SPORTS”

Namrata Batra Makes History, Reaches Wushu 52 kg Final at 2025 World Games

India’s sporting history gained a new chapter as Namrata Batra reached the women’s 52 kg Wushu final at the 2025 World Games in Chengdu, China, marking a major milestone. By doing so, she has assured India of its first-ever World Games medal in Wushu, a sport in which Indian athletes have been making steady progress on the global stage.

Gill and Dunkley named ICC Players of the Month for July 2025

India Test captain Shubman Gill and England spinner Sophia Dunkley have been named the International Cricket Council (ICC) men’s and women’s Player of the Month for July, respectively. Gill bagged the Player of the Month award after a stiff competition from England Test skipper Ben Stokes and South African all-rounder Wiaan Mulder. This is his fourth Player of the Month honour, having won previously in February this year and in January and September 2023.

64th Subroto Cup to Kick Off on August 19

The 64th Subroto Cup International Football Tournament will begin with the junior girls’ (U-17) event on August 19 in Delhi, concluding with the junior boys’ final on September 25. For the first time, the tournament will be held across multiple cities, with Bengaluru hosting the sub-junior boys’ (U-15) matches from September 2 to 11, along with bone age-determination tests. Matches in Delhi-NCR will be played at Ambedkar Stadium, Tejas Ground, Subroto Park, and Pinto Park, while Bengaluru matches will be hosted at Air Force School (Jalahalli & Yelahanka) and HQ Training Command Ground.

DEFENCE”

Indian Navy to Commission INS Udaygiri & INS Himgiri in Visakhapatnam

The Indian Navy will simultaneously commission two advanced frontline frigates, INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri, on 26th August at Visakhapatnam, marking the first time two major surface combatants from different Indian shipyards are commissioned together. INS Udaygiri, the second Project 17A stealth frigate, is built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai, while INS Himgiri, the first P17A ship from Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata.

“APPOINTMENTS”

Ravi Narayanan Appointed CEO of SMFG India Credit Amid Strategic Leadership Overhaul

In a significant development for the Indian non-banking financial sector, Ravi Narayanan, former Group Executive at Axis Bank, has been appointed CEO of SMFG India Credit, according to sources familiar with the matter. This marks a pivotal leadership change since Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMFG) acquired Fullerton India Credit in 2021. 

“NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL NEWS”

Sikkim CM Launches ‘Nari Adalat’ on 1st Amma Samman Diwas to Empower Women in Local Justice

On the occasion of the first Amma Samman Diwas, Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang inaugurated ‘Nari Adalat’ at Rongpo. This innovative, women-led community justice forum is designed to provide accessible, informal, and empathetic conflict resolution, particularly for rural and semi-urban communities in Sikkim.

CM M.K. Stalin Inaugurates VinFast’s First EV Plant in India at Thoothukudi

Tamil Nadu CM M.K. Stalin inaugurated VinFast’s first EV manufacturing plant in India, at Thoothukudi, built in just 17 months on a 408-acre site under a ₹16,000-crore MoU signed during the 2024 Global Investors Meet. The plant, located in the SIPCOT industrial complex at Sillanatham, will initially produce 50,000 EVs annually, with capacity scaling up to 1.5 lakh units and creating over 3,500 jobs in the next five years, contributing to Tamil Nadu’s leadership in EV manufacturing.