Male, Jan 19 (PTI) External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday said India has extended a concessional USD 40 million Line of Credit for developing sporting infrastructure in the Maldives, as part of New Delhi’s efforts to bring Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship projects such as “Fit India” and “Khelo India” into the ambit of the Neighbourhood First Policy. Jaishankar is on a three-day visit to the Maldives and Sri Lanka to further expand bilateral engagement with the two key maritime neighbours of India. He made these comments during the inauguration of a community project in Shaviyani Foakaidhoo. “Sports infrastructure…
Author: Team Spogonews
Mumbai, Jan 19 (PTI) The Nationalist Congress Party on Thursday demanded the resignation of Wresting Federation of India president and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who has been accused of sexually exploiting women wrestlers for years, a charge vehemently rejected by the sports administrator.Top wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia and many other grapplers are on a silent sit-in in New Delhi for the second day against WFI and its chief Singh.“Women wrestlers who have won laurels for our country are protesting at Jantar Mantar in Delhi to seek justice for themselves for all the wrongdoings meted against…
New Delhi, Jan 19 (PTI) “The burden of expectation is the toughest part,” says world number 2 Lee Zii Jia, a year after leaving his national association to train on his own. The Malaysian superstar is one of the top shuttlers who decided to break out of the traditional national team setup to find new ways to fuel their badminton dream. “I always knew that after I become a professional, it will be a tough challenge,” says Zii Jia, Malaysia’s biggest Olympic gold medal hope after the retirement of the legendary Lee Chong Wei. Zii Jia left the Badminton Association…
Doha, Jan 19 (PTI) Indian mixed doubles duo of G Sathiyan and Manika Batra stormed into the WTT Contender semifinals with a 3-0 win over World No. 9 Spanish pair of Maria Xiao and Alvaro Robles here on Thursday. Continuing their splendid run, the Indian duo took less than 24 minutes to wrap the proceedings 11-9 11-9 11-5 and set up a last-four clash against Lim Jonghoon and Shin Yubin, the world No. 20 duo from Korea. The other half of the semifinal will take place between the Chinese pair of Kuai Man-Lin Shidong and Wong Chun Ting-Doo Hoi Kem…
Melbourne, Jan 19 (PTI) Former Australia wicket-keeper Ian Healy doesn’t agree with prolific run-getter Usman Khawaja’s opinion that practice matches are not required ahead of the four-Test Border-Gavaskar series in India beginning February 9. Australia will not be playing a single practice game in India before the opening Test in Nagpur, and Khawaja, a member of the touring side, recently said it won’t harm the team’s chances on spinning sub-continent wickets. “Have you ever been pre-tour with us? They can be spinning wickets when we play but we go to the practice matches and they are green Gabba-like wickets out…
New Delhi, Jan 19 (PTI) Defending champion Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty on Thursday pulled out of the India Open Super 750 after the former suffered a hip injury. “Satwik pulled his left hip adductor, so decided to concede the match,” Chirag told PTI. Earlier, the Badminton Association of India (BAI) had said in an update that Satwik had suffered a groin injury. The world No. 5 Indian pair was scheduled to take on China’s Liu Yu Chen and Ou Xuan Yi, who had claimed the BWF World Tour Finals in December last year, in the round of 16. Satwik…
Bhubaneswar, Jan 19 (PTI) Star India men’s hockey team goalkeeper PR Sreejesh has achieved almost everything in his 17-year-long illustrious career, except for a World Cup medal and he wants to fulfil his “dream” this time in the ongoing showpiece at home. The 34-year-old Sreejesh had played a major role in India’s historic bronze win in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and the team is hoping to finish on the podium in the ongoing World Cup in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela after a hiatus 48 years. India had won their maiden World Cup medal, a gold, in the 1975 edition in…
New Delhi, Jan 19 (PTI) Three-time CWG medallist and BJP leader Babita Phogat on Thursday came with a “message” from the government and assured the grapplers that their demands will be met after elite wrestlers insisted that WFI be disbanded. Top Indian wrestlers, including three-time CWG champion Vinesh Phogat and the Olympic bronze medallist duo of Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik, sat in protest at the Jantar Mantar for the second day straight against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh who has been accused of sexual harassment. Babita, a former wrestler, arrived at the protest…
Melbourne, Jan 19 (PTI) Competing in her last Grand Slam, India tennis star Sania Mirza cruised into the second round of the Australian Open here on Thursday. Sania and her Kazakh partner Anna Danilina prevailed over Hungary’s Dalma Galfi and American Bernarda Pera 6-2 7-5 in one hour and 15 minutes in the women’s doubles. Wrapping up the first set in less than 25 minutes, the pair led 4-1 in the second when they were made to work a bit as Galfi and Pera won four games on the trot to make it five-all. However, the Indo-Kazakh duo managed to…
Doha, Jan 19 (PTI) Indian mixed doubles duo of G Sathiyan and Manika Batra stormed into the WTT Contender semifinals with a 3-0 win over World No. 9 Spanish pair of Maria Xiao and Alvaro Robles here on Thursday. Continuing their splendid run, the Indian duo took less than 24 minutes to wrap the proceedings 11-9 11-9 11-5 and set up a last-four clash against Lim Jonghoon and Shin Yubin, the world No. 20 duo from Korea. The other half of the semifinal will take place between the Chinese pair of Kuai Man-Lin Shidong and Wong Chun Ting-Doo Hoi Kem…