Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah surprised attendees at the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) tournament in Srinagar by spontaneously singing the iconic Lata Mangeshkar song "Lag ja gale". His impromptu performance drew significant applause. Later, Abdullah addressed the audience, commending golfers and urging youth to work hard and avoid alcohol to achieve sporting excellence. He also mentioned government support for improving the Royal Springs Golf Course.
The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has announced an 84-member contingent for the ISSF Junior World Championship in Suhl, Germany, scheduled from June 18-26. Indian junior shooters have a strong track record of dominating this tournament, consistently topping medal tallies in recent editions, and are poised to continue their success.
The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) has announced an 84-member contingent for the ISSF Junior World Championship in Suhl, Germany, scheduled from June 18-26. Indian junior shooters have a strong track record of dominating this tournament, consistently topping medal tallies in recent editions, and are poised to continue their success.
India's premier long-distance runner, Gulveer Singh, is confident of improving his bronze medal performance from the 2022 Asian Games in the upcoming edition. Holding national records in multiple events, Singh is preparing for both the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, focusing on strategic training under his US-based coach and utilising advanced sportswear technology.
Indian gymnasts Harshit Damodaran and Akshat Bajaj achieved a historic gold-silver finish in the junior men's vault event at the Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Zunyi, China. Harshit secured gold with 13.649 points, while Akshat took silver with 13.433 points, marking a significant achievement for Indian gymnastics.
In the para swimming competition, Chaitanya Vishwas Kulkarni and Suyash Narayan Jadhav entered the S7 50m freestlye finals at the Commonwealth Games.
Lakshya Sen, a 2021 World Championships bronze medallist, faced a surprising second-round defeat to USA's Garret Tan at the BWF World Championships. Meanwhile, two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu and rising star Ayush Shetty successfully advanced to the pre-quarterfinals. Other Indian pairs also saw mixed results, with some progressing and others bowing out.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended his best wishes to the Indian contingent participating in the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, expressing confidence in their passion, determination, and spirit of excellence. He noted that the Games feature 215 events across 10 sports.
South Korea, Japan, and China dominated the opening day of the Senior Asian Fencing Championships in New Delhi, securing all medals. Host nation India, despite fielding several fencers in both men's sabre and women's foil events, failed to secure any podium finishes, with their top performers placing 20th and 22nd respectively.
Sanjana secured a bronze medal in the women's 77kg category at the Asian Weightlifting Championships in Gandhinagar, adding to India's medal tally. She lifted a total of 220kg. China and North Korea secured gold and silver respectively.
The Indian mixed trap teams had a disappointing performance at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup in Lonato, Italy, failing to qualify for medal matches. Despite this, the Indian contingent concluded the event with one gold medal, placing them joint third in the medal table alongside Australia. Italy topped the table with two golds.
India has announced its 20-member women's hockey squad, led by Salima Tete, for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan. The team aims to secure a gold medal to qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with minor changes to the strike force from the FIH Nations Cup winning side.
India concluded its campaign at the inaugural Asian U23 Athletics Championships with a total of 16 medals, including two gold medals won by javelin thrower Anand Singh and the women's 4x400m relay team. Anand Singh achieved a personal best throw of 80.57m, while other Indian athletes secured multiple silver and bronze medals across various events.
Indian swimmer Srihari Nataraj failed to qualify for the men's 100m backstroke final at the Commonwealth Games, finishing 12th in the semifinals. Additionally, Indian para swimmers Ravi Veera Venkata Bhavan Budigina and Ali Imam also missed out on podium finishes in the men's 50m freestyle S13 final, placing sixth and eighth respectively.
Chhattisgarh's weightlifter Gyaneshwari Yadav has won a silver medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, bringing pride to the state and the country.
Vidarsa K Vinod, a 27-year-old shooter from Kerala, has secured a spot in India's Asian Games squad for the 10m Air Rifle and 50m Rifle 3 Positions events, overcoming significant financial hurdles and training setbacks through resilience and family support.
India's recurve mixed pair of Dhiraj Bommadevara and Kirti Sharma lost 3-5 to Italy, missing out on the bronze medal at the Archery World Cup Stage 4 in Madrid. Kirti Sharma also failed to secure a medal in the individual recurve section, resulting in India's recurve archers returning empty-handed from the event. The overall campaign concluded with two medals (one silver, one bronze) from the compound section.
Two-time Olympic medallist P V Sindhu and reigning men's doubles champion Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will headline the Indian badminton squad at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
Indian boxers Sachin Siwach (60kg), Ankush (80kg), and Sakshi Chaudhary (51kg) have successfully advanced to the quarterfinals of their respective categories at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Sachin secured a 4-1 victory, while Ankush and Sakshi both won their bouts by unanimous 5-0 decisions, bringing them one win closer to securing a medal.
Young Indian cyclist Harshita Jakhar has made history by becoming the first Indian woman to participate in the Tour de France Femmes. The 19-year-old led a pack of international cyclists during a ceremonial start at Stage 2 of the prestigious race, an opportunity provided by the UCI World Cycling Talent programme. Jakhar, who aims for medals in future Asian Games, expressed her gratitude for the chance to ride in her dream event.
Manpreet Singh on Wednesday became India's most-capped hockey player with his 413th appearance for the country during the FIH Pro League match against Germany in Rotterdam.
Teenage Indian archer Prithika Pradeep secured her first individual World Cup bronze medal in Madrid, overcoming world No. 11 Hazal Burun of Turkey.
Ayush Shetty stunned world No. 1 and defending champion Shi Yuqi in a thrilling opening-round clash at the Badminton World Championships in New Delhi on Monday.
Teenaged high jump star Pooja Singh broke the national senior record en route to winning the gold medal at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships. The 19-year-old cleared 1.93m, bettering Sahana Kumari's 14-year-old record. India secured seven medals, including four gold, on the second day of the competition.
Karthik Budigina narrowly missed a medal, finishing fourth in the men's 100m Freestyle S13 final at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Fellow Indian Imam Ali placed seventh, while Srihari Nataraj also qualified for the 50m backstroke semifinals.
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 wrestlers showcased their talent at the Senior Asian Wrestling Championships, securing multiple medals across various weight categories in both men's and women's freestyle events.
'Frankly, I'm in that zone for another Olympics.'
Indian para-swimmer Karthik Budigina finished a commendable fourth in the men's 100m Freestyle S13 final at the Commonwealth Games, narrowly missing a medal. Meanwhile, Olympian Srihari Nataraj failed to qualify for the men's 50m backstroke final, finishing seventh in his semifinal heat. Another Indian para-swimmer, Imam Ali, placed seventh in his final.
Sharmila Dhankar, a polio-afflicted survivor of domestic abuse, clinched a gold medal in the women's F57 seated shot put at the Commonwealth Games, marking a triumph of resilience and athletic prowess.
Indian fast bowlers Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar were on Friday appointed as Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs) by the Bihar government under its 'Medal Lao, Naukri Pao' policy, with Akash calling it a "big responsibility" and urging students to maintain peace amid the ongoing protests over the alleged NEET paper leak.
All India junior ranking medallists Tanvi Patri and Abhinav Garg will spearhead the Indian contingent at the Badminton Asia Junior (U-19) championships in Yatsushiro, Japan, from June 26 to July 5. The Badminton Association of India (BAI) is confident of a strong performance and multiple medals from the squad, which includes direct selections and players chosen through trials.
India's top men's doubles pair, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, expressed disappointment over their inability to convert attacking opportunities and losing the crucial battle over the first four shots and service, leading to their quarterfinal exit at the World Championships.
Indian archers delivered a strong performance at the Asia Cup-World Ranking Tournament Stage 1, securing gold in the mixed team compound event and silver in the women's team compound event, along with a clean sweep in the men's individual compound category.
The Prime Volleyball League auction saw Shameemudheen become the biggest Indian buy at Rs 20 lakh, with other players like Muhammad Nihal C K, Shon T John, and Jasjodh Singh also securing significant bids. The auction also highlighted the growing importance of grassroots talent, with several U-21 players earning spots in PVL franchises, underscoring the league's commitment to nurturing future stars.
India defender Ishika Chaudhary, set to make her Women's Hockey World Cup debut, believes her team can spring a surprise, drawing parallels with recent FIFA World Cup upsets. She discusses her journey, overcoming setbacks, and the team's strategy to peak at the right time, guided by senior players and coaches.
India's first Olympic boxing medallist, Vijender Singh, expresses deep concern over the future of male pugilists, citing a lack of competitions and a selection system he claims promotes 'sycophancy'. He argues that women boxers are currently outperforming men and are brighter medal prospects for the 2028 Olympics. Singh is highly critical of the new grading system, advocating for a return to the traditional trials-based selection process.
Indian women boxers dominated the Asian Boxing Championships, securing four gold, two silver, and four bronze medals. Minakshi Hooda, Preeti Pawar, Priya Ghanghas, and Arundhati Choudhary all won gold in their respective weight categories.
Sri Lanka's Rumesh Pathirage has emerged as the favourite for gold in the Commonwealth Games javelin final, potentially overshadowing the much-anticipated rivalry between India's Neeraj Chopra and Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem. Pathirage, the world leader with a stunning 92.62m throw, has been in exceptional form this season, while Chopra and Nadeem are returning from injuries. The final also features other strong contenders, including former world and Olympic champions, promising a high-quality contest.
India showcased a dominant performance at the Asian Boxing Championships, with nine U-19 boxers advancing to the finals and six securing bronze medals. Additionally, eight U-23 boxers had previously reached their respective finals, highlighting India's strong presence across multiple categories.
