June 21, 2026 - IndiaVerve

Odisha CM Majhi joins Yoga Day celebrations

June 21, 2026 by India Verve Desk

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday participated in a grand mass yoga session organised at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar to mark International Yoga Day and urged people to make yoga a regular part of their lives.

Addressing the gathering, the CM described yoga as a unique blend of physical well-being, intellectual development, and spirituality. Referring to this year’s International Yoga Day theme, “Yoga for Healthy Ageing,” he said yoga and pranayama can help address many physical and mental challenges associated with ageing.

The CM also joined the live International Yoga Day programme led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and broadcast from Kolkata.

Extending his greetings on the occasion, Majhi said yoga, one of India’s most ancient traditions, is today guiding people across the world towards a healthier lifestyle. He urged citizens to practise yoga regularly to strengthen themselves physically and mentally and contribute to building a healthier society.

He said the enthusiastic participation of students, sportspersons, women, and senior citizens at the event reflected how yoga has evolved into a mass movement across Odisha. According to him, the successful gathering would inspire more people to remain physically fit and free from mental stress.

The CM further said the state government is committed to expanding yoga and AYUSH healthcare services across Odisha to build a healthier and more prosperous state. He thanked yoga instructors, volunteers, and participants for contributing to the success of the programme and called upon people to embrace yoga as a way of life.

FIFA World Cup: Netherlands hammer Sweden to go top of Group F

June 21, 2026 by Deepak Acharya

The Netherlands moved to the top of Group F of the FIFA World Cup following an impressive 5-1 win over Sweden in Houston. Brian Brobbey opened the scoring for the Netherlands in the fifth minute, and the Sunderland striker added another in the 17th minute.

The second half saw Cody Gakpo scoring twice, giving his side a comfortable 4-0 lead.

Anthony Elanga netted a consolation goal for Sweden in the 59th minute, but that was not enough to save his side from the embarrassing defeat.

Crysencio Summerville’s fine right-foot strike in the 89th minute gave the Oranje a memorable victory.

Meanwhile, Germany reached the Round of 32 following a 2-1 win over Côte d’Ivoire in their Group E clash.

Franck Kessié’s goal stunned the German side in the 30th minute.

German Coach Julian Nagelsmann brought on Deniz Undav in the second half as Germany struggled to find an equaliser.

Undav found the equaliser in the 68th minute following a long-range pass from Nadiem Amiri.

Lukas Nmecha’s clever pass helped Undav net another goal in the 95th minute, breaking Ivorian hearts.

Elsewhere, Ecuador were held to a goalless draw by Curaçao in another Group E match in Kansas City. An outstanding performance from goalkeeper Eloy Room helped Curaçao earn their first-ever World Cup point.

Other Result: Group F: Tunisia 0, Japan 4

Ashmita Chaliha bows out of Macau Open 2026 badminton tournament

June 21, 2026 by Deepak Acharya

New Delhi: Ashmita Chaliha’s fine campaign at the Macau Open 2026 badminton tournament ended with the Indian shuttler losing her women’s singles semi-final clash on Saturday.

World No. 61 Park Ga-eun of the Republic of Korea defeated the world No. 63-ranked Indian player in straight sets 21-17, 21-9 at the Macao East Asian Games Dome.

It was Ashmita’s second semi-final appearance on the BWF World Tour.

With this defeat, India’s campaign, including singles and doubles, came to an end.

Indian badminton players will next participate in the US Open, which is scheduled to kick off on June 23.

Neeraj Chopra named Best Male Athlete at Indian Athletics Awards 2025

June 21, 2026 by India Verve Desk

New Delhi: Olympic medallist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra was named Best Male Athlete of the Year at the Indian Athletics Awards 2025 in the national capital on Saturday.

The award recognises his consistent performances across the international circuit, including a strong comeback season after recovering from a back injury sustained ahead of the World Championships in Tokyo.

Neeraj said the honour was special to him and noted that it came in the presence of both senior and emerging athletes.

The 28-year-old began his season with a best throw of 85.69m at his opening event and later made headlines last year by becoming the first Indian to cross the 90m mark in javelin with a throw of 90.23m at the Doha Diamond League, according to olympics.com.

Despite finishing eighth at the World Championships in Tokyo, he delivered a consistent season overall, winning four of the seven events he competed in and finishing second in the remaining three.

His victories included major international meets such as the Ostrava Golden Spike, Paris Diamond League, and the inaugural Neeraj Chopra Classic in Bengaluru.

In the women’s category, national record holder Parul Chaudhary was named Best Female Athlete of the Year after winning gold in the 3000m steeplechase and 5000m at the Asian Championships.

She is also the defending champion in the women’s 5000m event at the Asian Games later this year.

Indian Olympic Association President PT Usha received the Lifetime Achievement Award and said she was surprised to be honoured without having applied for it, calling it a positive initiative by the Athletics Federation of India.

Other Lifetime Achievement Award recipients included Gurbachan Singh Randhawa, Bahadur Singh Chauhan, and Anju Bobby George for their contributions to Indian athletics.

The Indian Athletics Awards, initiated by the Athletics Federation of India, recognise athletes, coaches, officials, and state associations for their contribution to the sport’s development across the country.

Odisha to introduce cashless transactions in all registration offices

June 21, 2026 by India Verve Desk

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has initiated steps to implement a cashless transaction system across all Sub-Registrar (SR) and District Sub-Registrar (DSR) offices in the state, aiming to make the registration process more transparent, efficient, and citizen-friendly.

A high-level review meeting on the proposed system was held at Lok Seva Bhawan under the chairmanship of Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Additional Chief Secretary of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department.

During the meeting, it was decided that 350 Point of Sale (PoS) machines would be installed in phases across SR and DSR offices. The machines will be supplied through the Indian Bank and distributed based on the registration workload of individual offices. The Revenue and Disaster Management Department will bear the cost of procuring the machines.

In the first phase, the cashless payment system will be introduced in registration offices located in Bhubaneswar, Berhampur, and Sambalpur. To ensure smooth operation and timely maintenance, the government will put in place a five-year Annual Maintenance Contract for the PoS machines.

The meeting also decided that a Standard Operating Procedure would be prepared after obtaining government approval for the project. Training will be provided to concerned officers and staff to facilitate the effective implementation of the system.

Officials said the initiative is aimed at encouraging citizens to adopt digital payment modes while improving transparency, convenience, efficiency, and accountability in registration services. Cash transactions will be discouraged and allowed only in essential and unavoidable circumstances.

The Inspector General of Registration participated in the meeting virtually. Joint Secretary of the Finance Department, officials from the Directorate of Treasuries and Inspection, representatives of Cyber Treasury, and senior officials of TrraCIS Technologies Limited were also present.