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The Print
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
Long before Op Sindoor, Marathas first carried out ‘surgical strike'. NCERT Class 8 book is proof
Referring to Maratha kings as rulers who 'established sovereignty', it says about Shivaji, '…within his lifetime, his exploits had become legendary across India and beyond'. The book describes Shivaji, the founder of Maratha Empire, as a 'strategist and true visionary' while introducing Babur, the founder of the Mughal Empire, as a 'brutal and ruthless conqueror, slaughtering entire populations of cities'. New Delhi: The NCERT's new Class 8 Social Science textbook, in a chapter called 'The Rise of the Marathas', compares a raid carried out by Shivaji on the Mughal enemy camp in the dead of the night to a 'modern-day surgical strike'. 'The Rise of the Marathas' adds that Shivaji raided his enemy's camp at night 'with only a few' soldiers. 'This daring raid resembles the modern-day surgical strike,' it says, with 'surgical strike' highlighted in purple. Another chapter, 'Reshaping India's Political Map', says Babur 'enslaved women' and erected 'towers of skulls made from the slaughtered people of plundered cities' when he entered the Subcontinent after being 'thrown out of Samarkand (modern-day Uzbekistan)'. Initially, the Mughals and the Delhi Sultanate were part of the Class 7 social science curriculum. However, the NCERT has now replaced those chapters with new ones on the Magadha kingdom, the Mauryas, the Shungas, and the Sātavāhanas. Now, it is the Class 8 social science textbook that introduces students to the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughals, and the Marathas. In the textbook, named 'Exploring Society: India and Beyond', the NCERT has added what it has called a 'Note on some darker periods in history', along with a disclaimer. The note says, 'Understanding the historical origin of cruel violence, abusive misrule, or misplaced ambitions of power is the best way to heal the past and build a future where, hopefully, they will have no place.' 'No one should be held responsible today for events of the past,' reads the disclaimer. ThePrint reached NCERT Director Dinesh Prasad Saklani for comment through calls and texts. This report will be updated if and when a response is received. Speaking to ThePrint, Irfan Habib, a historian of ancient and medieval India said history depended entirely on facts, not religion, and that the past could not be changed, just by removing parts of it from the syllabus. Habib added that no Constitution existed at the time, so all rulers ruled by the sword. Calling the revisions a part of political strategies, Habib said, 'Rajputs, for instance, were equally cruel. There is no need to see it through the prism of religion.' Dynasties would not have survived if the rulers were not good strategists or swordsmen, he added. 'This is a faulty and farcical way of going about making changes,' Habib said, adding that the distortion of history is a way of turning history into mythology. Also Read: Aurangzeb keeps haunting Maharashtra politics. This time, he can hurt Fadnavis' governance Shivaji was 'careful' not to attack religious places The book claims Shivaji was always 'careful' not to attack religious places and mentions a 'retaliatory action' that involved Shivaji attacking Surat, which, it says, was a 'great insult' to the might and prestige of the Mughal Empire. In contrast, it describes the Sultanate period as one marked by political instability and the destruction of temples and seats of learning. During Alauddin Khilji's conquests, 'Hindu centres such as Srirangam, Madurai, Chidambaram, and possibly Rameshwaram' came under attack, the textbook says. Discussing the Mughal Empire, the text says Akbar tried to intimidate the Rajputs during the Chittorgarh attack by proclaiming he had already occupied several 'forts and towns belonging to the infidels' and 'established Islam there'. Akbar, once called 'The Great Akbar' in history textbooks, ruled with a 'blend of brutality and tolerance', the text says, adding: 'Despite Akbar's growing tolerance for different faiths, non-Muslims were kept in a minority in the higher echelons of the administration…' 'Can't selectively glorify or vilify historical figures' Arvind Sinha, a retired history professor from Jawaharlal Nehru University, told ThePrint that history, as a discipline, should be rooted in objectivity, warning that 'prejudice' not only distorts facts but also has a harmful influence on young minds. 'You cannot selectively glorify or vilify historical figures. For instance, Shivaji cannot be viewed as a hero in isolation, without acknowledging the historical context, including Aurangzeb,' he said, adding that rulers operated under different circumstances, something that needed to be understood, not judged. He also drew parallels with Pakistani textbooks and their 'ideological portrayals' that made thinking among students narrow. 'If you omit facts or twist them to suit a narrative, you are not teaching history, you are promoting propaganda,' he said, adding that the problem was not limited to any one political party. 'Ideological influence, whether Marxist or Right-wing, has no place in History textbooks.' (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also Read: Aurangzeb is politics, not history. Indian Muslims must bury his ghost
Reuters
4 days ago
- Sport
- Reuters
ATP roundup: Kamil Majchrzak keeps momentum going with win at Gstaad
July 15 - Coming off his best result at a major with a run to the fourth round at Wimbledon, Kamil Majchrzak continued his recent success by defeating Frenchman Terence Atmane 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 in the first round of the EFG Swiss Open Gstaad in Switzerland on Monday. The 29-year-old from Poland won 70 percent of his service points in the one hour, 49-minute match at the ATP 250 clay-court event. Peruvian qualifier Ignacio Buse ousted fifth seed Laslo Djere of Serbia 7-6(4), 1-6, 6-4. Argentine Roman Andres Burruchaga won 74 percent of his first-serve points to beat Czech competitor Dalibor Svrcina 6-3, 6-1, setting up a matchup with No. 3 seed Pedro Martinez. Frenchman Arthur Cazaux needed nearly three hours to defeat Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia, who couldn't overcome nine double faults in a 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (5) victory by Cazaux, and hometown favorite Dominic Stricker outlasted France's Pierre-Hugues Herbert, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. Nordea Open Sixth-seeded Luciano Darderi faced a roller coaster of a match but ultimately prevailed over Raphael Collignon of Belgium in first-round action at the Nordea Open in Bastad, Sweden on Monday. In a two hour, 10-minute match, the two swapped 6-2 wins in three sets, with Darderi saving six of eight break points overall, including two critical break points from 2-2, 15/40 in the decider. The 23-year-old Italian is in search of his third ATP Tour title, with his most recent title coming in April in Marrakech. The only other main-draw singles match on Monday saw Dutchman Jesper de Jong knock down eight aces on his way to easily taking care of wild card William Rejchtman Vinciguerra, the son of former pro Andreas Vinciguerra, by a score of 6-3, 6-2. Mifel Tennis Open Seventh-seeded Aleksander Kovacevic edged Lebanon's Hady Habib, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 in the first match of the main draw at the Mifel Tennis Open in Los Cabos, Mexico. Habib broke in the third game of the deciding set, but Kovacevic answered back to knot the set at 2-2. The New York native held serve and outlasted Habib in a 13-point sixth game to take a 4-2 lead en route to the 6-3 triumph in the one hour, 48-minute match. On the same side of the draw, Emilio Nava defeated Australia's Aleksander Vukic, 7-6 (4), 6-3. Nava ran off the final four points to prevail in the first set tie-breaker, then raced out to a 4-0 lead in the second set. Kovacevic and Nava are both on the same side of the draw as top-seeded Andrey Rublev. --Field Level Media
Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Sport
- Express Tribune
ATP roundup: Majchrzak keeps momentum going
Poland's Kamil Majchrzak in action during his round of 16 match against Russia's Karen Khachanov. Photo: REUTERS Coming off his best result at a major with a run to the fourth round at Wimbledon, Kamil Majchrzak continued his recent success by defeating Frenchman Terence Atmane 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 in the first round of the EFG Swiss Open Gstaad in Switzerland on Monday. The 29-year-old from Poland won 70 percent of his service points in the one hour, 49-minute match at the ATP 250 clay-court event. Peruvian qualifier Ignacio Buse ousted fifth seed Laslo Djere of Serbia 7-6(4), 1-6, 6-4. Argentine Roman Andres Burruchaga won 74 percent of his first-serve points to beat Czech competitor Dalibor Svrcina 6-3, 6-1, setting up a matchup with No. 3 seed Pedro Martinez. Frenchman Arthur Cazaux needed nearly three hours to defeat Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia, who couldn't overcome nine double faults in a 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (5) victory by Cazaux, and hometown favorite Dominic Stricker outlasted France's Pierre-Hugues Herbert, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. Nordea Open Sixth-seeded Luciano Darderi faced a roller coaster of a match but ultimately prevailed over Raphael Collignon of Belgium in first-round action at the Nordea Open in Bastad, Sweden on Monday. In a two hour, 10-minute match, the two swapped 6-2 wins in three sets, with Darderi saving six of eight break points overall, including two critical break points from 2-2, 15/40 in the decider. The 23-year-old Italian is in search of his third ATP Tour title, with his most recent title coming in April in Marrakech. The only other main-draw singles match on Monday saw Dutchman Jesper de Jong knock down eight aces on his way to easily taking care of wild card William Rejchtman Vinciguerra, the son of former pro Andreas Vinciguerra, by a score of 6-3, 6-2. Mifel Tennis Open Seventh-seeded Aleksander Kovacevic edged Lebanon's Hady Habib, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 in the first match of the main draw at the Mifel Tennis Open in Los Cabos, Mexico. Habib broke in the third game of the deciding set, but Kovacevic answered back to knot the set at 2-2. The New York native held serve and outlasted Habib in a 13-point sixth game to take a 4-2 lead en route to the 6-3 triumph in the one hour, 48-minute match. On the same side of the draw, Emilio Nava defeated Australia's Aleksander Vukic, 7-6 (4), 6-3. Nava ran off the final four points to prevail in the first set tie-breaker, then raced out to a 4-0 lead in the second set. Kovacevic and Nava are both on the same side of the draw as top-seeded Andrey Rublev.
Arab Times
6 days ago
- Sport
- Arab Times
Kuwait's homegrown coaches lead handball clubs to new heights
KUWAIT CITY, July 14: The 2024–2025 handball season marked a notable rise in the presence and performance of Kuwaiti national coaches across local and international competitions. Their growing impact reflects not only a positive shift in coaching development but also the success of homegrown talent in achieving competitive and honorable results. Among the standout figures this season is Hussein Habib, head coach of Burgan's first-handball team. Taking over from Algerian coach Said Hijazi at the beginning of the season, Habib made an immediate impact, strengthening team cohesion and dramatically improving performance. Under his leadership, Burgan achieved a historic runner-up finish in the Premier League, securing a spot in the upcoming Asian Club Championship for the first time in the club's history. Habib's close relationship with the players and the full backing of the club's management were key factors in this breakthrough. Habib's coaching journey includes a successful stint with Al-Arabi in 2014, where he led the team to promotion to the Premier League. He later served as assistant coach at Al-Qadsiya in 2019, before coaching Sulaibikhat in 2022. In 2023, he returned to Al-Qadsiya as head coach, leading them in the AFC Club Championship, and then joined Burgan in 2024. He recently renewed his contract with Burgan for another season. Reflecting on the season, Habib said: 'Our target was to reach the podium and qualify for the Asian Club Championship. With the support of the management and dedication from the players and staff, we achieved that goal.' He credited the signings of Yasuhira and Stipe Mandalinich for playing a crucial role in securing second place five rounds before the end of the league. Habib outlined several objectives, including maximizing the participation of local players in league matches, developing talent for the national team, and competing in the Asian Cup. He highlighted the season's major positives, such as: A historic runner-up finish Won every team except Kuwait Club A fast-paced attacking style A season completed without major injuries Among the challenges, he noted: A lack of depth at the right-back position A mental dip after securing second place Physical fatigue and underperformance in the Federation Cup are due to the absence of strong alternatives. Another national coach who found success this season is Yaqoub Al-Moussawi, head coach of Al-Salmiya's handball team. Under his leadership, the Sky Blues achieved: Runner-up at the 39th Arab Club Championship Third place in the Super Cup Third place in the 2023–2024 Federation Cup Third place in the 2024–2025 Cup Secured Premier League status for next season Al-Moussawi began his coaching career as an assistant with Al-Salmiya in 2019–2020, before taking over as head coach in the 2022–2023 season, where he immediately led the team to a runner-up finish in the Cup. He also voiced concern about the decision to allow three professional players per team, criticizing the rule as unbalanced given the lack of financial rewards in the league and the limited resources of clubs to attract multiple foreign players. Also earning praise is Waleed Salmeen, who led Sulaibikhat to a fourth-place finish in the Premier League, ensuring their participation in the top tier next season. His steady guidance helped the team retain its league status despite stiff competition. The upcoming season will feature eight teams, including league champions Al-Qadsiya and newly promoted sides from the First Division, promising an even more competitive landscape for Kuwait handball.
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USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
2025 Mifel Open: Habib [170th] vs. Kovacevic [76th] Prediction, Odds and Match Preview
Aleksandar Kovacevic (No. 76) will face Hady Habib (No. 170) in the Round of 32 at the Mifel Open on Monday, July 14. Kovacevic is favored (-300) in this match versus Habib (+225). Tennis odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Sunday at 10:35 PM ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub. Hady Habib vs. Aleksandar Kovacevic matchup info Watch the Tennis Channel and more sports on Fubo! Habib vs. Kovacevic Prediction Based on the implied probility from the moneyline, Habib has a 75.0% to win. Habib vs. Kovacevic Betting Odds Habib vs. Kovacevic matchup performance & stats
