At IndiaVerve, we go beyond the noise to bring you meaningful stories of change, resilience and progress—from India to the world stage. Our mission is to bring readers credible, wide-ranging coverage across politics, business, sports, culture, society and more.
At IndiaVerve, we go beyond the noise to bring you meaningful stories of change, resilience and progress—from India to the world stage. Our mission is to bring readers credible, wide-ranging coverage across politics, business, sports, culture, society and more.
New Delhi: Indian squash prodigy Anahat Singh scripted a landmark moment in her career on Sunday by winning her maiden PSA Bronze-level title at the Squash on Fire Open in Washington, USA.
The teenager from New Delhi stunned top seed and world No.10 Georgina Kennedy of England, winning the women’s singles final 12-10, 11-5, 11-7 to clinch the title in straight games, according to Sports Authority of India.
The victory lifted Anahat to world No.19 in the PSA rankings, making her the youngest Asian female player to enter the top 20. She also surpassed the previous Asian benchmark held by Malaysian legend Nicol David.
Anahat showed remarkable composure in the final. After trailing 8-10 in the opening game, she reeled off four consecutive points to seize momentum and then controlled the match with confident shot-making and court coverage.
Earlier in the tournament, she defeated Egypt’s Sana Ibrahim in the quarter-finals and overcame American Sabrina Sobhy in the semi-finals, underlining her consistency against higher-ranked opponents.
The title marks the biggest achievement of Anahat’s professional career so far and her 15th PSA Tour title, achieved in just 26 tournaments. It is also expected to give a significant boost to her international standing and strengthen India’s growing presence in world squash.
In a post on X, Union Sports Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya congratulated Anahat on her achievement, praising her performance and calling it a proud moment for Indian sport.
Phenomenal feat by Anahat Singh at the Squash On Fire Open 2026.
Not only did she clinch the gold but also became the youngest Asian female athlete set to break into the Top 20 world rankings.
Proud of her fearless spirit, technical brilliance and consistency. India’s squash… pic.twitter.com/W60HmNRdWq
Odia feature film Suka Bhai Ra Sholay, directed and written by Snehasis Das, stands out as an intense and emotionally charged revenge drama that goes far beyond the conventions of the genre. Rooted in raw human experience, the film explores how pain, humiliation, and loss can shape a person’s identity, while also questioning how inner strength is forged under relentless social pressure. With its gripping narrative and deeply personal emotional core, the film leaves a strong and lasting impression.
At the heart of the story is a protagonist who idolizes Amitabh Bachchan—not merely as a cinematic legend, but as a symbol of strength, defiance, and dignity. Bachchan’s screen persona becomes a psychological refuge for the hero, someone he looks up to while navigating a world that constantly belittles him. The film uses this admiration intelligently, not as blind fan worship, but as a lens through which the protagonist learns resilience. In a society that repeatedly body-shames and humiliates him, this inspiration becomes his emotional armor, helping him survive moments of crushing self-doubt and social cruelty.
One of the film’s strongest achievements is its honest portrayal of body shaming and social ridicule. These elements are not treated casually or melodramatically; instead, they are woven into the fabric of the protagonist’s everyday life. The humiliation he faces is subtle at times and brutally direct at others, making the audience acutely aware of how deeply such experiences scar an individual. Snehasis Das handles these moments with sensitivity, ensuring they feel authentic rather than exploitative. This realism makes the protagonist’s emotional journey feel painfully relatable.
The narrative takes a devastating turn with the brutal murder of the hero’s father, an event that becomes the emotional and moral pivot of the film. This loss is not just a plot device to justify revenge; it is portrayed as a shattering of the protagonist’s entire world. His father represents stability, acceptance, and unconditional support—everything society has denied him. The murder strips him of his last emotional anchor, plunging him into grief that slowly transforms into rage. The film takes its time here, allowing the audience to sit with the protagonist’s pain before witnessing his descent into darkness.While a few scenes echo the visual and emotional beats of the classic Sholay, the film’s plot and narrative remain entirely original.
What makes Suka Bhai Ra Sholay, available on AAO NXT’s YouTube channel, particularly compelling is how believable this transformation feels. The protagonist does not suddenly become a fearless avenger overnight. Instead, his journey toward vengeance is gradual, layered with hesitation, internal conflict, and emotional exhaustion. Snehasis Das takes a dig on violence; he shows its psychological cost. Revenge in this film is not empowering in a conventional sense—it is messy, consuming, and morally ambiguous. This approach adds depth to the narrative and elevates it above standard revenge dramas.
Visually and emotionally, the film occasionally echoes the iconic beats of the classic Sholay. These moments feel more like respectful nods than direct imitations. The rugged intensity, the simmering anger, and the sense of looming confrontation evoke nostalgia, but the story itself remains firmly original. Rather than borrowing plot elements, the film draws inspiration from the emotional gravity and larger-than-life intensity that made Sholay unforgettable. This balance between homage and originality is handled with care, ensuring the film maintains its own identity.
Another notable strength of the film, produced by Kaustav Dreamworks Studios and Ram Patnaik in association with The Naked Eye, is its exploration of inner strength. The film suggests that courage is not the absence of fear or weakness, but the decision to move forward despite them. The protagonist’s physical appearance, often mocked by others, becomes irrelevant compared to the emotional resilience he develops. His journey redefines heroism, shifting it away from conventional ideals of power and dominance toward perseverance and self-belief. This thematic depth gives the film a powerful social resonance.
Snehasis Das delivers a thoughtful and emotionally grounded film, elevated by Satya Ranjan’s powerful performance and strong support from Anubha Sourya, Sukant Rath, Choudhury Jayaprakash Das, and Pranab Prasanna Rath. The film leaves a lasting impact, urging viewers to reflect on societal cruelty and the quiet strength required to rise above it. Congratulations to the entire team for crafting a film that is raw, meaningful, and unforgettable.
The emotional weight of the film is sustained by its grounded storytelling and consistent tone. Even in moments of heightened drama, the narrative never feels exaggerated or hollow. The pain, anger, and determination experienced by the protagonist feel earned, making the climax emotionally satisfying rather than merely sensational. By the time the story reaches its conclusion, the audience is not just witnessing an act of revenge, but the culmination of a deeply personal struggle.
In the end, Suka Bhai Ra Sholay is much more than a tale of vengeance. It is a story about dignity reclaimed, pain confronted, and strength discovered in the darkest moments of life. It is emotionally raw, socially relevant, and narratively engaging. It challenges viewers to reflect on how society treats those who are different and how resilience can emerge from even the deepest wounds. Congratulations to the entire team for creating a film that is both powerful and unforgettable, leaving a lasting impact long after the final scene fades to black.
New Delhi: The Lok Sabha witnessed sharp exchanges on Monday after Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi referred to a magazine article based on an unpublished memoir by former Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane during his speech on the motion of thanks to the President’s address.
Rahul began his intervention by holding a printed copy of the magazine article, which discussed General Naravane’s unpublished book “Four Stars of Destiny”. The book contains references to the India-China border stand-off in eastern Ladakh in 2020.
Senior government members immediately objected. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh intervened, saying that quoting from an unpublished book violated parliamentary rules. He noted that the book had not entered the public domain and could not be cited.
The eastern Ladakh stand-off began on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash between Indian and Chinese troops in the Pangong Lake area. General Naravane, the Army chief at the time, wrote about the incident in his memoir, and a magazine essay discussed excerpts from it.
Despite repeated objections, Rahul tried to continue his remarks, prompting interventions from Home Minister Amit Shah and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju. Amit Shah questioned how a member could quote from an unpublished book. Kiren Rijiju emphasized following the Speaker’s directions.
As tensions rose, the leader of the Opposition asked why the government opposed his reference and insisted that the article he quoted was authentic. In a series of video posts on X, Rahul also said he raised the issue after someone questioned his and his party’s patriotism.
The repeated disruptions led Speaker Om Birla to adjourn the Lok Sabha till 3 pm. When the House reconvened, Rahul Gandhi again referred to the same issue, triggering another adjournment.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi defended her brother, saying he only referred to an account attributed to a former Army chief and did not intend to defame the Army. The proceedings remained disrupted for most of the day.
Dhaka: A special court in Dhaka has sentenced former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina to 10 years in prison in two corruption cases linked to irregularities in plot allocations under the Purbachal New Town project. Her niece, British MP Tulip Siddiq, was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment in one of the cases.
The verdict was delivered by Judge Md Rabiul Alam of Dhaka’s Special Judge’s Court-4. Hasina’s nephew Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby and niece Azmina Siddiq were each awarded seven-year jail terms in one of the two cases. Several other accused, including former senior officials, were also convicted and fined.
According to the Daily Star, the court also sentenced 11 other accused to 10 years in prison and handed down lesser sentences to several others across the two cases. The court imposed fines ranging from Tk 1 lakh to Tk 2 lakh, with additional jail terms in case of default.
Court records show that the cases were filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission over alleged abuse of power in securing residential plots in the diplomatic zone of Sector 27 of the Purbachal project. Investigators alleged that six plots were allotted illegally to Hasina and her family members despite their ineligibility under existing rules.
The anti-graft body further alleged that senior officials of Rajuk and other departments colluded in the process. Trials in the cases were completed after 15 hearings each, with testimony from 39 witnesses, including government officials and ACC personnel.
Between November 27 and December 1 last year, Hasina was sentenced to a total of 26 years’ imprisonment in four other graft cases linked to the same project. Charges in the Purbachal cases were framed in July last year against 29 accused, including members of Hasina’s immediate family.
The verdict comes amid major political upheaval in Bangladesh following a student-led movement that escalated into nationwide unrest in July 2024. On August 5 that year, Sheikh Hasina left the country and sought refuge in India. An interim government was later formed under the leadership of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, which went on to initiate multiple legal proceedings against Hasina, former cabinet colleagues, and leaders and activists linked to the Awami League.
New Delhi: The Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP) assisted a large share of small micro-enterprises over the last five years, with 63 percent of supported units in the manufacturing sector and 93 percent in the service sector having project costs of up to ₹10 lakh, the government informed the Rajya Sabha on Monday.
The data covers the period from FY 2020–21 to FY 2024–25 and was shared by Minister of State for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Shobha Karandlaje in a written reply to a question in the Upper House.
PMEGP is a central sector scheme that supports beneficiaries in setting up new micro-enterprises, primarily through small loans and margin money subsidy. According to the ministry, priority is being accorded to applications involving project costs below ₹10 lakh.
The minister said banks have been instructed to strictly follow Reserve Bank of India guidelines, which state that no collateral security should be insisted upon for loans up to ₹10 lakh under the scheme. The ministry has reiterated this requirement to all major banks.
She also informed the House that there is no requirement for any educational qualification for setting up manufacturing projects costing up to ₹10 lakh and service sector projects costing up to ₹5 lakh under PMEGP.
To address grievances and provide handholding support, the MSME Ministry operates the CHAMPIONS portal, an integrated platform for grievance redressal, guidance on government schemes, and coordination with state governments, banks, and other agencies.
On interest rates, the minister said that lending rates for PMEGP loans are determined by individual banks within the regulatory framework prescribed by RBI, as interest rates on bank advances have been deregulated. RBI has issued directions to ensure transparency, fairness, and proper disclosure of loan terms to beneficiaries, and to prevent arbitrary recovery of interest.
New Delhi: The 68th annual Grammy Awards concluded on Sunday with major wins for Bad Bunny and Kendrick Lamar, as the Recording Academy honoured achievements across music genres.
The Awards were held in Los Angeles, California, with the main ceremony taking place at the Crypto.com Arena.
Indian artists featured among this year’s Grammy nominees, including Anoushka Shankar, Siddhant Bhatia, Shakti and Charu Suri. However, none of them won an award at the ceremony
According to Grammy.com, Bad Bunny earned Album of the Year for Debí Tirar Más Fotos, the night’s top honour. The album also earned him the award for Best Latin Urban Album, underlining his strong showing at the ceremony.
Kendrick Lamar picked up multiple honours. He won Record of the Year alongside SZA for their collaboration “luther”. Lamar also claimed Best Rap Album for GNX, which was the first award announced during the main televised ceremony.
The Grammys recognised new and emerging talent as well. Olivia Dean was named Best New Artist, marking a breakthrough in her career.
In the pop categories, Lady Gaga won Best Pop Vocal Album for Mayhem. Lola Young received Best Pop Solo Performance for “Messy”. The award for Best Pop Duo or Group Performance went to Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande for “Defying Gravity”, a song from the film Wicked.
The Song of the Year, which honours songwriters, was awarded to Billie Eilish O’Connell and Finneas O’Connell for “Wildflower”. FKA twigs received Best Dance or Electronic Album for Eusexua.
Rock and country categories also saw notable winners. Turnstile won Best Rock Album for Never Enough, while Jelly Roll claimed Best Contemporary Country Album for Beautifully Broken.
In R&B, Leon Thomas won Best R&B Album for Mutt. Laufey took home Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for A Matter of Time. Natalia Lafourcade won Best Latin Pop Album for Cancionera, while Carín León received the award for Best Música Mexicana Album for Palabra De To’s (Seca).
Sinners led awards related to visual media. The project won Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media, while Ludwig Göransson earned the Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media award as composer.
Beyond music categories, the ceremony also recognised spoken-word work. The Dalai Lama was among the winners, highlighting the Grammys’ expanding scope beyond traditional music recordings. He received the Grammy recognition for “Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.”
A total of 86 awards were presented earlier during the Premiere Ceremony held on Sunday afternoon. The main telecast was hosted by Trevor Noah, who returned as the show’s anchor.
The Grammys once again reflected the global and genre-spanning nature of contemporary music, with winners ranging from pop and hip-hop to Latin, rock, and spoken-word recordings.
New Delhi: Two moderate earthquakes struck different parts of India early Monday, triggering brief panic among residents in the Kashmir Valley and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, though no injuries or damage were reported.
In the north, an earthquake measuring 4.7 on the Richter scale hit the Kashmir Valley at around 5.35 am. Data from the National Centre for Seismology showed that the tremor occurred at a shallow depth of 10 km, with its epicentre in the Pattan area of Baramulla district, about 10 km northeast of Gulmarg.
The tremors were reportedly felt for nearly 20 seconds, prompting residents in Pattan and nearby areas to rush out of their homes as a precaution. Authorities later confirmed that there were no reports of casualties or structural damage. The quake’s magnitude was initially estimated at 4.6 before being revised to 4.7 after further analysis.
The Kashmir region lies along the seismically active Himalayan belt and has a long history of strong earthquakes. Much of the valley falls within high-risk seismic zones, and the area has witnessed devastating tremors in the past, including the 2005 earthquake that caused widespread destruction on both sides of the Line of Control.
Several hours earlier, a separate earthquake of magnitude 4.6 was recorded in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands at about 3.30 am. According to the National Centre for Seismology, the quake struck at a depth of 10 km, with coordinates placing it near the Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal. The tremor was reportedly felt in parts of the island chain, but officials said there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
— National Center for Seismology (@NCS_Earthquake) February 1, 2026
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are among the most seismically active regions in the country and fall under Seismic Zone V, the highest risk category in India’s seismic zoning map. The region has experienced several major earthquakes in the past, most notably the 2004 undersea quake that triggered a devastating tsunami across the Indian Ocean.
Experts note that shallow earthquakes, such as both of Monday’s events, can cause stronger ground shaking near the surface. However, the moderate magnitude of these tremors helped limit their impact, allowing authorities to rule out serious consequences in both regions
New Delhi: Uzbek grandmaster Nodirbek Abdusattorov claimed the Tata Steel Chess Masters 2026 title on Sunday after finishing first in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands.
Abdusattorov topped the standings with nine points from 13 rounds. The win marked his first Tata Steel Masters title after three earlier attempts, according to FIDE.
India’s D. Gukesh, the reigning world champion, closed the tournament in joint-fifth place with 6.5 points. He shared the position with Anish Giri of the Netherlands and Slovenia’s Vladimir Fedoseev. Gukesh ended his campaign with a draw against Germany’s Vincent Keymer.
Defending champion R. Praggnanandhaa finished sixth on 5.5 points. His final game ended in a draw against Dutch grandmaster Jorden van Foreest.
Arjun Erigaisi concluded the event joint-seventh with 4.5 points. He shared the spot with fellow Indian Aravindh Chithambaram. Arjun suffered a final-round loss to Abdusattorov, who prevailed despite playing with the black pieces.
The title race remained undecided until the last round. Five players were still mathematically in contention before the final games were played.
The 88th edition of the Tata Steel Chess Tournament took place from January 16 to February 1. The event featured many of the world’s leading grandmasters.
New Delhi: At least 12 miners were killed and seven others injured after a Russian attack hit a service bus in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region on Sunday. Ukraine’s largest private energy firm, DTEK, confirmed the incident.
DTEK said Russia launched a large-scale attack targeting its mining facilities. One strike hit a bus in Ternivka town near Pavlohrad. The bus was taking miners home after their shift.
The company said all those on board were civilian workers. None of them was involved in combat.
In a post on X, the company said: “We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed.”
At least twelve mine workers killed, eight injured in russian strike on DTEK bus
At least twelve mine workers have been killed and eight injured after russia struck a bus transporting staff from a DTEK mine in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region.
Ukraine’s Human Rights Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets condemned the strike. He said the attack targeted civilians and caused multiple deaths in a single day.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also reacted to the incident. He said Russian drones struck an ordinary bus carrying miners. He expressed sympathy with the families who lost their loved ones.
Earlier on Sunday, another Russian attack damaged a maternity hospital in Zaporizhzhia. Ukrainian officials said at least nine people were injured, including a child.
The attacks took place amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to push for peace. In a post on X, Zelenskyy later announced planned trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday and Thursday.
There is an arrangement to hold a trilateral meeting at an appropriate level in the Emirates next week. February will be a period of quite intense foreign policy activity.
We expect the American side to be just as active, particularly when it comes to de-escalation measures –… pic.twitter.com/KXmPboXTWp
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 1, 2026
Sunday also marked the final day of a temporary reduction in Russian strikes. The pause followed an announcement by US President Donald Trump last week.
Trump had said Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to halt attacks on Ukrainian cities for one week. The move came after strikes caused power outages across Ukraine.
New Delhi: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Sunday expressed serious concern over Pakistan’s decision to skip its group-stage match against India in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The high-profile clash is scheduled for February 15.
Pakistan has said it will participate in the tournament but will not play the match against India. The ICC took note of the statement issued by the Government of Pakistan on instructing the national team to opt for selective participation.
In its response, the ICC said it has yet to receive formal communication from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). However, it made clear that selective participation does not align with the basic idea of a global sporting event.
The ICC, in a release, stated that all qualified teams must compete on equal terms as per the official schedule. It added that tournaments are built on fairness, consistency, and sporting integrity.
According to the ICC, refusing to play a scheduled match weakens the spirit of international competition. It also affects the credibility of the event.
While acknowledging the role of governments in national decisions, the ICC said such a move does not serve the interests of world cricket. It also said the decision hurts fans across the globe, including millions in Pakistan.
The global body urged the PCB to reflect on the long-term impact of the move. It warned that such actions could affect Pakistan’s standing within the international cricket ecosystem.
The ICC stressed that its main focus remains the smooth conduct of the T20 World Cup 2026. It said all member boards share this responsibility.
It also called on the PCB to work towards a solution that protects the interests of players, fans, and the sport as a whole.
