Special Reports
Like thousands of cricket lovers across the historic city of Hyderabad, I too felt a rare and immense joy this week. As a former Ranji player and someone still coaching youngsters even at this stage of life, that joy comes naturally—born out of pure passion and love for the game. After years of heartbreak and…
In the annals of Indian sports history, few names shine as brightly in table tennis as Mir Khasim Ali. Born in Hyderabad, then part of Andhra Pradesh, this remarkable athlete carved a legendary path during the 1960s and early 1970s, establishing himself as one of the country’s most celebrated paddlers and a true pioneer of…
MS Shanker Indian cricket is booming on television screens and in stadiums, but the same cannot be said of the governance behind it. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the most powerful and wealthiest cricketing body in the world, is tethered to state associations that are riddled with corruption, nepotism, and endless…
Dharam Guruva Reddy He is a lone warrior. A Business Management postgraduate from Osmania University, he captained its cricket team in the All-India Inter-University tournament and also led Nizam College before moving on to play county cricket for Sussex in the UK. For nearly a decade now, he has waged relentless legal battles since returning…
Judicial Oversight & Selective Cleansing MS Shanker When the rot in the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) became too deep for internal repair, the matter spilled into the courts. What followed was a series of judicial interventions — Ombudsmen, Supervisory Committees, and Single-Member Inquiries — each tasked with cleansing an association drowning in corruption. Yet, despite…
In the pantheon of footballing greats, few goalkeepers command the respect and admiration afforded to Josef Dieter “Sepp” Maier. A one-club man with an indomitable spirit and a career defined by remarkable consistency, Maier was the last line of defence for both Bayern Munich and West Germany during their most triumphant eras. His iconic grey…
Nilesh Yadav Every September, as the monsoon slowly withdraws and skies turn brighter, India begins to drum to a different beat. The sound of dhols, chants of “Ganpati Bappa Morya!”, the smell of fresh modaks, and streets lined with colourful pandals tell you the festival season has arrived. For many outside India, especially in the…
Cricket is the ultimate winner, says this week’s guest Ravinder Reddy MS Shanker After 22 episodes of exploring ways to rebuild Hyderabad cricket, it is heartening to finally see a glimmer of hope. The Hyderabad team has performed impressively in the ongoing Buchi Babu Tournament. That success, many believe, is no coincidence—it stems from selectors…
The story of NIPER Mohali, once a shining jewel of Indian pharmaceutical education, is now a cautionary tale of how institutional politics, systemic neglect, and administrative battles can derail academic excellence. When the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali, was ranked No. 2 in the country in the Pharmacy category under the…
As a former Ranji player who continues to coach tiny tots at the grassroots, I have spent the last two decades watching Hyderabad cricket sink into a pit of mediocrity and administrative chaos. Standards dropped, talent was ignored, and politics became the only game the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) seemed interested in playing. That is…
