The Indian women's cricket team captain Jhulan Goswami, former men's hockey team captain Zafar Iqbal and archer Limba Ram are among the sportspersons chosen for the prestigious Padma Shri award.
The former India captain said much will depen on how well India begins its campaign in the Champions Trophy.
Hardik Singh and Navneet Kaur were named Hockey India Player of the Year in the men's and women's categories, respectively, at a ceremony in New Delhi. Several other players, officials, and member units were also recognised for their contributions to Indian hockey.
The general impression that the Indian hockey team concedes late goals has changed with its second successive Olympic bronze medal and the Harmanpreet Singh-led side is one of the best in the world in all aspects, feels the legendary Zafar Iqbal.
'This game against Tottenham will be important for us... to be (around) the top of the league.'
In 2021, the Centre renamed the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna as Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. But many wonder, why despite the public sentiment the country's highest civilian honour continues to elude the man who put Indian hockey on the world map.
The former Olympian said they have a better knowledge of the game and can revive India's fortunes.
The local administration denied the rumours about aerial strikes by the Pakistani fighter jets on the compound, saying the explosives used in bomb making exploded, causing the death of 24 people, including 14 militants.
'After 1980, our last and eighth gold medal in the Olympics, the game changed drastically when astro-turf was introduced.'
The Indian government has established two expert committees aimed at elevating the country's sports performance.
PM Modi, Sports Minister Mandaviya lead tributes to Olympian Dhyan Chand on Thursday, August 29, his birth anniversary.
Former captain Zafar Iqbal believes it won't be easy for India to reclaim the hockey World Cup title after a hiatus of 47 years as the hosts are placed in a tough pool alongside Spain, England and Wales.
Jammu and Kashmir Bharatiya Janata Party chief Ravinder Raina is going to miss voting for his party in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as the party has not fielded any candidate from his home town which falls in Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency.
'There is no link between Article 370 abrogation and a rise in voting percentage.'
India clinched a second successive Olympic bronze medal at the Games for the first time in 52 years with a 2-1 triumph over Spain in the third position playoff on Thursday.
'The Congress backstabbed us and the BJP frontstabbed us.' 'This is the only difference between the two parties.'
Former India hockey captain Zafar Iqbal said the country's prominent athletes would write to the International Olympic Committee seeking its help for drawing up a blueprint for resurrecting sports in the country.
The Obama administration continued to tighten the noose around the Pakistan-based, Inter Services Intelligence-supported terrorist organisation, the Lashkar-e-Tayiba -- responsible for the horrific 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks -- by sanctioning two of its leaders and founding members Zafar Iqbal and Hafiz Abdul Salam Bhuttavi.
A total of 10 members of Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Tayiba and other proscribed outfits were on Tuesday designated as terrorists by the Union ministry of home affairs under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The knee injury ruled him out of the second Test against Sri Lanka and subsequent ODI series in Netherlands as well as the ongoing Asia Cup in the UAE.
In a temporary relief for Imran Khan, a Pakistani court on Wednesday ordered the police to stop till Thursday its operation outside the former prime minister's residence in Lahore to arrest him in a corruption case after a scuffle between the security personnel and his supporters.
The sports ministry on Wednesday forwarded the names of hockey legend Dhyan Chand, Olympic gold medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra and mountaineer Tenzing Norgay for the Bharat Ratna, but batting ace Sachin Tendulkar's was missing from the list as no recommendation had come from the BCCI.
Over 20 former international players, including several Olympians, have appealed to Sports Minister Ajay Maken to intervene and sort out the dispute between Indian Hockey Federation and Hockey India for the smooth conduct of World Series Hockey starting from December 17.
The Reserve Bank on Thursday asked banks and other financial institutions to report to the government details about accounts resembling 10 individuals who have been designated as terrorists by the Union home ministry earlier this month. On October 4, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had designated a total of 10 members of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and other proscribed outfits as terrorists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Those designated as terrorists include Habibullah Malik alias Sajid Jutt, a Pakistani national, Basit Ahmad Reshi, who hails from Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla but is currently based in Pakistan, Imtiyaz Ahmad Kandoo alias Sajad, who hails from Jammu and Kashmir's Sopore but now lives in Pakistan, Zafar Iqbal alias Salim, who is from Poonch but presently residing in Pakistan, and Sheikh Jameel-ur-Rehman alias Sheikh Sahab, who hails from Pulwama.
Former players hit back at K P S Gill for his comment that those who played in the Olympics after 1966 were "not Olympians but losers".
Former Olympians say the Indian team needs to translate individual brilliance into teamwork to come put trumps.
Hockey India's four-member committee, including two former Olympians Ajit Pal Singh and Zafar Iqbal, is likely to nail former chief coach of the Indian hockey team M K Kaushik on the alleged sexual harassment of the members the Indian women's hockey team.
A top-four finish in the Olympics will be a 'miracle' for the Indian men's hockey team, but a favourable outing in their Games opener against the mighty Netherlands on July 30 will act as a huge 'confidence booster' for the eight-time champions, feels former players.
Former India hockey captain Zafar Iqbal does not see the national team ending its three-decade old medal drought at the London Olympics this year, but is of the opinion that a semi final berth would be a great achievement for the eight-time champions.
Hosts India drawn with England, Spain and Wales in Pool D of FIH World Cup
A Pakistani court in Islamabad on Monday rejected former prime minister Imran Khan's plea seeking the suspension of the non-bailable warrant issued against him in the Toshakhana case.
The FIH also stated that the draw of the Men's Hockey World Cup, to be hosted jointly by Bhubaneswar and Rourkela from January 13 to 29 next year, will take place as per schedule on September 8.
Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday honoured the former hockey players for their achievements and contribution to the country.
Punjab government's action comes amidst pressure from the Trump administration to act against terror.
A Pakistani court on Tuesday issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against former prime minister Imran Khan in the Toshakhana case but he was granted bail in three other cases, amid high drama outside the court premises where thousands of his supporters converged to support their leader.
Security forces killed five heavily armed foreign terrorists along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday and said it was the "biggest" infiltration bid to have been foiled since 2021, when India and Pakistan effected a ceasefire understanding.
A Pakistani judge on Saturday cancelled former premier Imran Khan's arrest warrants in the Toshakhana corruption case and allowed him to go home without indicting him, amidst clashes between his supporters and police outside the court complex in Islamabad.
On the eve of the crucial Nuclear Suppliers Group meeting in Seoul over India and Pakistan's membership in the elite group, Pakistan's former permanent representative at the United Nations in Geneva Zamir Akram has said that Islamabad was only opposed to the "exclusive membership" of India.
When Maharaj Krishan Kaushik and Ravinder Pal Singh stood on the victory podium in Moscow 40 summers back, little did they know that cruel twist of fate would put them together in life and now in death.
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