India and Pakistan to play in Dubai in Champions Trophy clash. Photo Courtesy: ICC X page
The International Cricket Council on Tuesday announced the schedule for the Champions Trophy. The big encounter featuring India and Pakistan in a group stage clash, will take place in Dubai.
The two teams will lock horns on February 23 in the neutral venue.
After India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan, the tournament will now be played in a hybrid model.
The Indian team will not travel to Pakistan and all its matches will be played in the Middle East.
The series will begin with Pakistan and New Zealand facing each other in Karachi on February 9.
The final match of the tournament is scheduled to be played in Karachi on March 9.
However, the venue will be changed to Dubai if India reaches the final.
India will face Bangladesh in their first Champions Trophy match on February 20.
The eight competing teams have been divided into two groups.
Group A of the tournament features current Champions Trophy holders and hosts Pakistan, along with India, New Zealand and Bangladesh, while Group B features Cricket World Cup 2023 champions Australia, alongside Afghanistan, England and South Africa.
Rawalpindi, Karachi and Lahore are the three venues in Pakistan where the matches will be held.
Apart from India’s group stage matches, Dubai will also host one semi-final clash.
Groups
Group A – Pakistan, India, New Zealand, Bangladesh
Group B – South Africa, Australia, Afghanistan, England
Champions Trophy Schedule
19 February, Pakistan v New Zealand, Karachi, Pakistan
20 February, Bangladesh v India, Dubai
21 February, Afghanistan v South Africa, Karachi, Pakistan
22 February, Australia v England, Lahore, Pakistan
23 February, Pakistan v India, Dubai
24 February, Bangladesh v New Zealand, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
25 February, Australia v South Africa, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
26 February, Afghanistan v England, Lahore, Pakistan
27 February, Pakistan v Bangladesh, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
28 February, Afghanistan v Australia, Lahore, Pakistan
1 March, South Africa v England, Karachi, Pakistan
2 March, New Zealand v India, Dubai
4 March, Semi-final 1, Dubai
5 March, Semi-final 2, Lahore, Pakistan
9 March, Final, Lahore (unless India qualify, when it will be played in Dubai)
A medical condition forced Singapore footballer Adam Swandi to call a premature retirement to his professional football career. Swandi, who is just 28 years old, played as a midfielder for the Lion City Sailors football club.
Footballer Adam Swandi. Photo courtesy: www.lioncitysailorsfc.sg
In his last game against Tanjong Pagar United in the Singapore Premier League (SPL) in September, Swandi was substituted at half-time after feeling unwell. While his condition stabilised following immediate medical attention, tests, which were conducted later, revealed that the 28-year-old suffers from cardiomyopathy.
According to the Sailors’ website, “Cardiomyopathy is a disease of the heart muscle that makes it more difficult for the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body. It can lead to serious heart conditions and, in more severe cases, symptoms of heart failure.”
Swandi hung up his boots on December 24. “…the ex-Singapore international has regretfully decided to end his decade-long professional football career,” the club informed.
Talking about his retirement, Swandi said, “Physically, I feel perfectly fine. Every day I wake up, I feel like I can push myself to play. But medically, I’ve been advised by the doctors and cardiologist that I shouldn’t play again. It’s definitely a tough pill to swallow, and I’m still trying to come to terms with the fact that I’m no longer a professional player.”
“In those quiet moments when I’m alone, after my wife and son have gone to bed — when I’m supposed to be sleeping — I sometimes find myself thinking about what really happened. Why did this happen to me? I’ve been doing this for the past 15 years of my life, and now it has to stop just like that,” he added.
A much sought after player, Swandi first shot to fame in the 2011 Lion City Cup, where he captained the Singapore Under-15s to victories over Newcastle United and Juventus, leading the team to a third-place finish.
He was part of the French Ligue 2 side FC Metz for two seasons from 2013 to 2015.
He was part of the inaugural batch when the Sailors was formed in 2020, and remained with the club since. During his stint, he made 93 appearances for the club, and won the 2021 SPL title, the 2023 Singapore Cup, and two Community Shield trophies.
Adam Swandi’s 4-year stint with the Sailors was a very successful one. Photo courtesy: www.lioncitysailorsfc.sg
“Adam has been a valuable member of the club since 2020. His warm personality and consistently upbeat spirit have had a positive impact on everyone here. Given his immense talent, we’re all deeply saddened that he has to end his career in this way,” said Sailors chairman Forrest Li.
“As a club, we’re committed to giving him all the love and support he needs as he transitions into his post-football journey, and we hope he will continue contributing to the club in other capacities.”
Sailors Head Coach Aleksandar Ranković added, “While we’re saddened to see Adam step away from the game as a player, his health and family must always come first. Adam is not just a footballer; he’s also a father and a husband.
“I’d like to thank him for being an ever-reliable player and the kind of character everyone loves having in the dressing room. We look forward to supporting him as he embarks on the next chapter of his journey.”
Swandi earned 22 caps for the Singapore national team and still holds the distinction of being the Lions’ third-youngest debutant — behind Hariss Harun and Fandi Ahmad — at 17 years and 143 days, when he came on as a substitute in a friendly against Myanmar on 4 June 2013.
Looking back at his career, Swandi said, “As a footballer — or anyone in life — you always feel like you could do better, but I wouldn’t go back and change anything. I’m happy to have made my family proud. It’s not easy to become a professional footballer; it’s not the kind of job you can simply apply for, and I’m one of the lucky few to have done this as a career.”
“When I was around 10 or 11, I always looked up to players like Shahril Ishak and Baihakki Khaizan, so it felt surreal that just a few years later, they were my teammates, and I was sitting beside them in the dressing room. To learn from the best and build friendships with some of the biggest players in the country is something I’m truly grateful for,” he added.
While Swandi had hoped to retire at the age of 35, his journey has been cut shot, but he said he has made peace with it. “I’ve now found peace with this situation. I’ve realised that this is life — it’s unpredictable, and I have to begin a new journey,” he said.
Universal Pictures reveals the title of Christopher Nolan’s upcoming project. Photo Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
Universal Pictures on Monday revealed director Christopher Nolan’s upcoming project is titled ‘The Odyssey’, an adaptation of ancient Greek poet Homer’s epic.
The multi-starrer will feature actors Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson and Charlize Theron, Variety reported.
Makers said the movie will hit the silver screen in 2026.
Sharing details about the upcoming project, Universal Pictures wrote on X: “Christopher Nolan’s next film ‘The Odyssey’ is a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology.”
“The film brings Homer’s foundational saga to IMAX film screens for the first time and opens in theaters everywhere on July 17, 2026,” the makers wrote.
Christopher Nolan is best known for directing movies like Oppenheimer, Tenet, Dunkirk, Interstellar, and Memento, among others.
The Odyssey is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer.
It is one of the oldest works of literature still widely read by modern readers.
An anti-graft panel in Bangladesh has launched an investigation against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her family in connection with the allegations of embezzling USD 5 billion in the Rooppur nuclear power plant, according to a media report.
Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Photo courtesy: X/@StayWithHasina
Indian companies are participating in constructing the Rooppur nuclear power plant which is being built by Rosatom, Russia’s state-run corporation, in Bangladesh.
The first Bangladeshi nuclear power plant, the Russian-designed Rooppur, is being built 160 km west of the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka.
Along with Hasina, her son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and Tulip Siddiq, her niece and the UK’s Treasury minister, were also named, BDNews reported on Sunday.
There are accusations of embezzling USD 5 billion in the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project, the report added.
The development came two days after the High Court issued a rule asking why the Anti-Corruption Commission’s (ACC) inaction over an alleged transfer of USD 5 billion from the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project to a Malaysian bank by Hasina, Joy, and Tulip should not be declared illegal, the report added.
According to ACC documents, the allegations of corruption in the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project were brought to light by Bobby Hajjaj, chairman of the National Democratic Movement (NDM).
Hasina, 77, has been living in India since August 5 when she fled the country following a massive student-led protest that toppled her 16-year regime.
Her sister Rehana accompanied her. Joy resides in the US, while her niece Tulip is a member of the British parliament.
Bangladesh-based International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has issued arrest warrants for Hasina and several former Cabinet ministers, advisers, and military and civil officials for “crimes against humanity and genocide”.
They are also named in multiple murder cases filed in connection with the demonstrations.
Woman dies after she was set on fire inside New York subway. Photo Courtesy: Unsplash
Police nabbed a man for allegedly setting a sleeping woman in a New York subway on fire and then watching her burn to death.
The fatal incident occurred on Sunday around 7:30 a.m. on an idling F train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch was quoted as saying by the New York Post: “As the train pulled into the station, the suspect calmly walked up to the victim, who was in a seated position at the end of a subway car … and used what we believe to be a lighter to ignite the victim’s clothing, which became fully engulfed in a matter of seconds.”
Tisch described the deceased woman as ‘innocent’.
Patrolling policemen tracked the woman and doused the flame.
However, the victim did not survive.
“Unbeknownst to the officers who responded, the suspect had stayed on the scene and was seated on a bench on the platform just outside the train car,” Tisch said.
“The body-worn cameras on the responding officers produced a very clear, detailed look at the killer,” Tisch said.
Later in the day, three high schoolers called police to say they saw the man pictured in images released by the NYPD at the Jay and York Street station on the F line, Tisch said.
Police recovered a lighter from the pocket of the suspect when he was detained.
Officials told the New York Post the 33-year-old suspect came to the US in 2018 from Guatemala.
He was detained by border patrol agents in Arizona in June of that year, sources told the newspaper.
The identity of the victim is still not known.
New York Mayor Eric Adams described the incident as ‘senseless’.
“Grateful to the young New Yorkers and transit officers who stepped up to help our NYPD make a quick arrest following this morning’s heinous and deadly subway attack,” he said.
Adams said: “This type of depraved behavior has no place in our subways and we are committed to working hard to ensure there is swift justice for all victims of violent crime.”
“My prayers are with the family of the victim in this senseless killing,” he said.
Veteran filmmaker Shyam Benegal, who heralded the Indian parallel cinema movement in the 1970s and 1980s with films such as “Ankur”, “Nishant” and “Manthan”, died on Monday, December 23, his daughter Pia said. Benegal was 90.
Shyam Benegal. Photo courtesy: x.com/shekharkapur
The filmmaker passed away at Mumbai’s Wockhardt Hospital due to chronic kidney disease, Pia Benegal told PTI.
“He passed away at 6.38 pm at Wockhardt Hospital Mumbai Central. He had been suffering from chronic kidney disease for several years but it had gotten very bad. That’s the reason for his death,” she said.
Wockhardt Hospital sources said Benegal had been admitted in the ICU.
In his prolific career, Benegal made films on diverse issues, documentaries and television serials, including “Bharat Ek Khoj” and “Samvidhaan”. He had celebrated his 90th birthday just 10 days ago on December 14.
The director told PTI on the occasion that he had to frequently visit the hospital and was on dialysis.
Benegal is survived by his wife, Nira Benegal and daughter Pia.
His films include “Bhumika”, “Junoon”, “Mandi”, “Suraj Ka Satvaan Ghoda”, “Mammo” and “Sardari Begum”, most counted as classics in Hindi cinema.
The director’s most recent work was the 2023 biographical “Mujib: The Making of a Nation”.
Reactions
Following Benegal’s death, many renowned people, ranging from film industry insiders to politicians, took to social media to condole the loss.
He created ‘the new wave’ cinema. #shyambenegal will always be remembered as the man that changed the direction of Indian Cinema with films like Ankur, Manthan and countless others. He created stars out great actors like Shabama Azmi and Smita Patil. Farewell my friend and guide pic.twitter.com/5r3rkX48Vx
We are deeply saddened by the passing of legendary filmmaker, Shyam Benegal, a towering figure in Indian cinema and a true pioneer of the parallel cinema movement. His tremendous contributions to the art form, marked by thought-provoking storytelling and a profound commitment to… pic.twitter.com/g4p7NBmTxf
Mourning the passing of #ShyamBenegal, a giant of India’s New Wave cinema who leaves a considerable body of cinematic accomplishment behind. My sisters and i knew him since our childhood, when he was an advertising professional who photographed them as the first “Amul Babies”.… pic.twitter.com/oKw8iIpJee
Deeply saddened by the loss of the legendary Shyam Benegal. His contributions to Indian cinema are immeasurable and his legacy will live on through his incredible body of work.🙏 pic.twitter.com/x6ZuT6lqoM
The world knew Shyam Benegal as an iconic film maker.. but rarely have I met a more empathetic person. Caring, helpful and wore his success so lightly. Part of a magical generation of Indians who were filled with the idealism of nation building : his path breaking cinema… pic.twitter.com/rkVm8iqkhP
Deeply saddened at the departure of Shri Shyam Benegal,one of the finest film makers and great intellectuals of our country. He discovered & nurtured some of the brightest film talents of India. His films, biographies and documentaries form part of India’s greatest cultural…
Bangladesh interim government undertaking process to bring back ex-PM Sheikh Hasina from India. Photo Courtesy: PIB
Bangladesh Home Affairs Adviser, Lt Gen (Retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, said a letter has been sent to India’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to facilitate the return of former PM Sheikh Hasina, who escaped to the neighbouring country amid widespread protest against her regime on August 5.
The adviser was quoted as saying by Dhaka Tribune: “A letter has already been sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The process is underway for extradition.”
On the method of her return, Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said: “We have a prisoner exchange agreement with India. It will be carried out under that agreement.”
Ties between India and Bangladesh strained after the interim government, headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, came to power in August following the ouster of Hasina, the longest-serving PM of the Muslim-majority nation.
Hasina faced protests over a controversial job quota and soon it spiralled into a massive agitation against her regime. She had returned to power for another term after winning the general polls in January.
In a virtual address at an event in New York earlier this month, Hasina claimed that there were plans to assassinate her and her sister Sheikh Rehana, just like their father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the other family members, who were assassinated in 1975.
She made the claims during her first public address after taking shelter in India following her resignation in August.
Referring to the attack on her official residence in Dhaka on August 5, Hasina had said: “The armed protestors were directed towards Ganabhaban. If the security guards opened fire, many lives would have been lost. It was a matter of 25-30 minutes, and I was forced to leave. I told them [guards] not to fire no matter what happened.”
“Today, I am being accused of genocide. In reality, Yunus has been involved in genocide in a meticulously designed manner. The masterminds — the student coordinators and Yunus — are behind this genocide,” she said.
Donald Trump appoints Sriram Krishnan as AI advisor. Photo Courtesy: Sriram Krishnan X page
US President-elect Donald Trump, on Sunday, named Indian-origin entrepreneur Sriram Krishnan as Senior Policy Advisor for Artificial Intelligence at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
In a statement published on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Sriram Krishnan will serve as Senior Policy Advisor for Artificial Intelligence at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.”
“Working closely with David Sacks, Sriram will focus on ensuring continued American leadership in A.I., and help shape and coordinate A.I. policy across Government, including working with the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. Sriram started his career at Microsoft as a founding member of Windows Azure,” he said.
Born in Chennai, Sriram Krishnan is an Indian-American Internet entrepreneur, venture capitalist, podcaster, and author.
He previously led product teams at Microsoft, X, Yahoo!, Facebook, and Snap.
According to reports, he worked with tech entrepreneur Elon Musk in 2022 to help rebuild Twitter (which is now known as X) after the Tesla chief acquired the platform.
He rose to prominence by co-hosting The Aarthi and Sriram Show podcast with his wife Aarthi Ramamurthy.
Following his appointment, Sriram Krishnan wrote on X: “I’m honored to be able to serve our country and ensure continued American leadership in AI working closely with @DavidSacks.”
A joint operation by Singapore Police Force, Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB), Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA), Health Sciences Authority (HSA), National Environment Agency (NEA), Singapore Customs, Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Singapore Food Agency (SFA), led to the arrest of several individuals.
Police conducting anti-vice operation in the vicinity of Bukit Batok. Faces have been masked to keep identities hidden. Photo courtesy: www.police.gov.sg
As per an official news release from SPF, a total of 1,257 men and 616 women, aged between 15 and 85, are being investigated for various offences, following a month-long island-wide multi-agency enforcement blitz that was conducted from 16 November to 15 December 2024. These operations are part of SPF’s ongoing efforts to mitigate crime during the year end festivities.
It said more than 2,600 officers from all seven Police Land Divisions were deployed with over 1,180 operations conducted. Officers also conducted checks on more than 13,200 people, of which 610 were arrested.
“The enforcement operations were aimed to reinforce Police presence island-wide, by effectively targeting illegal and criminal activities,” it said.
Details of some of the operations
Between 25 and 30 November 2024, officers from Central Police Division conducted a series of joint enforcement operation involving officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Traffic Police (TP), CNB and SCDF. The operation targeted illicit activities at various massage establishments, public entertainment outlets, private residences and hotels located in the vicinity of Chinatown, Little India, Boat Quay and Bugis.
Cash seized as exhibit during anti-gambling operation in the vicinity of Yishun. Photo courtesy: www.police.gov.sg
A total of 54 men and 140 women, aged between 18 and 72, were arrested for various offences under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act 1990, Gambling Control Act 2022, Women’s Charter 1961, Penal Code 1871, Misuse of Drugs Act 1973, Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act 1958, Liquor Control Act 2015, and the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act 1993. A total of five public entertainment outlets were found to have contravened various licensing conditions. During the operation, Police also raided a shophouse in Little India targeting vice activities and arrested seven men, aged between 23 and 61, under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act 1990.
On 5 December 2024, officers from Jurong Police Division raided two residential units in an anti-vice operation in the vicinity of Bukit Batok and Choa Chu Kang. Four women, aged between 36 and 46, were arrested for offences under the Women’s Charter 1961. Substantial amounts of condoms, bottles of massage oil, as well as handwritten and records of earnings were seized for investigations.
Between 20 and 23 November 2024, officers from Tanglin Police Division conducted enforcement checks at multiple massage establishments, hotels and public entertainment outlets in the vicinity of Balestier Road, Thomson Road, Robertson Quay, Selegie Road, Orchard Road, Wilkie Road, Whampoa Drive and Beo Crescent.
Exhibits seized during anti-gambling operation in the vicinity of Yishun. Photo courtesy: www.police.gov.sg
A total of 25 women and three men, aged between 18 and 85, were arrested for offences under the Women’s Charter 1961, the Gambling Control Act 2022, and for working without a valid work pass under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act 1990. A 38-year-old woman is also being investigated for offences under the Custom Act 1960 and Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act 1993. Cash amounting to more than SGD 4,300, several mobile phones, gambling-related paraphernalia, seven e-vaporiser and four packets of duty-unpaid cigarettes were seized as case exhibits.
Two massage establishments and one public entertainment outlet are also under investigation for breaches under the Massage Establishment Act 2017 and Public Entertainment Act 1958, respectively.
On 22 November 2024, officers from the Clementi Police Division led a joint enforcement operation with officers from Singapore Customs in the vicinity of Jalan Papan. Seventeen men, aged between 20 and 55, were issued composition sums by Singapore Customs for the possession of duty-unpaid cigarettes. A 38-year-old man was arrested for the sale of duty-unpaid cigarettes under the Customs Act 1960. Another 15 men, aged between 25 and 44, were issued composition fines by HSA for the possession of e-vaporisers and smokeless tobacco.
Anti-vice operation in the vicinity of Geylang. Photo courtesy: www.police.gov.sg
On 29 November 2024, officers from Ang Mo Kio Police Division conducted joint operations with officers from LTA in the vicinity of Punggol and Upper Serangoon Road. A 15-year-old teenager was arrested for possession of a scheduled weapon, an offence under the Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act 1958.
LTA officers also detected offences under the Active Mobility Act 2017, including riding non-compliant Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs) and riding bicycles without mandatory handbrakes on shared path and public roads. Two PMDs and eight bicycles were impounded by LTA.
From 30 November to 12 December 2024, officers from Bedok Police Division led a joint enforcement operation with officers from the CID, CNB, HSA, ICA, LTA, SFA, and Singapore Customs. The operation aimed to clamp down on illegal activities in Geylang, including illegal gambling, vice activities, and illegal touting.
A total of 15 men and 22 women, aged between 22 and 66, are being investigated for various offences under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1973, Gambling Control Act 2022, Women’s Charter Act 1961, Section 32 of the Miscellaneous Offences Act 1906, Massage Establishments Act 2017, Tobacco Act 1993, and the Customs Act 1960. A separate joint enforcement operation was conducted with the Singapore Customs, HSA and NEA in the vicinity of Tanah Merah Coast Road.
Anti-vice operation in the vicinity of Balestier Road. Photo courtesy: www.police.gov.sg
Summonses under the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act 1993 and Customs Act 1960 for possession of smokeless tobacco, duty-unpaid cigarettes and possession of vaporiser devices were also issued.
On 14 December 2024, officers from Woodlands Police Division conducted an anti-gambling operation in the vicinity of Yishun Industrial Street 1. Five men and three women, aged between 44 and 70, were arrested for offences under the Gambling Control Act 2022. Cash amounting to over SGD 15,300, 12 computer terminals, and gambling-related paraphernalia were seized as case exhibits.
Police also continued our efforts to clamp down on drink driving. On 30 November 2024 and 13 December 2024, the Traffic Police conducted two anti-drink driving operations. A total of 48 vehicles were checked and six persons, aged between 28 to 63, failed the breathalyser tests and were arrested for the offence of drink driving under Section 67(1)(b) of the Road Traffic Act 1961.
Investigations against the 1,873 individuals are ongoing.
Director of Operations Department, Senior Assistant Commissioner (SAC) Gregory Tan, expressed his appreciation to all the agencies involved for their strong support and commended the officers for their professionalism and excellent teamwork during the enforcement blitz.
Director of Operations Department, Senior Assistant Commissioner Gregory Tan. Photo courtesy: www.police.gov.sg
He added, “The Police’s month-long anti-crime operation underscores our unwavering commitment to maintaining law and order. Through collaboration with various law enforcement agencies, we aim to send a clear message: criminal activities will be met with strong enforcement and all cases will be thoroughly investigated before we take the criminals to task.
“As we enter the festive season, we emphasise that celebration and safety can coexist. For instance, the risks of drink-driving can be easily avoided by choosing alternative transport options or using valet services. We call on the public to stay alert and report any suspicious or criminal activities promptly.
“Singapore’s safety and security are a testament to the strong partnership between law enforcement and the community. Your vigilance and support are crucial in our collective effort to deter and combat crime. Together, we can ensure a safe and enjoyable holiday season for all,” Tan said.
Indian sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya flags off ‘Fit India Sundays on Cycle’ initiative in New Delhi. Photo Courtesy: PIB
Keeping continuity with the Fit India Cycling Drive launched earlier this week by Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Mansukh Mandaviya, the ‘Fit India Sundays on Cycle’ initiative was flagged off this morning at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi.
Besides the Minister, the event saw presence of over 500 riders, ranging from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Sports Authority of India campers and young gymnasts from the IG Stadium, senior officials and various cycling clubs in the national capital.
Sunday’s flag off ceremony also saw the presence of former WWE star Shanky Singh, revered for being a part of the tag team stable featuring former WWE champion Jinder Mahal.
Padma Shri and Arjuna Awardee Table Tennis player Mouma Das, meanwhile, flagged off the Sundays on Cycle event in Sports Authority of India National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) Kolkata.
Mentioning the wide impact of the Cycling Drive, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya said, “The Fit India Sundays on Cycle initiative is being held simultaneously at over 1100+ locations in India. The launch of the cycling drive earlier this week has spread the awareness of cycling exponentially.”
“Cycling is the need today. The vision of Viksit Bharat needs a healthy individual, who in turn makes a healthy society and that ultimately results in a healthy nation. The benefits of cycling also uphold the message of the Fit India movement, launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in 2019,” the Sports Minister said.
The event in the national capital saw a lot of cyclists from the CRPF and ITBP, and they expressed happiness on being a part of the initiative that promotes fitness and environment protection both.
Anish Dayal Singh, IPS, DG CRPF, mentioned, “CRPF remains committed to maintaining peak physical fitness, as a fit Force only can serve our great nation best. Cycling is good for an individual’s health and the environment. We are excited to be a part of the Fit India Sundays on Cycle campaign, spreading the message of fitness and sustainability nationwide through today’s event.”
Former WWE pro wrestler Shanky Singh, who is currently trying out in Indie wrestling circuits across the globe, said, “Wherever I will go internationally from now on, I shall promote cycling, offline as well as on social media.”
Singh said: “I got a different type of energy being at the Fit India Sundays on Cycle event. I want more people to come forward to join this unique initiative started by the Hon’ble Prime Minister and Hon’ble Sports Minister.”
आज हमारे ITBP और CRPF के जवानों के साथ #SundaysOnCycle के पहले कार्यक्रम में भाग लिया।
प्रधानमंत्री श्री @NarendraModi जी के #FITIndia अभियान को आगे बढ़ाने में आज हमारे जवानों ने भी उत्साह से भाग लिया। मेरा सभी से आग्रह है की हर रविवार को आप भी साइकिलिंग करके इस मुहिम से जुड़े। pic.twitter.com/yYJUCqTZVp
BYCS India Foundation, a non-profit dedicated towards making India a cycling nation, also joined in. Dr. Bhairavi Joshi, CEO BYCS India Foundation, said, “BYCS India Foundation has supported the cycling initiative under the FIT India Movement by organizing local events independently and in collaboration with local chapters of SAI for Sundays on Cycle.”
“BYCS India Foundation believes that cycling is one of the simplest solutions to some of the world’s most complex urban challenges,” Joshi said.
“The Bicycle Mayors network in India will continue the cycling advocacy work through skill building and increased access to cycling in more than 50 cities across the country.”
The ‘Fit India Sundays on Cycle’ is organized by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, in collaboration with the Cycling Federation of India (CFI) and MY Bharat,” he said.
Events are simultaneously held across Sports Authority of India regional centres, National centres of excellence (NCOEs) and the Khelo India centres (KICs) across the country.
