Sania Mirza reacted with delight at her being recommended for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, describing it as the "most amazing" development.
India midfielder Manpreet Singh will take over the captaincy from PR Sreejesh in the Asian Champions Trophy in Muscat next month, marking the hockey team's first major tournament after the retirement of Sardar Singh.
India produced a spirited performance to beat Korea 4-1 in the penalty shoot-out after both the teams were locked at 2-2.
Hyderabad Sultans beat title contenders Sher-E-Jalandhar 1-0 in the Premier Hockey League.
A major rail accident was averted when a bomb exploded on the Delhi-Howrah railway line just five minutes after a Rajdhani Express passed the spot.
A 24-strong team for the men's hockey series against Japan was announced on Thursday, following a week-long preparatory camp held at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, that commenced on April 22.
Bollywood superstar Salman Khan has been named goodwill ambassador of the Indian contingent for the upcoming Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro - an unprecedented appointment in the run-up to the quadrennial extravaganza. The announcement was made in the presence of Olympic medallists and Rio star athletes such as boxer M C Mary Kom, hockey captain Sardar Singh, and shooter Apurvi Chandela, among others. Speaking on this new association with IOA Salman said, "I am honoured that Indian Olympic Association has chosen me as the goodwill ambassador for the Indian contingent for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
"The Hockey India League made a big difference. It played an important role in the re-development of hockey in India," he said.
India put up a valiant fight before defending champions Australia pipped them 3-2 in an absorbing encounter in the six-nation Champions Trophy hockey tournament, in Breda, the Netherlands, on Wednesday.
India squandered numerous scoring chances before two late goals sealed their 3-1 victory over Canada in the 25th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey in Ipoh on Sunday. Failing to exert pressure despite taking an early lead, India hung on grimly against several threatening Canadian raids to clinch their second victory in three outings. Chandana Thimmaiah opened the Indian account in the third minute, but Keegan Pereira equalised for Canada in the 23rd minute to be 1-1 level at half-time. Harmanpreet Singh converted a penalty corner in the 41st minute and Talwinder Singh capitalised on a Sardar Singh cross into the circle in the 67th to seal the fate of the match.
India wasted chances galore to settle for a 1-1 draw against England in the their second match at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament in Ipoh, Malaysia, on Sunday.
During Vajpayee's tenure, he was there as an indispensable insider, witness to every action that had an impact on history: Pokhran-II (nuclear tests in 1998), the 1999 Kargil conflict between India and Pakistan, the Indo-Pak Agra Summit in 2001, intense engagement with the United States on nuclear issues besides the Kandahar hijack.
India finished sixth ahead of Olympic champions Germany in Hero Hockey World League Final and its chief coach Terry Walsh said his wards' performance in the eight-nation event gave the hosts the self belief to take on any side in the world.
Continuing with their impressive run, India blanked Canada 3-0 to register their second consecutive win at the Hockey World League Semi-Final, in London, on Saturday
'I play in the present without thinking about the buzz in the background,' says Vivek Sagar Prasad, who has just won the FIH Rising Star of the Year award.
The constant change of captain in the Indian hockey team is in bad taste and defies logic, feels Olympian and former India captain Gurbux Singh.
The list of core probables of the senior men's hockey team has been pruned down to 33 from 48 after a three-day selection trials held at the SAI Centre, Bangalore from July 25-27.
Last Thursday, the awards selection committee of Khel Ratna recommended para athlete and Rio Paralympics gold medallist Devendra Jhajharia for the prestigious award for 2017.
Favourites India prevailed 3-2 over arch-rivals Pakistan to reclaim the Asian Champions Trophy hockey, presenting a perfect Diwali gift to the nation in Kuantan, Malaysia on Sunday. Goals from Rupinder Pal Singh (18th minute), Yousuf Affan (23rd) and Nikkin Thimmaiah (51st) helped India surmount the challenge from Pakistan, who rallied from two goals behind through strikes by Muhammad Aleem Bilal (26th) and Ali Shaan (38th) in the title clash of the fourth edition of tournament. This was the first time the teams were meeting in the final of a continental tournament since India dethroned Pakistan as the Asian Games champions in Incheon, South Korea in 2014.
He has not been on target for quite some time now and India captain Sardar Singh is itching to get a few in order to end his goal-scoring drought while leading his team Delhi Waveriders in the second edition of cash-rich Hockey India League that starts in Mohali on Saturday.
India's hockey team ended its European tour on a high, comfortably defeating Spain 4-2 in its last engagement to win the three-Test series by a 2-1 margin, in Terrassa, on Thursday.
The Indian men's hockey team returned to winning ways with a 2-0 victory over Spain in the fourth match of their ongoing tour of Europe, in Sant Cugat del Valles (Spain), on Wednesday.
Indian men's hockey team captain Sardar Singh and former skipper of the national women's side Saba Anjum were conferred with the prestigious Padma Shri Award by President Pranab Mukherjee at a glittering ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The International Hockey Federation has confirmed India's withdrawal from its ambitious Pro League, one of FIH's flagship tournaments offering Olympic qualifying berths to the top four teams in both men's and women's events.
India captain Sardar Singh fetched a poor return of US $58,000 while Germany's Moritz Fuerste drew the highest ever bid in the history of the Hockey India League auction, bought by Kalinga Lancers for a whopping US $1,05,000 in Delhi on Thursday.
Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and apprised him of his contribution to the Swachh Bharat campaign.
India, eying their maiden Champions Trophy title, had earlier crushed bitter-rivals Pakistan 4-0 in their campaign opener on Saturrday.
Jaypee Punjab Warriors defeated Dabang Mumbai 3-1 in a dominating display to notch up their second win and jump to the top of the table in the Hockey India League in Chandigarh on Sunday.
Their recent impressive showings have raised serious expectations from the national men's hockey team in the Olympics and it's chief coach Roelant Oltmans said if his wards can give their best in every match, India stand a good chance of finishing in the podium in Rio.
India captain Sardar Singh asserted that they have a lot to play for in the ongoing Hockey World League Semifinals.
India beat Japan 2-1 in the third hockey Test to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series, in Bhubaneshwar, on Thursday.
Former national hockey coach Cedric D'Souza has been roped in by Delhi Waveriders as their new coach for the second edition of the Hockey India League which starts next month.
A 'versatile' and 'speedy' Gurbaj Singh will be key to the Indian hockey team's success in the upcoming 24th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup to be held in Ipoh, Malaysia, feels the national side's vice-captain and goalkeeper P R Sreejesh.
India maintained their recent domination over arch-rivals Pakistan with a fighting 2-1 win to bag a consolation bronze medal at the 18th Asian Games.
Acknowledging the supreme sacrifice made by Indian soldiers at the borders, national hockey captain P R Sreejesh, on Wednesday, vowed that his team will give its all to beat Pakistan in the Asian Champions Trophy in Malaysia next month.
Do you think the IOA has done the right thing in apponting Salman as the brand ambassador which they clam is to the motivate the athletes and also increase awareness of Olympic sports in the country? Or do you think the appointment is just a gimmick?
A cracker of a contest is on the cards when a confident India takes on a resurgent Pakistan in the semi-finals of the Hero Champions Trophy hockey tournament, in Bhubaneswar, on Saturday.
Talismanic midfielder Sardar Singh will lead an experimental 18-member India hockey team, which will be without as many as seven players including senior goalkeeper and vice-captain P R Sreejesh, in the 25th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup to be held in Ipoh, Malaysia next month.
India went down fighting 1-3 to Australia via the penalty shoot-out in the final of the Champions Trophy hockey tournament, in Breda, the Netherlands, on Sunday.
Will the fans rush back to the stadium once sport resumes? Will training abroad be as hassle-free as it used to be? What about contact sports where social distancing can't really be practised? Some of India's biggest sportspersons -- current and former -- gave their views on future of sports once the action resumes.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances