Olympic Concerns: Why Calls To Build A Sporting Culture Are Just Another Version Of Jingoistic Nationalism?

By M H AHSSAN | INNLIVE

It is little more than a cruel joke to suggest that India lacks sporting prowess because of the lack of a sporting culture.

We are about to lock up the largely empty medals cupboard for another four years. Small-town women and men will go back to their small towns, though some may manage a well-deserved escape from their generally hard lives through participation in the Olympics.

Will Indian Politicians Ever Stop Using Champion Athletes For Personal Glory?

By M H AHSSAN | INNLIVE

Fights over Sakshi Malik, PV Sindhu and Dipa Karmakar highlight the disturbing mentality of our political class.

It is said that history only remembers the winners. History may well be kind to victors, but there is one section of society which uses them like trending topics on Twitter or Google, shamelessly riding their popularity to draw attention to themselves.

Olympic Concerns: Why Calls To Build A Sporting Culture Are Just Another Version Of Jingoistic Nationalism?

By M H AHSSAN | INNLIVE

It is little more than a cruel joke to suggest that India lacks sporting prowess because of the lack of a sporting culture.

We are about to lock up the largely empty medals cupboard for another four years. Small-town women and men will go back to their small towns, though some may manage a well-deserved escape from their generally hard lives through participation in the Olympics.

The 'International #LeftHandersDay': 'Let's Make The Way For Southpaws'!

BY M H AHSSAN | INNLIVE

What is common between Amitabh Bachchan, Hugh Jackman, Kapil Sharma and Sunny Leone? Of course they are actors, popular, affluent and have a tremendous fan following. But the fact that they are left-handy is what binds these Bollywood and Hollywood hearththrobs in the most unique way.

Debuting At The Rio Olympics 2016: A Fast And Furious, Twenty20 Version Of Conventional Rugby

By KHALID SHAMS | INNLIVE

Rugby is making a comeback to the Games since 1924, but in a modern, exciting format. Can cricket take a hint?

World Rugby has a luxury problem – not the niggles and quibbles interlinked with an introduction to the Olympic Games, not the deflated mood surrounding the other new Olympic sport golf, but an on-field conundrum: how can Olympic rugby possibly top last year’s Rugby World Cup? There seems only one way: by the Fiji national team winning the Rugby Sevens tournament in Rio de Janeiro.

Doping, Sabotage, Scandal: The Narsingh Yadav Saga Has Turned Indian Wrestling Into A Farce

By VIMAL GILL | INNLIVE

From mysterious intruders to claims of vendetta, it’s the perfect potboiler, except the biggest loser is Indian sport.

Doping, sabotage, incrimination, spiked food. No, this is not the tagline of the Hindi film industry’s next potboiler. Less than ten days before the Olympics begin, Indian sport has been dominated, not by news of Indian medal prospects, but by a tale of doping and deception which has more twists and turns than a Dan Brown novel.

India @ Olympics: The 'Dhan' To Rags Story Of Indian Hockey

By NAG VISHWA | INNLIVE

Khel Ratna Dhanraj Pillay was just an adolescent when India last won an Olympic gold in hockey. A dark and wiry lad, who impressed everyone with his skills and speed, he dreamt of emulating his idol, Mohammed Shahid someday.

Playing on the soft, dusty surface of the Ordnance Factory ground at Khadki, Pune which was tended by his father Nagalingam, for Pillay an Olympic gold medal was an obsession. His brothers and he would pick broken hockey sticks and mend them and play with old, scruffy hockey balls.

Superstar Rajinikanth, Star Cricketer Tendulkar, Star Politician Modi: Are Indians Prone To 'Celebrity Worship Syndrome'?

By NISHI KHAN | INNLIVE

The euphoria of epic proportions surrounding Kabali, which was released on Friday, poses one important question: Why do Indians have such an astonishing penchant for idolisation? 

Be it Rajinikanth or Sachin Tendulkar or Narendra Modi-or Indira Gandhi in the past-Indians, especially those who live south of the Vindhyas, stretch their adulation for their icons to extremes.

Where Is The Telangana State 'Brand Ambassador'? Is Tennis Star 'Sania Mirza' Really Missing In Action?

By NEWS KING | INNLIVE

As all brand ambassadors do for thier work and cause for endorsement, where is the Hyderabadi Tennis Ace star Sania Mirza, the brand ambassador for Telangana State? Despite the several populist schemes launched and programmers organised since last 2-years, Sania Mirza is missing from her new role?

Exactly two years ago, on July 22, 2014, the Telangana government anointed ace tennis player Sania Mirza as its brand ambassador. And on the occasion, she was also handed over a cheque for Rs one crore.

The Tennis Ace Star Sania Mirza Interview: Generation Gaps In Indian Tennis ‘Are Very Larger Than Life'

By M H AHSSAN | INNLIVE

The 29-year-old says she wrote her autobiography ‘Ace against Odds’ to inspire young players to aim for the top.

With just over two weeks to go before the Rio Olympics begin on August 5, Sania Mirza is a busy person. The tennis world No 1 doubles player started her day with practice at 8 am, after a late night shoot. The 29-year-old could train only for an hour before Mumbai’s monsoon showers turned up typically uninformed. She then went for another shoot for a magazine, before attending the official launch of her autobiography Ace Against Odds in the city.

Special Report: Can India's Largest Ever Olympics Contingent Bring Back Its Largest Ever Medals Haul From Rio?

By M H AHSSAN | INNLIVE

Shooting, hockey, badminton, wrestling, and archery offer hope.

Despite India's sending its largest ever contingent (till then) to the summer Olympics in 2012 in London, the opening ceremony featured Bangalore-based danseuse Madhura Nagendra, who was seen walking at the head of the Indian team’s march during the Parade of Nations.

She grabbed more attention than the medal exploits of the 83 member-strong team representing India. Considering that India did end up with its best-ever haul of six medals – two silver and four bronze – perhaps it was a little bit unfair.

Can Indian Golfers Take Advantage Of A Depleted Field At Rio Olympics-2016?

By NEWSCOP | INNLIVE

Anirban Lahiri, SSP Chawrasia and Aditi Ashok will be representing India in golf at the Games.

The last time golf was played at the biggest sporting extravaganza in the world, India as a country did not even exist. It was way back at the 1904 Olympics in St Louis in the United States when a men’s individual and team event were held with only the host nation and Canada as the participant nations.

Film Review: ‘Sultan’ Is A Biopic Of Salman Khan, The Man Conquered All Odds

By RAMAN KAPOOR | INNLIVE

Director Ali Abbas Zafar’s sports drama is a thinly veiled study of the dark star’s triumph over his off-screen troubles.

Mixed martial arts league promoter Akash (Amit Sadh) needs a star fighter, preferably an Indian, to boost the prospects of his upcoming tournament. His father advises him to go see what Sultan Ali Khan is upto these days.

Ramzan And Rooh Afza: How The Red Syrup Became The Staple Of Pakistan's Iftaar Table?

By RUMAISA KHAN | INNLIVE

A history of the 'laal sharbat' in advertisements.

Udivided India was experiencing a crisis under Viceroy Lord Minto. This was 1906, the year of the Simla Deputation. It was also the year in which Hakeem Hafiz Abdul Majeed laid the foundation of the Hamdard Dawakhana, in Delhi.

Starting as a small herb shop, Hamdard grew tremendously. Following Partition, the Hamdard Dawakhana was inaugurated in Karachi on June 19, 1948.

Exclusive: Salman Khan Opens His Heart On His Filmy Career

By M H AHSSAN | INNLIVE

Shah Rukh Khan's role as the Team India coach Kabir Khan in the hockey drama Chak De! India (2007) earned the superstar rave reviews.

But several years down the line, it emerged that SRK was not the first choice for the role - director Shimit Amin had previously approached Salman Khan. But Salman turned down the part, and Amin took the project to Shah Rukh.

In Sundarbans, Hindu Devotees Offer 'Bhog' To Muslim Deity For Protection From Tigers

By SHEEBA ALAM | INNLIVE

A sheer example of the multicultural and unity in diversity among Indians.

Fifty-five year old Bhabotaron Paik is a forest guard at the Neitidopani forest reserve in the faraway western edge of Sundarbans jungles. But before he dons his khaki uniform every day, he bathes, wears his dhoti and puts on an orangegamchha (stole) on his bare shoulders, a red tilak (mark) on his brow and heads out, barefoot, to the "Bon Bibi temple" to present her bhog (the offering of food that is made to Hindu deities).

How Much Is Euro 2016 Worth? Over €1.5 Billion In Revenues Recorded

By RAMAN KAPOOR | INNLIVE

The Olympic investment budget is several times bigger than Euro 2016, coming in at around €9 billion.

There are two ways of viewing the fact that a record 24 national teams are competing to lift the Henri Delaunay Cup at Euro 2016 in France. Some regard UEFA’s decision to include nearly half of its 55 members as a move to leverage football’s ability to bring people together in a celebration of sport and national identity.

Breaking Noise: Why TV News In India Will Never Change?

By NEWSCOP | INNLIVE

Every few years, one of our news channels rebrands itself as the place for news. News is back, they proudly declare. So apparently, they’d been doing this other thing till now, and they’re letting us know that they’re finally going to try to do the thing that they were supposed to have been doing all along.

It’s like watching an addict clean up his act for the umpteenth time. Sure, he says, the heroin is out of my system! I’m not touching that alcohol again, she assures her support group. That piece of cake was my last sugar high, they promise their dieticians. But the minute things get tough, they’re back to square one, chasing the dragon again.

Virat Kohli And David Warner: One-Time 'Bad Boys' Of Cricket Are Now 'Leading Lights'

By M H AHSSAN | INNLIVE

The IPL final brought together two opponents who had little in common: One team had been a consistent performer throughout, always pushing for a place in the play-offs; he other was languishing at the bottom of the table at the mid-way point, before rising like the phoenix part of their opponent's logo. One had the best bowling attack in the league, the other had the worst.

However, it was with their respective captains - David Warner of Sunrisers Hyderabad and Virat Kohli of Royal Challengers Bangalore - that the journeys became uncannily similar.

For 'Make In India' To Work, India First Needs To Become Globally Competitive

By LIKHAVEER | INNLIVE

A survey of industrial clusters in four states shows Prime Minister Narendra Modi's big idea isn't exactly working.

Bhoday Sales Corporation is tucked inside the industrial zone of Ludhiana. A small machine tooling factory with a net worth of not more than Rs 10 lakh, it makes manufacturing equipment for other plants in the city.

Of late, it has fallen on bad times. Sales are down. At one time, says its founder, 68- year-old Maan Singh, the company used to make four power presses a month. It now makes one a month.