June 24, 2026 - IndiaVerve

65th National Inter-State Athletics Championships begins at Kalinga Stadium

June 24, 2026 by Deepak Acharya

Bhubaneswar: Asian Games bronze medallist Gulveer Singh won the men’s 5,000m event on the opening day of the 65th National Inter-State Athletics Championships at Bhubaneswar’s Kalinga Stadium on Wednesday.

The 28-year-old athlete from Uttar Pradesh clocked 13:52.92 to clinch the top position, while Abhishek Pal occupied the second spot with a time of 13:54.18. Third place went to Harmanjot Singh, who clocked 13:54.60.

However, Gulveer’s timing was not enough to book a place in Japan, as the Athletics Federation of India’s Asian Games qualifying standard stands at 13:39.18.

Meanwhile, Jyothi Yarraji qualified for the Asian Games with a time of 13.14s in the women’s 100m hurdles event.

Anushka Yadav registered a hammer throw of 65.64m to qualify for the 2026 Asian Games.

Asha Ilango recorded 13.89m in the women’s triple jump and qualified for the 2026 Asian Games, while Dev Meena cleared 5.46m in the men’s pole vault event and booked his place at the Asian Games.

Earlier, the mega event was inaugurated by Sports and Youth Services Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, who encouraged the competitors and hailed Odisha’s sports infrastructure.

The inaugural event was attended by Dr. Lalit Kumar Bhanot, President of the South Asian Athletics Federation; Bhupendra Singh Poonia, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Sports and Youth Services Department; Dr. Yeddula Vijay, Sports Director; and Abhijit Paul, President of the Odisha Olympic Association.

The event is being jointly organised by the Athletics Federation of India and the Department of Sports and Youth Services, government of Odisha.

Jaishankar meets Cho Hyun, highlights India-South Korea ties

June 24, 2026 by India Verve Desk

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar held discussions with South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Hyun in Seoul on Wednesday, describing the engagement as timely in view of recent high-level political exchanges and the evolving global situation.

Welcoming his counterpart, Jaishankar said it was a pleasure to be back in Seoul and noted that the meeting followed a recent presidential visit, adding that the current geopolitical environment made bilateral cooperation particularly significant.

He recalled his multiple recent interactions with Cho Hyun, including meetings in New York, Kuala Lumpur, and Washington during the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, according to a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs.

He also referred to engagements during the South Korean President’s visit and at the G7 summit in Evian involving the Indian prime minister and the South Korean president.

Jaishankar stressed that it was the responsibility of both foreign ministers to carry forward the relationship and coordinate the efforts of different parts of the government and economic sectors in both countries. He said the partnership needed to be forward-looking, especially in a more complex global order.

Emphasising shared values and trust, he noted that countries with aligned perspectives must work closely together in the current international environment. He added that recent leadership-level engagements had provided clear direction on strengthening bilateral ties.

Jaishankar also reiterated India’s commitment to fully realising the potential of the relationship, saying there was still considerable scope for further cooperation between the two sides.

He acknowledged Cho Hyun’s personal commitment to strengthening India-Republic of Korea relations since assuming office, noting that such efforts had been warmly reciprocated from the Indian side.

He concluded by expressing confidence in productive discussions ahead and in deepening the partnership further.

IHCL enters Odisha with Tree of Life resort at Chilika Lake

June 24, 2026 by Deepak Acharya

Bhubaneswar: Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), India’s largest hospitality company, has marked its entry into Odisha with the signing of a Tree of Life resort at Chilika Lake, as the eastern Indian state emerges as one of the country’s hottest tourist destinations.

Located on the banks of the lake, the newly built 30-key Tree of Life Chilika Lake offers unparalleled views of the lagoon. Guests can enjoy their time at the all-day dining restaurant and bar, along with a spacious meeting room. They can also relax at the swimming pool and spa.

Commenting on the development, Suma Venkatesh, Executive Vice President – Real Estate & Development, IHCL, said the rising preference for nature-led, lesser-explored destinations reflects a shift in the way guests are choosing to travel.

Venkatesh added: “Tree of Life is anchored in immersive stays that are closely connected to their surroundings. Marking the brand’s entry into Odisha, this signing aligns with our strategy to expand in destinations with strong experiential appeal. We are pleased to partner with Mr. Sanjay Gadodia for this project.”

Sanjay Gadodia, Director of Scania Steels and Powers Ltd., said: “We are happy to partner with IHCL to bring the Tree of Life brand to Chilika Lake. This development will reflect the natural beauty and cultural richness of the region.”

Gadodia is the Director of Scania Steels and Powers Ltd., which is part of a diversified business group with a presence across several states, including Odisha.

FIFA World Cup: Cristiano Ronaldo shines as Portugal thrash Uzbekistan

June 24, 2026 by Deepak Acharya

After Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland’s standout performances, it is now the turn of Cristiano Ronaldo, who helped Portugal thrash Uzbekistan 5-0 in their Group K FIFA World Cup match.

Ronaldo opened the scoring from close range in the sixth minute following João Cancelo’s cross. With this goal, the 41-year-old striker became the first player to score in six World Cups. The Portuguese superstar also became the second-oldest scorer in tournament history, behind Cameroon’s Roger Milla.

Nuno Mendes’s stunning free-kick in the 17th minute gave Portugal a 2-0 lead, and Ronaldo completed his brace in the 39th minute.

Portugal looked invincible in the second half as well and made it 4-0 thanks to an unfortunate own goal from Nematov.

Rafa Leão wrapped up the victory in the 87th minute.

Ronaldo was adjudged the Michelob Ultra Superior Player of the Match for his brilliant brace.

Meanwhile, Colombia reached the knockout stage of the tournament by beating the Congo DR at the Guadalajara Stadium.

Daniel Muñoz netted the only goal of the match in the second half.

In Group L, Ante Budimir’s only goal helped Croatia beat Panama 1-0 at the Toronto Stadium. With this loss, Panama were eliminated from the tournament.

Other result: Group L: England 0, Ghana 0

FIH Hockey Pro League: India edge Pakistan in thriller

June 24, 2026 by Deepak Acharya

New Delhi: India registered a hard-fought 4-3 win over arch-rivals Pakistan in their FIH Hockey Pro League 2025–26 game in London.

The victory propelled India to seventh in the standings.

India started confidently, but it was Pakistan who took the lead through Ahmad Nadeem’s goal in the eighth minute.

Abhishek managed to beat Pakistani goalkeeper Ali Raza in the 22nd minute and levelled the scores for India, and two minutes later Nilakanta Sharma made it 2-1.

In the third quarter, India struck another goal courtesy of Sukhjeet Singh. It was his 40th international goal. Rajinder Singh’s goal in the 52nd minute helped India extend the lead.

However, Pakistan bounced back and netted two quick goals, but that was not enough to save them from defeat.

India’s Manpreet Singh was adjudged the Player of the Match.

“It was a good game today, but I think we could have done much better because we got really good chances but couldn’t convert them into goals, but we still won. Now we have to look at our next game, which is against England, and definitely we will play much better than this,” he said after the victory.

Other results: Argentina 2, Spain 3; Australia 2, Netherlands 0

‘Subarnima’ festival marks Golden Jubilee of Orissa Dance Academy at Rabindra Mandap

June 24, 2026 by Deepak Acharya

Bhubaneswar: Minister of Law, Works & Excise Prithiviraj Harichandan on Tuesday attended the second evening of the ‘Subarnima’ festival, organised at Rabindra Mandap in Bhubaneswar on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of the Orissa Dance Academy.

On this occasion, the minister also honoured distinguished artists and dancers with the ‘Subarnima Samman’.

“My heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to all the artists, playwrights, directors, and cultural practitioners who have been a part of this golden journey,” Harichandan noted in a detailed post on X.

The minister said he felt grateful to attend the event in the distinguished company of Padma Bhushan Dr. Pratibha Ray and Padma Shri Dr. Shyamamani Devi.

“Over the past 50 years, the Orissa Dance Academy has not only enriched the state’s theatrical, musical, and cultural traditions but has also shaped artists across many generations,” he said.

Harichandan hailed the academy, saying it has played a key role in bringing Odisha’s rich art, culture, and heritage to recognition at the national and international levels.

“On this occasion, I extend my congratulations to the senior playwrights, directors, actors, and artists who have enriched Odisha’s world of theatre. Drama is not merely a medium of entertainment – it is a powerful reflection of society’s thoughts, culture, and values,” he further said.

The minister emphasized that the state government remains steadfastly committed to the preservation and promotion of Odisha’s art, culture, sculpture, and heritage, and continues to pursue relentless efforts in this direction.

The programme was also attended by Chief Secretary Anu Garg, Additional Chief Secretary in the Energy Department, Vishal Kumar Dev, and Academy Secretary Guru Dr. Aruna Mohanty, among other distinguished guests.

Odisha govt pushes faster road expansion through Energy-Works coordination

June 24, 2026 by Deepak Acharya

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government is planning to accelerate road expansion projects across the state through close coordination between the Energy and Works Departments.

A detailed meeting was held in this regard at Kharvel Bhavan, attended by Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment and Energy Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, and Minister for Works & Excise Prithviraj Harichandan.

The meeting also focused on close cooperation between the two departments for the relocation of key utility infrastructure.

Singh Deo directed the Energy and Works Departments to complete the projects within the stipulated timeframe. He also emphasized the importance of continuous inter-departmental coordination to avoid delays and ensure the smooth execution of the works.

For his part, Harichandan assured full cooperation from the Works Department for coordinated implementation, including utility relocation, to minimize inconvenience to the public during the construction period.

Both departments are committed to working jointly to prevent delays and ensure the seamless execution of the projects without compromising safety standards, statutory compliance, or the quality of work.

The meeting deliberated in detail on several key issues, including delays in the preparation of utility shifting estimates, supervision charges on deposit works, issuance of utilisation certificates, fixation of timelines for work execution, approval for power shutdowns, transformer installation, and the installation of new utilities.

“The government is committed to building a developed, strong, and modern Odisha. The swift and successful implementation of public interest projects by removing any obstacles in the infrastructure sector is our topmost priority,” Harichandan noted.

The meeting was also attended by senior government officials, including Additional Chief Secretary, Energy Department, Vishal Kumar Dev.

PM Modi calls for stronger BRICS cooperation on security challenges

June 24, 2026 by India Verve Desk

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met National Security Advisors and senior security officials from BRICS member countries, highlighting the grouping’s growing importance in addressing contemporary global security challenges.

During the interaction, the PM said BRICS has an important role to play in deepening cooperation on key security issues amid a rapidly evolving global landscape.

He stressed the need for enhanced collaboration among member nations to tackle shared concerns, including terrorism, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies.

Modi noted that stronger coordination among BRICS countries would help address emerging security threats and contribute to greater global stability, according to an official statement.

Modi also underlined that India’s chairmanship of BRICS would focus on advancing practical cooperation among member states. He reiterated India’s commitment to advancing the priorities of the Global South while contributing to efforts to build a safer, more secure, and more inclusive world.

Sharing details of the meeting on X, Modi said he was pleased to meet the National Security Advisors and senior security officials of the BRICS countries.

“In a changing global landscape, BRICS has a vital role in deepening security cooperation and addressing shared challenges, from terrorism and cyber security to emerging technologies,” the PM said.

He further stated that India’s Chairmanship would seek to advance practical cooperation, support the priorities of the Global South, and contribute to a safer, more secure, and inclusive world.

The meeting comes as BRICS continues to expand its role as a platform for cooperation among emerging economies on issues ranging from economic development to global security and governance.