MS Shanker There are journalists, and then there are legends. Dharmavaram Sitaram firmly belonged to the latter tribe. Rough-edged, sharp-tongued, and merciless in his mentoring style, he was as much a tormentor as a teacher. But ask those who came under his wing—often unwillingly—and they will tell you that his harassment was actually his version…
Special Correspondent Hyderabad cricket is bleeding—not on the field, but in the boardroom. For more than two decades, the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) has been systematically looted by a nexus of politicians, ex-cricketers turned power brokers, and their cronies. What was once a platform to produce Test stars is now an empire of scams. The…
MS Shaker Loot in the Name of Cricket In the last episode, we exposed how Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) survived without rules, without audits, and without accountability. It was a structure built for abuse. But the absence of rules is only half the story. What truly explains the decay of Hyderabad cricket is what happened…
This week, we momentarily step away from our ongoing “How to Revive Hyderabad Cricket” series to focus on an equally urgent question: why does the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) still refuse recognition to the Telangana Cricket Association (TCA), despite its credibility, reforms, and grassroots impact—while continuing to prop up a dysfunctional…
Tamil Nadu has been shaken by the tragic loss of 41 lives in a stampede at actor Vijay’s political rally in Karur. The visuals of desperate families, bodies lined up, and survivors in shock should have moved the entire political establishment to one united demand: justice for the victims. Instead, what we see is a…
As a Hyderabadi, I hardly need to introduce Asaduddin Owaisi — the barrister-politician who inherited the legacy of the All-India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM). His family’s political roots run deep in the Old City, where his party has built its empire on a concentrated pocket of community votes. Election after election, AIMIM has managed to hold…
Cricket is meant to be a gentleman’s game. But when a terror-exporting nation like Pakistan enters the arena, the “gentleman” is replaced by indecency, deception, and dishonor. What unfolded at the Asia Cup was not just another cricketing contest—it was a test of national dignity. India didn’t just defeat Pakistan on the field; it humiliated…
Special Correspondent Even as the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) remains entangled in multiple legal battles and under the watch of a court-appointed administrator, a section of its truncated apex council appears unwilling to learn from past controversies. According to insiders, HCA Joint Secretary Basavaraju is reportedly pushing for a grandiose multi-level parking facility at the…
Rules Never Made, Inquiries Never Done When this series began, we exposed how Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) was converted into a private fiefdom — funds diverted, selections rigged, and cricketing facilities left to rot. But if one thought that was the worst of it, the next layer of rot lies in something even more fundamental:…
Another September, another United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session. Once again, the world’s leaders descended on New York to solve global problems—by talking about them endlessly. If nothing else, this annual jamboree is proof that while technology has advanced, politics remains stuck in a perpetual Groundhog Day. This year, though, the farce had extra seasoning….
