India's medal tally at the Asian Games surged to 65, highlighted by rare silver medals in men's skiff sailing and Greco-Roman wrestling. The men's cricket and hockey teams secured their spots in the finals with impressive victories, while squash teams and compound archer Ganesh Mani Ratnam Thirumuru contributed bronze medals. Indian golfers are also in contention, and sepaktakraw guaranteed at least a bronze, showcasing a diverse sporting performance.
India's athletics campaign at the Asian Games is set to begin, with star shot putter Tajinderpal Singh Toor aiming for a historic third consecutive gold. Long jumper Murali Sreeshankar and long-distance runner Gulveer Singh are also looking to upgrade their previous medals. Despite Neeraj Chopra's absence, the 75-member Indian team targets 25-30 medals across various events, including steeplechase, javelin, and high jump, facing strong competition from other Asian athletes.
'I thought this generation was no good, will not be able to do much with all this social media etc. But then, they surprised us.'
Indian boxers Sakshi Chaudhary and Sumit faced early exits at the Asian Games. Sakshi lost her pre-quarterfinal bout to Kazakhstan's Alua Balkibekova, while Sumit was forced to concede his match due to a knee injury. Another Indian boxer, Parveen, is scheduled to compete later.
India's women's chess team, led by B Savitha Shri, secured a 2-2 draw against Kazakhstan at the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand. The men's team also drew 2-2 against Azerbaijan. These results keep both Indian teams in contention, though defending the title appears challenging with China leading the women's section and Germany joining Uzbekistan at the top in the open section.
India's national soft tennis federation is pushing for the sport's inclusion in the 2030 Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad, following a historic Asian Games medal. Special Advisor Harshang Khodadhara highlighted India's strong global ranking and its position as the leading Commonwealth nation in soft tennis, expressing confidence in winning gold medals if included.
Neeru Dhanda and Kynan Chenai secured a historic mixed team trap shooting gold at the Asian Games, making Dhanda the most successful Indian athlete with three medals. Dhanda, who also won individual gold and team silver, overcame illness and fatigue, while Chenai provided crucial stability, using his father's lucky gun barrel.
World champions Spain defeated England 3-2 in a thrilling Nations League opener at Wembley, capitalising on two significant defensive errors. Mikel Oyarzabal scored the winner after England had briefly mounted a comeback. The article also covers Croatia's 2-1 win over the Czech Republic and Scotland's 0-0 draw with Slovenia.
Mitch Marsh will captain Australia in the first ODI against South Africa, despite Pat Cummins' arrival. Cummins is focusing on the upcoming Test series, allowing Marsh to continue leading the ODI side after a successful series in Zimbabwe. Cummins might return for later matches in the series, which serves as preparation for next year's World Cup.
The Indian men's and women's chess teams delivered strong performances in the seventh round of the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand. The men's team defeated England, with R Praggnanandhaa and D Gukesh securing crucial wins. The women's team dominated Germany with a 3.5-0.5 victory, highlighted by wins from Koneru Humpy, Divya Deshmukh, and Savitha Shri.
Indian athletes are set for a busy day at the Asian Games on September 27, competing across a wide array of sports including athletics, archery, shooting, boxing, and squash.
Indian shooting contingent members, including Elavenil Valarivan, Mairaj Ahmad Khan, Anantjit Singh Naruka, and Raiza Dhillon, received a warm welcome upon their return to Delhi after winning medals at the Asian Games. Elavenil expressed confidence despite missing gold, highlighting her win against world and Olympic champions.
This week's OTT releases feature a diverse range of films and series, including Huma Qureshi's Baby Do Die Do, Aneet Padda's Hunkaar: The Roar, Parineeti Chopra's OTT debut in Shaque: Trust No One, Nayanthara's romcom Hi, and the animated Toy Story 5.
Indian kurash athlete Pincky Balhara secured a bronze medal at the Asian Games, becoming the most successful Indian in the sport at the event. Her achievement came despite suffering a knee injury during the quarterfinal, which was further targeted by her semifinal opponent. Balhara, who trains with boys at her uncle's academy due to the lack of a national federation, expressed disappointment over the injury preventing a higher finish.
India's women's badminton team, led by PV Sindhu, secured a dominant 3-0 victory over Kazakhstan at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. This win propels them into a challenging quarterfinal match against hosts Japan, a team boasting several top-ranked players.
Carlos Alcaraz and Andre Agassi are advocating for significant changes to Grand Slam scheduling, particularly to avoid late-night finishes that impact player welfare and fan attendance. Alcaraz's US Open campaign ended in a 3:33 a.m. finish, prompting his call for matches to conclude by 11 p.m. Agassi supports guaranteed downtime for players, highlighting a broader push for improved working conditions in professional tennis.
We started with notebooks and graduated to lavatories, self defence classes, laptops during the lockdown... And, every Ganeshotsav, the contributions increased, says Ananya Chincholikar.
Former badminton coach Vimal Kumar expresses optimism about India's medal prospects at the upcoming Asian Games, suggesting they can surpass their previous tally of three. He stresses the critical need for Indian singles players, including Lakshya Sen and Ayush Shetty, to overcome inconsistencies and deliver under pressure. Kumar also highlights the challenges posed by the new 15-point format and the highly competitive nature of men's singles badminton.
Kazakh businessman Timur Turlov has been elected the new president of the world chess governing body FIDE, succeeding Arkady Dvorkovich. Turlov won a closely contested election against German entrepreneurs Wadim Rosenstein and Jan Henric Buettner, securing a four-year term. His victory comes amidst scrutiny over Russian influence and FIDE's financial independence, with Turlov campaigning on expanding digital reach and supporting smaller federations. He also addressed concerns about his ties to the outgoing administration and FIDE's commercial partner, Freedom Holding Corp.
The Indian table tennis team, featuring strong contenders like the men's doubles pair of Manush Shah and Manav Thakkar, has commenced its Asian Games campaign in Nagoya with aspirations of securing at least one medal. Both men's and women's teams are in Group F, facing Indonesia and other opponents. The team, a mix of experienced players and rising stars like Syndrela Das, is confident after acclimatising to the conditions.
Jay Meena secured India's first-ever soft tennis medal at the Asian Games, winning a bronze after a hard-fought semifinal loss to Japan's Takuya Kurosaka. Meena, playing in his third Asian Games, showed resilience but ultimately settled for bronze.
Salman Khan, a 28-year-old farmer's son from Amethi, Uttar Pradesh, has won a historic bronze medal in men's double sculls rowing at the Asian Games in Nagoya. This marks India's first-ever podium finish in this event, bringing pride to his hometown and inspiring young athletes.
Researchers at IIT Delhi have successfully designed India's first working indigenous micro Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). This significant development aims to reduce the country's reliance on imported GPUs, which are crucial for AI, Machine Learning, and various embedded applications, and could help bridge the digital divide.
Deaf and non-verbal since birth, Sana Bahadar has found her voice through squash, overcoming financial and communication barriers while reaching the Asian Games and targeting the world top 100.
Ambitious India out to match Hangzhou benchmark in Nagoya.
Panama's coach, Thomas Christiansen, suggests India can learn from Panama's football growth despite baseball's dominance, highlighting the need for league improvement, better facilities, and attracting top players to boost football's popularity and global standing. Midfielder Carlos Harvey also advocates for bringing in star players to increase visibility.
Indian paddlers concluded their Asian Games canoeing campaign without securing any medals, falling short of their previous performance at the Hangzhou edition.
A small contingent of the 74-member Indian athletics team is still awaiting visa clearance for Japan, potentially impacting their acclimatisation camp ahead of the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. AFI officials are working to resolve the issue, which stems from VFS requirements regarding application locations.
Western Australia Premier Roger Cook emphasised cricket's pivotal role in enhancing India-Australia relations, fostering business development, economic ties, and trade. He highlighted the upcoming Big Bash League match in Chennai and the opening of the University of Western Australia campus in Mumbai as key initiatives strengthening bilateral cooperation and cultural exchange.
Two-time Olympic gold medallist Shaunae Miller-Uibo has been announced as the International Event Ambassador for the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon. The Bahamian sprinter, known for her explosive finishes and consistent performance, will visit New Delhi to be part of the event, aiming to inspire runners with her journey of progress and consistency.
Injuries have forced England's 36-year-old express fast bowler Mark Wood to retire from international cricket after an 11-year career yielding 253 wickets across all formats.
Looking at the best Tom Cruise films outside the Mission: Impossible franchise that proves just how versatile the superstar can be.
Indian shooter Manu Bhaker finished fifth in the women's 10m air pistol at the Asian Games, an emotionally charged event for her following the recent death of her mentor and legendary coach Jaspal Rana. Bhaker broke down while recalling Rana's profound life and career advice, particularly his emphasis on process over outcome, which she tried to apply during her challenging performance.
India's large contingent of 501 athletes is set to compete at the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, aiming to showcase the nation's growing sporting depth and its ambition to become a global top-10 sporting power by 2036. Despite initial accommodation challenges, the focus is on building on the momentum from the record 2022 Hangzhou Games, with strong medal hopes in shooting, athletics, cricket, badminton, and hockey.
India's shooting campaign at the Asian Games faced a setback as Elavenil Valarivan and Parth Mane finished fourth in the 10m air rifle mixed team final, extending the country's wait for a gold medal. Despite strong qualification, the Indian pair struggled in the final, while China secured gold with a world record. This follows other near-misses for India, highlighting the intense competition and the need to convert strong starts into medals. The focus now shifts to upcoming events, including Manu Bhaker's participation.
'My parents were crying because they were so excited that I was on screen, that it was an YRF film, and it was opposite Rani Mukerji.'
Commonwealth Games gold medallist and Arjuna Awardee Roopa Unnikrishnan gives away the rifles that shaped her brilliant shooting career, hoping they will inspire a new generation of Indian shooters.
Jay Meena dreamed of becoming a cricketer, but fate had other plans.
Hriday Chheda, a gold medallist from the 2022 Asian Games, acknowledges the increased expectations for India's dressage team at the upcoming 2026 Asian Games in Japan, emphasising the importance of staying calm and delivering a strong performance.
Anahat Singh and Abhay Singh clinched silver medals at the Asian Games, showcasing their potential despite falling short of gold against formidable Malaysian opponents and missing direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
