Ahead of Ganeshotsav, which commences on September 14, Rediff's Divya Nair visits a workshop in Mumbai where young girls, most of them first-timers, are using their brushes to bring Lord Ganesha to life.
Ishan Kishan, after scoring an epic 270 in the Duleep Trophy final, revealed that freeing his mind from overthinking and expectations has been crucial to his recent success. He emphasised focusing solely on scoring runs and winning matches, a change that came after a turbulent phase in his career, including losing his BCCI central contract. Kishan highlighted the importance of domestic cricket for reflection and growth, enabling him to return stronger.
The Indian men's chess team, led by D Gukesh, Nihal Sarin, and Vidit Gujrathi, secured a 3-1 victory over Thailand in their opening match at the 46th World Chess Olympiad, despite Arjun Erigaisi's unexpected loss.
Japan inaugurated the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya with a vibrant opening ceremony that seamlessly blended advanced technology and rich cultural traditions, despite earlier organisational challenges.
Hardik Pandya is reportedly nearing a return to competitive white-ball cricket, subject to medical clearance.
Satwik-Chirag face a 10-day Asian Games grind as the defending champions focus on fitness, injury prevention and workload management.
Rahul Baitha and Rathika Suthanthira Seelan secured the men's and women's titles, respectively, at the 49th Bombay Gymkhana Maharashtra State Open Squash Tournament. Baitha overcame top seed Om Semwal in a hard-fought men's final, while Rathika dominated Akanksha Salunkhe in the women's summit clash. Junior titles were also decided, with Akanksha Gupta winning the girls' U-19 and Purav Rambhia taking the boys' U-19.
Aakash Chopra believes India faces a challenging path to the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 final, even if they register a 2-0 series sweep in Sri Lanka.
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.
Young Indian shuttler Mansi Singh secured a runner-up finish at the Indonesia Masters Super 100 badminton tournament, losing to China's Xu Wen Jing in the women's singles final. This marks her second runner-up finish this year.
Linda Noskova, the Wimbledon champion, plans to 'get drunk' and enjoy New York after her agonising US Open quarter-final defeat to world number one Aryna Sabalenka, a match where she came 'agonisingly close' to a stunning upset.
Gujarat Titans head coach Ashish Nehra has offered insights into Shubman Gill's captaincy style, comparing him to Hardik Pandya and noting Gill's reserved yet keen approach to leadership. Nehra also discussed the uncertain future of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for the 2027 ODI World Cup, stating it's too early to predict. He also touched upon his own coaching ambitions and reflected on past World Cup losses.
Hansi Flick has become the first Barcelona manager to win the club's opening seven competitive matches of a season after a dominant 7-2 victory over Racing Santander.
Abhishek Sharma smashed a record-breaking 30-ball century, the fastest by a full member in T20Is, leading India to a massive 127-run victory over Afghanistan. Sharma's explosive innings and his comments on India's batting philosophy highlight the team's focus on dominance ahead of the T20 World Cup, despite recent setbacks. Captains Shreyas Iyer and Ibrahim Zadran also shared their perspectives on the match and team development.
Mizoram has declared a full holiday for educational institutions and a half-day for government offices to allow residents to watch the FIFA World Cup final. Chief Minister Lalduhoma highlighted the state's passion for football and the importance of the sport to its youth.
The Indian women's hockey team has departed for the Asian Games in Japan, aiming to win the gold medal and secure a direct qualification spot for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
India pacer Mohammad Siraj has attributed his drop in pace and rhythm since the recent tour of Sri Lanka to an extended two-month break.
Lionel Messi has made the 2026 Ballon d'Or shortlist after another prolific season, while five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo was omitted despite helping Al-Nassr secure the Saudi Pro League title.
Indian squash sensation Anahat Singh has made history by becoming the first Indian since Joshna Chinappa in 2005 to reach the World Junior Squash Championship final.
India's junior pickleball team finished fourth, and the kids' team secured a silver medal at the Pickleball World Cup in Da Nang, Vietnam. The Open and Masters teams reached the quarter-finals, while Purvansh Patel won gold and Veer Shah won bronze in individual singles categories.
Former England winger Raheem Sterling pleaded guilty to dangerous driving after being seen inhaling 'laughing gas' before crashing his Lamborghini. The incident occurred on the M25 and M3 motorways, with witnesses reporting erratic driving. Sterling also admitted possession of nitrous oxide and failing to provide a blood specimen. The case has been adjourned for a pre-sentence report, and he has been disqualified from driving.
Shubman Gill's quickfire 40 helped Fazilka Falcons secure a thrilling one-run victory over Ludhiana Lions in their Sher-e-Punjab T20 League match.
Ajit Agarkar has informed the BCCI he will not continue as chief selector, prompting the board to begin searching for his successor as his contract ends October 4.
Spain, led by teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, defeated France 2-0 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals, securing their place in the final. Yamal, who played a crucial role in the victory, has already expressed his team's readiness for the title clash in New York. This marks Spain's first World Cup final appearance since their 2010 triumph.
Veteran Indian pace bowler Mohammed Shami is set to play his 100th first-class match, leading East Zone in the Duleep Trophy final against South Zone in Chennai.
Indian tennis player Yuki Bhambri is a doubtful starter for the upcoming Davis Cup tie against Korea in Seoul due to a right-leg strain suffered during practice, though he has assured his participation in the Asian Games is not threatened.
State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has delivered LCA Tejas FOC twin-seater trainers and HTT-40 basic trainer aircraft to the Indian Air Force, and Dhruv Next Generation helicopters to Pawan Hans. This significant handover, attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu, underscores India's progress towards self-reliance in aerospace, strengthening both military and civil aviation capabilities with indigenous platforms.
The Oval in London has been confirmed as the venue for the 2027 ICC World Test Championship Final, scheduled from June 9-13. This marks the second time The Oval will host the final, having previously done so in 2023. Nine teams are currently competing in the ongoing WTC cycle, with Australia leading the standings, followed by South Africa and New Zealand, as the race intensifies with crucial upcoming series.
Innocent Kaia's career-best 72 runs led Zimbabwe to a five-wicket victory over hosts Namibia in the Twenty20 tri-series, keeping their hopes alive for a spot in the weekend final against South Africa.
The Supreme Court has expressed shock over numerous deaths, including unnatural ones, in relief camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Manipur. It directed the state's chief secretary to explain steps taken for investigation, criminal proceedings, and ensuring safety, questioning low compensation and incomplete post-mortems. The court also sought a report from MSLSA and urged expeditious trials in violence-related cases.
Local tennis sensation Shreeniti Chowdhury secured both the girls' singles and doubles titles at the KSLTA World Tennis Junior J30 Bengaluru. The 15-year-old defeated Aahida Singh in the singles final and partnered Riddhi Shinde for the doubles win. In the boys' category, Fazal Ali Meer won the singles, while Chukka Lakshya Vardhan and Parthiv Nallagundla took the doubles title.
Aryna Sabalenka overcame Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova in a pulsating three-set thriller, saving her title defence and reaching a sixth consecutive US Open semi-final after a tense tiebreak.
Carlos Alcaraz left fans stunned after appearing to vomit into his towel during his US Open clash with Ben Shelton.
China's Zheng Qinwen has made a remarkable comeback at the US Open, reaching the quarter-finals after overcoming a chronic elbow injury and a significant drop in rankings.
The Indian women's hockey team has departed for Frankfurt, Germany, to complete its final preparations for the upcoming FIH World Cup. The team will play practice matches and train in Europe before heading to the Netherlands for the tournament, where they will face China, South Africa, and England in Pool D.
A committee formed by West Bengal's BJP government is considering proposals to rename several prominent roads, bridges, and public places in Kolkata, including those named after communist leaders Vladimir Lenin, Karl Marx, and Ho Chi Minh. This move has sparked sharp criticism from the Trinamool Congress and CPI(M), who view it as "vendetta politics" and an attempt to disrespect differing ideologies.
'The way the government behaves, sometimes I ask myself: Are not Tamils Sri Lankans too? Why do you discriminate so much?'
A security delegation from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has arrived in Pakistan to review arrangements for England's upcoming ODI tri-nation series tour. The delegation will inspect venues and meet officials to ensure security plans are robust for the series, which also involves Sri Lanka and runs from October 18 to 31.
Indian athletes, including wushu and table tennis players, faced initial check-in difficulties upon arrival for the Asian Games in Nagoya. While some wushu players and coaches reportedly had issues with room allocation on the designated cruise ship, officials stated the problems were resolved. The Games' accommodation plan involves a mix of cruise ships, container rooms, and hotels, with some contingents already raising concerns about the quality and availability of lodging.
rediffGURU Radheshyam Zanwar, founder of Zanwar Classes, clarifies doubts and guides young aspirants on eligibility for science, and engineering entrance exams.
