Latest news with #Arjuna
Hindustan Times
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Players lacked desire against Bangladesh: AIFF's national team director
Kolkata: India lacked desire in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifier against Bangladesh, said national football team director Subrata Paul. The former international has also listed team spirit among the challenges faced by the senior men's team after the 0-0 draw in Shillong on March 25. Subrata Paul. (Facebook) The minutes of a technical committee meeting on April 17 states that Paul, a former India No. 1 and Arjuna award winner in 2016, 'highlighted several key challenges faced by the Senior National Team (sic). These included issues related to Player's attitude (sic), patriotism and overall team spirit.' HT has seen the minutes. Paul should explain why he said this, said Bhaichung Bhutia, an executive committee member of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), over the phone from Gangtok. 'And he should name the players who he felt had not given their best so that they are not chosen anymore,' said Bhutia, Paul's India captain for five years during which the team won two Nehru Cup titles, the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup and qualified to the 2011 Asian Cup. On Friday, Paul, 38, did referencing Bhutia and a host of his former India teammates while doing so. 'I missed the desire that I saw in so many of my seniors and contemporaries such as Bhaichung bhai, Climax Lawrence, Sameer Naik, Deepak Mondal to name a few. The desire to play for the national team overrode everything including injuries,' Paul told HT, speaking in Bangla. 'It is my responsibility as national team director to point that out. If this makes me unpopular, so be it,' he said. The qualifier against Bangladesh was Paul's first official match after being appointed in February. Before that, India won a friendly against Maldives 3-0. 'Even there, the performance was not what was expected and I pointed that out to the technical committee,' he said. About team spirit, he said: 'This is a team that has some players with a lot of experience and some with little. It is a team in transition and maybe that is why it did not gel.' Paul said he did not know how the technical committee minutes were phrased. He said he did not speak about players' patriotism. Going into the match, India were ranked 126 and Bangladesh 185. At the post-match press conference, India head coach Manolo Marquez said the performance was 'very, very poor'. Maybe this is the reality of Indian football, the Spaniard had said. Since his first match (in September 2024), Marquez said he had felt in every training session and in matches the players had improved. 'Today, I felt we took two, three steps back.' Paul played 67 matches for India between 2007 and 2017 and was adjudged best goalkeeper in the 2007 Nehru Cup. It was his save in the sudden death shootout that helped India retain the title in 2009. In the 2011 Asian Cup match against South Korea, Paul was given the nickname 'Spiderman' for his saves that kept the margin of defeat down to 1-4. He played the AFC Challenge Cup semi-final, a 1-0 win against Myanmar, with a dislocated finger leading to permanent damage. Since the Bangladesh tie, India have lost to 0-2 Thailand in a friendly and 0-1 to Hong Kong in another Asian Cup qualifier. Email error An email from Paul on June 24 stating that a coach has to be appointed for the senior men's team led to speculation that Marquez had stepped down as he is reported to have wanted to. It also contradicted AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey's comment that the executive committee, scheduled to meet on July 2, will discuss the head coach's future. 'A wrong email was sent out,' said Paul. 'We will discuss Manolo's performance at the executive committee meeting, not the appointment of a new coach. Manolo continues to be India's head coach.'
Time of India
18 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
Memorial for Dasara jumbo inaugurated at Balle camp
Mysuru: Although Dasara elephant Arjuna, who carried the golden howdah during the Dasara procession in Mysuru eight times, is no longer with us physically, he remains in the hearts of all Kannadigas, said Eshwar Khandre, forest minister. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Speaking at the inauguration of a memorial statue resembling Arjuna at the Balle camp in DB Kuppe in Nagarahole Tiger Reserve, the minister said that Arjuna bravely fought alone and died on Dec 4, 2023, during an elephant capture operation near Yeslur in Sakleshpur taluk of Hassan district. He sacrificed his life to save the lives of the mahout and several forest staff, the minister said. The untimely death of Arjuna is painful, but to keep his memory alive, two memorials have been constructed at Yeslur and Balle in DB Kuppe, with the first being inaugurated at Balle, he mentioned. The memorial stands at 3 m tall and 3.7 m long, weighing 650 kg. "It was crafted by artist Dhananjay from Mangaluru, and it appears as if Arjuna himself is standing before us. I congratulate the artist for this," said Eshwar Khandre. The event was attended by MLA Anil Chikkamadu, CF Malathi Priya, and Nagarahole director PA Seema.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Dasara jumbo Arjuna memorial inauguration postponed
Mysuru: The inaugural ceremony of the newly built memorial for Dasara elephant Arjuna at Balle elephant camp in Nagarahole Tiger Reserve (NTR) in HD Kote taluk was on Monday postponed suddenly. It was rescheduled for June 27. Forest minister Eshwar B Khandre was on his way to Balle from Bengaluru and reached Srirangapatna when he suddenly cancelled the event and returned to Bengaluru. While he cited personal reasons, it was alleged that HD Kote MLA Anil Chikkamadu, who is also chairperson of Jungle Lodges and Resorts (JLR), insisted the minister focus on the elephant problem in the area and asked him to hold a meeting with the foresters to discuss the issue. However, sources close to the minister told TOI that Khandre returned to Bengaluru from Srirangapatna to attend to a medical emergency of a person close to the family. Along with the inauguration of Arjuna's memorial, he was scheduled to attend Basava Jayanti event at Saraguru town. The event was held in his absence. The minister was also scheduled to hold a meeting with officials of the department from Kodagu district in Balle. The meeting was also cancelled.
India.com
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Allu Arjun To Prabhas: AI Imagines South Stars As Mahabharata Characters
Known for his heroic roles and physical prowess, Prabhas could embody the role of Arjuna perfectly. Just as Bhishma was a respected and powerful figure in the Mahabharata, Rajinikanth's stature and charisma in the South Indian film industry make him a fitting choice for the role. Kamal Haasan's versatile acting skills and intellectual prowess could make him an intriguing choice for the role of Dronacharya. Vikram, a versatile actor known for his ability to portray complex characters, could take on the role of Duryodhana, the ambitious and conflicted prince of the Kauravas. Yash's roles often portray characters with strong moral values, which align with Yudhishthira's reputation for righteousness. Both characters are leaders in their own right. Karna's complex character could be brought to life by Allu Arjun's nuanced acting abilities. Suriya's intense and versatile acting style would be a great fit for the character of Abhimanyu. Junior NTR's powerful presence and strong screen persona would suit the role of Bhima, known for his immense physical strength and unwavering dedication to justice. Draupadi's strength, beauty, and determination could be portrayed by Nayanthara, who is known for her powerful performances and strong presence on screen. Read Next Story
United News of India
5 days ago
- Sport
- United News of India
Olympic Day Run 2025 conducted with grand fervor across Telangana
Hyderabad, June 23 (UNI) The Olympic Day Run 2025 was conducted with grandeur and statewide enthusiasm under the aegis of the Sports Authority of Telangana, in coordination with the Indian Olympic Association and the Telangana Olympic Association. Unlike previous years' single-day format, this year marked a six-day celebration promoting the Olympic spirit with daily themes across Telangana. In a first-of-its-kind initiative, Olympic Day Runs were flagged off from 14 different locations across the twin cities—an increase from the earlier 8 points—all converging at the LB Stadium Tennis Complex. Each Olympic torch was named after a legendary Olympian from Telangana, honouring their sporting legacy and inspiring youth participation. The event was graced by Minister for Sports and Youth Services Vakiti Srihari as the Chief Guest. Other dignitaries included Special Chief Secretary Jayesh Ranjan (IAS), State Sports Advisor Jitender Reddy, Chairman of the Sports Authority Sivasena Reddy, and Vice Chairperson and MD Ms Soni Bala Devi, who also received the Olympic torches arriving from across the city. Athletes of all ages—including Arjuna and Dronacharya awardees, Olympians, para-athletes, international medalists, students, and sports enthusiasts—participated in the run. Among the distinguished athletes present were Double Olympian Manjeet, Arjuna awardees Neetha Dadwe and Anup Kumar Yama, Paralympian Deepthi Jeevanji, International Cricketer Trisha Gongidi, and athlete Nandini Agasara. Adding energy to the event were Zumba dance performances and cultural programs, celebrating this year's Olympic Day theme: 'Let's Move'. As part of the celebration, medal winners who represented Telangana in the 38th National Games held in Uttarakhand were felicitated, receiving cash awards totaling Rs 84 lakh for winning 33 medals. UNI VV BM
