Sportsmen across the board took to Twitter to pay their respects to the Indian soldiers.
Professional boxing in India is all set to get a massive fillip as the national capital will host an AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) fight night on June 11 featuring former World Championship bronze-medallist Vikas Krishan, who would be assured of an extra shot at Olympic qualification through this.
It was a disappointing first session for Indian boxers in the World Championships quarter-finals, on Wednesday, as the seeded duo of Asian champion Shiva Thapa (56kg) and Commonwealth Games gold-medallist Manoj Kumar (64kg) lost, and Satish Kumar (+91kg) was declared medically unfit.
Indian boxers continued to pack a mighty punch at the World Championships, as Manoj Kumar (64kg) and Manpreet Singh (91kg) entered the pre-quarter-finals with contrasting victories in their respective second round bouts, in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on Friday.
Asian Games bronze medallist Pooja Rani (75kg) entered the pre-quarter-finals in the AIBA World Women's Boxing Championships with a hard-fought victory over Ukraine's Mariya Borutsa, in Astana, on Friday.
World Championships bronze-medallist Shiva Thapa (56kg), on Thursday, became the first Indian boxer to make the cut for this year's Olympics by entering the Asian Qualifying Tournament's final but the celebrated M C Mary Kom (51kg) failed to book her Rio Games ticket after losing in the last-four stage, in Qian'an, China.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Tuesday
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Tuesday.
Bitter about the administrative mess which he feels cost him a medal at the Rio Olympics, pugilist Manoj Kumar says Indian boxing is on death bed right now and desperately needs intervention from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "I am sure that I would have won a medal if India was not suspended from the International Boxing Association (AIBA).] "Had the first round in that pre-quarterfinal bout gone in my favour, the result would have been different," Manoj told PTI in an interview.
The Indian juggernaut rolled on unabated as the star-studded boxing squad joined the shooters in what is turning out to be an outing of unprecedented dominance by the host country at the 12th South Asian Games, in Guwahati, on Saturday.
'No victory is complete without your idol's blessings,' Nikhat tweeted.
'...they were shocked to learn that just 352 Indian soldiers had made 3 brigadiers, 2 colonels, 170 officers, 290 JCOs and 8,000 troops surrender to the Indian Army.'
India's Suraj Panwar clinched a silver in men's 5000m race walk event in the ongoing Youth Olympic Games to open the country's medal account in athletics in Buenos Aires.
'Unless you are a superstar, you will never have the kind of reach in theatres that the OTT platform provides.'
The Indian flag was hoisted by members of the Indian contingent at the Athletes Village of the Asian Games in both Jakarta and Palembang, to mark the country's 72nd Independence Day.
Six-time world champion Mary Kom (51kg) lost to American Virginia Fuchs in a split decision after an exhausting contest that was also messy in equal measure.
'In terms of ticket sales, Hindi is at 50-60 per cent while the South markets are at 80-90 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.' The patchy performance of Hindi, the largest segment of the business is the nub of what is bothering Indian cinema.
Distraught after losing her controversial semifinal bout, Indian boxer L Sarita Devi on Tuesday stunned officials and spectators by refusing to accept the bronze medal, which is now in the custody of organisers.
MC Mary Kom and the seasoned L Sarita Devi spearheaded India's gold rush at the second India Open boxing tournament, which concluded on Friday.
Aseem Chhabra lists his favourite Indian films of 2021.
Nitu (48kg) and Jasmine (60kg) were the others boxers who sealed spots for the quadrennial event, in Birmingham from July 28 to August 8.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Saturday.
Continental champion Shiva Thapa (56kg) was barely tested as he advanced to the quarter-finals but it was curtains for comeback-man Akhil Kumar (60kg) after he lost an edge-of-the-seat last-16 bout on a bitter-sweet day for Indian boxing in the 17th Asian Games.
'Vijender is a power puncher, he is a smart boxer as well.' Lee Beard, Vijender Singh's trainer, highlights why the Indian boxer is the favourite for Saturday's double title clash.
Debutant Akash Kumar (54kg) secured India's first medal at the AIBA World Boxing Championships in Belgrade on Tuesday after advancing to the semi-finals with a superb win over former Olympic silver-medallist Yoel Finol Rivas of Venezuela.
The participation of Indian athletes in Friday's Tokyo Olympic Games opening ceremony will be kept to a 'bare minimum' in view of the COVID-19 threat, while only six officials from the contingent will be allowed to take part in the event.
Shiva Thapa and Vikas Krishan will be among India's best bets to better both the colour and number of medals at the 19th World Boxing Championships, starting in Hamburg on Friday.
Celebs who change the rules of the fashion game.
Six-time world champion M C Mary Kom (51kg) qualified for Tokyo Olympics by advancing to the semi-final with a comfortable win over Philippines' Irish Magno, at the Asia/Oceania Qualifiers in Amman, on Monday. World number one Amit Panghal (52kg) qualified for his maiden Olympic Games, while Manish Kaushik (63kg) remained in the hunt for a Tokyo ticket despite losing his quarter-final bout.
'There is more to life than sport and anything can happen in sport, so you need something to fall back on'
Star paddler Achanta Sharath Kamal and World champion boxer Nikhat Zareen have been named India's flagbearers for the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham on Monday.
'I've got a huge Indian homecoming to look forward to this summer so it's vital I get pasy next opponent in Bolton.'
It is the the biggest fight of his emergent professional career, but Indian boxing star Vijender Singh said the WBO Asia title contest against Kerry Hope is no huge deal for him and he is taking it as just another stepping stone in the circuit. The 30-year-old dasher, who is unbeaten in the professional arena, has won all his bouts via konckouts. Eyeing a seventh knockout in what is meant to be a 10-round contest, Vijender said his approach to the contest is no different from the one he had for his previous bouts.
Cricket was the first to hit the restart button in Indian sports with the IPL, albeit on foreign shores of UAE, in a strict bio-secure bubble.
'Vijay was adamant. He wanted the first poster to be eyecatching. Vijay wants to make a splash with his Bollywood debut.'
Vijender Singh would be eyeing a third successive knockout victory but the task seems easier said than done against an experienced and aggressive Samet Hyuseinov when the two square off in the star Indian boxer's maiden six-round professional contest in Manchester on Saturday.
'Shooting is number one.' 'Archery, wrestling, badminton and boxing.' 'These are the five where we stand the best chance of winning a medal.'
A source close to the team said the top members of the coaching staff are among those who have tested positive.
Rediff.com recaptures these and other exciting sporting moments from the week gone by....
Indian boxing's national observer Akhil Kumar sees nothing wrong in leaving out national chief coaches from the Commonwealth Games contingent but what irks him is the higher pay and greater importance given to the foreigners in the support staff.
