Five guards were later accused of “acting against the detainee with severe violence, including stabbing the detainee’s bottom with a sharp object, which had penetrated near the detainee’s rectum”, according to a statement from the military at the time. The detainee suffered “cracked ribs, a punctured lung and an inner rectal tear”.
The inheritance dispute surrounding late businessman Sunjay Kapur’s estate has taken yet another turn. In January, Priya Kapur filed a criminal defamation complaint against Mandhira Kapur Smith and another individual for public attacks against her on digital platforms.
As per the latest update on news agency ANI, the Patiala House Court on Thursday heard arguments on an application moved by Mandhira seeking the production of certain documents from Priya in connection with an ongoing defamation complaint. (Also read: Priya Kapur files criminal defamation case against Sunjay Kapur’s sister Mandhira Kapur Smith, cites ‘personal attacks’)
The report states that Mandhira appeared before the court and filed her reply to the defamation complaint. Along with her reply, Mandhira has also moved an application seeking directions for the production of certain documents from the complainant.
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Siddhant Sihag heard the preliminary arguments on the application. The court listed the matter for further hearing and arguments on March 30. The court also granted time to counsel for the proposed accused, Pooja Chaudhary, to file a reply.
Senior Advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for Priya Kapur, submitted before the court that the application moved by Mandhira Kapur was not maintainable at the present stage of the proceedings. He stated that he does not wish to file a formal reply but reserves his right to argue on points of law.
Advocate Amit Prasad, appearing for Mandhira Kapur, filed the reply along with an application stating that the alleged defamatory words should not be viewed in isolation. Meanwhile, Senior Advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for Priya Kapur, opposed the application and said that the matter is currently at the stage of notice and not at the stage of charge. Therefore, the application for the production of documents cannot be filed at this stage.
The Senior Advocate also argued that all the documents sought by Mandhira Kapur relate to property, trusts, and other matters that are not connected with the present complaint and are already in the public domain. He stated that she is already aware of these matters.
In the defamation suit, it was stated that the material circulating in the public domain advances misleading narratives and allegations intended to malign and harass Priya Kapur through public discourse rather than through lawful remedies.
Sunjay was the chairman of Sona Comstar. He married actor Karisma Kapoor in 2003. The couple became parents to their daughter, Samaira, in 2005 and their son, Kiaan, in 2011. In 2014, Karisma and Sunjay filed for divorce, and it was finalised in 2016. After the separation, Sunjay married Priya Sachdev. The couple welcomed a son, Azarias, after they got married.
A legal battle is going on over Sunjay’s estate. In August last year, Priya presented a document to the Delhi High Court claiming it was his will. This was challenged by Samaira, Kiaan, and Rani. A few reports claimed that Sunjay’s assets were worth ₹30,000 crore. However, Karisma’s kids had said they weren’t aware of the actual worth.
(via inputs from ANI)
Filmmaker Priyadarshan has reacted to Paresh Rawal’s remark describing the iconic Baburao character as “mere gale ka fanda”. The director recalled how Rawal immediately agreed to take up the role when he first narrated the idea for Hera Pheri.Speaking about the casting, Priyadarshan said that he always believed Rawal was the real hero of the film.“When I was making the film, the first thing I did was call Paresh. I told him, ‘This is a role you would want to do.’ He immediately jumped at the opportunity. I told him, ‘You are the hero of the film. The real hero is you — the others are just supporting characters,’” the filmmaker told Pinkvilla.
Priyadarshan further revealed that Rawal was excited about the role because it allowed him to break away from the villainous characters he had mostly played earlier in his career.“He said he would put his heart and soul into it because, before that, he had mostly been playing villain roles. And then he did it. Now he has earned it. Now he can decide where to take it,” the director added.The character of Baburao Ganpatrao Apte from the Hera Pheri franchise remains one of the most iconic roles in the history of Hindi cinema. Paresh Rawal’s portrayal of the dhoti-clad landlord — with his innocence, distinctive Maharashtrian accent and quirky humour — became immensely popular among audiences.The character gained cult status alongside Akshay Kumar’s Raju and Suniel Shetty’s Shyam. While the second instalment, Phir Hera Pheri, released in 2006, fans have been eagerly waiting for the third part of the franchise.
Despite the character’s popularity, Rawal had earlier spoken about how the role limited him as an actor. During a recent interview with The Lallantop, he admitted that he wanted to move away from the image created by Baburao.“Woh gale ka fanda hai. Main 2007 mein Vishal Bharadwaj ji ke paas gaya tha. 2006 mein part 2 release ho gayi thi. Maine kaha mere paas ek film hai, mujhe iski jo ek image hai na, usse chhutkara chahiye. Same getup ke andar alag kisam ka role. Woh aap kar ke de sakte hain mujhe. Jo bhi aata hai, uske andar Hera Pheri hai. Main actor hoon yaar, mujhe phasna nahi hai iss daldal mein,” he had said. On the work front, Paresh Rawal will next be seen in Priyadarshan’s upcoming film Bhooth Bangla alongside Akshay Kumar and Tabu. The film wrapped its shooting schedule in May last year and is slated for a theatrical release on April 10, 2026.The actor also has Welcome to the Jungle in the pipeline.
NEW DELHI: On the eve of the 2026 T20 World Cup final against New Zealand, India captain Suryakumar Yadav was gushing about the fact that he is only following the footsteps of Rohit Sharma.When asked whether he found his predecessor Rohit Sharma’s boots too big to fill, he said: “Joota mera hi hai, footsteps unke hain. (Sir, the shoes are mine, I only follow his footsteps).” On a serious note, he spoke about the nuggets he picked up from Rohit’s leadership.
“The way he left things, I got to learn a lot from him when I was playing under him. So I also followed the same strategy and the same fundamentals.“I played a lot of cricket with Rohit. I know how he worked. So I tried to implement the same things with a few thoughts of my own as well. And it’s worked really well,” he said.Suryakumar Yadav is not wrong in crediting Rohit Sharma. It was Rohit who had set the blueprint for India after the ten-wicket mauling India received at the hands of England in Adelaide during the semifinal of the 2022 T20 World Cup. After the match, Rohit had said this was not the way his team was going to play. He walked the talk, and there was a conscious effort to bat more aggressively. It brought India success.The aggressive brand of cricket that Rohit sowed in the DNA of India’s white-ball team can be seen in the performances and the ICC titles India have won.
Suryakumar Yadav of India poses for a photo with the trophy after victory in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026 Final between India and New Zealand at Narendra Modi Stadium on March 08, 2026 in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)
In hindsight, Surya is not wrong. It still is Rohit’s team. Nine out of the 15 players in the squad had won the title in the Caribbean. It is the same core that, under Rohit, ended India’s 11-year drought of not winning an ICC title. Surya himself blossomed under Rohit’s captaincy, be it for India or for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League. The same can be said for Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and Ishan Kishan.Then there is Sanju Samson. In the middle of the tournament, when Surya was asked whether the batter should be added to the top three, which was one-dimensional with Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma, all southpaws, Surya laughed and said: “You mean I should play him in Abhishek’s place? You mean I should make him play for Tilak?”Sanju ended up playing three match-winning knocks on the bounce and became the Player of the Tournament.
Sanju Samson of India celebrates victory following the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026 Super 8 match between India and West Indies at Eden Gardens on March 01, 2026 in Kolkata, India. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)
Two years ago, Rohit spent ten minutes with Sanju Samson before the 2024 T20 World Cup final against South Africa, explaining why he would not be playing in the final, although he had initially been told that he would play.“I had a chance to play the final. I was told to stay ready. I was ready. However, they decided before the toss that we would go with the same team,” Samson told journalist Vimal Kumar during a chat.“He spent 10 minutes with the player who was not playing just before the toss. He gave me 10 minutes before the toss. After that, I realised this person had other qualities. If I were in his place, I would be thinking about the players who were playing or about my batting. That is what you normally think. At that point, he thought, ‘I have to explain to Sanju why I took that decision.’ At that moment, he won a place in my heart that will stay for a lifetime.“
Suryakumar Yadav of India interacts with the crowd following the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026 Final between India and New Zealand at Narendra Modi Stadium on March 08, 2026 in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo by Prakash Singh/Getty Images)
Certainly, Surya does not yet have the leadership aura that Rohit possessed. But he will always be remembered as only the third Indian captain after MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma to lift the T20 World Cup.What Surya can truly learn from Rohit is how to step away at the right moment.
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Do you think Suryakumar Yadav can match Rohit Sharma’s leadership legacy?
Rohit did it in 2024. He was still in top form, but he understood that the future had to be prepared. With a World Cup trophy in his hands, he stepped aside from T20Is and made space for the next generation.Surya now stands at a similar crossroads. The timing could not be better. Walk away at the top, hand the baton to the next generation, and his legacy will not just be about lifting a trophy but about knowing when to let the future begin.
The 19th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is going to kick off later this month, March 28 to be precise. The opening match will be played between defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
It may be noted that due to the upcoming assembly elections in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Assam, the entire IPL schedule has not been released. Once the elections dates are out, then the IPL will share the rest of the schedule.
Also Read; Gautam Gambhir delivers for now but the road to redemption is long for the ‘preacher’
Anyway, as far as Punjab Kings are concerned, they will play four matches during this 16-day schedule, out as of now. Punjab Kings will kick off their campaign at home at the New PCA Stadium in Chandigarh, against Gujarat Titans on March 31. Thereafter, they will be on the road to the MA Chidambaram Stadium to face five-time IPL champions Chennai Super Kings, on April 3.
On April 6, they travel to another iconic venue, the Eden Gardens, to face three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders. In their last match of the released schedule, they will host Sunrisers Hyderabad at the New PCA Stadium in Chandigarh on April 11.
Alongside Delhi, the Punjab franchise is one of the two old teams to have never won the IPL. They reached the final twice in 2014 and last season in 2025, but they failed to cross the last hurdle. Under Shreyas Iyer, they really looked threatening before RCB shattered their dreams in the final. In 2025, they had reached the play-offs for the first time in 11 years. They had also reached the semis in the inaugural edition in 2008 (back then there was no play-off format).
So, one can clearly see they have really been underwhelming for the large part of their campaigns in the IPL. Hopefully, they will break the jinx this time around. A new winner is always welcome.
Shreyas Iyer (captain), Nehal Wadhera, Vishnu Vinod, Harnoor Pannu, Pyla Avinash, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Harpreet Brar, Marco Jansen, Azmatullah Omarzai, Priyansh Arya, Musheer Khan, Suryansh Shedge, Mitch Owen, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Yash Thakur, Xavier Bartlett, Pravin Dubey, Vishal Nishad, Lockie Ferguson
March 31, Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans at New PCA Stadium, Chandigarh, 7:30 pm
April 03, Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings at Chidambaram Stadium, 7:30 pm
April 06, Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings at Eden Gardens, 7:30 pm
April 11, Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad at New PCA Stadium, Chandigarh, 3:30 pm
The storm of Dhurandhar is far from over. Ahead of the highly anticipated release of Dhurandhar The Revenge on March 19, Jio Studios and B62 Studios are bringing the global blockbuster Dhurandhar back to the big screen in a rare and exciting theatrical re-release across approximately 500 screens worldwide, including 250 screens across India beginning March 12 (today) and 250 overseas, beginning March 13.
For fans of the franchise, the re-release offers a thrilling opportunity to relive the phenomenon that redefined the spy-action genre and follow it up with the sequel just days later, experiencing the two chapters of the saga back-to-back on the big screen.
While re-releases of major films have occasionally been seen in India, international re-releases of Hindi films remain extremely rare, making this move a significant moment for the franchise and a testament to the immense global demand for Dhurandhar. In North America alone, the film will return to theatres across nearly 185 screens, signalling the extraordinary anticipation for the next chapter.
Adding to the excitement, Dhurandhar The Revenge will host special Wednesday premiere shows across the USA and Canada on March 18, a day ahead of its global release. These premieres will take place largely on Premium Large Format (PLF) screens, which feature expansive wall-to-wall screens, immersive sound systems such as Dolby Atmos, enhanced projection, and luxury seating, formats typically reserved for major Hollywood event films. The mid-week premieres are already witnessing sold-out shows, underscoring the massive demand and the scale at which the sequel is poised to arrive.
The recently launched trailer of Dhurandhar The Revenge has already become a global talking point, with trade and exhibitors betting big on the film’s international run. With the first instalment returning to cinemas just days before the sequel’s release, the stage is set for audiences worldwide to once again experience the thrill, scale, and intrigue that made Dhurandhar a cinematic phenomenon.
Jio Studios presents a B62 Studios production, an Aditya Dhar film – Dhurandhar The Revenge. The high-octane spy-action thriller, written, directed and produced by Aditya Dhar and produced by Jyoti Deshpande and Lokesh Dhar, will release worldwide on March 19, 2026, in five languages — Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada.
The story of unknown men unfolds in cinemas worldwide on March 19, 2026, on the occasion of Gudi Padwa and Ugadi, and ahead of Eid.
India is drafting a new round of smartphone manufacturing incentives that would link government subsidies to exports and deeper use of locally made components, in a move that will benefit Apple Inc., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and their suppliers, according to people familiar with the matter.
The proposal—effectively a second phase of India’s flagship production-linked incentive scheme for smartphone manufacturing in India—will start rewarding companies for shipping devices overseas, these people told Bloomberg News, asking not to be identified because the discussions are private.
Unlike the current Smartphone PLI scheme which ends on 31 March 2026 and is primarily focused on incremental domestic output, the new plan explicitly ties benefits to exports and localisation.
The policy design, size of the incentives and the overall budget are still being finalised and may change during the inter-ministerial consultations, the people told Bloomberg News.
Companies have been seeking for months clarity on the new version of the PLI scheme to draw up plans for exports from India, one of the people said.
The overhaul of India’s Smartphone PLI Scheme underscores Apple’s growing importance to India’s electronics ambitions. The iPhone maker’s contract manufacturers account for roughly three-fourths of the country’s smartphone exports, helping transform India into one of the world’s fastest-growing handset export hubs. Apple aims to ship most US-bound iPhones from India by year-end, reinforcing India’s position as the top maker of smartphones sold in the US.
India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
With nearly every smartphone sold in India now assembled locally, officials believe the first Smartphone PLI Scheme has largely met its goal of satisfying local demand, the people cited earlier said. Policymakers are now shifting focus to higher value addition as the next stage of the strategy beyond just assembly.
The government is also seeking to nudge Chinese smartphone brands like Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi—all of which primarily manufacture in India for the domestic market—to use the country as an export base, according to a person familiar with the government’s thinking.
Tying benefits to overseas shipments in its flagship PLI policy is seen as a way to embed India more deeply into global supply chains at a time when manufacturers are recalibrating production footprints to hedge from geopolitical risks.
A second key feature under discussion is heavy indexation to localisation. Incentives are likely to be tiered based on the extent of local value addition in each device rather than simple assembly. Manufacturers could receive additional benefits for sourcing components such as camera modules, display assemblies and other sub-parts from Indian suppliers.
Devices that meet higher localisation thresholds and are exported could receive the maximum subsidy, the people said.
India’s hurdles, however, have extended beyond costs, underscoring that building a deep supply chain takes time. Apple’s expansion has been constrained by a thin supplier base which can meet its quality standards, higher logistics costs and the challenge of matching China’s scale and efficiency.
While India has successfully attracted large-scale assembly for brands including Apple and Samsung, high-value components—such as seminconductor chips and advanced modules—continue to be imported from countries including China, South Korea and Taiwan.
For Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the revamp of the existing Smartphone PLI Scheme will mark a natural progression of his Make in India program to rival China as a global manufacturing hub—shifting from import substitution and domestic assembly toward embedding itself deeper in global supply chains.
The new incentives are expected to dovetail with New Delhi’s Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme, which aims to promote domestic production of parts and sub-assemblies.
On Monday, Dixon Technologies (India) Ltd., the country’s largest homegrown contract manufacturer of electronics, said it has received government approval to form a joint venture with China’s HKC Corp. to manufacture display modules in India.
Washington, DC – In September, the United States began launching dozens of deadly military strikes against alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific.
Nearly half a year later, remarkably little is known about the strikes. The identities of the nearly 157 people killed have not been released. Any purported evidence against them has not been made public.
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But a group of United Nations and international law experts are hoping to change that on Friday, when they testify at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).
The international hearing will be the first of its kind since the strikes began on September 2, and rights advocates hope it can help lead to accountability as individual legal cases related to the strikes proceed.
Steven Watt, a senior staff lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union’s human rights programme, said the goal of the hearing will be threefold.
“Our ask will be to conduct a fact-finding investigation into what’s going on,” Watt said.
The second aim, he continued, would be “to assert or to arrive at a conclusion that there is no armed conflict here”, in what would be a rebuke to US President Donald Trump’s previous claims.
Finally, Watt said, he hopes the proceedings will yield long-sought transparency from the Trump administration on “whether or not they have a legal justification for these boat strikes”.
“We don’t think there are any,” Watt added.
The experts set to testify at Friday’s hearing said the IACHR has a unique mandate to uncover the truth behind the US strikes.
The commission, based in Guatemala City, Guatemala, is an independent investigative body within the Organization of American States, of which the US was a founding member in 1948.
While the Trump administration has claimed it has a right to carry out the deadly attacks as part of a wider military offensive against so-called “narco-terrorists”, rights groups have decried the campaign as a series of extrajudicial killings.
They argue that Trump’s deadly tactics deny those targeted of anything that approaches due process.
Legal experts have also dismissed Trump’s claims that suspects in drug-related crimes are equivalent to “unlawful combatants” in an “armed conflict”.
Few details have emerged from the air strikes. Several families have come forward, however, to informally identify the dead as their loved ones.
Victims are said to include 26-year-old Chad Joseph and 41-year-old Rishi Samaroo, who were sailing home to Trinidad and Tobago when they were killed in October, according to relatives.
A complaint filed against the US government said both men travelled often between the islands and Venezuela, where Joseph found work as a farmer and fisherman, and Samaroo laboured on a farm.
The family of Colombian national Alejandro Carranza, 42, have also said he was killed in September when the US military attacked his fishing boat off the country’s coast.
The US has yet to confirm the victims’ identities, and only two survivors have ever been rescued in the 45 reported strikes.
A clearer picture of what happened will be a significant step towards accountability, according to experts like Watt.
“[The IACHR] is uniquely positioned to identify who all these persons are,” Watt said. “We just know the numbers from the United States. We don’t know the names or the backgrounds of these people.”
The IACHR has launched a range of human rights investigations in recent decades, including probes into the 2014 mass kidnapping of 43 students in Iguala, Mexico, and a series of murders in Colombia from 1988 to 1991 dubbed the Massacre of Trujillo.
The commission has also examined US policies, including extrajudicial detentions at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, during its so-called “global war on terror”.
The IACHR has the power to seek resolutions to human rights complaints or refer them for litigation before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
Just last week, the court ordered Peru to pay reparations to the family of a woman who died during a government-led forced sterilisation campaign in the 1990s.
The Carranza family has filed its own complaint to the IACHR, and the families of Joseph and Samaroo have also lodged a lawsuit against the US in a federal court in Massachusetts.
Angelo Guisado, a senior staff lawyer at the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), said a fuller accounting of the US actions is needed to prevent future abuses. He is among the experts testifying on Friday.
“You can’t normalise assassinating fishermen off the coast of South America,” Guisado told Al Jazeera. “That’s just sadistic and an abomination to the rules-based order that we’ve created.”
“So we hope that the commission can do some investigation.”
One of Guisado’s goals for Friday’s hearing will be to unpack the Trump administration’s argument that the attacks are necessary from a national security standpoint.
Even before the US strikes began, the Trump administration began framing the Latin American drug trade as an existential threat to the US.
As part of that re-framing, the administration borrowed messaging from its “global war on terror”, taking the unorthodox approach of labelling several cartels “foreign terrorist organisations”.
Speaking last week at a meeting of Latin American leaders, White House security adviser Stephen Miller maintained there is no “criminal justice solution” to drug cartels.
Instead, he affirmed that the US would use “hard power, military power, lethal force, to protect and defend the American homeland”, even if that meant carrying out deadly operations throughout the Western Hemisphere.
Guisado, however, noted that the administration has admitted that the targeted boats were largely carrying cocaine, not the highly addictive fentanyl responsible for the majority of US drug overdoses.
He explained that the administration has done little to prove its claims that drug traffickers are part of a coordinated effort to destabilise the US.
Such hyperbolic language, Guisado added, could be used as a smokescreen to conceal illegal actions.
“When you invoke national security interest, it seems as if scrutiny and any legitimate analysis or condemnation gets pushed to one side in favour of an ersatz martial law,” Guisado said.
“The idea that you could just proclaim anyone a narcoterrorist and do whatever you want with them is just so repugnant to our system of fairness, justice and law.”
Watt, meanwhile, said he hopes the IACHR will draw a clear “line in the sand”, separating drug crimes from what is conventionally considered an armed conflict.
He also would like to see the IACHR clearly outline the US’s human rights obligations.
“But even if there was an armed conflict — of which there isn’t — the laws of war would prohibit the type of conduct that the United States is engaging in here,” Watt explained.
“It would be an extrajudicial killing. It would be a war crime.”
Friday’s hearing will only be an initial step towards accountability, and critics question how effective the IACHR will ultimately be.
The US has regularly shrugged off human rights probes at international forums, and it is not party to entities like the International Criminal Court in The Hague, raising barriers to the pursuit of justice.
Despite being a member of the OAS, the US has also not ratified the American Convention on Human Rights, one of the organisation’s founding documents.
It is, therefore, unclear how binding any IACHR decisions could be, although Watt argued that it is “longstanding jurisprudence of the commission that the declaration imposes obligations on non-ratifying member states”.
Still, legal experts said Friday’s hearing may yield clarity on the Trump administration’s legal argument for the boat strikes.
The IACHR has said US government representatives are set to appear at the hearing.
To date, the US Department of Justice has not released the Office of Legal Counsel’s official reasoning for the boat strikes, considered the foundational legal document for the military actions.
A separate memorandum from that office addressed the US abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 3, which it framed as a drug enforcement action.
That memo touched on the boat strikes, but it only served to raise further questions about Trump’s rationale.
“This will be an opportunity for the United States to put its case before the commission,” Watt said.
“But of course, it depends on US cooperation,” he continued. “They’re going down there, but it’ll be interesting to see what they actually say.”
The eighth edition of the Times of India Sports Awards (TOISA) will be held on March 21, 2026, in Lucknow, honouring the achievements and inspiring journeys of India’s finest athletes across multiple sports. TOISA 2025 will recognise performances delivered between January 1 and December 31, 2025, spotlighting standout moments from major international tournaments and global championships. With over 45 award categories, the event will celebrate both legendary performers and promising new talents who brought pride to the nation.Award winners will be chosen by a distinguished jury of sporting icons, including Abhinav Bindra, PR Sreejesh, Mithali Raj, Devendra Jhajharia, Sharath Kamal, and Leander Paes, ensuring a credible and expert evaluation of excellence in Indian sport.Squash – MaleAbhay SinghDate of Birth: September 3, 1998Place of Birth: Chennai, Tamil NaduSport: SquashMajor Achievements in 2025:SDAT Squash World Cup: Gold (Mixed Team)Asian Squash Doubles Championship: Gold (Men’s Doubles)Asian Squash Doubles Championship: Gold (Mixed Doubles)PSA Hyder Trophy (New York): GoldIndia’s top-ranked male player, Abhay Singh, enjoyed a stellar 2025, solidifying his dominance in both the individual and team formats. He led India to a historic maiden gold at the SDAT Squash World Cup in his hometown, Chennai. On the continental stage, he secured a double-gold at the Asian Doubles Championship, successfully defending his men’s doubles title with Velavan Senthilkumar and clinching the mixed crown alongside Anahat Singh. Additionally, he captured his 11th PSA Tour title at the Hyder Trophy in New York, reaching a career-high world ranking of No. 26 during the year.Saurav GhosalDate of Birth: August 10, 1986Place of Birth: Kolkata, West BengalSport: SquashMajor Achievements in 2025:Octane Sydney Classic (PSA): GoldAfter briefly stepping away from the professional circuit, the legendary Saurav Ghosal made a triumphant “comeback” in early 2025 by winning the Sydney Classic in Australia, dropping only one game throughout the tournament to secure his 11th PSA title. Despite battling age and recurring injuries, Ghosal continued to be a guiding force for Indian squash. His resilience throughout 2025 further cemented his legacy as the greatest squash player India has ever produced.Velavan SenthilkumarDate of Birth: March 26, 1998Place of Birth: Salem, Tamil NaduSport: SquashMajor Achievements in 2025:Senior National Squash Championship: Gold (Men’s Singles)Asian Squash Doubles Championship: Gold (Men’s Doubles)Asian Individual Squash Championships: BronzeSDAT Squash World Cup: Gold (Mixed Team)Velavan Senthilkumar reached new heights in 2025, breaking into the world’s top 40 for the first time. He reclaimed the Senior National title in a high-intensity final and was a vital component of the gold-medal-winning squad at the World Cup in Chennai. His partnership with Abhay Singh remained unbeatable in Asia, as they successfully defended their Asian Doubles crown. With a bronze at the Individual Asian Championships in Kuala Lumpur, Velavan proved he is now a consistent medal threat at the highest levels of international squash.Mahesh MangaonkarDate of Birth: March 23, 1994Place of Birth: Mumbai, MaharashtraSport: SquashMajor Achievements in 2025:PSA World Championships: Round of 32Finnish National Championship: Gold (as a resident competitor)PSA Tour: Two-time Finalist (Challenger Level)While balancing his professional career with coaching roles in Europe, Mahesh Mangaonkar remained a key international representative for India in 2025. He showcased his experience at the PSA World Championships, putting up a spirited fight against top-seeded opponents. On the regional circuit, he continued to dominate in Scandinavia, securing national titles as a resident, while simultaneously reaching multiple finals on the PSA Challenger Tour.Squash – FemaleAnahat SinghDate of Birth: March 13, 2008Place of Birth: DelhiSport: SquashMajor Achievements in 2025:SDAT Squash World Cup: Gold (Mixed Team)Senior National Squash Championship: Gold (Women’s Singles)Asian Squash Doubles Championship: Gold (Women’s & Mixed Doubles)World Junior Squash Championships: BronzePSA Awards 2025: Challenger Player of the Season & Young Player of the SeasonAt just 17, Anahat Singh solidified her status as the face of Indian squash in 2025. She completed a historic hat-trick of Senior National titles and anchored India to its first-ever Squash World Cup gold in Chennai. Internationally, she ended a 15-year drought for India at the World Junior Championships by winning bronze and secured her maiden Top-10 victory by upsetting World No. 7 Tinne Gilis at the Canadian Open. Her dominance on the PSA Challenger Tour, where she maintained a 29-match unbeaten streak, earned her two prestigious global season awards from the PSA.Joshna ChinappaDate of Birth: September 15, 1986Place of Birth: Chennai, Tamil NaduSport: SquashMajor Achievements in 2025:SDAT Squash World Cup: Gold (Mixed Team)Japan Open (PSA Challenger): GoldAsian Squash Doubles Championship: Gold (Women’s Doubles)SRFI Indian Open: Silver (Singles)Proving that age is just a number, the 39-year-old veteran Joshna Chinappa enjoyed a remarkable resurgence in 2025. She provided a critical opening-match victory in the World Cup final against Hong Kong to help India secure gold. In October, she captured her 11th PSA title at the Japan Open in Yokohama, defeating younger, higher-ranked opponents to break back into the world’s Top 100. Despite a runner-up finish to Anahat Singh at the Indian Open, her tactical brilliance and veteran leadership remained indispensable to the national team’s success.Tanvi KhannaDate of Birth: July 23, 1995Place of Birth: DelhiSport: SquashMajor Achievements in 2025:HCL Squash Indian Tour (Mumbai): GoldHCL Squash Indian Tour (Jaipur): SilverAsian Individual Squash Championships: Quarter-finalistTanvi Khanna made a successful return to form in 2025 following a recovery period from injury. She clinched her first title of the season at the HCL PSA Challenger in Mumbai, stunning the Egyptian top seed in the final. Her consistency on the domestic and Asian circuits saw her reach the final in Jaipur and the latter stages of the Asian Individual Championships in Malaysia. Throughout the year, Tanvi remained a top-3 ranked player in India, providing vital depth to the women’s national squad in international team competitions.Dipika Pallikal KarthikDate of Birth: September 21, 1991Place of Birth: Chennai, Tamil NaduSport: SquashMajor Achievements in 2025:Asian Squash Doubles Championship: Silver (Mixed Doubles)World Squash Championships: Main Draw (Chicago)PSA Tour: Reached Semi-finals at the Australian OpenIn 2025, Dipika Pallikal Karthik focused her competitive energy on high-stakes doubles and select PSA World Tour events. She secured a silver medal at the Asian Doubles Championship alongside Saurav Ghosal and represented India at the PSA World Championships in Chicago. While balancing her professional career with her role as a prominent sporting icon, she continued to compete at the highest level of the global circuit, reaching the semi-finals of the Australian Open and serving as a vital mentor to the younger players in the national camp.
Gaurav Kapur and Kritika Kamra tied the knot in Mumbai in the presence of their loved ones on March 11. The couple seemed to have a ball at their wedding if the inside pictures and videos are anything to go by. Soha Ali Khan took to social media to share pictures from the wedding, which featured the bride and groom posing with their friends.
“To a lifetime of love (heart and evil eye emojis) @kkamra @gauravkaps,” posted Soha on Instagram, wishing Gaurav and Kritika well after their wedding. The pictures show Soha, Shreya Dhanwanthary, Anyaa Singh, and others dressed in cream-and-gold kasavu sarees. Gaurav is also dressed in cream and gold, while Kritika is dressed in red.
The couple posed for pictures with the bridesmaids, and one showed them grooving to the music. Soha also posted pictures of her posing for selfies with Kritika, along with a sweet picture of the bride holding a little girl’s hand. The actor also captured a candid moment from the wedding when they registered their marriage.
After their wedding on Wednesday night, Gaurav and Kritika made their first appearance as a married couple. Several videos of the couple being photographed by paparazzi surfaced on social media. One video showed Gaurav and Kritika stepping out hand in hand. As the camerapersons gave their directions to pose, Gaurav joked, “Do logo ka life match ho sakta hai, but look kabhi nahi match hota, hain (Two people’s life can match, but not their looks ever, right )?”
Kritika and Gaurav kept their relationship under wraps until December 2025, when she posted a glimpse of their breakfast date. Their wedding ceremony took place at their Bandra residence, where a small pooja was also performed. Guests included personalities from the cricket and Bollywood fraternities.
Apart from Soha, Farhan Akhtar, Malaika Arora, Neha Dhupia, Angad Bedi, Amrita Arora, Shakeel Ladak, Yuvraj Singh, Hazel Keech, Ashish Nehra, and Virender Sehwag attended the wedding. Masaba Gupta, Satyadeep Mishra, Ajit Agarkar, Fatema, Zaheer Khan, Sagarika Ghatge, and Pooja Gor also attended the ceremony.
Kritika is known for her roles on TV shows such as Kitani Mohabbat Hai, Kuch Toh Log Kahenge, and Reporters. She also ventured into films and OTT by featuring in Bheed, Tandav, and Bambai Meri Jaan. Gaurav is a well-known television host, sports presenter, and the creator of the popular YouTube talk show Breakfast with Champions.
