The Myanmar Chess Federation organized the Asian Seniors Championship 2016 from 27 October to 04 November at Hotel Hazel, Mandalay, Myanmar.
The tournament was held in two categories — for players aged above 50 and 65. India’s 69-year-old IM Wazeer Ahmad Khan won the gold in the 65+ category where 18 players competed.
The tournament had 56 players from 12 countries competing for the medals. We have a quick report.
Wazeer Ahmad Khan is Asian Seniors 65+ Champion
69-years-old IM Wazeer Ahmad Khan of Rampur in Uttar Pradesh is the Asian Seniors 65+ Champion. He began the event as the fifth seed…
…but rampaged to a perfect 9.0/9 to claim the title.Khan receiving his trophy from the Asian Chess Federation Secretary General Hisham Al Taher.New Zealand’s CM Helen Milligan (2053; extreme left) was declared the women’s champion — she was the only woman competing in the entire 56-player event — while Myanmar’s Myint Han (2281; second from right) won the Asian Seniors 50+ Championship with 8.0/9.
New Zealand’s CM Helen Milligan (2053; extreme left) was declared the women’s champion — she was the only woman competing in the entire 56-player event — while Myanmar’s Myint Han (2281; second from right) won the Asian Seniors 50+ Championship with 8.0/9.
Uttar Pradesh’s highest honour Yash Bharti award was given to 46 personalities on Monday. Among them, nine Muslims were conferred the award by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in presence of Mulayam Singh Yadav. The award is given annually by Culture Department of UP government.
Yash Bharti comes with a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh, citation and a shawl. The awardees are also eligible for a monthly pension of Rs 50,000 for their life.
Yash Bharti award were constituted in 1994 by the then CM Mulayam Singh Yadav but were discontinued between 2007 and 2012 by Mayawati. It has since been revived by CM Akhilesh Yadav.
1. Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan Classical singing Born- 3 march 1931, Badaun
Belong to Rampur Sahaswa Gharana in classical singing. Conferred honorary citizenship of Baltimore and Maryland in 1986. Padamshri in 1991, Sangeet Natak Academy Award in 2003, Padam Bhushan in 2006 and Rashtriya Tansen Award in 2008.
2. Professor Irfan Habib Historian Born-12, August 1931 in Baroda. D.Phil from Oxford
Chairman, Indian Council of Historical Research 1987-93, 1993-96. Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship in 1968-70, D.Lit from BHU (2008), Vishwa Bharti (2008), Kalyani Vishwavidyalaya (2009), North Bengal University (1990) and Ravindra Bharti University (1989). Padam Shree in 2005.
3. Dr Nahid Abedi Sanskrit literature and philoshophy Born—12 February 1961, Mirzapur D. Lit from Lucknow University in 2009. Padam Shree awardee. Several books and papers published in Sanskrit.
4. Iqbal Ahmed Siddiqui Ghazal singer Born—November 9, Allahabad
Performed at All India Radio and Doordarshan. Released 17 cassettes. Sang one song in film Rama O Rama.
5. Anwar Jalalpuri Urdu poetry and writing Born—6 July 1947
Several awards on Urdu poetry like UP Gaurav Samman, Mati Ratan Samman, Iftikhar-e-Meer Samman etc.
6. Dr Nawaz Deobandi Poet and educationist Born—16 July 1956, Saharanpur
Chairman, UP State Urdu Academy. Established Rafiqul Mulk Mulayam Singh Yadav Urdu IAS Study Center in Lucknow. Several awards like Kaifi Azmi award, Dushyant award, Rotary award etc.
7. Aleemullah Siddiqui Artist Born—10 June 1953, Lucknow
Artist using stem of wheat plant, painting on cloth etc. Acted in play Dilli Ka Akhirir Mushaira and Main Urdu Hoon.
8. Imran Khan alias Imran Pratapgarhi Literature Born—6 August 1987 Pratapgarh.
Internationally acclaimed poet and attended Mushairas in Oman, Bahrain, Dubai, Sharjah etc. Received Urdu Academy award in Saudi Arab, Red Cross Society Orissa’s Vishist Vidyarthi award and Sadbhavna award by Maharashtra Municipal Corporation.
9. Wazeer Ahmed Khan Chess Born—4 February 1947, Rampur
Participated in Chess National B competition in 1972, 1980, 1995, 1999, 2004 and 2008. UP Champion in 2004-2005. First prize in Asian Senior competition in Iran in 2015.
source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCircles.net / Home> Arts-Culture / by TCN Staff Reporter / March 22nd, 2016
Kshetri Awang Leikai(Porompat sub-division of Imphal East District), MANIPUR:
Fatima Begum, a pioneer of women’s football in Manipur, started playing football since her childhood days. She started playing football in a small playground in Kshetrigao among boys. They used to stuff torn footballs with clothes and sometimes even stole nobab (pomelo) and played with it.
From State to International Level
When the women football tournament first started in Manipur, she joined the Eastern Sporting Union. She belonged to the first batch of women football players. Back in her days, the government did not spend much money in promoting sports and games in Manipur. She says that generous people like Yambung Nimai who were interested in football helped her buy boots and football. They even provided money for her diet as she could not afford it. She became part of the Manipur team around 1974-75 and also captained the team for three years. After playing at the national level, she was called to Kolkata for a camp. She says, “Amusana, late Chawui, late Bijyalakhsmi and I were called there and that was how we joined the Indian team.”
At international level, she also played against the England team in Manipur. The match happened in Polo ground. It was a friendly match to raise some funds. She also played against the Nepal team in Kathmandu. Remembering her visit to Kathmandu, she says, “It was the first time I had gone to a foreign country. Earlier we had opportunities but given that we did not have money, I could not go. We always have seven-eight players from Manipur in the Indian team. In our time also, there would be five-six players.”
According to Salam Irene’s book, The Muslims of Manipur, “Fatima Begum of Kshetri Awang Leikai was a member of the India eleven team that played at Bhirt Nagar, Nepal in 1975. She captained the Manipur team that played against the UK football team at Imphal. Fatima was the first Muslim player of the North-east in this discipline.”
Paving Ways for Many
She laughed telling us that she failed the matriculation exam five times. Fatima recollects, “My family’s economic situation was not good. Playing football was very tiring. So, it was hard for me to study. I was not good in studies. Finally, I did clear the matric exam. I did not study much. I did not take much interest in it. Football was always on my mind. I liked sports.” She told us that she also played other sports such as handball, softball and other track sports at national level. According to her, there were not many good women athletes at that time. “I was good at those things,” she says, “so, I got selected.” Having said that, she feels that the situation of women in sports has improved considerably compared to those days.
During those days, she says that she was the only pangal woman in the football team. After her, there were one or two pangal women who joined the team. She says, “Now, there are many good players. The one from Khutheibam, I do not remember her name. We call her Thoibi. She played in Eastern Sporting Union. There is another one called Bukshera. Kashmina is also another one. She is famous now. She lives in mainland India.”
Regarding the support she got from her family and community, she tells us, “My family was alright with me playing sports. The community was reluctant at that time. In the villages, there was purdah system. They did not like the clothes we were wearing while playing. So, they were a little unhappy. But I continued playing football anyway.” When asked about the situation of pangal women in sports these days, she says, “These days, things are much better. Now, we think that we should participate in sports. It is not about looking down at my community. We should also preserve our religion but at the same time, we should also be participating in these things.” Nowadays, she says, there are lots of pangal women in sports such as Judo, Taekwondo and racing.
Experiences and Memories
Regarding her experiences while she was playing football, she says that “at times, we suffered because we had to travel without any reservation on the train in crowded compartments. There would be no place to stand even. On the other hand, there were also times when the whole compartment would be reserved for us. We would sing and play music and enjoy ourselves.” The most pleasant of the memories she says was her visit to Goa. She says, “They are good people. They welcomed us nicely. They played nicely and took care if we got injured. They have discipline.” Regarding her unpleasant experiences she had during her career, she says, “The most unpleasant experience I had was in Kolkata, Bengal. They did not care about us. They would kick on our knees, they would attack our calves. They wanted us to fall down and get injured. They would attack our good players like that.” Furthemore, she says, “Bengalis are a little cunning. They controlled the selection process for the Indian team. So, they selected mostly their people. They are not good people. Goa and Maharashtra are a little better. Manipur and Bengal will always confront in the finals at the national level. They are hard to deal with.”
When we asked her about the goals she scored, remembering her friend Amusana, she said, “When I was in Eastern Sporting Union, Amusana was a stopper. I was the striker. Her long kick was beautiful. I can run really fast. People say that the horse is running. She would start the ball. I would give the ball back to her and she would immediately do a long kick. There was an understanding between us. The moment I passed the ball to her I would run really fast. And, she would pass it to me. That is how we scored easily. At that time, there were no good women players. I teamed up with her, that was why I could do that. She could do that because I was there. Given that we have two-three good players, we managed that. But it became boring if we scored a lot of goals. If we scored around twelve-thirteen goals, then it became boring.” When asked about the match when she scored the most goals, she says, “I think it was in Pondicherry. I scored seven goals. I was becoming famous that time. I could not score much against Goa and Bengal because they had better players.”
Post-Retirement Days
After she joined the state’s sports department, it became her responsibility to take the teams for matches as a coach.
At times, she would take a friend from another sports department as a manager if others did not agree to go with her. “If the people who work with me on football did not want to go,” she says, “I would take someone from other sports.”
Post her retirement from playing, she has been actively participating in improving sports facilities and helping those interested in football, especially women. She used to support the club KIYC in her locality monetarily. She is also supporting some women players in the locality. She proudly tells us one of the players she supported is playing in KRYPHSA, Naoremthong. She has also sent some Muslim women in Chaoba’s team. Chaoba is her junior, who is now the assistant coach of the Indian team. There are some women also from her locality in Eastern Sporting Union. Fatima is grooming them.
source: http://www.weretrospect.com / We Retrospect / Home> History / by We Retrospect / January 25th, 2021
Mir Shakeel Ur Rahman and Amal Ahmed have broken records and achieved several personal ambitions during their adventures. (Supplied)
The couple set out on their first discovery ride after the coronavirus pandemic, traveling around Saudi Arabia
Later, Ahmed became the first Saudi woman to ride across the Himalayas, the world’s highest mountain range
A Saudi-Indian husband and wife team have been clocking up the miles in a round-the-world odyssey — on motorbikes.
And during their road trips, adventurers Mir Shakeel Ur Rahman and Amal Ahmed have broken records and achieved several personal ambitions.
The couple set out on their first discovery ride after the coronavirus pandemic, traveling around Saudi Arabia to areas including Makkah, Jazan, Abha, Hail, Riyadh, Dammam, and Al-Ahsa, before exploring other countries.
Later, Ahmed became the first Saudi woman to ride across the Himalayas, the world’s highest mountain range. “It was an unbelievable moment, and I will not forget it,” she said.
Her husband said: “This was a great achievement for a Saudi woman during the 92nd national day for Saudi Arabia and I was happy to see her flying the Saudi flag on the top.”
The pair’s shared passion for biking has transformed their lives.
Rahman, originally from the south Indian city of Hyderabad, has been working in the Kingdom for 30 years in the field of navigation air services.
He said: “In India, the first thing you learn is how to ride a motorcycle. Me and my sister used to steal our father’s bike while he was sleeping. So, that was the time when I became obsessed with motorcycling.
“It has been a passion since I was young, and I have been all over the world.”
Soon after moving to Makkah in 1993, he bought his first motorcycle — a Honda 70. “I was happy with my first bike and very pleased to continue my passion here in Saudi Arabia,” he added.
Until meeting Rahman, Ahmed had never considered riding a motorbike.
“As a Saudi woman, I used to travel by plane, car, or train, and never thought I would travel on a motorcycle until I met my husband in Jeddah. He convinced me, despite my fear, that riding was something anyone could enjoy,” she added.
For her birthday last year, Rahman surprised his wife with a new Honda Gold Wing touring bike. The couple — who married five years ago — now have three motorcycles, including a classic Harley-Davidson, and a Kawasaki.
Ahmed said: “We started riding on a two-seater bike around Jeddah with other groups and then took off to several places in the Kingdom. Our first regional trip was to Ras Al-Khaimah in the UAE. It was a great experience.”
The couple regularly post videos online which have gathered quite a following.
“As a long-time rider, I have been everywhere in the world but didn’t document my adventures until my wife created our accounts on various platforms,” Rahman said.
Ahmed added: “I wanted to make it a very important part of our life and we really received positive reactions from our followers. Our goal is to spread happiness and smiles to our followers.”
The biking duo next plan to journey to Kashmir.
source: http://www.arabnews.com / Arab News / Home> Saudi Arabia> Lifestyle / by Saleh Fareed / January 09th, 2024
Safin Mustafa from Mangaluru made an entry into the Noble Book of World Records for floating on water for 2 hours 30 minutes and 13 seconds, on Saturday January 13.
The previous best was by Karanam Snehit Simha of Andhra Pradesh in 2023, who clocked 2 hours 21 minutes 53 seconds.
The record breaking event was held at the swimming pool of Prestige International School, Jeppinamogaru here in the wee hours of Saturday. The 14 year old Safin is class 8 student of Prestige International School, one of the reputed educational institutions in the city.
Displaying the clock to the reporters, Safin said that he was coached by Aromal A S. He also thanked the teachers and the management of Prestige International School for their support and guidance in making the achievement.
Speaking to media, coach Aromal said, “Unexpectedly, I discovered swimming talent in Safin. During the learning phase, he demonstrated remarkable proficiency, comfortably swimming for 15-30 minutes. Inspired, I extended his training hours, and today he has set a world record. I am thrilled by his performance and incredibly proud of him.”
Expressing his joy over Safin’s world record, Haider Ali, chairman, Prestige International School said, “The management, staff and students of our school are proud of Safin Mustafa. He is the icon for us all. Our institution always supports and encourages the students to exhibit and to be experts in their talents. Along with academics, the generation should enjoy their age and climb heights in their fields of interest.”
Safin’s parents Abdul Lathif and Safiya Banu, officials of Noble Book of World Records, witnessed the record breaking moment.
source: http://www.daijiworld.com / DaijiWorld.com / Home> Top Stories / by DaijiWorld Media Network -Mangaluru (SB) / pix by Dayanand Kukkaje / January 13th, 2024
Lovely Professional University (LPU) takes immense pride as Nasreen Shaikh, a first-year MPEd student and the Captain of the Kho Kho Game at LPU and the nation, has been conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award by Hon’ble President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhawan.
This recognition by the Ministry of Sports & Youth Affairs is a testament to Nasreen’s exemplary leadership, sportsmanship, discipline, and outstanding performance over the past four years.
The Arjuna Award is the second-highest athletic honour in India and is bestowed upon exceptional athletes who have consistently excelled in their respective sports. Among the recipients of the National Sports and Adventure Awards 2023, Nasreen stands out alongside other renowned athletes such as World Cup star cricketer Mohammed Shami.
Nasreen’s remarkable achievements in Kho Kho have earned her numerous national and international medals, highlighting her exceptional talent and dedication to the sport.
Her impeccable skills and unwavering determination have been evident in countless competitions she has participated in thus far. Nasreen is set to lead her team in the upcoming world games, showcasing her exceptional leadership abilities.
Nasreen’s journey to success has not been without challenges. Initially, she faced societal pressure and family objections, hindering her pursuit of her passion for Kho Kho.
However, she defied all odds and emerged as a source of immense pride for LPU and India by winning several top medals. Nasreen vividly recalls the overwhelming joy she experienced when she won her first gold medal for India, with the Indian national anthem resonating through the stadium.
Dr. Ashok Kumar Mittal, Founder ChanUcellor of LPU and Rajya Sabha Member, commended Nasreen on her national honour and expressed his pride in being associated with esteemed sports personalities like her.
He conveyed his heartfelt congratulations and expressed his belief in Nasreen’s ability to continue bringing honour and glory to the nation through her future endeavours. Dr. Mittal also expressed his delight at the Ministry of Sports’ announcement of the MAKA Sports 1st Runner-Up Trophy in the name of LPU.
Nasreen’s accomplishments serve as a testament to the significance of providing support and infrastructure for aspiring athletes. LPU’s unwavering commitment to nurturing sports talents is evident through its world-class sports infrastructure and support systems, including scholarships with 100% fee waivers.
The university boasts a roster of illustrious sports personalities, including ace javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra, accomplished wrestler Bajrang Punia, skilled boxer Jaismine, Indian Hockey Team Members, and many more.
By winning the prestigious Arjuna Award, the 25-year-old India women’s kho kho team captain has brought joy to her struggling father, who dedicated himself body and soul to fuel her passion.
Nasreen Shaikh, a 25-year-old from Shakurpur, will walk down the iconic Durbar Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 9, to collect the Arjuna Award in Kho Kho, a sport that is not considered mainstream since it isn’t part of Commonwealth, Asian or Olympic Games.
She will become only the second kho kho player to win the National Sports Award in the last 25 years – the other being Sarika Kale Sudhakar in 2020 – after the indigenous sport became irrelevant at the turn of the century and struggled for recognition with the Union sports ministry backing Olympic sports heavily to eye medals in the quadrennial international multi-sports events.
“Kho Kho has changed my life. I have been able to support my struggling father,” said Nasreen as she flipped through a file looking for documents for police verification required to be sent to authorities ahead of the Arjuna Awards ceremony.
Nasreen’s father, Mohammed Ghafoor, came to Delhi in 1980 from Araria in Bihar, polished utensils for a living, worked as thekedaar (contractor) before losses forced him to try his luck at weekly markets. The father of 11 doesn’t rest even a single day and sets up shop in morning and evening all seven days of the week. He sells his wares – mostly utensils — in patri bazaar (roadside weekly markets) in Inderlok, Inderpuri, Minto Road, Patel Nagar, Ranjit Nagar, Karampura, Nangloi, Tri Nagar, Kishan Ganj, Shastri Nagar among other places.
“Generally, people focus on one market a day but I have been taking my wares to two bazaars every day for the last many years since household expenses are huge. I had to bring up kids (seven daughters and four sons) and also fuel Nasreen’s passion,” says Ghafoor.
“I worked a lot for her. It was my responsibility to provide her with the diet. She requires [protein] powders, chana, peanuts, nuts and almonds. I’d go to Lahori Gate to fetch all this and it would cost 5,000-6,000 rupees every time,” explains Ghafoor.
Nasreen is extremely grateful to her father, who is chuffed to see her daughter win the Arjuna Award.
“He even stopped visiting his hometown as it would set him back by a good amount. He made many sacrifices.”
There was also some resistance to her taking up the sport, especially kho kho, but when Nasreen began earning accolades and people around her saw prospects, all of that subsided and she started getting acknowledged in the family and among relatives.
(R to L) Mohammed Gafoor, Nasreen Shaikh and her mother
Hard Worker :
Nasreen’s father Mohammed Ghafoor) sets up shop all seven days of the week in patri bazaars to help fund her daughter’s training. To Nasreen’s right is her mother
“She was committed right from the start and I thought she should be given a chance,”adds Ghafoor.
Nasreen started playing kho-kho when she was in third standard at the Government Senior Secondary School in Kohat Enclave. She was also a very good athlete, winning gold medals in 100m and 200m sprints at school level. By the sixth standard, she was participating in the school nationals as well as the nationals in kho kho.
“Since we were financially vulnerable, I couldn’t play any sport that involved equipment. So, I had to pick kho kho and athletics,” says Nasreen, who graduated from Delhi University’s Daulat Ram College with BA (Pass) degree and is now doing M.P.Ed. (Masters in Physical Education) from Lovely Professional University in Punjab. She also completed B.P.Ed. (Bachelors in Physical Education) from the same university before this.
The big moment for Nasreen came in 2019 when she became captain of the Indian kho kho team for the South Asian Games. India won gold under her captaincy. She has so far competed in 50 national events and six international events. Even though the sport isn’t popular, still it is played in 38 countries.
While KKFI has started Ultimate Kho Kho, a franchise-based tournament that provides a platform for youngsters to earn and play, it is restricted only to male players. There are talks of having a women’s league on similar lines too but getting sponsors remains a struggle.
A few months after the high of becoming the national captain, her family struggled through Covid as her father had to sit at home without work. Kho Kho Federation of India, the governing body of the sport, chipped in with Rs 1 lakh and DYWA, an organisation based out of Delhi-6 also gave her Rs 50,000, to help her wade through the difficult time.
She worked on a stipend with Airports Authority of India (AAI).
“The stipend helped my family. But it had to end last year since the support is for only junior players,” says Nasreen, who is currently looking for a job and is hopeful that the Arjuna Award will help her land one.
“The sport has grown. It used to be considered a gali-kucha game. Earlier, we used to put money from our pocket for even travelling but now we are getting something back. Mittal sir (Sudhanshu Mittal, the president of the federation), announces cash prizes after tournaments and that helps. Prime Minister Narendra Modi backed the sport too in one of his speeches and it has boosted our confidence, given us recognition,” she adds.
Nasreen’s success has already inspired her two younger sisters to take up the sport. The four older ones are married and settled as home-makers.
The 18-year-old sister is studying at LPU in Punjab while the youngest, who is 14 years old, is studying in a school in Delhi.
“They both want to play kho kho.”
Her younger brother even gave up studies to cut down on their household expenses and ensure that Nasreen is left with as much money as possible for her training.
When at home, Nasreen leaves her home in hijab every morning on a scooty that she purchased recently and goes to a park in a different neighbourhood to work on her fitness.
“It (Hijab) is a norm here in our locality. But I take it off at the park during workout,” she adds.
The morning session is dedicated to endurance and fitness. She works out between 5 am and 8 am in the park before returning home.
“You need athleticism, endurance, stamina, and flexibility in this game. Everything. That is also a reason why I got hooked to it. If we play this game and become good players, we can participate in other games too like I participated in athletics.”
She works on kho kho skills in the evening session from 4 pm to 8 pm.
The set-up at LPU, she says, has helped her in training immensely.
While the Arjuna Award will be a feather in her cap and give her recognition, there is every likelihood that she will be celebrated as a star athlete in years to come. For the KKFI is planning biopic on her on the lines of those made on MS Dhoni and MC Mary Kom.
Special Player :
Nasreen Shaikh is the second kho kho player to win Arjuna Award in the last 25 years
“We are making a biopic on her. The plan is still in a nascent stage and we are working out the details like who will write the script, and who will direct the film among other things. She could play the protagonist herself or we could hire another actor to play her,” said Mittal, the KKFI President to Patriot.
source: http://www.thepatriot.in / The Patriot / Home> Delhi NCR / by Khurram Habib / January 09th, 2024
Hussamuddin is a two-time bronze medal winner from Commonwealth Games from 2018 Gold Cost and 2022 Birmingham
Mohammad Hussamuddin
Hyderabad:
Telangana boxer from Nizamabad Mohammed Hussamuddin on Wednesday has been nominated for the Arjuna Award while shuttlers Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty duo were selected for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.
Hussamuddin is a two-time bronze medal winner from Commonwealth Games from 2018 Gold Cost and 2022 Birmingham. He also won bronze each at World Championships in 2023 and Asian Championships in 2022.
Other sportspersons to be nominated for the Arjuna Award include men’s hockey players Krishan Bahadur Pathak and Sushila Chanu, archers Ojas Pravin Deotale and Aditi Gopichand Swami, chess player R Vaishali, golfer Diksha Dagar, shooter Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, wrestler Antim Panghal, Asian Games silver medallist wushu player Naorem Roshibina Devi and paddler Ayhika Mukherjee among others.
Sahaspur Village , Amroha, UTTAR PRADESH / Kolkata, WEST BENGAL:
Mohammed Shami
New Delhi:
Indian cricketer Mohammed Shami was on Tuesday conferred with the Arjuna Award by President Droupadi Murmu in a regal ceremony. In the ceremony, other best-performing athletes were also conferred with the national sports awards by the President.
Mohammed Shami receiving Arjuna Award for his brilliance in Indian cricket.
Shuttlers Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy were presented the coveted Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award for a breakout 2023, during which they won their maiden Asian Games gold — a first for India in badminton –, while also clinching the Asian Championships title and the Indonesia Open Super 1000 title.
The awards ceremony, usually held on August 29 to commemorate the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand, was deferred because of the Hangzhou Asian Games from September 23 till October 8 last year.
An atmosphere of gaiety pervaded the Rashtrapati Bhawan as 26 athletes and para-athletes were conferred the Arjuna Awards.
Also receiving a huge round of applause was the newly-crowned chess Grandmaster R. Vaishali, the elder sister of precocious chess talent R. Praggnanandhaa.
Vaishali was honoured for becoming the third woman from the country after Koneru Humpy and Dronavalli Harika to turn GM.
Pistol shooting sensation, 19-year-old Esha Singh, was among the notable absentees as she is competing in the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Jakarta.
Apart from Mohammed Shami, other sporting bigwigs who were chosen for the Arjuna award this year were wrestler Antim Panghal, a former junior world champion and bronze-winner at the senior event last year, boxer Mohammad Hussamuddin (bronze-winner at last year’s world championship), and para archer Sheetal Devi.
Among the notable Dronacharya awardees this year is chess coach RB Ramesh, who has groomed Praggnanandhaa.
While the Khel Ratna comes with a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh, the Arjuna and Dronacharya awards include a cash prize of Rs 15 lakh.
Recipients of 2023 awards
Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award for 2023: Chirag Shetty and Satwik Sairaj Rankireddy (badminton).
Dronacharya Award (life-time category) for outstanding coaches: Jaskirat Singh Grewal (golf), Bhaskaran E (kabaddi), Jayanta Kumar Pushilal (table tennis).
Dhyan Chand Award for lifetime achievement: Manjusha Kanwar (badminton), Vineet Kumar Sharma (hockey), Kavitha Selvaraj (kabaddi).
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (MAKA) Trophy 2023: Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar (overall winner university); Lovely Professional University, Punjab (1st runner -up), Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra (2nd runner-up).
Mohammed Shami may miss two Tests against England: Reports
Meanwhile, Mohammad Shami is likely to miss the first two matches of the upcoming five-Test series against England, set to commence on January 25, as the pacer is yet to resume bowling following an ankle injury, say reports.
He has not started bowling, and he will need to go to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) to demonstrate his fitness, according to Indian Express report.
Mohammed Shami was included in the Test squad against South Africa but his availability was subject to fitness. The BCCI later in a press release stated that Shami has not been cleared by the Medical Team and the fast bowler was ruled out of the two Tests.
With inputs from agencies
source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> News> Sports / by Sameer Khan / January 09th, 2023
Jamshedpur FC announce the appointment of Khalid Jamil as the Head Coach. The experienced and highly regarded AFC Pro Licensed Coach will embark on his journey with Jamshedpur FC, starting with the Kalinga Super Cup in January, followed by the remainder of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2023-24 season.
Khalid Jamil is a distinguished figure in Indian football, both as a former player and a successful manager. He is notably the first Indian to be the permanent Head Coach of an Indian Super League (ISL) team and the only Indian coach to have guided a team to the ISL playoffs. Khalid’s illustrious career includes individual accolades of having won the I-League Best Coach Award for the 2016–17 season with Aizawl and the FPAI Indian Football awards: Coach of the Year (2020–21) with NorthEast United FC.
Jamshedpur FC CEO, Mukul Choudhari said, “I welcome Khalid Jamil, a coach with thorough experience in ISL and ILeague. We have everything to play for with the Kalinga Super Cup and half of the ISL remaining. Hence, we believe he has the understanding, experience and track record in Indian Football to build and take us forward, starting with the very next game.”
Khalid’s first engagement in the ISL was with NorthEast United where he signed as the Head of Academy in 2019-20. His breakthrough with the club came in 2020-21 when he was hired as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season and he led the Highlanders to the playoffs including a 10-game unbeaten streak. In lieu of his performances, Khalid was appointed as their head coach for the 2021-22 season, making him the first Indian permanent head coach of an ISL club. He also led Aizawl FC to the 2016–17 I-League title, making Aizawl the first club from Northeast region of India to win the national title. His heroics with Aizawl FC were noticed by the entire Indian football fraternity and his achievement took him to be the head coach at East Bengal and later Mohun Bagan.
Khalid expressed his delight on signing for Jamshedpur. He said, “I want to thank the club management to give me this opportunity and I feel very excited to join Jamshedpur FC. Our target is to bring Jamshedpur FC in a better position and for that we all must work hard to bring Jamshedpur on top.”
Khalid also had a message for the ever present and vociferous fans of Jamshedpur and Jharkhand and said, “Keep supporting Jamshedpur FC, we need your support in every match, more than ever.”
Khalid will be and taking charge of the squad immediately as the attention shifts to the Kalinga Super Cup where Jamshedpur’s first challenge is versus NorthEast United FC in Bhubaneswar on 10th January.
source: http://www.fcjamshedpur.com / FC Jamshedpur / Home> News / December 30th, 2023
