Barring stray incidents of violence like stone pelting, the shutdown called by the MVA allies Shiv Sena, the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party was largely peaceful.
As the legend turns 40, we take a look at his journey in cricket and life.
It is Mumbai's favourite festival and is celebrated each year with fervour and frenzy. But when the city welcomes "Ganpati Bappa" this Friday, the celebrations will be low key. With a cap on the size of idols, ban on processions and restrictions on devotees visiting pandals, celebrations are toned down for the second year in a row. Festival budgets have shrunk and as a result, corporate sponsorships have dried out.
Protests broke out in some states on Friday, including Delhi's Jama Masjid and stone-petling at policemen in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj and Saharanpur, over the controversial remarks on Prophet Muhammad by two now-suspended Bharatiya Janata Party functionaries with demonstrators in Jharkhand injuring a few policemen while authorities in Jammu imposed a curfew in few areas and parts of Kashmir observed a shutdown.
High-profile figures Eknath Khadse and Vindo Tawde are missing from it.
Almost 88 per cent youth have tried some of the other addiction between 16 and 18 years of age, a new survey has revealed.
The shutdown generated tension in Mumbai and a number of towns and cities across Maharashtra.
According to a new survey, one out of four married Indians fear that their partner is cheating on them.
She will represent India in the international pageant.
Chennai Super Kings batsman Faf Du Plessis heaped praise on skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni for his ability to hit any bowler, saying such a trait can make life difficult for any rival captain.
'Steve was the foremost strategic analyst on South Asia,' remembers Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
In a 'major breakthrough', the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested a policeman and a bookie in connection with the alleged murder of businessman Mansukh Hiran, an official said on Sunday, adding Mumbai police officer Sachin Waze had played a key role in the crime and emerged as the prime accused.
35 districts have been reporting high active COVID-19 caseload and fatality rate. These 35 districts comprise all 11 districts in Delhi, Kolkata, Howrah, North 24 Parganas and 24 South Parganas in West Bengal; Pune, Nagpur, Thane, Mumbai, Mumbai Suburban, Kolhapur, Sangli, Nashik, Ahmednagar, Raigad, Jalgaon, Solapur, Satara, Palghar, Aurangabad, Dhule and Nanded in Maharashtra; Surat in Gujarat; Pondicherry in Puducherry and East Singhbhum in Jharkhand.
Lt Gen Sarath Chand was commissioned into the Garhwal Rifles in June 1979 and has had an outstanding professional career spanning over 38 years.
Rohit Sharma continued his sensational run as the Test opener with his third hundred of the series, allowing India to regain control of the proceedings after a top-order collapse on Day 1 of the third and final Test against South Africa.
The 10-day-long annual Ganesh Chaturthi festival began on a low-key note on Friday with several state governments prohibiting public celebrations due to the Covid pandemic and devotees taking the virtual route to pay obeisance and join the festivities.
'The players all appreciate -- we all appreciate -- the fact that despite the pandemic and the restrictions, because of all of this protocol that has been put in place, the IPL season is still happening.'
The Australia vice-captain struggled in the four-Test series in India preceding the IPL but has been at his attacking best in the Twenty20 tournament, where he has registered back-to-back 600-plus run seasons.
Former Australian skipper Mike Hussey has predicted that Ben Stokes will steal the show on his home turf during next month's Champions Trophy, saying that the England all-rounder can have the same seismic impact as South Africa heavy-hitter Lance Klusener had in the 1999 World Cup.
The cricket boards of Sri Lanka, South Africa and New Zealand have together earned US $10 lakh for releasing their players to play in IPL season 9, which commenced on April 9. Cricket Sri Lanka has received USD 2.43 lakh (Rs 1.6 crore), Cricket South Africa USD 6.31 lakh (Rs 4.2 crore) and New Zealand Cricket USD 1.73 lakh (Rs 1.1 crore) for release of their players to play for various franchises in the cash-rich T20 league, as per the details of payment provided by the BCCI through its monthly disclosure of spending. Cricketers from Australia, England, West Indies and Bangladesh too are playing in the IPL and their respective cricket boards are also expected to be paid by the BCCI for releasing their players for the league.
This is the lowest that the BCI has ever fallen in the history of 113 rounds of the NCAER Business Expectations Survey.
The Sri Lankan cricket team, led by veteran pacer Lasith Malinga, arrived in Guwahati on Thursday for the three-match T20 series against India amid tight security after the city witnessed widespread protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The Sri Lankan team headed straight to the team hotel amid a thick security cover. The members of the Indian team are expected to arrive in batches on Friday for the series opener on Sunday.
Early Cricket Club chairman Gary Shacklady, himself a vegan, realised that many of the meals, especially at away grounds, were inaccessible to many of the players. This included the team's Hindu and Muslim players, who do not eat beef and pork for religious reasons.
Here's how the heavyweights are faring.
'We are at this stage where we have lost almost all of our experience'
As ferry services increase and remote working becomes the norm, the rural beach town has turned into a sought-after refuge for city slickers from Mumbai and Pune.
According to the officials, the funds to the Congress were sent by Hyderabad-based Megha Infrastructure and Engineering.
The auction ahead of the ninth edition of the Indian Premier League had in store something on expected lines and some surprises. Here's a look at the top buys after the first round.
Kings XI Punjab's the team's director of cricket operations Virender Sehwag came down heavily at the team's 'irresponsible' batsmen, after Rising Pune Supergiant bowled them out for an embarrassing 73.
Since home-delivered meals from five-stars are cheaper by 15 to 20 per cent as compared to eating at the destination outside, food delivery has emerged as an important part of every restaurant's service portfolio.
Australia have done themselves proud with their spirited fight in India but must continue to improve to become the number one side across all formats, the country's cricket board said on Wednesday.
India were dismissed for 105 in the first innings of their first Test against Australia on Friday. Below are India's lower totals in Test matches played on home soil.
India fast bowler Jaydev Unadkat claimed a Rs 11.5 crore deal with the usually thrifty Rajasthan Royals even as South African pace ace Dale Steyn went unsold on the second day of the Indian Premier players' auction in Bengaluru, on Sunday.
He will join his former Proteas team mate and close friend Jacques Kallis who is the head coach of the two-time Indian Premier League champions.
It wasn't very difficult to read between the lines as to what he meant after Ravindra Jadeja was preferred in the West Indies.
Health Minister Harsh Vardhan advised people to refrain from non-essential travel to Iran, Italy, South Korea and Singapore.
LG Electronics will also spend Rs 50 crore (Rs 500 million) on advertising and marketing activities to spread awareness on health care among the public this year.
The good news for rival bowlers is Chris Gayle has abandoned his onslaught-from-the outset approach... The bad news is, the West Indies opener has decided to delay his big hitting so he can explode in the later stages.
Talking about dealing with the border issue faced by India, Jaishankar, without naming any country or going into details, said, "You know again we did what we had to do. There was a very active debate which still continues to this day. It is natural for people to offer advice, often on matters which they may not have particular knowledge of, that are a human trait. But again if there was what came through it was that we were resolute, we were strong about protecting our interests."
