How to revive Hyderabad cricket – Part XII

Reviving Hyderabad Cricket: A One-Man Crusade Against A Rotten Empire Interestingly, some episodes in this series have featured cricketers whose involvement in the murky politics of the state cricket association—through lobbying, backroom deals, and profiteering—may have upset many. Their actions arguably contributed to the decline of the game. Yet, my decision to feature them was…

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Sporting Icons – Ashok Mankad: The Unsung Hero of Indian Cricket

Girja Shankar Dixit Ashok Mankad was one of Indian cricket’s most talented yet underappreciated batsmen—a cricketer whose immense promise never quite translated into a consistent international career, largely due to the vagaries of selection and constant positional shuffling. While the spotlight often eluded him at the highest level, Mankad left an indelible mark on Indian…

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Bavuma’s Moment: How a Pocket-Sized Powerhouse Rewrote South Africa’s Cricketing Destiny

From Langa’s lanes to Lord’s glory, the World Test Championship crown ends decades of despair For decades, South Africa’s cricketing saga was a tale of heartbreak and haunting near-misses. From the cruel rain-rule exit in 1992 to the 1999 semi-final tragedy under Hansie Cronje, the Proteas built a reputation of faltering at the cusp of…

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Sanatana Dharma: An Ancient Ecological Philosophy for a World in Crisis

Environment as Divine: Misunderstood and Mocked by Modernity Sanatana Dharma is not about the past—it’s a guide for the future In a time when environmental degradation threatens the very future of our planet, the wisdom of ancient traditions offers surprising—and often overlooked—solutions. Sanatana Dharma, often called the “eternal way of life,” is one of the…

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India’s ‘Vajra Shot’: A Game-Changing Portable Anti-Drone Gun

P Raja Rao In yet another breakthrough for India’s defence-tech startup ecosystem, Chennai-based Big Bang Boom Solutions has unveiled a cutting-edge portable anti-drone weapon that could soon become a key asset for the country’s security forces. Dubbed ‘Vajra Shot’, this compact, hand-held jammer is a remarkable feat of indigenous innovation, offering a smart, flexible, and…

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Mindful Memoirs – The Flying Finn: The Story of Lasse Virén

Lasse Artturi Virén, born on July 22, 1949, is a Finnish former long-distance runner and politician, best known for his unprecedented feat of winning gold medals in both the 5,000 and 10,000-meter events at two consecutive Olympic Games—Munich 1972 and Montreal 1976. With his trademark endurance, tactical brilliance, and sheer willpower, Virén carried forward the…

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