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.

Odia sprinter Astik Pradhan shines in China as India wins relay gold

Bhubaneswar: Odia sprinter Astik Pradhan stole the show as India won the gold medal in the mixed 4x400m relay event at the Asian U-23 Athletics Championships, currently underway in Ordos, China.

The quartet of Pradhan, Sandra Mol Sabu, Sethu Mishra and Shravani Sachin Sangle clocked 3:18.64 to clinch the top spot in the event.

Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo congratulated the entire team on their achievement.

In a post on X, he said: “I am especially proud that Odisha’s Astik Pradhan was part of this victorious squad – a shining example of our state’s growing contribution to national sporting excellence. May this triumph inspire them to keep soaring higher, bringing honour to the nation and pride to Odisha.”

Apart from the gold medal, India bagged one silver and three bronze medals on the opening day of the championships.

A total of 53 athletes are representing India at the championships.

India eyes strong Glasgow 2026 campaign

New Delhi: India’s campaign at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games has taken shape with the release of the official competition schedule, outlining 11 days of sporting action across 10 disciplines. The Games will be held in Glasgow, Scotland, from July 23 to August 2, 2026.

The schedule provides Indian athletes, coaches, and fans with a clear roadmap for the country’s medal campaign as competition unfolds across multiple venues, according to olympics.com.

Weightlifting is expected to offer India’s first medal opportunities when competition begins on July 24. The sport has traditionally been one of India’s strongest at the Commonwealth Games, with Indian lifters consistently producing podium finishes.

Athletics will begin on July 27 and continue through the closing stages of the Games. Indian athletes will compete across a range of track and field events, making athletics one of the highlights of the country’s campaign.

Boxing is also expected to feature prominently, with Indian boxers aiming to continue the nation’s impressive record at the Commonwealth Games. The competition is expected to witness several closely contested bouts across different weight categories.

Table tennis will provide another major opportunity for India, while athletes will also compete in artistic gymnastics, swimming, cycling, lawn bowls and 3×3 basketball. Para sport events have also been integrated into the Games programme.

The competition schedule has been designed to ensure medal events are spread throughout the 11-day Games, with several sports taking place simultaneously during the busiest days of competition.

The Glasgow 2026 edition will feature a streamlined programme of 10 sports, making it one of the most compact Commonwealth Games in recent history. Sports such as shooting, wrestling, badminton, hockey, and cricket are not part of this edition, placing greater emphasis on the disciplines that remain on the programme.

For India, the focus will be on making the most of every medal opportunity in the sports being contested. The official schedule will also help athletes finalise their preparations as they enter the final phase of training ahead of the Games.

FIFA World Cup: Mbappe inspires France to semi-finals

French superstar Kylian Mbappe once again helped his side beat Morocco 2-0 at Boston Stadium to reach the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals.

France got a golden opportunity to take the lead in the first half after Noussair Mazraoui brought down Mbappe in the penalty area, but the Real Madrid striker’s effort was saved by Yassine Bounou.

However, the second half brought joy to the French side as Mbappe found the net in the 60th minute, notching his eighth goal of the tournament.

So far, he is the second-highest goalscorer in World Cup history with 20 goals, one behind Lionel Messi (21).

Ousmane Dembele netted France’s second and final goal in the 66th minute following a pass from Mbappe.

Didier Deschamps’ side reached the World Cup semi-finals for the third consecutive time.

Mbappe was adjudged the Superior Player of the Match for his outstanding performance.

Later, while talking to reporters, France Captain Mbappe said: “I took a knock to the ankle, but I’m fine. At that point, JP [Jean-Philippe Mateta] was in better shape than I was to play the final minutes. The secret to this France team? There’s only one way to relax, and that’s by winning. Until we’ve done that, we don’t let up. We’re in the semi-finals and we’re very happy, but there’s still a long way to go. We realise that what lies ahead is even tougher than what we’ve been through, but we’re ready to face anything.”