Indian hockey fans, including a significant diaspora presence and supporters from abroad, created a vibrant, festive atmosphere in Amstelveen for the World Cup opener against Wales on Independence Day, driven by increased expectations following recent Olympic successes.
New Delhi must look for formal, institutional statements issued directly from Washington rather than rely on casual pronouncements meant for local audiences, notes Ambassador Rajasekhar.
Selva Prabhu registered a best jump of 16.52m to finish third and take bronze.
World number one Aryna Sabalenka was defeated 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-4 by Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova in the fourth round of the Canadian Open, a significant setback in her U.S. Open preparations.
In a no-filter conversation with Rediff's Rishika Shah, Miss India World Nikita Porwal has a few confessions to make.
Andy Flower has ruled himself out of contention for the vacant England Test head coach position, saying he is happy in franchise cricket and intends to remain in his current roles.
Elena Rybakina mounted a stunning comeback from a set and a break down to defeat Naomi Osaka in a hard-fought Canadian Open quarter-final, setting up a semi-final clash with Coco Gauff.
Om Prakash Chouhan has taken the opening-round lead at the Rs 1 crore Coal India Open in Kolkata, delivering a spectacular eight-under 62. His impressive performance included a hole-in-one and an eagle, giving him a one-shot advantage over former Asian Tour winner Ajeetesh Sandhu.
Indian skeet shooter Maheshwari Chauhan, who narrowly missed a medal at the Paris Olympics, is now leveraging that experience to prepare for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan. She finished fourth in the mixed team skeet event and is currently part of a national preparatory camp.
Eleven-year-old Indian karting sensation Atiqa Mir has achieved impressive top-10 finishes in Round 4 of the FIA European Championship, becoming the youngest Indian to do so. She secured ninth and J10th place in heat races, qualifying P11 just 0.13 seconds off the fastest time. Her father, Asif Mir, believes she exceeded expectations and is poised for a full championship challenge next year.
Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden has lauded young Indian batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, highlighting his courage, mental strength, and ability to perform under pressure. Hayden believes the 15-year-old has the potential to excel in both short and long formats of cricket, despite his recent T20I and IPL successes. Sooryavanshi's impressive performances, including a Player of the Series award in T20Is and a record-breaking IPL season, underscore his immense talent.
Bowling coach Morne Morkel has indicated that India might field three left-arm spinners - Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, and Manav Suthar - in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle.
Norwegian middle-distance runner Jakob Ingebrigtsen secured his seventh European Athletics Championships gold, winning the 5,000 metres title in a thrilling sprint finish, just months after Achilles surgery.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu is aiming for a historic sixth World Championships medal, driven by her enduring "hunger towards the game" since starting her senior career in 2009.
Ayush Shetty, Unnati Hooda, Simran Singhi, and Kavipriya Selvam are set to make their BWF World Championships debut as India hosts the prestigious badminton event after 17 years, offering a significant platform for these rising stars.
August is going to be a special month for Bollywood, thanks to the Independence Day weekend, which will see a couple of big releases.
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.
'... to see that young people are gainfully employed. After that, it will become very difficult as we will start ageing much more rapidly.' 'We have a huge proportion of Gen Z. After 2030, every year, we will start seeing a gradual shift towards a slightly older society.'
Suryakumar Yadav has been named as the brand ambassador for the Pro Govinda League (PGL) -- India's first professional human-pyramid league.
Former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming, renowned for his success with Chennai Super Kings, has been appointed England's new Test head coach, with Joe Root returning as captain after a comprehensive recruitment process by the England and Wales Cricket Board.
Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has issued a strong warning to disgruntled Congress MLAs threatening to resign after the cabinet expansion.
Hollywood actor Brad Pitt believes artificial intelligence could be a boon for mid-budget filmmaking by making visual effects more accessible. However, he expresses caution regarding AI's use in replicating actors' performances and raises concerns about body scanning and digital likeness ownership. Pitt also shared his thoughts on AI-generated music and his upcoming film projects.
Age is just a number for uncapped off-spin allrounder Saransh Jain who at 33 years has earned his maiden Test call-up for the upcoming Sri Lanka tour on the back of consistent performances in the domestic circuit and India A.
Despite a debilitating knee injury derailing his own campaign, Tejaswin Shankar selflessly coached compatriot Sarvesh Kushare, providing crucial technical advice that helped Kushare secure a silver medal in the men's high jump at the Commonwealth Games.
India has distanced itself from former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina's recent media interaction in New Delhi, stating it played no role in the event nor endorsed her comments regarding the Bangladesh government. This comes after Bangladesh expressed outrage over the permitted interaction, which saw Hasina announce her determination to return to Bangladesh to restore democracy.
'If a character doesn't challenge me, I don't get excited about it.' 'I don't mind failing while trying, but I need to feel that fear of wondering how I'm going to pull it off.'
Chelsea has signed England international Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa for a reported 117 million, making him the most expensive British player. Rogers, who previously helped Villa win the Europa League, expressed excitement about joining Chelsea, a club he has always admired.
An NSCN(IM) insurgent surrendered to police in Arunachal Pradesh's Changlang district, along with weapons and ammunition.
Cruz Hewitt, son of former world number one Lleyton Hewitt, earned his first ATP Tour-level win at the Washington Open at the age of 17, defeating Marcos Giron.
India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak lauded Devdutt Padikkal for his maiden international century against Sri Lanka, highlighting his dedicated work on back foot play and shot selection. Kotak also provided an update on vice-captain KL Rahul, who retired hurt due to cramps but is expected to be fit for the next day's play. The coach further discussed the Galle pitch conditions, anticipating more turn as the Test progresses, and praised Rahul's versatility across formats.
'I've personally reached a phase where I don't chase age-appropriate labels. I chase interesting characters.'
President Donald Trump described the chaotic moments after a gunman opened fire at the Washington Hilton hotel during the White House Correspondents' Association dinner, leading to his evacuation by the Secret Service.
Former India opener Shikhar Dhawan has expressed strong confidence in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's ability to contribute significantly to India's 2027 ODI World Cup campaign, stating they will 'add great value to the team and help India win the World Cup'.
Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta maintained his sole lead in the Pune International Grandmaster Round Robin chess tournament after drawing with IM Akshay Borgaonkar in the seventh round. Other Indian players, IM Kushagra Mohan and IM Ashwath S, also performed well, securing third and second places respectively.
Indian Olympic Association President PT Usha lauded RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's address at an IIMUN event, calling it 'inspirational' and praising his thoughtful responses regarding youth protests and the need for dialogue.
Daniil Medvedev played down his Indian Wells semi-final win over Carlos Alcaraz, saying the Spaniard and Jannik Sinner remain on a different level from the rest of the ATP Tour.
Jamie Chadwick, a triple W Series champion, believes that increasing female participation at grassroots levels is crucial for women to reach the top echelons of motorsport. She highlights the importance of creating welcoming environments for young girls in karting and addresses the historical disparity, noting that it has been 50 years since a woman last raced in Formula One. Chadwick is confident that new initiatives will lead to a higher quality of female drivers in the coming years, despite the overall growth in talent across the sport.
How US President Donald Trump employed a clandestine 'decoy' Air Force One operation to secretly depart Turkiye following a NATO Summit.
'From day one, our vision has been to build a company that develops and owns the technologies defining the future of space.'
Fifteen-year-old Chilean Jaime 'Craime' Bustos has become the youngest-ever Esports World Cup champion, winning the Street Fighter 6 title. Representing Team Falcons, Craime defeated Japan's Hibiki in the final, securing USD 250,000 and a spot in Capcom Cup 13. Other championships were also decided, with Team Falcons maintaining their lead in the Club Championship standings.
