championships by defeating Brazil and the Netherlands 3-0. The women's team also started strong, beating Chinese Taipei 3-0, with World Junior champion Anahat Singh being rested.
The Indian men's 4x200m freestyle relay team has qualified for the final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, finishing third in their heat. The quartet, comprising Dhakshan Shashikumar, Aneesh Sunil Kumar Gowda, Aryan Nehra, and Srihari Nataraj, clocked 7:39.48, securing a spot in the eight-team final and keeping medal hopes alive.
Melodies from Jyotirmayee Nayak, the Indian Idol 16 winner.
An Indian-origin diamond businessman, Dhiru Ramani, abducted in Mali in April, has been freed after his family reportedly paid a 4 million euro ransom. Ramani, originally from Gujarat, remains in Mali for questioning by local authorities.
An Indian national was tragically killed in an attack on the commercial vessel MV OMORFI on July 18 while it was reportedly transiting Russian territorial waters in the Black Sea, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed, condemning the incident and calling for upholding international obligations for maritime safety.
Mumbai-based racer Aditya Patnaik achieved his maiden international victory by winning Round 3 of the Sporting Class at the Gold Vios Championship Malaysia. After finishing third in Race 1, Patnaik secured the top spot in Race 2 at the Sepang International Circuit, earning MYR 15,000.
India's lawn bowls contingent showcased a dominant performance at the Commonwealth Games, with the women's pairs team securing their second consecutive victory against South Africa and Putul Sonowal winning a tense singles match against Falkland Islands. The women's pairs, featuring Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh, now lead their section, building on their previous tie-break win against Malta. Sonowal, who had earlier defeated a world champion, fought hard to overcome his opponent in a tie-break, highlighting India's strong presence in the competition.
India's lawn bowls contingent showcased a dominant performance at the Commonwealth Games, with the women's pairs team securing their second consecutive victory against South Africa and Putul Sonowal winning a tense singles match against Falkland Islands. The women's pairs, featuring Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh, now lead their section, building on their previous tie-break win against Malta. Sonowal, who had earlier defeated a world champion, fought hard to overcome his opponent in a tie-break, highlighting India's strong presence in the competition.
Indian boxers Preeti Pawar and Jadumani Singh have advanced to the quarterfinals of the Commonwealth Games. Preeti, an Asian Games bronze medallist, secured a dominant win in the women's 54kg category, while Jadumani defeated his Pakistani opponent in the men's 55kg. Both are now one victory away from securing a medal for India.
Indian swimmers Sajan Prakash and Aryan Nehra finished eighth in their respective finals at the Commonwealth Games, while para swimmer Swatik Patil secured fifth place in his event. Prakash competed in the men's 200m butterfly, Nehra in the men's 800m freestyle, and Patil in the men's 100m breaststroke SB9.
This article provides a detailed schedule of Indian athletes participating in various events on the fourth day of the Commonwealth Games. It covers boxing, gymnastics, lawn bowls, swimming, and weightlifting, highlighting key matches and finals.
India's Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh experienced a defeat against Namibia in the lawn bowls women's pairs sectional event at the Commonwealth Games, ending their three-match winning streak. The Indian duo lost a tie-break 0-3 after splitting sets, and now face England in a crucial match to determine their semi-final qualification.
Veteran sports journalist Jasvinder Sidhu, known for his work with multiple media organisations, has tragically died in a road accident in East Delhi.
Indian Olympian Sajan Prakash has qualified for the men's 200m butterfly final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, finishing as the sixth fastest swimmer in the heats. He clocked 1:58.59sec, securing his place in the eight-man final.
Indian swimmers Dhakshan Shashikumar and Aryan Nehra failed to qualify for the 400m freestyle final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, finishing 15th and 16th respectively in the heats.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended his best wishes to the Indian contingent participating in the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, expressing confidence in their passion, determination, and spirit of excellence. He noted that the Games feature 215 events across 10 sports.
A merchant vessel carrying four Indian nationals was struck at Ukraine's Port of Odesa. While two crew members are confirmed safe, information on the other two is still pending. The Indian Embassy in Kyiv is closely monitoring the situation and assisting with search and rescue operations in the frequently targeted Black Sea port.
Indian Olympian Sajan Prakash has qualified for the men's 200m butterfly final at the Commonwealth Games, finishing second in his heat. His performance was just shy of his personal best.
Indian swimmer Srihari Nataraj has qualified for the men's 50m backstroke semifinals in Glasgow, finishing joint 14th. Additionally, para-swimmers R V V B K Budigina and Imam Ali have advanced to the finals of the 100m freestyle S13 event.
India too can rise to the top if the 1.4 billion Indians back home are given better opportunities to use their innate talent and capacity to work hard, with right incentives in a more meritocratic rules-based system, asserts Ajay Chhibber.
Indian golfers Jeev Milkha Singh and Jyoti Randhawa faced a challenging third round at the ISPS Handa Senior Open Championship in Scotland. Jeev carded a 73 to be tied-65th, while Randhawa shot a 77, falling to 79th position. Jerry Kelly and Cameroon Percy share the lead heading into the final round.
'People usually send audition videos, but I didn't even send one because I never planned to participate.' 'I had gone there to prepare my students for the auditions.' 'Eventually, I ended up competing and became the winner.'
India is sending a strong contingent, including world champion D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, and R Vaishali, to the FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand from September 16 to 27.
Israeli police have arrested a 31-year-old national in connection with the murder of a 40-year-old Indian man found dead in Jerusalem, prompting a full-scale criminal investigation.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya led a cycling rally in Glasgow, engaging the Indian community to promote healthy living and encourage support for the 'Cheer for Bharat' initiative at the Commonwealth Games. He urged participation in the Fit India Movement and highlighted cycling's benefits for health and environment, as India prepared to compete in a scaled-down CWG focusing on boxing, weightlifting, and athletics.
A Sri Lankan court has denied bail to two Indian nationals, including Jaffna Kings co-owner Manjot Kalra, who were arrested in connection with an alleged match-fixing case in the Lanka Premier League. The prosecution opposed bail, citing ongoing investigations by the police's Special Investigation Unit.
India's women's pairs team, comprising Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki, secured a hard-fought victory against Malta in a tie-break during their opening match at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, marking a winning start to their campaign.
Indian golfer Diksha Dagar was the sole Indian player to make the cut at the Women's Scottish Open, finishing tied 35th after two rounds. While Pranavi Urs and Avani Prashanth missed the cut, Dagar's performance keeps her in contention and is crucial for her qualification for the AIG Women's Open. Korea's Jenny Shin leads the tournament.
A comprehensive schedule detailing the events and Indian athletes participating on the fifth day of the Commonwealth Games, covering athletics, boxing, gymnastics, lawn bowls, swimming, weightlifting, and wheelchair basketball.
The Indian women's hockey team secured a silver medal at the FIH Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship in Muscat, losing 2-4 to China in the final. Despite the loss, their strong performance, including an 8-1 semi-final win against Kazakhstan, earned them a qualification spot for the FIH Youth Hockey5s World Cup. Hockey India also announced cash prizes for the team and support staff.
The Indian sub-junior boys' hockey team secured dominant victories against arch-rivals Pakistan (7-3) and hosts Oman (10-1) at the FIH Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship. Meanwhile, the Indian sub-junior girls' team fought hard but lost 3-6 to China in their Elite Pool match. The tournament also serves as a qualifier for the inaugural FIH Youth Hockey5s World Cup.
The Indian women's hockey team secured a spot in the FIH Youth Hockey5s World Cup despite finishing as runner-up in the Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship in Muscat, losing 2-4 to China in the final. The team had previously defeated Kazakhstan 8-1 in the semi-final.
India's first Olympic boxing medallist, Vijender Singh, expresses deep concern over the future of male pugilists, citing a lack of competitions and a selection system he claims promotes 'sycophancy'. He argues that women boxers are currently outperforming men and are brighter medal prospects for the 2028 Olympics. Singh is highly critical of the new grading system, advocating for a return to the traditional trials-based selection process.
