Special Reports
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:…
Born on 27 February 1929 in Uberaba, Brazil, Santos was a defender who played at the right back position. Djalmo Pereira Dias dos Santos began his professional journey with humble origins, initially playing as a centre-half for Internacional, a small provincial club in São Paulo. His exceptional performances quickly caught the attention of Brazil’s biggest…
MS Shanker A Parent, a Secretary, a Fighter: The Unlikely Crusade of Ramakrishna Udupa In this long-running series on reviving Hyderabad cricket, I have spoken to former cricketers, administrators, umpires, and fans who care deeply about the game. This week, however, I encountered a figure who straddles multiple roles — a parent, a philanthropist, a…
For decades, India’s middle class—arguably the backbone of the nation’s economy—remained politically neglected. Despite being the most consistent taxpayers and primary contributors to national revenues, they were rarely rewarded in electoral calculations. The Congress, which ruled for over six decades, preferred the politics of appeasement. Regional outfits that rose in the 1990s, such as the…
When I took charge as Director of the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali, in 2017, I knew the institution was facing challenges. What I did not anticipate was the depth of irregularities and contradictions that would emerge in the handling of vigilance clearance cases within the Institute. One of the earliest…
MS Shanker The Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) is once again in the news—this time over controversies surrounding the selection of state women’s cricket teams ahead of major upcoming tournaments. Allegations of opaque practices, arbitrary decision-making, and even hints of a “pay-to-play” culture have raised serious concerns about transparency and integrity in the process. One practice…
MS Shanker The Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) has become less about cricket and more about courtrooms, with the Telangana High Court forced yet again to play umpire in the Association’s never-ending dramas. On Monday, the proceedings opened with a sharp rebuke to one of HCA’s own office-bearers, setting the tone for a day that underlined…
In the annals of Indian cricket history, there are numerous tales of exceptional talents who, despite their prowess, never quite made it to the international stage. Among these unsung heroes stands Mumtaz Hussain (1947–2000), a left-arm spinner from Hyderabad whose remarkable abilities and contributions to domestic cricket deserve recognition alongside the legends of the game….
(Special Correspondent) On October 6, 2025, the Indian Navy will add a sharp new blade to its arsenal when Androth, the second Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), is commissioned at the Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam. The event, to be presided over by Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, marks not just…
For the first time in independent India, a serious public debate is unfolding about the functioning of the judiciary. The judiciary has always been spoken of in hushed tones—criticized occasionally in academic seminars or bar associations—but rarely has it entered the mainstream of national discourse with such intensity. That this debate has gained momentum now,…
