Defending champions India have been drawn into Group B of the SAFF Championship 2026 alongside Maldives and Pakistan. The tournament, hosted in Dhaka from November 4-17, will see India begin their quest for a record 10th title against Maldives on November 5, followed by a clash with Pakistan on November 11.
Mahindra Racing has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to Formula E, extending its participation until at least the Gen4 era in 2030, despite other major manufacturers exiting the championship. CEO Frederic Bertrand highlights this as a continuation of Mahindra's strategy to use electric racing as a technology laboratory, focusing on software, hardware, and human capital development that feeds into its wider automotive business and showcases Indian manufacturing prowess on a global stage.
Mahindra Racing has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to Formula E, extending its participation until at least the Gen4 era in 2030, despite other major manufacturers exiting the championship. CEO Frederic Bertrand highlights this as a continuation of Mahindra's strategy to use electric racing as a technology laboratory, focusing on software, hardware, and human capital development that feeds into its wider automotive business and showcases Indian manufacturing prowess on a global stage.
Birmingham Commonwealth Games silver-medallist judoka Tulika Maan has been provisionally suspended by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) for three whereabouts failures, leading to her withdrawal from the ongoing Glasgow edition. This comes after another judoka, Arun Kumar, was also withdrawn for a dope test failure.
Flipkart-backed Scapic Innovations, operating as super.money, has launched splitStore, a credit-linked e-commerce platform targeting Gen Z. It allows customers to split payments into interest-free installments, with the goal of contributing 20% to total revenue by December and transforming how India shops by providing instant access to products for new-to-credit users.
Procter & Gamble has announced the appointment of its India-born President and CEO, Shailesh Jejurikar, as the Chairman, effective August 1, 2026. He will succeed Jon Moeller, who is set to retire. Jejurikar, an IIM Lucknow alumnus, has been with P&G since 1989 and has held various senior leadership roles.
Sharmila Dhankar has won India's first-ever para athletics gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in the women's shot put F57 event. Her teammate Shilpa Shyla also secured a bronze medal after a successful protest against a Nigerian athlete, marking a historic day for Indian para-athletics.
Researchers have successfully demonstrated the transmission of quantum information over commercial fibre-optic infrastructure, a significant step towards building practical quantum networks. This breakthrough addresses the challenge of cost and maintaining fragile entangled states outside laboratory settings.
The Indian women's hockey team has departed for Frankfurt, Germany, to complete its final preparations for the upcoming FIH World Cup. The team will play practice matches and train in Europe before heading to the Netherlands for the tournament, where they will face China, South Africa, and England in Pool D.
A new study by IIT Kharagpur researchers, published in Nature Communications, reveals that urban growth patterns significantly influence future cooling demand in cities. The research highlights that a city's "thermal memory," shaped by decades of development decisions, impacts its heat burden and energy requirements, independent of global temperature rises. The study analysed 88 Indian cities and a global sample of 52 cities over two decades.
The Indian Football League (IFL) 2026-27 season will commence on October 16, with new regulations limiting foreign players to three in the starting line-up to boost local talent. Clubs also committed to enhancing youth development through AIFF academy accreditation.
Both the Indian men's and women's junior squash teams have successfully advanced to the quarterfinals of the World Junior Squash Team Championship in Ontario. The men's team overcame Kuwait in a hard-fought 2-1 victory, while the women's team secured a dominant 3-0 win against South Africa. The men are set to face England, and the women will compete against USA in their respective quarterfinal matches.
Indian boxers Sachin Siwach and rising youngster Ankush have successfully advanced to the quarterfinals of their respective weight categories at the Commonwealth Games. Both athletes are now just one victory away from securing a medal for India.
Two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra is set to compete in the Lausanne Diamond League on August 21. He will face a formidable field of javelin throwers, including Commonwealth Games champion Rumesh Pathirage, Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem, and world champions. This marks Chopra's third competition since returning from injury, following his silver medal win at the recent Commonwealth Games.
The 'CHESS+' initiative, Championing Excellence in Sport Skills, has been launched to establish a structured chess curriculum in schools across India. This program, a collaboration between the All India Chess Federation and Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, aims to enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills among students, starting with a pilot in 30 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas.
Olympic gold-medallist Abhinav Bindra has called for an education system that "inspires confidence" and rewards merit, amidst widespread protests over alleged irregularities in the NEET exam. The protests, which have seen student marches and support from activists like Sonam Wangchuk, highlight the demand for transparency and fairness in India's examination system.
Defending Commonwealth Games javelin champion Arshad Nadeem is prepared for the qualification round despite a challenging build-up due to adverse weather in Switzerland. His coach, Salman Butt, confirmed his readiness for the event in Glasgow, where he will face a strong field including India's Neeraj Chopra.
Indian golfers Pranavi Urs and Aditi Ashok delivered strong performances at the PIF London Championship, finishing tied 19th and tied 17th respectively. Meanwhile, Canada's Anna Huang secured her fourth Ladies European Tour title, becoming the youngest player to achieve this feat after a dramatic final round.
Researchers at IIT-ISM Dhanbad have been granted an Indian patent for an electrochemical reactor designed to recover copper from industrial wastewater. This innovative technology offers an environmentally sustainable solution for resource recovery and wastewater treatment, particularly benefiting the mining and metallurgical sectors.
The Payments Council of India has confirmed that Unified Payments Interface (UPI) services will continue to be free for consumers and small merchants, despite a recent Lok Sabha Bill. This clarification addresses concerns about potential charges, emphasising that while a sustainable financial model for UPI infrastructure is being developed, transaction charges will not be passed on to users or small businesses.
Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir initiated extensive search operations along the International Border and Line of Control in Samba and Rajouri districts following multiple overnight sightings of suspected Pakistani drones. The increased drone activity has prompted concerns over potential air-dropping of narcotics, weapons, or facilitation of infiltration, leading to heightened surveillance and anti-drone measures.
Indian golfer Sneha Singh secured a dramatic victory at the 11th Leg of the Hero Women's Pro Golf Tour in Hosur, overcoming a significant lead squandered in the final round to defeat Vani Kapoor in a play-off. This win ends her 18-month title drought.
The Indian men's junior squash team defeated England to advance to the semifinals of the World Squash Junior Team Championships in Ontario, aiming to improve on last year's bronze. However, the Indian women's team, despite a strong start from Anahat Singh, was eliminated by USA in their quarterfinal match.
The AM Green Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL) and the Asian Tour have reaffirmed their partnership, aiming to expand playing opportunities and player development for Indian golfers on the international circuit, following successful tournaments in Morocco.
The Maharashtra government has signed an MoU with the Kolhapur District Cricket Association to build an international-standard cricket stadium and multi-sports hub in Kolhapur, featuring a 35,000-capacity stadium and facilities for various sports.
Researchers have identified the extracellular matrix, a scaffold-like structure around brain cells, as a key physical mechanism explaining why individuals experience rapid progress in learning new skills followed by plateaus. This matrix loosens and rebuilds during initial learning, then stabilises as skills are mastered, protecting acquired knowledge.
Lovlina Borgohain secured India's first medal at the Commonwealth Games by directly entering the women's 75kg boxing semifinals, guaranteeing at least a bronze. This marks her first CWG medal, adding to her Olympic, World, and Asian championships accolades.
NPCI International Payments Ltd (NIPL) and Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA) have successfully integrated the Maldives' instant payment system 'Favara' with India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI). This enables real-time fund transfers from Maldives to UPI-enabled Indian bank accounts, marking a significant step in cross-border digital financial connectivity and bilateral economic cooperation.
'It is not because of the war in West Asia, which began on February 28.' 'Petroleum product prices are already going through the roof. They are bound to have a serious inflationary impact.' 'A country's leadership is tested in trying times. It is here that the current leadership is failing.'
India's lawn bowls team has made an impressive start at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. The men's pairs duo of Navneet Singh and Dinesh Kumar secured a hard-fought victory against Namibia, coming from behind to win their second successive group stage match. Additionally, Nayanmoni Saikia delivered a commanding performance in the women's singles, defeating Caroline Whitehead of Isle of Man in straight sets.
Brand USA, the destination marketing organisation for the United States, has launched a new social-first series called 'More to Love'. This campaign aims to thank international fans who visited the US during the FIFA World Cup and encourage them to return to explore more of the country's diverse attractions, including its national parks and landmarks. The campaign is being amplified globally, including in India.
The central government has revamped the Khelo India Scheme's funding pattern, allocating a Rs 565 crore component for states to co-share the cost of future sports infrastructure development projects over a five-year plan. This new model, part of a Rs 29,054 crore outlay, aims to increase state ownership and participation in sports development, significantly expanding the scheme's reach and athlete base.
Calling iPhone addicts: Launch timeline and everything we know so far about Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has announced a Rs 30 lakh cash reward and an out-of-turn promotion to Deputy Superintendent of Police for weightlifter Gyaneshwari Yadav. This recognition follows her silver medal win in the women's 53 kg category at the Commonwealth Games 2026. The Chief Minister lauded her perseverance and dedication, highlighting her achievement as an inspiration for youth and a testament to the state's sporting talent.
The Indian men's 4x200m freestyle relay team has qualified for the final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, finishing third in their heat. The quartet, comprising Dhakshan Shashikumar, Aneesh Sunil Kumar Gowda, Aryan Nehra, and Srihari Nataraj, clocked 7:39.48, securing a spot in the eight-team final and keeping medal hopes alive.
RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra stated it is "premature" to discuss the implementation of Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) for digital payments, advising a "wait-and-watch" approach. He emphasised that investment in public payment infrastructure is necessary and someone must bear the cost, whether through taxes or MDR. The government is currently working on amendments to relevant statutes, and the RBI is focused on strengthening this infrastructure.
Indian golfers Shubhankar Sharma and Anirban Lahiri are set to lead the home challenge at the DP World India Championship, scheduled for October 15-18 at the Delhi Golf Club. The tournament will feature a star-studded international field including Major winner Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Ryan Fox, Shane Lowry, Justin Rose, Luke Donald, and Viktor Hovland. Both Sharma and Lahiri expressed excitement about competing on home soil, highlighting the event's significance for Indian golf.
Indian gymnasts Tapan Mohanty and Yogeshwar Singh have successfully qualified for the men's all-around final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. While they secured individual berths, the Indian men's team finished seventh in the overall competition, with Canada, England, and Australia taking the top three spots.
India's sub-junior men's and women's hockey5s teams commenced their FIH Youth Hockey5s Asian Championship 2026 campaign with impressive victories in Muscat, with the women's team beating Kazakhstan 8-3 and the men's team defeating Bangladesh 7-3. The tournament also serves as the Asian qualifier for the inaugural FIH Youth Hockey5s World Cup.
India's men's and women's table tennis teams have both advanced to the finals of the 22nd Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships after defeating England in their respective semifinals. The men's team secured a dominant 3-0 victory, while the women's team overcame a tougher challenge with a 3-1 win. Both teams are set to face Malaysia in the championship matches.
