The 59-year-old Vikram Misri assumed charge of the key position at a time India is looking to navigate various geo-political challenges, including its frosty ties with China following the lingering eastern Ladakh border row and the consequences of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Venues for different ceremonial functions, Rashtrapati Bhavan's iconic 'Durbar Hall' and 'Ashok Hall' were on Thursday renamed 'Ganatantra Mandap' and 'Ashok Mandap', respectively.
The Belgians finished first in pool A and hence will be teamed against India.
Argentina beat Belgium 4-2 to claim the Olympic title and win their country's first Games medal in men's hockey, edging a close-fought match between two teams few expected to make the final.
Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Russian Opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who died mysteriously in prison on Friday, February 16. 2024, has accused President Vladimir Putin of killing her husband and pledged to continue his struggle for a 'free Russia'.
Belgium's credentials as a genuine outside bet for World Cup success face a tougher examination against Tunisia on Saturday after a relatively sedate opening against Panama.
Pan-American champions Argentina defeated Poland 5-1 to set up a Champions Challenge semi-final with Belgium, who outplayed Canada 4-0 in the quarter-finals on Thursday. Argentina, at world No. 8 the highest-ranked team in the tournament, and Belgium have both already secured direct entry to the 2012 Olympic Games.
The United States team broke their own world record in the 4x400 mixed relay in the opening heats at the Paris Olympics on Friday
With eight teams left in the tournament the numbers around Euro 2024 are becoming clearer, with Spain, England and France all considered likely winners and a race for top scorer that is still very tight.
Bitter defeat for Belgium in the World Cup semi-final is tempered by the fact that influential squad members will likely still be around in two years' time for the European Championship where they will have another realistic chance at a major title.
Tuesday's semi-final in St Petersburg sees team mates from English champions Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur go head to head as well as rivalries between club colleagues from Barcelona, Paris St Germain and Monaco.
France forward Kylian Mbappe is continuing to recover from his broken nose even though it is not yet sure whether he will play on Tuesday in his side's last group game
"Dull, boring, lifeless -- nothing else to say really. But we're going to win the World Cup anyway so don't worry about us!" said Leighton from Liverpool.
A dipping long-range strike from Kevin de Bruyne gave Belgium a late 2-1 win away at 10-man Switzerland in a friendly between the two Euro 2016 finalists on Saturday.
This is the first Golden Ball to go for auction and while the value is still to be confirmed, the auction house expects it to fetch millions on June 6.
World number one Jannik Sinner's bid for a second Grand Slam title continued to gain momentum as he thumped Christopher O'Connell 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 on Saturday to reach the US Open fourth round.
In other matches in the Champions Chellenge hockey tournament, New Zealand beat England while Argentina beat Japan.
Ronaldo faces Schick in battle of top marksmen from last Euros
Ukraine will face Belgium, Romania and Slovakia in Group E. Although the Belgians are the group favourites, Ukraine are well-equipped to reach the knockout stage by finishing second.
The Belgian national team will not train for a second day following the Brussels bomb attacks, calling off a scheduled session on Wednesday in the wake of the deaths of at least 30 people, the country's football association said.
The 36-year-old goalkeeper, a veteran of 328 international matches, took to social media to announce his decision.
Belgium will meet the United States in the Fed Cup semi-finals after Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin-Hardenne beat holders Russia
India conceded a soft goal in the fifth minute of the second semi-final encounter when Cedric Charlier scored from a field strike for Belgium, which eventually separated both the teams at the Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel stadium.
Six medals from a 117-strong contingent is not ideal but India had its moments of joy, hope, frustration, and heartache.
India were outclassed 0-4 by hosts Belgium in a lop-sided last-four clash, with Florent Van Aubel's fine hat-trick playing a pivotal role in the side's passage to the final of the FIH Hockey World League semi-finals in Antwerp.
Marouane Fellaini played chief tormentor as France suffered a 4-3 home defeat in a home friendly against Belgium on Sunday.
Sweden midfielder Kristoffer Olsson has been hospitalised and put on a ventilator after falling unconscious at home.
No fewer than 14 will be up for grabs as day one promises action across multiple sports: four golds in swimming, two each in cycling, fencing, and judo, and one each in diving, skateboarding, shooting, and rugby sevens.
Belgium have the wealth of talent to come up with a variety of approaches to their Euro 2016 matches but still need to find the right formula, said captain Eden Hazard on Monday.
'The more educated a young person is, the higher the chances of him or her remaining unemployed.'
Belgium and Great Britain beat Malaysia and South Africa respectively to improve their chances of finishing among the top seven teams in the Olympic hockey qualifier.
Captain Sandeep Singh starred with two goals as India beat Belgium 4-3 in the second hockey Test to level the three-match series in Braxgata, Belgium, on the second leg of their ongoing European tour.
Argentina reached the World Cup semi-finals for the first time in 24 years on Saturday when an early goal by Gonzalo Higuain and a strong defensive display proved enough to beat a disappointing Belgium side 1-0.
Belgium went through to the last-16 at Euro 2016 on Wednesday when Radja Nainggolan's late strike gave them a 1-0 win over Sweden, who were knocked out after scoring only once in three games.
England shocked five-time reigning champions Australia 3-1, while Belgium defeated Pakistan 2-1 in their Pool A matches on the opening day of the Hero Champions Trophy hockey tournament.
France produced a scintillating show as they put memories of one of the most painful moments in their soccer history to one side by crushing Bulgaria 4-1 in a World Cup Group A qualifier on Friday.
England finished second in the group to land a potentially easier route through the tournament.
Kumar Gaurav, the second secretary at the Embassy of India in Brussels tells Rediff.com's Vaihayasi Pande Daniel that the Belgian government has closed off its borders and shut down its entire transport system.
India squandered a two-goal advantage and conceded a last-minute goal to lose 3-4 to Belgium in the final of the Champions Challenge I hockey tournament in Johannesburg on Sunday.
Belgium became the first European team to qualify for next year's World Cup when a Romelu Lukaku header gave them a 2-1 win away to Greece on Sunday with the goals coming in a five-minute second-half spell.
