World’s youngest rated chess prodigy from Madhya Pradesh practices even at midnight!
At a time when kids of his age practice A for apple and B for ball, three-year-old Sarwagya Singh Kushwaha practices murmuring C for checkmate! When Sarwagya plays chess, he thumps his pieces on the squares and slaps the clock with a particular menace, which shows that he tries to put his opponent in utmost uneasiness. However, the reality is that this three-year-old prodigy from Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, needs to stand on a chair or sit on three chairs stacked one on top of the other just to reach the other end of the chessboard. At the age of three years, seven months and 20 days, Sarwagya is now the world’s youngest rated player in chess history. Kushwaha is still in nursery school but holds a rapid rating of 1,572. Recently, he dethroned Kolkata’s Anish Sarkar, who, in November last year, had become the youngest rated player in history at the age of three years, eight months and 19 days. Having picked up the sport last year when he was two-and-a-half years old, Sarwagya’s everyday routine includes four to five hours of chess, one hour of which is spent at a chess training centre in Sagar, while the rest is spent on playing online games and learning tactics via videos. “We pushed him into chess last year because we noticed his mind was like a scrubber, which learns things quickly. In a week of being taught chess, he could name all the pieces accurately,” says his father Siddharth. He added, “Kushwaha loves the sport a lot. If you wake him up in the middle of the night and ask him to play, he will for hours without a break. But what separates him from other kids his age is his patience to sit on the board and not get restless.” “When his parents first approached me to train him last year, he looked like a very normal kid. But soon, his capability to play the game well started to shine,” says his coach Nitin Chaurasiya. “You ask him anything, and there’s no hesitation in answering. He can also hold his own on the board against older kids. You can see his guts when he plays,” says Chaurasiya.
Union Sports Minister only listens to everybody! FSDL wants to reduce the AIFF-proposed amount
Looking forward to the resumption of the country’s premier football leagues this season, Indian football did not find any ray of hope even after a series of virtual meetings with Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Wednesday afternoon. The ISL clubs, the I-League clubs, cxountry’s a few leading broadcasters, and the FSDL, commercial partner of the AIFF, put their proposals to the Union Sports Minister accordingly since the afternoon. FSDL also had a separate meeting with the Union Sports Minister. Then, ISL and I-League club representatives had a meeting jointly in the evening with the Sports Minister, where the Joint-Secretary, Union Sports Ministry, the broadcasters, FSDL, and AIFF top brass were also present. It has been learned that no specific time frame has been given to the clubs regarding the resumption of the ISL and I-leagues this season. Union Sports Minister has only assured them of a response, which will be taken shortly, looking forward to the solution of this stalemate. It is also learned that after ISL clubs’ proposal to resume the ISL, bearing their own expenses, I-League club bosses urged the Sports Ministry to bring out a system in running the country’s premier leagues. One of the I-League club bosses revealed on condition of anonymity, “We urged for running of the Leagues systematically or make a merger of the ISL and elite I-League. If that cannot be done then a system must be there where relegation and promotion in the ISL must be applied. Promotion in the ISL has started, but that is also creating confusion. When a club is being promoted to ISL, is the respective club’s capacity to fulfil all financial terms for the ISL being monitored at all? We saw Mohammedan Sporting, that how they failed to pay salaries to their ISL footballers. We saw how they failed to clear the ISL coach’s salary. So, along with relegation, the system of promotion should be transparent.” However, FSDL in their assertion conveyed the message that Indian football does not have the financial value demanded by the AIFF in their initial tender. It meant, the company wants to pressure the AIFF to reduce the amount. One of the leading broadcasters pointed out that Indian football should have a proper structure. The broadcaster cited the example of India’s domestic cricket, which is played nearly six to eight months a year.
Prakash Padukone steps away from PPBA; Joins Padukone School of Academy set up by his daughter Deepika
After gracing the post of founder and managing director for more than three decades, iconic Prakash Padukone stepped away from Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy (PPBA). The 70-year-old badminton legend has already joined a new venture named Padukone School of Badminton (PSB), which has been introduced by his daughter, actress Deepika Padukone. PSB has also started centres in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi NCR, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh. While Prakash Padukone is the mentor of PSB, former India shuttler Aditya Prakash is the head coach. As its aftermath, PPBA’s name has been changed to Centre for Badminton Excellence (CBE). “Prakash wanted to retire and concentrate on other ventures, primarily the Padukone School of Badminton (PSB), which focuses on grassroots-level badminton programs,” CBE’s head coach U Vimal Kumar revealed. PPBA, co-founded in 1994 by Padukone, Vimal and Vivek Kumar, will continue to operate from the Centre for Sports Excellence, Bengaluru, with its current coaching team led by Vimal Kumar and supported by former India international Sagar Chopda, DK Sen (Lakshya Sen’s father), Umendra Singh Rana and international coaches Yong Sung Yoo and Irwansyah Adi Pratama. Lakshya Sen, the most famous product of PPBA, will continue to train at CBE with South Korean coach Yong while two-time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu will resume training with Indian women’s coach Irwansyah after she recovers from injury. Other Indian badminton players who train at CBE are Ayush Shetty, Kiran George, Devika Sihag and Isha Rani Barua. Prakash, while reacting to The Indian Express on his decision to quit PPBA, said, “This has not been an easy decision; it is one I arrived at after considerable reflection and after carefully weighing all the pros and cons. It was a privilege to work alongside the coaching teams, athletes, and partners over the past 3 decades. I remain deeply grateful for the trust and collaboration extended to me.”
Ravi Shastri warns under-pressure Gambhir! Advices him on how to handle pressure
Probably the whole cricketing world is aware of the fact that India’s coach Gautam Gambhir is going through hard times after a 2-0 Test series loss against South Africa. The first coach in India’s cricket history to concede two home-series losses has been facing aplenty of flak from fans as well as the former India internationals. However, former India head coach Ravi Shastri has shared some advice to Gambhir on how to handle the situation. Shastri has acknowledged that Gambhir could be fired, but asked him to deal with the matter calmly and patience. “If your performance is poor, you could be fired. Therefore, you need to maintain patience. Communication and man-management skills are crucial here,” said Shastri, in an interview with Prabhat Khabar, as quoted by Hindustan Times. “Only then can you motivate the players to win. And that’s what we did. The most important thing is to enjoy whatever you do. Don’t take it as pressure,” he added. During his tenure of a year and a half as India’s head coach, Gambhir has experienced some big highs and some devastating lows. During the period, Team India have won the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and the Asia Cup 2025 titles, clinching both trophies without losing a single game. However, India’s form in red-ball cricket has declined considerably. Under Gambhir, India have been whitewashed at home by New Zealand and South Africa, and have also lost to Australia Down Under. In the meantime, Gambhir’s relationship with star players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma has also received scrutiny, with multiple reports stating that the head coach’s dynamic with the two stalwarts has soured over time. Gambhir’s next major assignment as India’s head coach comes in the form of the T20 World Cup 2026 on home soil, for which the hosts will be firm favourites.
In a rare decision, AFI issues a provisional ban on the Athlete and the coach for a doping offence
In a rare incident, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has issued provisional suspensions to gold-medal-winning middle-distance runner Sanjana Singh and her coach, Sandip Mann, for doping offences. Sanjana Singh trains under the guidance of Sandip Mann at Rohtak, Haryana. 18-year-old Sanjana Singh won two gold medals in the 1500 and 5000 meter events in the SAFF in October, and she tested positive for two steroids, methandienone and oxandrolone. The athlete, who turns 19 on December 23, has been provisionally suspended for the doping offence, according to the latest update on the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) website. The NADA also mentioned one athletics coach, Sandeep (without surname), who has been handed a provisional suspension for “Trafficking or Attempted Trafficking of Prohibited Substances”. Middle-distance runner Himanshu Rathi has also been provisionally suspended after he tested positive for stimulant mephentermine. Triple jumper Sheena Varkey, 33, has accepted a three-year suspension for Ligandrol (SARM) use under a ‘case resolution agreement’. She previously won silver at the Uttarakhand National Games this year. Distance runner Basanti Kumari, who competed in the 2025 World University Games marathon, tested positive for 19-norandrosterone. At the same time, triple jumper Sheena Varkey has accepted a three-year suspension for a Ligandrol (SARM) violation under the ‘case resolution agreement’. The 33-year-old Kerala jumper had won silver at the Uttarakhand National Games this year. Another athlete, Basanti Kumari, a distance runner who participated in the 2025 World University Games in a marathon, tested positive for 19-norandrosterone. Weightlifter Sankar Logeswaran, who won gold in the recent Khelo India University Games, was also provisionally suspended after testing positive for the steroid Drostanolone.
Former England batsman Robin Smith dies unexpectedly, his family reveals
England’s former batsman Robin Smith has died at the age of 62. The news was announced by his English county, Hampshire, on Tuesday. Smith played 62 Tests between 1988 and 1996, died unexpectedly on Monday in Australia, where he lived, his family said. “It is with the deepest and most profound sense of sadness and loss that we must announce the passing of Robin Arnold Smith, beloved father of Harrison and Margaux and cherished brother of Christopher,” Smith’s family said in a statement released by Hampshire Cricket. Robin died unexpectedly at his South Perth apartment on Monday, 1st December. The cause of his death is at present unknown.” Smith had only recently met with the England Lions squad in Perth ahead of the first Ashes Test at the invitation of team coach Andrew Flintoff. Robin rose to fame as one of England’s most charismatic and popular players,” Smith’s family said. It added: “Since his retirement from the game in 2004, his battles with alcohol and mental health have been well documented, but these should not form the basis of speculation about the cause of death, which will be determined at postmortem investigation.” Hampshire chairman Rod Bransgrove said: “Robin Smith is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, of all time Hampshire cricket heroes. “He was a batsman of awesome power and control, and amongst the most courageous players this club has ever seen — especially against bowling of real pace.”
Convincing FSDL in Wednesday’s meeting is crucial; Will AIFF make financial gain with Union Sports Ministry’s back-up for the resumption of top league?
A section of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) executive committee members seems to be curious about Wednesday’s all-important meeting between the Union Sports Minister and FSDL. The AIFF’s former commercial partner and the organizer of the ISL seem reluctant to continue with the Federation’s existing administration, which is scheduled to continue till August-September next year. Even the company has reportedly refused to make discussions over the Master Rights Agreement (MRA) accepting the financial terms and conditions set by AIFF. Amidst the situation where ISL and the I-League are also going through a stalemate, a section of the AIFF executive committee seems to be waiting for the Union Sports Minister’s initiative to convince FSDL about continuing with the AIFF. One of the executive committee members, when asked about the issue, revealed on condition of anonymity, “FSDL is reluctant to continue. I feel they can change their decision only if the Union Sports Minister can convince them. If FSDL continues, even if preserving their terms and conditions, then AIFF will also have some money after the end of the ISL. But if FSDL sticks to its reluctance, then the top-tier League might also happen with the support of the Union sports ministry.” The section of the executive committee has a gut feeling that the Union Sports Ministry can ask Doordarshan to beam the top leagues live, and even ask the respective ISL-playing states to make the matches happen. “Following the Union Sports Ministry’s instruction, respective state governments can also offer some financial grants to the respective state football associations for the participating clubs. But what will AIFF gain even if the country’s top-tier football league is organized in this way? The central government is unlikely to offer any such amount to the AIFF!” stated another executive committee member on condition of anonymity. Significantly, the AIFF has not yet made an official announcement of the two relegated teams in the I-League last season. Both SC Bengaluru and Delhi FC appealed to the AIFF’s appeal committee, which has been pending for months at the AIFF disciplinary committee. It is learned that the Federation’s top brass has decided to introduce a new disciplinary committee, which is likely to have a fresh hearing on the relegation issue on 13th December. Additionally, complaints from a couple of state associations have been filed with AIFF for allowing Sudeva FC to participate in the Second Division I-League despite the fact that the Delhi-based team did not play in the League for the last year. The Union sports ministry will have meeting with all the ISL clubs, I-League clubs and the stakeholders in Indian football also separately in Wednesday’s meeting.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi becomes the first teenager to smash three T-20 centuries in his maiden SMAT journey
Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s storming performance in domestic cricket continues. The dashing 14-year-old set a new milestone in domestic cricket on Tuesday with his third T-20 hundred for Bihar as the first teenager in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) championship against Maharashtra. It was his fifth T-20 match in the SMAT since his debut last year at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Then again, on Tuesday, Suryavanshi carried the load of run-scoring against a stacked Maharashtra side with another pulverising knock. The 14-year-old stormed to a 58-ball century, unleashing seven sixes and as many boundaries for his side. He clipped a low full-toss onto his pads while on 98 and brought up his third T-20 century in style by clearing the square-leg boundary. Only his U-19 teammate Ayush Mhatre, who has struck two successive centuries in the ongoing SMAT edition, and France’s Gustav Mackeon have recorded two T-20 centuries before turning 20. Interestingly, all three of Suryavanshi’s T-20 centuries within 16 innings in his career have been for three different sides. The blitzkrieg of his stroke-play left the entire cricket world mesmerised when he struck a blistering 35-ball century for the Rajasthan Royals in an IPL match against the Gujarat Titans earlier this year, making him the fastest Indian centurion in the league’s history. Last month, Suryavanshi smashed an extraordinary 32-ball century for India-A in Doha against the UAE in the tournament. With Chris Gayle’s record of 175 well in his sights, Vaibhav eventually fell for a 42-ball 144 in just the 13th over of the T20 match. His knock included a stunning total of 15 sixes and 11 fours, a total of 26 deliveries off the 42 he faced going to or beyond the boundary, sometimes travelling well beyond the fence.
Telangana Chief Minister starts training at midnight to face Messi on 13th December!
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is known for his ability to maintain strong public relationships. One of the most entertaining personalities in South Indian politics, Revanth Reddy, is also an ardent fan of football. Even during the intense 2023 election campaign, Revanth played a game of football in the old city area despite the business. Nowadays, after becoming the Chief Minister of Telangana, Revanth, still passionate for the game, hardly gets time to enter the pitch wearing a jersey. But Reddy finally got time to prepare himself for a football match despite the business, and this will be the first time he will play after becoming the Chief Minister of Telangana. According to a state ministry source, the C has even started training seriously at midnight, around 11:30 PM, after completing a demanding schedule of official duties. The late-night regimen is in preparation for arguably the most anticipated sports event in the state’s calendar: a friendly exhibition match on 13th December against the Argentine legend Lionel Messi as part of the “G.O.A.T. India Tour 2025. It is going to be a clash of nines and tens as Revanth Reddy will wear the number nine jersey, leading the Team-RR9 against a team captained by Messi, who will don his iconic number 10. The match, set to be held at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal, is being informally billed as ‘RR9 vs. LM-10’. The chief minister will be playing alongside selected young students from government schools who have demonstrated exceptional football talents. The event is designed to be a lifetime inspiration for these emerging athletes. The exhibition match will serve as the culmination of the Telangana government’s two-year anniversary celebrations (1st December to 13th December), and specifically, the grand unveiling of the Telangana Rising Vision Document 2047 on 9th December.
Bibiano’s advise: They should prepare playing against teams like Iran
Sudeep Pakrashi: It was not the first time the Indian under-17 football team qualified for the finals of the under-17 Asian Cup. India already qualified for the finals of the under-Asian Cup thrice in 2018, 2020 and 2023 and every time, under the guidance of former India international Bibiano Fernandes. On Saturday, India’s under-17 national team’s qualification for the under-17 Asian Cup came for the fourth time. But the significant part was that, this was the first time India defeated Iran in the under-17 Asian Cup qualifiers, and Bibiano Fernandes says winning against a stronger team like Iran is one of his most memorable victories as coach. The chief national coach under whose guidance India secured SAFF Championship recently, revealed while speaking to Parallel Sports on Monday, “Yes, winning against a team like Iran was not easy. I convinced the boys to be careful on strengthening defensive organization and make counterattacks according to the situation. They did a great job, fought till the end. All credit should go the boys.” India will have to compete against the top-level teams like Qatar, Soudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, DPR Korea, Korea Republic, and China in the finals of under-17 Asian Cup, to be held in Saudi Araboia in May. Bibiano explains, “These boys have huge potential. They need to play preparatory matches the stronger teams like Iran. Simultaneously, the boys will also benefit if they get the opportunity to take part in a tournament like I-League.” Rajrup Sarkar, the custodian from North 24 Parganas and a student of Zinc Football Academy Rajasthan, had an excellent performance in India’s do-or-die match against Iran. Bibiano also praised a lot about the goalkeeper stating, “He dished out an exceptional performance against Iran. I should be thankful to our goalkeeping coach for having guided him properly. In our national preparatory camp, goalkeepers never train alone. They are always trained with the defenders and before Iran match, goalkeepers underwent an intense training of penalty shoot-outs.” When asked about his own desire, Bibiano Fernandes did not hide, saying, “Yes, now I desire to become a coach of the senior national team in future.”
