Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu congratulated PV Sindhu on her Japan Open triumph, calling it a proud moment for Indian badminton. Sindhu secured her maiden Super 750 title by defeating Akane Yamaguchi in straight games, marking her biggest win since 2019.
Bangladeshi cricket legend Shakib Al Hasan, an ally of ousted PM Sheikh Hasina, is willing to return from exile in the US to face charges, including murder, if the government guarantees his safety. He hopes to play a farewell series and represent Bangladesh in the 2027 World Cup, highlighting the challenges faced by Hasina's allies after her government's fall.
Indian shuttler Rounak Chouhan successfully navigated the qualifying rounds of the Taipei Open Super 300, securing his spot in the men's singles main draw with two impressive victories. However, it was a challenging day for most other Indian participants across various categories, who faced defeats in their respective qualifying and opening matches. HS Prannoy and Unnati Hooda are set to lead the Indian contingent in the main draw.
The West Bengal government will hand over land to the Border Security Force for international boundary fencing and security infrastructure, starting with a 27 km stretch. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said more land would be provided wherever required to strengthen border management in the state.
Indian rifle shooters Sonam Uttam Maskar and Himanshu Dhillon have won a bronze medal in the 10m air rifle mixed team event at the ISSF World Cup in Hangzhou. This medal brings India's total tally to four, including one gold, one silver, and two bronze. Both athletes expressed confidence and motivation from this achievement, with Himanshu marking his maiden senior World Cup podium.
With the duration of stay capped at four years, the biggest impact of the new F-1 visa rules is likely to be on PhD scholars, students enrolled in longer professional programmes, those whose graduation gets delayed and students moving from one academic programme to another, highlight education experts.
Legendary Indian hockey player P R Sreejesh has urged the men's team to ignore the ongoing jersey colour controversy and focus on ending the 50-year World Cup medal drought. He dismissed concerns about the saffron jersey, noting past colour changes, but questioned the visibility argument. Sreejesh emphasised that if players approved the change, the debate should cease, and politics should be kept out of sports. He also expressed confidence in the team's ability to perform despite the off-field distractions.
Indian MMA fighter Sangram Singh secured the STRIKE Asia Championship title by defeating Pakistan's Mohammed Abid Ali with a stunning knockout in just 80 seconds. This victory extends Singh's unbeaten professional record and highlights his successful transition from wrestling to mixed martial arts, further solidifying his status as a top Indian combat sports athlete.
Sharmila Dhankar, overcoming polio and an abusive marriage, made history by winning India's first para-athletics gold medal in 20 years at the Commonwealth Games in the women's shot put F57 event. Her compatriot Shilpa Shyla also secured a bronze after a protest. Dhankar's inspiring journey from Haryana to international success, supported by her family and second husband, highlights her remarkable resilience and dedication to para-athletics.
Top seed Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta secured a decisive victory against Aleksej Alexandrov in the sixth round of the Pune International Grandmaster Round Robin Chess Tournament, maintaining his sole lead. Indian International Masters Aswath S and Kushagra Mohan are in second and third positions, respectively, with three rounds remaining.
Newly-crowned Taipei Open champion Tanvi Sharma and former world No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth will lead India's challenge at the Korea Masters Super 300 badminton tournament. Tanvi's recent historic win and Srikanth's return to full fitness set high expectations for the Indian contingent across singles and doubles categories.
Olympic bronze medallist Aman Sehrawat won a gold medal in the men's 57kg freestyle category at the Polyak Imre, Varga Janos and Kozma Istvan Memorial Senior Ranking Tournament in Budapest. Deepak also secured a bronze in the 61kg category, with two more Indian wrestlers vying for podium finishes.
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's office is relocating from the historic Fort St George to a new, spacious, and modern facility on the 10th floor of the Namakkal Kavignar Maaligai building in the Secretariat complex due to space constraints and administrative considerations. This move marks a significant departure from a nearly six-decade tradition.
Indian para-badminton players, led by Pramod Bhagat, delivered a stellar performance at the Spanish Para Badminton International 2024, securing multiple gold, silver, and bronze medals across various categories.
Top-seed Indian Abhijeet Gupta secured a crucial victory in the eighth round of the Pune International Grandmaster Round Robin Chess Tournament, maintaining his lead. Fellow Indian International Masters Aswath S and Kushagra Mohan also won, positioning themselves strongly for the title in the final round, with Aswath eyeing a Grandmaster title and Kushagra a Grandmaster norm.
Indian badminton players, including seasoned shuttler HS Prannoy and rising star Unnati Hooda, have made a strong start at the Taipei Open Super 300, advancing to the second round of their respective singles events. Several other Indian men's and women's singles players also secured victories, setting up exciting clashes in the next stage of the tournament.
For hundreds of Indian scholars who journeyed to Canada aiming for a foreign degree and a path toward long-term career opportunities, what should have been a triumphant graduation has instead spiralled into deep uncertainty.
Indian squash players Ananya Narayanan, Pooja Arthi Raghu, and Anika Dubey secured victories in the women's first round of the HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour in Chennai. The tournament also saw international players from Sri Lanka, Egypt, Spain, Malaysia, Kuwait, and Scotland competing in both men's and women's categories.
Grandmaster Abhijeet Gupta and USA's Vaidyanathan Kannan have emerged as joint leaders in the Pune International Grandmaster Round Robin Chess Tournament after securing their second consecutive wins. Kannan, a 13-year-old, defeated GM Aleksey Fedorov, while Gupta overcame Ashwath S. India's Kushagra Mohan also caused an upset by beating GM Aleksey Alexandrov.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for global collaboration in artificial intelligence development, emphasising a "symphony of global collaboration" over a "solo performance" by any single nation. Speaking at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, Xi highlighted the need for ethical AI governance, shared prosperity, and addressing challenges like the widening digital divide. He also announced China's commitment to support developing countries with 5,000 AI research projects and training programmes. The event also saw 29 countries sign an agreement to establish the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (WAICO) in Shanghai.
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.
Hansika Lamba won a silver medal in the women's 55kg category at the Polyak Imre, Varga Janos & Kozma Istvan Memorial Senior Ranking Tournament in Budapest. Her performance, along with two bronze medals from Vishal Kaliraman and Rajat Ruhal, increased India's total medal count to five, following earlier wins by Aman Sehrawat and Deepak.
The Indian men's hockey team is undertaking a high-intensity mental conditioning camp in Switzerland with coach Paddy Upton, mirroring their successful preparation for the Paris Olympics. This crucial camp aims to build team chemistry and trust ahead of the upcoming World Cup and Asian Games.
Sharmila Dhankar, a para-athlete who overcame polio and personal adversity, has made history by becoming India's first para-athlete to win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in the women's shot put F57 event. Her season's best throw of 9.81m ended a two-decade wait for India in para-athletics at the CWG, with compatriot Shilpa Shyla also securing a bronze.
Indian golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar finished the International Series Singapore at Tied-26th after a disappointing final round. Korea's Jeongwoo Ham secured a wire-to-wire victory, earning a spot in the Open Championship.
The Indian junior women's hockey team concluded a seven-match exposure tour of the UK, securing three wins and four losses against various international teams. This tour served as crucial preparation for the upcoming Under-21 Asia Cup in China, providing valuable experience and insights into areas for improvement.
India commenced its U-19 Asian Boxing Championships campaign with impressive victories from Chandrika Pujari and Joyshree Devi. Chandrika secured a unanimous 5-0 win, while Joyshree forced an RSC. The campaign continues with U-23 men's boxers entering the ring, highlighting India's strong contingent and the championships' role in developing young talent.
Top seed Abhijeet Gupta has maintained his lead in the Pune International Grandmaster Round Robin chess tournament after securing his fourth win. International Master Aswath S caused a significant upset by defeating Belarus Grandmaster Fedorov Alexei, moving into second place. All five games in the fifth round produced decisive results.
Gaganjeet Bhullar will lead a strong Indian contingent at the International Series golf tournament, joined by other prominent Indian golfers.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu has reached her first final in over two years at the Japan Open after her opponent, Tokyo Olympics champion Chen Yufei, retired due to injury during their women's singles semifinal. Sindhu was leading the match when Chen pulled out, setting up a final clash against either Akane Yamaguchi or Putri Kusuma Wardani.
Indian table tennis has achieved a significant milestone with three doubles pairs entering the top 10 of the ITTF World Rankings. Manav Thakkar and Manush Shah reached World No. 2 in men's doubles, while Diya Chitale and Yashaswini Ghorpade are World No. 10 in women's doubles, and Diya Chitale and Shah are World No. 5 in mixed doubles. This marks the first time India has had three doubles pairs simultaneously in the top 10, underscoring the nation's growing strength in the sport, especially with doubles returning to the Olympics in 2028.
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a high-level meeting to review regional and internal security in light of recent events in Iran and Afghanistan.
Indian golfer Aditi Ashok secured a commendable third-place finish at the Hulencourt Women's Open, carding a final round of two-under 70. Fellow Indian Diksha Dagar also performed well, finishing tied seventh. Spain's Carolina Lopez Chacarra won the title, while Australia's Kelsey Bennett was runner-up.
Sanya Vats is the only Indian player to qualify for the semifinals of the HCL Squash PSA Challenger Tour in Chennai, defeating compatriot Unnati Tripathi in the quarterfinals. She is set to face top seed Rouqaia Othman of Egypt in the next round.
Haryana showcased its wrestling prowess by sweeping all three overall team titles men's freestyle, Greco-Roman, and women's wrestling at the U-23 National Wrestling Championships held in Rohtak. The host state secured top honours with significant points, while Services Sports Control Board and Maharashtra also performed strongly, with individual athletes from various states claiming gold medals across different weight categories.
The Prime Volleyball League (PVL) has been officially recognised by the FIVB as India's first division professional volleyball league, marking a significant milestone for the sport in the country. This recognition allows PVL clubs to compete in international tournaments and aligns the league with global standards. The fifth season of PVL is scheduled to begin on November 30, with a players' auction on August 17 in Goa. This development is expected to further strengthen Indian volleyball's performance on the international stage.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and BAI President Himanta Biswa Sarma unveiled 'Peacko', the official mascot, and the championship anthem for the upcoming BWF World Championships in New Delhi. India aims to solidify its position as a global sporting destination, with the event featuring top Indian shuttlers like PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen.
An Emirates flight en route to Dubai from Kochi was compelled to return due to a security incident at Dubai International Airport, causing travel disruptions and raising security concerns.
French Olympian Prithika Pavade delivered a stellar performance, including a crucial win over two-time UTT MVP Yangzi Liu, to lead PBG Pune Jaguars to a 9-6 victory against UP Prometheans in Ultimate Table Tennis Season 7. The match saw several closely contested battles and dramatic finishes.
