India’s middle- and long-distance athletes are making use of a specialised ‘Smart Track’ at the Sports Authority of India’s National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) in Bengaluru as they prepare for the Asian Games 2026. A national coaching camp, sanctioned under the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), is underway at the SAI centre and will continue until September 8. The camp features 800m runner Krishan Kumar, steeplechase star Avinash Sable, high jumpers Aadarsh Ram and Supriya B, decathlete Thowfeeq N, middle- and long-distance runner Parul Chaudhary, and race walkers Manju Rani and Priyanka. All eight athletes are part of India’s approved…
Author: Pratyusha Mukherjee
Pratyusha Mukherjee
Ms Pratyusha Mukherjee, an Independent Sr. Broadcast Journalist working for British media with 25 years of experience in covering the east and northeast, with specialisation in Defence, Sports & Current Affairs. In her illustrated career she has covered many major events and achieved International and National media awards for Journalism.
Two soldiers of the Indian Army’s elite 1 Parachute Battalion (Special Forces) died after an Army motorboat capsized in strong currents near the Hathnikund Barrage on the Yamuna in Haryana’s Yamunanagar district during a training exercise on September 1. The bodies of the two Special Forces personnel were recovered on Thursday, September 3, bringing an end to a nearly two-day multi-agency search operation that involved the Army, Indian Air Force, disaster-response forces, police and the civil administration. The incident occurred during joint watermanship training involving five Army personnel. According to the Chandigarh-based Defence PRO, the boat developed a technical problem…
The self declared Republic of Balochistan has strongly condemned what it describes as a systematic campaign to undermine the economic foundations of Baloch communities across Balochistan, alleging that Pakistan’s military is targeting not only the region’s natural resources but also the livelihoods that sustain its civilian population. According to the statement, the alleged campaign comes amid growing opposition to the exploitation of Balochistan’s mineral and natural resources. It claims that grazing lands have been burned, livestock targeted by drones and military helicopters, and agricultural activity severely damaged in several parts of the region. The statement further alleges that orchards producing…
India–Russia strategic and bilateral cooperation came into sharp focus at the India–Russia Bilateral Conclave 2026 – SAMPARK, recently held in Kolkata , bringing together policymakers, diplomats, industry leaders, academics and representatives of cultural institutions to explore new avenues for strengthening the longstanding partnership between the two countries. Organised by Kolkata-based strategic think tank P3 (People. Policy. Polity.), the invitation-only conclave was positioned as Eastern India’s first high-level bilateral conclave dedicated to India–Russia relations. The event was held at the Bengal Convention Centre. The discussions centred on four key pillars of the bilateral relationship — culture, strategic trade and investment, energy…
India has further intensified its humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts in Nepal, with the Indian Air Force (IAF) continuing the airlift of essential supplies and specialised personnel to support ongoing relief operations in the disaster-affected areas.India’s Ambassador to Nepal in a social media post shared that the fifth Indian aircraft carrying relief and rescue assistance arrived in the Himalyan Nation this afternoon. The aircraft carried an 11-member rescue team equipped with specialized tunnel-rescue equipment, along with five-point-five tonnes of essential medicines. As part of the sustained relief mission, the fifth Indian Air Force aircraft, a C-130J Super Hercules, departed…
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed more than 3,000 lives, with the latest government figures showing 6,186 confirmed cases and 3,007 deaths since the outbreak was declared in mid-May. The outbreak has now become the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record, according to health authorities, with the virus spreading across six provinces in the country. The outbreak is being compounded by several factors, particularly in eastern Congo, where the health emergency is concentrated. Ongoing conflict, attacks on healthcare workers, movement of miners and inadequate health infrastructure are creating significant challenges for containment and response efforts. The…
The death toll from devastating flash floods in Nepal has risen to 1,127, while nearly 4,900 people remain missing, as security agencies and rescue teams continue search, evacuation and relief operations amid challenging weather conditions. The flash floods, triggered by the collapse or avalanche of ice and rock near the Nepal-Tibet border, struck several areas of northern and central Nepal on August 26, causing widespread destruction in towns and villages. Addressing the House of Representatives today, Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah described the disaster as a stark warning of escalating climate risks in the Himalayan region and called for greater…
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is set to participate in the 18th BRICS Summit, which India will host in New Delhi on September 12-13, 2026, marking a significant engagement between the United Nations and the grouping of emerging economies. The summit will be held at Bharat Mandapam and will bring together leaders of BRICS member and partner countries, along with outreach invitees, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. India, which assumed the BRICS chairship for 2026 on January 1, has placed the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability” at the centre of its chairship. The agenda reflects…
Former India captain and former BCCI president Sourav Ganguly believes Indian football needs regular exposure to top-quality international opposition if the sport is to make meaningful progress. With footballing giants such as Brazil, Uruguay and Panama set to visit India, Ganguly sees the upcoming fixtures as an important opportunity for Indian players to test themselves against stronger teams and gain valuable experience at the highest level. “It’s good. Why wouldn’t it be good to play football against big teams?” Sourav Ganguly said when asked about the importance of such international fixtures for Indian football. However, the former India captain stressed…
India men’s national team head coach Khalid Jamil has named a 26-player squad for the September-October FIFA International Match Window, with the Blue Tigers set to face Panama, Brazil and Uruguay in a series of high-profile international friendlies. India will take on Panama in Bengaluru on September 26 before travelling to Kolkata for matches against five-time world champions Brazil on October 3 and two-time world champions Uruguay on October 6. All three opponents featured at the FIFA World Cup earlier this year, giving India an opportunity to test themselves against some of the world’s top teams. “This is a very…