Month: August 2025

‘Master Blaster’ Sachin Tendulkar believes Shubman Gill had a “fantastic approach” during his first captaincy assignment for India in Test format, but feels there were areas where things could have been done differently.

India’s youngest Test captain, Gill, led his side from the front and concluded the exacting Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy on level terms with a 2-2 scoreline. There were plenty of speculations and prophecies about how Gill would fare in the colossal challenge.

Throughout the five Tests, Gill was tested by a much refined England’s ‘Bazball’ style of play. With enough firepower and players with robust technique, the Three Lions put Gill and India in a pickle. The opening pacers leaked runs, criticism of the team’s composition and bowlers’ rotation posed challenges that Gill had to navigate.

Sachin emphasised that despite the peculiar nature of the dilemma he was in, Gill maintained his calm and composed nature while trying to tussle for control and conjuring a way to steer his side out of the conundrum.

“Captaincy has a lot to do with how bowlers are bowling, how disciplined they are, and how long they can persist with their plans. Sometimes, when things do not go their way, they start experimenting,” Sachin said in a video posted on his Reddit channel.

That is where the captain feels that the 11 players he has are not enough; I need 2-3 more because runs are flowing from both ends, and it is not comforting at all. He still looked calm and composed. When a partnership is going on, it is difficult for any captain to have a game plan and dry those runs,” he added.

The legendary batter and former skipper felt India could have tried to put the foot off the accelerator to slow things down instead of matching England’s intensity, who love to bat at a brisk pace. While adopting a “boring” style of cricket, Sachin believed India could have benefited from their fielding.

“When you play against England, you can afford to play boring cricket. If you try slowing things down, they will try putting their foot on the accelerator harder. This could work in favour of the fielding side sometimes. Overall, he controlled the team and game well,” he said.

“There were areas where things could have been different, but everyone has different opinions; it was his first series against perhaps the most attacking side in the world. The way they bat, no one else brings that approach. Overall, a fantastic approach. 2-2. Things could have been different, but there are no ifs and buts in cricket,” he added.

On the personal front, from Leeds to London, Gill’s robust technique stole the show and made headlines for changing historical records on numerous occasions. He pulled the curtains down on his stellar campaign as the leading run-getter with a whopping tally of 754 at 75.40. (ANI)

Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood described the ‘Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees), Bill, 2025’ as a historic moment, stating that the people of Delhi are happy with the bill, which has been introduced for their benefit.

Speaking to ANI on the Education Bill, Delhi Minister Sood on Tuesday said, “The people are happy. It has been brought for their benefit. They (parents) can now attend the meetings where the fees of a school are determined. It is a historic moment.”

The Bill was tabled on the first day of the Monsoon session of the Eighth Legislative Assembly, which commenced on Monday and will continue until August 8. However, the session may be extended depending on the exigencies of legislative business.

On Monday, while tabling the Education Bill, 2025, in the Delhi Assembly, Cabinet Minister Sood stated that the legislation seeks to end the commercialisation of education and take action against those exploiting it for profit.

“Education is not a thing to be sold. This bill aims to halt the commercialisation of education. We are bringing the bill to take action against those mafias who are selling education…” Sood said while tabling the bill. The proposed law aims to regulate the arbitrary fee hikes by private schools in the national capital, providing relief to lakhs of students and their families.

This bill was initially scheduled to be presented during the special session proposed on May 13-14, but the session could not be held.

Earlier on 16th April, show-cause notices were served to 10 schools regarding the arbitrary fee hike and to those schools that had not submitted their audit reports. The present Delhi government has already collected audited reports from 600 schools.

The Delhi Legislative Assembly is set to convene on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. to take up a range of issues, including the consideration of the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025, and a short-duration discussion on alleged financial irregularities in a government scholarship scheme. (ANI)

Santhosh Balaraj, who was known for his works in Kannada films, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 34 in Bengaluru.

He breathed his last at Sagar Apollo Hospital in Kumaraswamy Layout, Bengaluru. He was admitted to the hospital last month due to Jaundice and was recovering after undergoing treatment.

Santhosh was admitted to the hospital again after falling ill and was in the intensive care unit. The actor who was undergoing treatment died today at the hospital.

His last rites were performed on Tuesday evening in Bengaluru.

The son of producer Anekal Balaraj, Santhosh began his career with ‘Kempa’.

In 2009, he played the lead role in his debut movie ‘Kempa’, produced by his father, Anekal Balaraj.

‘Kempa’, the action drama film, was directed by debutante Jagadish and starred late actor Santhosh and Thanushika. He was also known for his roles in movies like ‘Kariya 2’ and ‘Ganapa’.

In ‘Ganapa’, he played an innocent man forced into lawlessness.

‘Ganapa’, which was released in 2015, was written and directed by Prabhu Srinivas. It also starred Priyanka Thimmesh.

His last film, ‘Kariya 2’, is a gangster film directed by Prabhu Srinivas starring Santhosh Balaraj in the title role and Mayuri Kyatari in the opposite lead role. It is an unrelated sequel to the 2003 blockbuster Kariya. The movie was released in 2017. (ANI)

‘Master Blaster’ Sachin Tendulkar had effusive praise in store for India captain Shubman Gill, who lived up to the expectations while bearing the burden of performing on the spot that he used to come out on during his playing days.

While dissecting Gill’s prolific run-scoring form in the recently concluded Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, Sachin handpicked the “most important” thing that he noticed during the 25-year-old’s technical prowess.

From Leeds to London, Gill’s robust technique stole the show and made headlines for changing historical records on numerous occasions. He pulled the curtains down on his stellar campaign as the leading run-getter with a whopping tally of 754 at 75.40.

Gill made subtle changes to his technique, with the most prominent being bringing his bat ahead of his pads on several occasions. He even made a couple of tweaks in his footwork to give himself more time to play his desired shot, which were at the forefront of his four blistering tons in England.

“Shubman Gill batted brilliantly throughout the series. He looked calm, composed and organised. When it comes to quality batting, you gotta have a clear head and game plan on building innings. He was extremely consistent in his thought process, and it was evident in his footwork. When your head is not clear, your body does not respond properly. But his body was, he looked so much in control. He had so much time to play the ball, and the footwork was precise,” Sachin said in a video posted on his account on Reddit.

Gill silenced the critics who questioned his ability to thrive in the uncharted overseas conditions in the number four spot, which was previously held by stalwarts Sachin and Virat Kohli. At Edgbaston, a venue where India hadn’t savoured success, Gill notched his career-best, a marathon 269 to pave the way for India’s maiden Test win on the ground. According to Tendulkar, Gill’s shot selection and the knack of respecting a “good ball” was a routine that he followed consistently across the five Tests.

“The most important thing I noticed was respect for a good ball, where the tendency is sometimes to push the ball on the front foot, even when it is not close to your foot. He was able to defend so well on the front foot. He did it so consistently. His front-foot defence and leaving abilities were solid. Shot selection was good and precise,” he added.

In his first Test captaincy assignment, Gill led his side to a famous 2-2 draw against England. His next assignment will be two Tests against the West Indies at home, scheduled to be held in October this year. (ANI)

The convoy of West Bengal Leader of Opposition (LoP) Suvendu Adhikari was allegedly attacked in Cooch Behar on Monday while he was on his way to meet the Superintendent of Police.

Adhikari claimed that the attack was orchestrated because of his push for implementing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process in the state.

Speaking to reporters, Adhikari said, “The Court had granted permission for the LoP and five MLAs to meet the SP. During our arrival, and later in Khagarabari, my convoy was attacked under the leadership of Udayan Guha (TMC leader), a state minister, and in the presence of police. I was with Nishith Pramanik in his bulletproof car, which was completely damaged in an attempt to kill me. Udayan Guha is solely responsible for this, and SP Dyutiman Bhattacharya has helped him in this… They brought in Rohingyas and Bangladeshi Muslims to attack us. After Bihar, SIR will be done in West Bengal too… I will see Udayan Guha and Dyutiman Bhattacharya in Court.”

He further alleged that democracy had collapsed in West Bengal.

“They brought in the Rohingyas and Bangladeshi Muslims to attack us. They were brought to Khagarabari. In Bihar, SIR was conducted, and they came to know that it would be done in West Bengal, so I was attacked. Cooch Behar is located near the Bangladesh border, and I raised my voice to remove the intruders, so I was attacked,” he added.

Reacting to the incident, BJP MP and West Bengal state president Samik Bhattacharya said, “Mamata Banerjee formed the Trinamool Congress… There is also the rule of dynasty. After Mamata Banerjee, Abhishek Banerjee will be the successor of the party, and it happens; we do not have a say in it. But the leader of the opposition, whose place in democracy is after the chief minister, was going to a place to see the victims. His car was stopped, and stones were pelted at him. If such is the condition of the Leader of the Opposition, then what will happen in the entire House?”

BJP leader Rahul Sinha also condemned the attack and demanded action.

“From the morning only, the goons of the Trinamool Congress were present there with the sticks. The police were also present, but they took no action… With the support of the police, Trinamool Congress deliberately attacked the convoy. They believe that by demonstrating power, they can instil fear in the BJP, causing it to halt its program. The reality is, due to the revision of the voter list, many names are being deleted, like Bangladeshi Muslim intruders and Rohingya Muslims, and there will be no hope for Trinamool to win… We demand that everyone who was involved in this incident be arrested…” Sinha said. (ANI)

Thousands of people on Tuesday started to gather at Manik Mia Avenue, a major street in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka, that forms the south boundary of the National Parliament House Complex, to celebrate the first uprising day, the one-year anniversary of the overthrow of the previous Sheikh Hasina government, amid high security.

The interim government of the South Asian country of 170 million people have organised the mega-event after declaring the day a national holiday.

The government has arranged to bring people from all over the country to this event by hiring eight pairs of trains. Garment factories have been closed so that workers can also attend the event.

Officials of various banks have also been asked to attend the event. The day-long festival kicked off with a performance by the country’s major musical bands and popular cultural artists.

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus is expected to unveil formally the ‘July declaration’, an official declaration of the July Mass Uprising of 2024 in Bangladesh, later today. The declaration reportedly outlines 26 political, constitutional and governance issues.

He will also address the nation this evening via state radio and television. Various political parties have organised various programs. Jamat-E-Islami, the largest Islamic political party in the country, held a procession with their election symbol, Dari Palla (measurement scale). Jamaat-E-Islami opposed Bangladesh’s independence during the liberation against Pakistan in 1971.

“It was on this very day, one year ago, that the July Uprising reached its triumph, liberating our beloved nation from the grip of long-standing fascist rule”, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus said in a message.

“The interim government is committed to restoring the state power to the people through a peaceful, fair, and transparent election, as part of a sustainable political solution”, he added.

However, Human Rights Watch (HRW) criticised the interim Bangladesh government of Mohammad Yunus for falling short in implementing its challenging human rights agenda, a year since tens of thousands of people took to the streets to depose Sheikh Hasina’s government.

“The hope of the thousands who braved lethal violence a year ago when they opposed Sheikh Hasina’s abusive rule to build a rights-respecting democracy remains unfulfilled”, said Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director at HRW.

“The interim government appears stuck, juggling an unreformed security sector, sometimes violent religious hardliners, and political groups that seem more focused on extracting vengeance on Hasina’s supporters than protecting Bangladeshis’ rights”, she added.

Bangladesh is on high alert at the anniversary of the uprising. Law enforcement agencies, including the police, have set up checkpoints on the streets and are conducting searches.

Bangladesh’s Independence leader, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was assassinated along with most of his family members on August 15, 1975. Despite the ban on the activities of the Bangladesh Awami League, the party is observing August as a month of mourning.

Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted in a Student-led uprising, known as the July uprising or the July revolution, in August last year. She fled to India, and an interim government was formed under the leadership of Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel Laureate. (ANI)

Pacer Mohammed Siraj garnered a shout-out from his fellow Hyderabadi and ace filmmaker SS Rajamouli over his amazing spell on the final day of the gruelling five-match series at The Oval.

In a tweet on X, Rajamouli hailed Team India’s efforts, writing, “SIRAJ MIYAA… What a spell!!! Prasidh’s double blow!!! India fights back at The Oval!!! Test cricket… nothing comes close. Team India.”

SIRAJ MIYAA… 🔥
What a spell!!!
Prasidh’s double blow!!!
India fights back at The Oval!!!
Test cricket… nothing comes close. 🥰🥰
Team India 🇮🇳🫡

— rajamouli ss (@ssrajamouli) August 4, 2025

Siraj sealed his status as one of India’s premier bowlers in overseas conditions, bowling an inspirational spell in tandem with Prasidh Krishna, which saw England collapse from 317/4 to 367 all out.

When India stood in dire need of a wicket on the final day of Anderson-Tendulkar trophy series, Siraj rose to the challenge and struck the decisive blow and even elongated his spells for a smoother rotation. In the absence of the world’s best Jasprit Bumrah, who was restricted to three Tests, the 31-year-old took the responsibility of being the leader of the pacers pack.

On the final day of the fifth Test, England stood 35 runs shy of gunning down the 374-run target and clinching a 3-1 series win with four wickets in hand. Siraj’s relentless spells, with sharp nipping deliveries, served as the beacon of India’s six-run victory at The Oval for ages.

The success that Siraj “deserved” left Brook and England “devastated” after settling for a 2-2 draw. (ANI)

London [UK], August 4 (ANI): Pacer Mohammed Siraj garnered a shout-out from his fellow Hyderabadi and ace filmmaker SS Rajamouli over his amazing spell on the final day of the gruelling five-match series at The Oval.

In a tweet on X, Rajamouli hailed Team India’s efforts, writing, “SIRAJ MIYAA… What a spell!!! Prasidh’s double blow!!! India fights back at The Oval!!! Test cricket… nothing comes close. Team India.”

SIRAJ MIYAA… 🔥
What a spell!!!
Prasidh’s double blow!!!
India fights back at The Oval!!!
Test cricket… nothing comes close. 🥰🥰
Team India 🇮🇳🫡

— rajamouli ss (@ssrajamouli) August 4, 2025

Siraj sealed his status as one of India’s premier bowlers in overseas conditions, bowling an inspirational spell in tandem with Prasidh Krishna, which saw England collapse from 317/4 to 367 all out.

When India stood in dire need of a wicket on the final day of Anderson-Tendulkar trophy series, Siraj rose to the challenge and struck the decisive blow and even elongated his spells for a smoother rotation. In the absence of the world’s best Jasprit Bumrah, who was restricted to three Tests, the 31-year-old took the responsibility of being the leader of the pacers pack.

On the final day of the fifth Test, England stood 35 runs shy of gunning down the 374-run target and clinching a 3-1 series win with four wickets in hand. Siraj’s relentless spells, with sharp nipping deliveries, served as the beacon of India’s six-run victory at The Oval for ages.

The success that Siraj “deserved” left Brook and England “devastated” after settling for a 2-2 draw. (ANI)

Keeping in line with the Guru-Shishya bond in Indian classical dance learning, renowned Bharatanatyam dance guru and vocalist Geeta Chandran will be presenting Arangetram, a ceremonial debut of her disciple Anvita Jain in the National Capital on Friday, August 08.

Arangetram is a traditional ascendance of a disciple to stage for his or her debut public performance amid supervision and blessings of the guru. The event will be held at Chinmaya Mission Auditorium and attended among others by noted Hindustani classical singer Malini Awasthi as the chief guest.

The performance, according to Geeta Chandran, should be seen as a sacred offering that promotes traditional form of learning in Bharatanatyam. Arangetram signifies an intense dialogue and bonding between the guru and the shishya, rooted in discipline and artistic depth.

Anvita Jain, chosen for this year’s presentation, has been under Chandran’s artistic guidance at Natya Vriksha since the age of seven.

A versatile student of Modern School, Barakhamba Road, Anvita has performed at various cultural platforms in the city, including Durga Puja celebrations at Niti Bagh lawns and national-level events like the CBSE Expression Series and the CBSE National Adolescent Summit 2023.

Geeta Chandran, who founded Natya Vriksha, a classical dance training academy, has mentored hundreds of students since 1991, including many from underprivileged backgrounds. The dance institute promotes an inclusive Gurukul culture serving as a bridge between tradition and innovation.

Bollywood actress Kajol turned a year older on Tuesday, receiving an outpouring of wishes from her family and friends. The latest to join the bandwagon is her husband, actor Ajay Devgn.

The ‘Singham’ star shared a short yet catchy birthday wish for Kajol, showcasing their playful banter in the post.

“Could say a lot, but you would still roll your eyes. So….happy birthday favourite,” he wrote on Instagram.

Ajay also shared two black-and-white pictures of his wife, including one from her early days, as Kajol appears visibly youthful.

He followed it up with a recent snap, capturing the actress in an ethnic ensemble.

Earlier, the couple’s eldest kid, daughter Nysa, also shared an adorable wish for her mother. Uploading a picture with Kajol, Nysa wrote, “My mama’s birthday.”

Meanwhile, many other Bollywood celebrities also extended greetings for Kajol. Kareena Kapoor Khan wrote, “Happy birthday dearest Kajol..always a laugh riot with you…lots of love always.”

Rakul Preet Singh also shared her wishes and added, “Happy Birthday, Kajol Ma’am! May the year ahead unfold gently and bring what you seek from it.”

Genelia Deshmukh, who shares her birthday with the ‘Maa’ star, also wished her “love and happiness.”

On the work front, Kajol has been quite busy with her back-to-back releases. She began with Vishal Furia’s fantasy drama, ‘Maa’, alongside Rohit Roy and Indraneil Sengupta.

The actress was last seen in the JioHotstar film ‘Sarzameen’, which premiered on July 25. Directed by Kayoze Irani, the film also featured Prithviraj Sukumaran and Ibrahim Ali Khan.

On the other hand, Ajay Devgn’s ‘Son of Sardaar 2’ recently opened in theatres, receiving a lukewarm response from the audience. Directed by Vijay Kumar Arora, the film included a star-studded cast of Ravi Kishan, Sanjay Mishra, Mrunal Thakur, Chunky Panday, Deepak Dobriyal, and others. (ANI)

The official teaser of ‘120 Bahadur’ starring Farhan Akhtar was unveiled on Tuesday, offering a gripping glimpse into the 1962 Indo-China war.

Marking Farhan’s return to the big screen after nearly five years, the film sees him essaying the role of Major Shaitan Singh Bhati, Param Vir Chakra awardee and a celebrated figure in Indian military history.

Actor Raashii Khanna will be seen in a special appearance opposite Farhan.

Set against the backdrop of the legendary Battle of Rezang La, the teaser opens with rising tensions between India and China before Farhan’s character declares, “Hum piche nahi hatenge (We will not step back).”

Echoing the courage and sacrifice of Indian soldiers, another dialogue from the teaser reads: “Yeh wardi sirf himmat nahi, balidan bhi mangti hai” (The uniform not just asks for courage, but also sacrifice).

The teaser pays tribute to the 120 soldiers of the Charlie Company, 13 Kumaon Regiment, who held their ground against an estimated 3,000 Chinese troops.

“A moment in history where courage refused to fail,” the makers shared with the teaser, underlining the unwavering courage and efforts of the forces who fought bravely for the country.

‘120 Bahadur’ is based on the incredible true story is a war forged in snow and sealed with sacrifice,” Farhan Akhtar wrote on Instagram. The teaser came just a day after the makers unveiled a brand new poster of the film, further announcing the teaser release date.

The film was first announced in September 2024, with Farhan unveiling his look as Maj. Shaitan Singh. The project is billed as a tribute to the indomitable spirit of the Indian armed forces.

Shot across Ladakh, Rajasthan, and Mumbai, the makers have seamlessly recreated the war front. From the frozen terrains to battlefield silence, every frame carries weight.

‘120 Bahadur’ is directed by Razneesh ‘Razy’ Ghai and produced by Ritesh Sidhwani, Farhan Akhtar, and Amit Chandrra.

The film is slated to release in theatres on November 21, 2025. (ANI)