Quimcy D'Souza, a self-funded and self-coached Indian teqball player, competed at the Asian Games with the aim of popularising the sport in India. Despite narrowly missing out on two bronze medals, D'Souza views her journey as a crucial first step towards establishing teqball in the country and inspiring more athletes.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya addressed the Indian contingent for the upcoming Asian Games, urging them to perform under pressure and continue the nation's impressive medal growth. He highlighted India's significant increase in medal tally from 2014 to 2023, attributing it to an improved sports ecosystem, and expressed confidence in the 503-member squad's potential.
Varun Arora, 38, who is currently in the United States without lawful statusm faces up to two years in prison when sentenced in May.
India's Asian Games contingent faces accommodation issues at Costa Serena, as athletes report cramped rooms and long delays amid organisational chaos.
Greco Roman wrestler Deepak has failed a dope test, leading to his withdrawal from the Asian Games contingent. This marks the third doping case for Indian wrestling ahead of the continental event, further reducing India's representation. The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) found clomifene in his sample, a prohibited substance. The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) decided to withdraw him to avoid potential penalties from the world governing body.
A senior coach from India's shooting contingent for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games has voiced disappointment over the logistical arrangements, particularly the long travel times to the training venue.
Indian para shooters Millie Shah, Mona Agarwal, and Avani Lekhara secured a gold medal in the R2 women's 10m air rifle standing SH1 team event at the Changwon 2026 WSPS Para Shooting World Championships. The men's team also won silver, and individual medals were claimed by Mona Agarwal (silver) and Avani Lekhara (bronze), significantly boosting India's medal tally.
Sahil of Rajasthan broke the boys' 1,000m meet record at the 21st National Youth Athletics Championships in Ludhiana, clocking 2:25.25. Haryana's Dev also surpassed the previous record, securing silver. The event also saw other notable performances across various categories for both boys and girls under 18.
The second season of the Archery Premier League (APL) is set to commence on October 8 in Hyderabad, featuring a strong lineup of India's top archers, including Olympians Deepika Kumari and Atanu Das, alongside 12 international stars like world number one Marcus D'Almeida. The league will showcase 36 Indian archers competing in both recurve and compound categories, with a unique 15-second shot clock designed to enhance competition.
Olympic medallist Swapnil Kusale highlights the growing respect and "fear factor" Indian shooters command internationally due to their consistent performances. He expresses confidence in the Indian contingent for the upcoming Asian Games, despite some notable absences, and discusses challenges like range maintenance.
Indian benchmark indices, Sensex and Nifty, closed nearly flat on Thursday, influenced by the US Federal Reserve's interest rate hike and indications of further monetary tightening. Despite some intraday gains, caution prevailed, with foreign institutional investors continuing to offload equities. Meanwhile, the National Stock Exchange of India's (NSE) mega initial public offering opened for subscription, garnering 39 per cent subscription on its first day.
An Indian-flagged merchant vessel, MSV Faize Noore Oliya, with 13 Indian nationals aboard, was attacked off the coast of Yemen in the Red Sea. All 13 Indian crew members have been successfully rescued, and India has condemned the attack, calling for an end to targeting commercial shipping in the region.
The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) is poised to approve significant constitutional amendments to comply with the National Sports Governance Act 2025. These changes, already endorsed by the executive committee, will be formalised at a Special General Body Meeting. Key areas of reform include age and tenure guidelines for office bearers, which differ from the existing IOA rules, and a potential reduction in the Executive Committee's size. The General House will also discuss the upcoming December elections.
Payas Jain and Syndrela Das have been crowned men's and women's singles champions, respectively, at the UTT National Ranking Table Tennis Championships in Kanpur. The tournament also highlighted the rise of younger players, with several top seeds being eliminated early.
Almost all of India's Asian Games-bound track and field athletes, including star steeplechaser Avinash Sable and javelin thrower Yashvir Singh, will participate in the Indian Athletics Series Final. This invitational event, featuring a total prize fund of Rs 65 lakh, serves as a crucial tune-up for the upcoming Asian Games in Japan, with most of the 77-member squad competing.
HCL Group, a USD 14.8 billion conglomerate, has announced a new partnership with the DP World Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI). This collaboration aims to leverage technology and innovation to strengthen India's professional golf ecosystem, broaden the sport's reach, and enhance experiences for players, fans, and partners.
The Sports Ministry is set to commence the nomination process for the National Sports Awards next month, following a delayed announcement of the 2025 awards. The delay was due to a re-evaluation process aimed at preserving the integrity of the honours, which resulted in no Khel Ratna awardee for 2025 and fewer Arjuna awardees than recommended. The article also details the criteria for these prestigious awards and highlights some of the notable Arjuna awardees for 2025.
An Indian national was tragically killed in an attack on the commercial vessel MV OMORFI on July 18 while it was reportedly transiting Russian territorial waters in the Black Sea, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed, condemning the incident and calling for upholding international obligations for maritime safety.
India's total goods trade with BRICS nations more than doubled from FY21 to FY26, reaching USD 417.5 billion, but a significant surge in imports, particularly from China and Russia, has caused India's trade deficit with the bloc to more than triple, reaching USD 226.1 billion.
An Indian Army contingent, Navy warships INS Tarkash and INS Ikshak, and a naval band are participating in Seychelles' Golden Jubilee National Day celebrations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is attending as the Guest of Honour, underscoring the strong strategic partnership and defence cooperation between India and the archipelago nation.
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced the new season of the Indian Women's League (IWL) will commence in October, alongside IWL 2. The federation also revealed significant changes including higher coaching licence requirements, revised disciplinary rules, and an ambitious long-term expansion strategy aiming for 12 teams by 2032 to professionalise women's football in India.
The Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season has been postponed to after October 6 due to the FIFA international match window, and will proceed with 13 teams after Diamond Harbour FC failed to meet payment deadlines. Concurrently, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has condemned "unverified claims" regarding its finances and the decision to withdraw from the FIFA ASEAN Cup, asserting that the prioritisation of a friendly match against Brazil was a strategic move for Indian football.
'I like to make films where I am also conflicted. I don't want to make films with themes that I am sure about because then it easily becomes agenda-driven.'
Animesh Kujur secured a remarkable double, winning both the 100m and 200m titles, while Harita Bhadra clocked the second-fastest time ever by an Indian woman in the 100m at the inaugural Indian Athletics Final Series, showcasing strong form ahead of the Asian Games.
The Indian women's hockey team has departed for the Asian Games in Japan, aiming to win the gold medal and secure a direct qualification spot for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
An Indian student sustained minor injuries in a drone attack in Ufa, Russia, and is receiving treatment. The Indian Embassy in Moscow is providing assistance. The incident occurred amidst escalating drone strikes between Russia and Ukraine, with Ufa experiencing attacks on an oil refinery.
Abdul Ghafoori has been arrested in Toronto for the alleged first-degree murder of his partner, Indian national Himanshi Khurana. Ghafoori was apprehended at a Toronto airport after being on the run for over seven months. Khurana was found dead in December last year, and police had identified Ghafoori as a suspect in her homicide.
A merchant vessel carrying four Indian nationals was struck at Ukraine's Port of Odesa. While two crew members are confirmed safe, information on the other two is still pending. The Indian Embassy in Kyiv is closely monitoring the situation and assisting with search and rescue operations in the frequently targeted Black Sea port.
Indian shooters bound for the Asian Games will participate in preparatory camps in Delhi and Bhopal this month. These camps, focusing on mental conditioning and technical refinement, are crucial for the athletes to achieve peak performance at the quadrennial event in Japan, which begins on September 19. The article also lists the full shooting squad.
The death toll from flash floods in central Nepal has surged to 734, with nearly 2,500 people still missing. India has intensified its rescue and relief efforts, sending additional aid, technical teams, and forensic experts, while also working to locate and rescue over 275 missing Indian nationals.
Indian esports athletes are rigorously training for the Asian Games in Nagoya, aiming for medals and challenging the traditional perception of gaming as merely a leisure activity. With professional support and coaching, players are balancing academics and intense practice, hoping to elevate esports to mainstream sporting status in India.
Coal inventories at India's thermal power stations have fallen to 22.9 million tonnes, providing only a seven-day fuel cover and affecting 74 out of 190 plants, a situation last seen in October 2023.
The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has dismissed a writ petition challenging Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Indian citizenship. The petitioners failed to provide concrete evidence to support their claim that Gandhi is a British citizen, leading to the withdrawal of the plea.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju strongly condemned the alleged desecration of the Indian flag and pro-Khalistan slogans by protesters outside Madison Square Garden in New York, where RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat addressed the Indian-American community. Rijiju warned against insulting the nation and its flag, while Bhagwat spoke on unity in diversity.
An Indian-origin diamond businessman, Dhiru Ramani, abducted in Mali in April, has been freed after his family reportedly paid a 4 million euro ransom. Ramani, originally from Gujarat, remains in Mali for questioning by local authorities.
Two Indian-origin individuals, Pritesh Walia, a jazz guitarist, and Venkata Vasamsetty, a green-card holder grandmother, have been detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in separate cases, highlighting the Trump administration's intensified deportation and enforcement drive.
Former Asian Games gold medallist Shiv Kapur expresses strong confidence in India's golf squad for the upcoming Aichi-Nagoya Games, stating that anything less than a gold medal would be a disappointment given the talent pool. He highlights the potential of both men's and women's teams, including top players like Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar, to end India's long wait for a golf gold. The article also touches upon the healthy competition between Indian golf leagues.
Brazil football legend Cafu has advised the Indian national team to view their upcoming friendly against Brazil on October 3 in Kolkata as a crucial learning experience rather than just a spectacle. He emphasised the match's importance for India's preparation for the 2030 World Cup cycle and highlighted Brazil's deep connection with Kolkata, referencing Pele's historic visit. Cafu also discussed the future of Brazilian football and his unique World Cup record.
Arundhati Bhattacharya, Salesforce President and CEO for South Asia, stated that cloud and AI are democratising capabilities, offering India a unique opportunity to leapfrog in technology. Speaking at the IMC Chamber of Commerce, she emphasised that AI will create more jobs and urged Indian businesses to transform using technology, rather than merely digitising. She also highlighted the significant economic potential of AI adoption for India.
Ahead of President Vladimir Putin's visit to India for the BRICS summit, Russia has expressed support for New Delhi's peace initiatives to resolve the Ukraine conflict. Discussions between Putin and PM Modi will cover defence, energy, technology, and the repatriation of Indian nationals from the Russian military, alongside addressing trade and investment ties.
