If an OTT series can make a young person curious about the armed forces, make a family understand the sacrifices made by those in uniform, or simply make someone walk up to a veteran and say, "Thank you for your service," then it has achieved something far more important than merely getting its history right, notes Air Commodore Nitin Sathe (retd).
Indian boxer Sachin Siwach advanced to the pre-quarterfinals in the men's 60kg class, while the women's lawn bowls pair of Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh secured their third consecutive victory at the Commonwealth Games. Despite some disappointments in swimming and wheelchair basketball, India is looking forward to potential medals, with Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu expected to retain her weightlifting crown.
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty advanced to the men's doubles quarterfinals at the World Championships, securing a potential third medal. However, India faced a setback with the elimination of two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and Ayush Shetty in their respective singles matches. The women's doubles pair of Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand also reached the quarterfinals.
Devdutt Padikkal on Tuesday asserted that Test cricket remains his "ultimate goal", and subtle technical adjustments to his batting has helped him make an instant impact in the ongoing first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.
Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya, currently recovering from injury, visited the revered Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirumala with his girlfriend Mahieka Sharma, sporting a tonsured head that has sparked speculation among fans.
Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra and badminton legend Pullela Gopichand have launched the Indian School of Coaching Excellence (ISCE), an initiative designed to strengthen India's sports coaching landscape.
Legendary cricketer Ian Chappell has strongly criticised Australian selectors following their nine-wicket defeat to Bangladesh in the first Test at Darwin, demanding significant changes to the team's selection process and personnel.
US Vice-President J D Vance's unexpected phone call to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 8 has ignited speculation about a potential diplomatic overture, possibly seeking India's support amidst the escalating US-Iran conflict and a shifting global power landscape, suggests Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin discusses fellow world champion D Gukesh's recent performance slump, attributing it to a lack of confidence rather than a decline in skill. Sarin expresses hope that the upcoming Chess Olympiad will help Gukesh regain his form. He also shares his views on the increasing role of AI in chess, the evolution towards faster formats, and potential improvements in the chess ecosystem.
India's top men's doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, expressed disappointment over their inability to convert attacking opportunities and losing the crucial battle over the first four shots and service, leading to their quarterfinal exit at the World Championships.
Kushagra Ojha scored an unbeaten century, guiding India U-19 to a strong position of 253 for three against Sri Lanka on the opening day of the second Youth Test. After a shaky start where India lost two early wickets for no runs, Ojha, along with Yashbardhan Chauhan (78) and Manal Chauhan (55*), built crucial partnerships to stabilise the innings.
'They probably imagine any hue and cry in the event Sheikh Hasina is hanged will be shortlived as it happened when Bhutto was hanged in Pakistan in 1979.'
M S Dhoni celebrated his 45th birthday by watching the 3rd T20I between India and England in Nottingham, where he was mobbed by fans and received a huge roar from the Trent Bridge crowd, despite India's 125-run loss.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has prematurely closed its swap facility for foreign currency non-resident (bank) deposits, FCNR(B), one month ahead of schedule, after banks mobilised $52.3 billion under the scheme by August 13, indicating sufficient foreign currency reserves.
India's fastest hurdler, Tejas Shirse, has revealed he competed in the Commonwealth Games 110m hurdles final with two stress fractures in his left foot, an injury that has ended his 2026 season and shattered his dream of competing at the Asian Games next month.
India defeated England by 270 runs in the first women's Test match ever held at Lord's, with the hosts bowled out for 186 while chasing a target of 457.
KL Rahul's patient half-century in the Galle Test against Sri Lanka highlights his evolving role as a consistent and strategic anchor for the Indian team. Despite a slower strike rate, his ability to stonewall spinners and build partnerships has been crucial, earning praise from coaches and teammates. This performance underscores his growing importance, especially after the departure of senior batters, as he aims to make a significant impact in the current Test series.
Rohit Sharma got back among the runs with a blistering century but England managed to overpower India by 27 runs in the third and final ODI at Lord's on Sunday, to claim the three-match ODI series 2-1.
India's services sector experienced its weakest growth in four-and-a-half years in July, as new business orders, both domestic and export, eased due to intense competition and declining demand. Despite a modest rebound in job creation and improved profit margins, overall business confidence slipped, reflecting a broader slowdown in the economy.
Former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi asserts that India and the United States are natural partners, crucial in the geopolitical competition with China. She highlights India's pivotal role as the world's largest democracy with a young, English-speaking population, despite its "chaotic" nature. Nooyi also discusses the need for leaders to understand each other's perspectives to maintain strong bilateral ties.
Bhiwani boxer Sakshi Chaudhary expressed gratitude to Virat Kohli for sponsoring her through her Commonwealth Games gold medal-winning campaign.
National record holder Vishal TK has qualified for the men's 400m semifinals at the Commonwealth Games, keeping India's medal aspirations alive. His compatriot Rajesh Ramesh, however, narrowly missed out on qualification. Vishal, who holds the national record of 44.98 seconds, finished second in his heat and will compete in the semifinals on July 30.
Ashish Yadav secured a silver medal in the men's javelin throw at the World Athletics U20 Championships, marking India's first medal at the event. His throw of 74.09m placed him second, following South Africa's Jan-Hendrik Heymans who won gold. Yadav is now the second Indian to win silver in this event, after Neeraj Chopra.
Lakshya Sen suffered a shock second-round exit at the BWF World Championships after losing to USA's 18-year-old Garret Tan in a thrilling three-game contest in New Delhi on Wednesday.
Tejaswin Shankar, a two-time Commonwealth Games medalist, is targeting an Asian Games decathlon gold with a personal best, while building towards Olympic-level performances and longevity.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu expressed disappointment after her pre-quarterfinal defeat at the World Championships, suggesting her opponent Wang Zhi Yi's mid-match cramps might have been tactical. Sindhu also reflected on her own performance, acknowledging the need for greater patience and improved stroke-making, while vowing to continue her pursuit of a sixth World Championships medal.
Sara Tendulkar has never really been a corset girl. But if her latest Vogue India cover shoot is anything to go by, she may have just found her newest fashion obsession.
Baramulla-born fast bowler Auqib Nabi has been selected for the Indian Test squad to play against Sri Lanka, replacing an injured Jasprit Bumrah. This marks a historic moment as Nabi becomes the first player from the Kashmir Valley to join India's Test team, following impressive performances in the Ranji Trophy.
India has announced a calendar of 29 international sporting events over the next two years, aiming to bolster its credentials as a host nation. This strategic move is part of its larger goal to secure bids for the 2036 Olympic Games, the 2030 Commonwealth Games, and the 2038 Asian Games, showcasing its capacity to host large-scale multi-sport spectacles.
Pakistan's first female Commonwealth Games boxing medallist, Fatima Zahra, credits Indian boxing legend MC Mary Kom as her primary inspiration, having watched the Bollywood biopic on Kom's life and emulating her journey of overcoming adversity.
Indian golfing legend Jeev Milkha Singh offers crucial advice to the national golf team ahead of the Asian Games, emphasising the importance of a strong short game and adapting to Japan's fast greens and windy conditions to secure medals.
Indian athlete Praveen Chithravel secured a silver medal in the men's triple jump at the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, bringing immense pride to his agricultural daily wage worker father and their village in Tamil Nadu.
Ireland's aspirations for direct qualification to the 2027 ICC Men's ODI World Cup have been extinguished after the opening ODI against Afghanistan was abandoned due to persistent rain, mathematically ruling them out of contention for an automatic spot.
India has welcomed the ceasefire between the US and Iran, advocating for de-escalation, dialogue, and diplomacy to secure lasting peace in West Asia.
India is set to face England in the second ODI, aiming for a series victory, but concerns over Shubman Gill's fitness after he walked off injured in the first match, and Rohit Sharma's inconsistent batting form, are prominent. The team will also consider potential changes to the playing eleven.
rediffGURU Ravi Mittal shares a list of dos and don'ts to stay safe while using online matrimony platforms.
Punjab Kings' Nehal Wadhera said head coach Ricky Ponting personally approached him and offered reassurance at a time when his confidence was affected by his lack of runs during IPL 2026.
The International Testing Agency (ITA) has voiced concerns regarding the high rate of doping cases in India and the alleged practice of athletes receiving advance notice before testing, potentially jeopardising the nation's bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games.
For the first time in history, the national song 'Vande Mataram' will be sung at the Red Fort during Independence Day celebrations on August 15.
'As long as the vehicle has a flex engine, it is irrelevant if the mixture is 15 per cent or 30 per cent; the performance is the same.'
