By Umesh Patil Politics=sport: NO! It is surprising that you would read an article by noted foreign policy expert Mr. Richard Haass to ‘over read’ relative foreign policy influence of various countries based on London Olympics medal count. I was hoping to read the paragraph about ‘qualifying such over reading’; but I did not find any such guarded advice from Mr. Hass. Take the case of Germany and Spain. By all accounts Spaniards and various Spanish Sports Teams have been on ascendance lately regardless of their Olympic medal count (which is not bad as well) whereas... 

Sport without power Laishram Devendro Singh Imphal: When 20-year-old Army boxer Laishram Devendro Singh takes on Paddy Barnes of Ireland in the quarterfinals early on Thursday, his family at Yurembam Awang Leikai village in Imphal West district will watch the bout without worrying about any interruption. How at all? With Manipuris getting power for only six hours, though an improvement from 3-4 hours in 2011, the family has arranged a generator to ensure that they don’t miss out on the action in the ring and get to cheer for Devendro. Till early last year, the state used to get power only... 

Bolt!_____________ by Sidhartha Vaidyanathan He is standing there, in what could be the center of the universe, a thousand arc lights reflecting off his dazzling yellow jersey, ten thousand smart phones shimmering like fireflies on LSD, the stadium buzzing with a nervous, edge-of-the-seat anticipation … he is standing there, gently bouncing from one foot to another, his hands resting on his hips, his eyes aimlessly staring into the distance – not at the stands, not at any section of the crowd, not at the roof but into the horizon, far, far beyond what the cameras can capture … he is standing... 

Welcome to Rajya Sabha, Sachin: but how often will you be there? What will you do there?   New Delhi: according to reports, celebrities are quick to accept government’s offer to enter Rajya Sabha as ‘nominated’ members. But when it comes to attending House proceedings, they mostly stay away. Records from the Rajya Sabha show that except film actress Shabana Azami who has highest attendance among celebrities, none of them could make the Rajya Sabha a platform to raise issues of public interest. Singer Lata Mangeshkar and painter M F Husain, on the other hand, had the... 

Will Tendulkar get Bharat Ratna: now that the award has more scope?     New Delhi: according to the latest reports, the Indian government has now modified rules to open the highest civilian award Bharat Ratna of the country to sportspersons. Sports Minister Ajay Maken told reporters ‘Instead of the fields of art, literature, science and public services, now on November 16, the government has notified that for performance of highest order in any field of human endeavour Bharat Ratna could be awarded’. Maken also said that the decision now paves the way for sportsperson to get... 

Rahul Dravid’s speech at Sir Donald Bradman Oration, Australia     Thank you for inviting me to deliver the Bradman Oration; the respect and the regard that came with the invitation to speak tonight, is deeply appreciated. I realise a very distinguished list of gentlemen have preceded me in the ten years that the Bradman Oration has been held. I know that this Oration is held every year to appreciate the life and career of Sir Don Bradman, a great Australian and a great cricketer. I understand that I am supposed to speak about cricket and issues in the game – and I will. Yet,... 

New Indian women’s hockey captain: Asunta from Lakra family of Simdega!   “] Asunta Lakra[leftRanchi: news is Simdega district’s Asunta Lakra has been selected as the captain of the Indian senior women’s hockey team for a four-nation tournament to be played in Argentina from December 7 to 18. Apart from India, and Argentina, South Africa and Ireland will play during the tourney. India will play its first match on December 7 against Argentina at Buenos Aires. Asunta, who has been representing India since 2000, is a veteran centre-half with the experience of around 80 international... 

Insider reveals recent history of cricket corruption    According to an observer and expert who ought to know, every international cricket team was involved in match-fixing at some stage in the 1990s. It seems that an entire generation of cricketers most likely knew what was going on around them, but chose to keep their mouths shut. This is what Lord Paul Condon, founder head of the ICC’s anti-corruption and security unit, had to say to London’s Evening Standard. He said ‘in the late 1990s, Test and World Cup matches were being routinely fixed. From the late ’80s certainly through... 

Should Dow Chemicals  of Bhopal Gas tragedy fame be sponsor in 2012 Olympics?   London: according to latest reports from the UK press, the organising committee of the London Olympic Games is facing some very serious questions about the choice of its sponsors. Questions are being raised as to why it allowed the controversial Dow Chemicals company, responsible for Bhopal gas tragedy, as a sponsor of the 2012 stadium in London. Dow is the 100 percent owner of Union Carbide Corporation (C), the company that was responsible for the 1984 gas disaster in Bhopal that killed nearly 25,000 people.... 

First ever woman CEO of Formula One team is Indian: Monisha Kaltenborn   Greater NOIDA, UP: According to reports, Monisha Kaltenborn, a woman of Indian origin has become the first ever woman CEO of any Formula One team as the head of Team Sauber Ferrari. Monica, aged 40, worked her way up from the United Nations to Fritz Kaiser Group (FKG), where she looked after the legal and corporate affairs of the Red Bull Sauber F1 Team, and thence to Formula One. Monisha Narang was 8 years old studying at Welham’s Girls High School, when her parents decided to emigrate to Vienna. Later...