President Droupadi Murmu unveiled the Durand Cup 2026 trophy, marking the start of preparations for Asia's oldest football tournament. She highlighted the tournament's role in nurturing talent, promoting sportsmanship, and connecting people, while also drawing parallels to India's vision of becoming a developed nation.
Despite a population of 1.45 billion, India's football team is ranked a lowly 138th in the world and failed to qualify for next year's Asian Cup, highlighting deep-rooted systemic issues and a failure to implement reforms that keep the World Cup dream distant for fans.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa has secured his spot in the finals of the Grand Chess Tour's last leg, defeating Germany's Vincent Keymer 19-9. He is set to compete against defending champion Fabiano Caruana of the USA for the title.
Former World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand has been appointed Interim President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) after incumbent Arkady Dvorkovich voluntarily stepped aside due to his inclusion in the European Union's sanctions list.
Four promising Indian tennis players, including Manas Dhamne and Vaishnavi Adkar, have been inducted into the Government of India's Target Asian Games Group (TAGG) scheme, which provides comprehensive support for high-performance athletes. This move, welcomed by AITA, aims to strengthen India's presence in international tennis.
Akshay Bhatia finished tied 12th at the BMW Championship with an impressive eagle-birdie finish, securing his spot in the season-ending TOUR Championship. He was one of three Indian-origin players, including Aaron Rai and Sahith Theegala, to perform well in the FedExCup Playoffs. Wyndham Clark claimed a wire-to-wire victory at the tournament.
The 15th NMDC Hyderabad Marathon saw over 12,000 participants, including 8,500 in the half marathon and 3,500 in the full marathon. Ethiopian runners Emane Seifu and Seboka Negusse won the Women's and Men's Elite categories respectively. A notable aspect was the participation of 184 tribal runners from Bastar, Chhattisgarh, supported by NMDC. The event also included 5K and Inclusive Runs with 6,500 participants.
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has assured continued government support to trap shooter Neeru Dhanda and pistol ace Esha Singh, who recently achieved historic gold medals at ISSF World Cups. Mandaviya highlighted shooting as a priority sport for India, with significant investment in athlete development programs like TOPS and Khelo India, aiming for future Olympic and Commonwealth Games success.
Neeraj Chopra's personal coach, Jaiveer Chaudhary, travelled to the Commonwealth Games at his own expense to support the javelin thrower, despite not being part of the official Indian contingent. Chopra, along with Rohit Yadav and Yashvir Singh, successfully qualified for the men's javelin throw final.
Indian squash players Veer Chotrani and Velavan Senthilkumar have successfully advanced to the quarterfinals of the Budapest Open, a significant PSA copper event in Hungary, showcasing strong performances against international competitors.
The third edition of the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue (VBYLD) has commenced with a quiz contest, leading to a national finale in January 2027 where young leaders will present their ideas for a developed India to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The multi-stage event includes essay challenges, district championships, and state-level dialogues, aiming to foster youth participation in nation-building across various thematic areas.
After making history as the first Indian male judoka to win a Commonwealth Games gold, Harsh Singh is now focused on securing a medal at the upcoming Asian Games.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa secured a tied third-place finish at the Croatian leg of the Grand Chess Tour, bouncing back with a strong performance on the final day. France's Firouzja Alireza claimed the top honours after a tie-break, while Praggnanandhaa shared his position with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. Compatriot D Gukesh finished sixth.
Indian judoka Arun Kumar has been withdrawn from the Glasgow Commonwealth Games after failing an out-of-competition dope test. He has received a provisional suspension from NADA, reducing India's contingent size.
Indian judoka Arun Kumar has been withdrawn from the Glasgow Commonwealth Games after failing an out-of-competition dope test. He has received a provisional suspension from NADA, reducing India's contingent size.
Two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu is aiming for a historic sixth World Championships medal, driven by her enduring "hunger towards the game" since starting her senior career in 2009.
Long jumper Shahnavaz Khan and high jumper Basant Kumar Meghwal, both recent World Athletics U20 Championships medalists, are now setting their sights on podium finishes at the upcoming Asian Games in Japan, aiming to improve their personal bests.
India's Hockey World Cup campaign ended in disappointment after a 5-3 defeat to Argentina, highlighting persistent defensive issues and a struggle to perform against top-ranked teams. The team's problems, including conceding early goals and a lack of intensity, had been building throughout the year.
The Indian junior men's hockey team is undergoing a preparatory camp in Dalian, China, playing three practice matches against the host country's junior team. This camp is crucial for fine-tuning their skills and strategy ahead of the Junior Asia Cup, scheduled from September 4 to 13 in Moqi, China.
The FIFA-AIFF Telangana Academy, a new high-performance football training centre for boys and girls, has been launched in Hyderabad. This initiative, a collaboration between FIFA, AIFF, and the Telangana government, aims to nurture young talent with comprehensive support, including residential facilities and medical care. It marks India's first girls' football academy of its kind.
Shubham Juyal, a silver medallist in para-athletics at the Commonwealth Games, has called for Indians to extend their support to all sports, not just cricket. The Lance Naik in the Indian Army expressed pride in representing Roorkee and shared his aspirations to meet Rishabh Pant and win a medal at the LA 2028 Paralympics, crediting the Indian Army and his family for his success.
Indian fencers Taniksha Khatri and Prachi Lohan have made history by becoming the first Indian women's epee players to qualify for the main table of 64 at the Senior World Fencing Championships in Hong Kong. They advanced through the preliminary rounds and will compete in the direct elimination draw on July 25, marking a significant milestone for Indian fencing.
Aryna Sabalenka aims to secure her third consecutive US Open title, a feat not achieved since Serena Williams. However, a recent dip in form and a challenge to her world number one ranking from Elena Rybakina cast doubt on her chances, with experts noting her vulnerability.
Indian badminton pair Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand secured a historic bronze medal at the World Championships after a hard-fought loss to world No. 1 Chinese duo Liu Sheng Shu and Tan Ning in the women's doubles semifinals. This marks India's first women's doubles medal at the BWF World Championships since 2011.
Judoka Asmita Dey from Tripura has won a gold medal in the women's 48 kg category at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, marking a historic first for an Indian woman judoka. Chief Minister Manik Saha and Sports Minister Tinku Roy congratulated Dey, highlighting her achievement as an inspiration for the nation.
The Indian men's hockey team's failure to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup has highlighted significant issues, including a lack of intent in player transition and questionable selection decisions, according to former players and experts.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences on the passing of Asian Games gold medallist shooter Jaspal Rana, highlighting his significant contributions to Indian sports as both an athlete and a mentor.
Indian weightlifters, including Olympic medallist Saikhom Mirabai Chanu and silver medallist Lovepreet Singh, received a hero's welcome upon their return to New Delhi after a successful Commonwealth Games campaign, where they secured eight medals.
Indian top seed Anahat Singh and three male players, Aryaveer Dewan, Yusha Nafees, and Gurveer Singh, have advanced in their respective categories at the World Squash Junior Individual Championships in Ontario, Canada, showcasing a strong start for the Indian contingent.
Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand lost to China's World No 1 pairing Tan Ning and Liu Shengshu in the semi-finals of the women's doubles event at the BWF Badminton World Championships in New Delhi on Saturday.
Indian javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has qualified for the prestigious Diamond League Finals in Brussels on September 5, securing his spot despite competing in only two events due to a lower back injury. He also remains on track to qualify for the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest.
Treesa Jolly called her World Championships bronze with Gayatri Gopichand a dream come true, made more special by ending India's 15-year medal wait on home soil.
India officially launched its bid to host the centenary edition of the Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad in 2030, presenting a vibrant cultural showcase at the Glasgow closing ceremony that blended ancient philosophy, contemporary artistry, and cultural grandeur.
The Bombay High Court has expressed strong displeasure with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for approving the conversion of the Neville D'Souza football ground in Bandra into an exhibition centre, despite an earlier oral assurance to maintain status quo. The court has ordered the BMC to halt further action and questioned the impact on outdoor sports.
The KSLTA World Tennis Junior J30 tournament is set to host a strong field of India's leading junior players and international youngsters in Bengaluru, offering them a crucial platform to earn ITF Junior ranking points and gain international experience.
India's artistic gymnastics squad is undergoing a three-week training camp in London before heading to Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games. The camp, funded by SAI, aims to fine-tune preparations for both men's and women's teams, including Olympian Pranati Nayak. The team will travel directly to Glasgow on July 20.
The Badminton Association of India (BAI) is implementing the new BWF 3x15 scoring format across all domestic tournaments from this month. This change aims to familiarise Indian shuttlers with the revised system before its international adoption next year, impacting all age groups and national championships.
Indian boxers, including Asian champion Vishvanath Suresh, Ganga, Hitesh, and Tanu, delivered strong performances on day 2 of the U-23 Asian Boxing Championships in Jakarta, securing unanimous decision victories. Sagar Jakhar faced a setback with a disqualification.
India has made a confident start to their Commonwealth Games campaign in Glasgow, with Putul Sonowal stunning 2023 world champion Ryan Bester in the Men's Singles Lawn Bowls. Additionally, the Indian Women's Pairs team, comprising Rupa Rani Tirkey and Pinki Singh, secured a hard-fought victory against Malta. These early wins highlight India's strong presence in the Lawn Bowls competition.
Indian golfers Pranavi Urs and Aditi Ashok carded identical two-under 71s in the opening round of the PIF London Championship, placing them tied 12th and in contention for a Top-10 finish. Other Indian participants, Diksha Dagar and Avani Prashanth, faced tougher starts.
