Entertainment

India captain’s witty response to a retirement question goes viral as she shifts focus to the team’s quest for a maiden ICC Women’s T20 World Cup title.

As India gears up for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, captain Harmanpreet Kaur grabbed headlines not for her batting or leadership plans, but for a light-hearted response to a retirement question that reminded cricket fans of one of MS Dhoni’s most memorable press conference moments.

During the ICC Captains’ Day media interaction, Harmanpreet was asked whether the upcoming tournament could be her final World Cup appearance. Rather than offering a direct answer, the veteran skipper responded with a smile, asking the reporter, “Do you think I should stop?” When the journalist persisted, she followed up with, “Then why are you asking?” The exchange drew laughter from those present and quickly went viral across social media platforms.

The moment immediately triggered comparisons with former India captain MS Dhoni’s famous 2016 T20 World Cup press conference, where he humorously handled a retirement-related question by turning the conversation back on the journalist. Fans praised Harmanpreet for displaying a similar mix of confidence, composure and wit while keeping the spotlight away from speculation about her future.

Despite the buzz surrounding the exchange, Harmanpreet made it clear that her primary focus remains India's campaign in the tournament. The experienced batter highlighted the team's preparations, including warm-up matches that allowed the coaching staff to assess combinations and provide opportunities to players such as Radha Yadav and Bharti Fulmali.

Harmanpreet also reflected on the growing popularity of women’s cricket in India, noting that the national team's recent success has inspired more young girls to take up the sport. She said the increasing interest demonstrates the positive impact of international achievements on grassroots participation.

India faces a challenging path in Group A, where it will take on Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Netherlands. With only two teams advancing to the semifinals, every match will carry significant importance.

Led by Harmanpreet and featuring experienced players such as Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma, the Women in Blue will be aiming to capture their first-ever ICC Women’s T20 World Cup title and add another major chapter to Indian cricket's growing success story.

Education Minister outlines roadmap to integrate sports with academics through credit-based recognition, Apaar IDs, and IIT quotas as India eyes the 2036 Olympics and Viksit Bharat 2047 goals.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has said that the National Education Policy (NEP) is transforming the way sports and education interact in India, with new measures aimed at ensuring that student-athletes can excel in both academics and competitive sports.

During a visit to Bhopal, Pradhan highlighted that the NEP is the first education policy in the country to systematically integrate sports and physical education into mainstream academic frameworks. He said the reforms would provide formal recognition to students' sporting achievements through credit-based academic systems and digital records linked to Apaar IDs.

According to the minister, athletic participation will increasingly contribute to students' academic progression, helping remove the long-standing divide between classroom learning and sports training. He also pointed to the introduction of sports quotas in the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), which would enable talented athletes to pursue higher education without compromising their sporting careers.

Pradhan linked these reforms to India's broader developmental ambitions, describing the proposed hosting of the 2036 Olympics as a significant milestone in the country's long-term growth trajectory. He said the Olympics vision aligns with India's aspiration of becoming a developed nation by 2047, the centenary year of Independence.

"The integration of education, skills and sports is essential for building a self-reliant India," he said, outlining a 20-year roadmap that combines talent development, academic excellence and sporting achievement.

During his visit, the minister toured the Madhya Pradesh State Shooting Academy along with state Sports Minister Vishwas Sarang, where he interacted with athletes, coaches and officials. He reviewed the academy's training infrastructure and discussed ways to strengthen sports ecosystems through education reforms.

Pradhan also met Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav to review the implementation of NEP initiatives, skill development programmes and digital learning projects in the state. He commended Madhya Pradesh for its efforts in higher education innovation.

The minister's visit also included participation in a Swachh Bharat cleanliness drive at Nageshwar Temple, where he called for greater public involvement in maintaining cleanliness and civic responsibility, reflecting the government's emphasis on citizen participation alongside educational and developmental reforms.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has received a wave of congratulations and praise from world leaders after achieving a historic political milestone by becoming India's longest-serving elected prime minister, with several heads of government lauding his leadership, economic vision and growing influence on the world stage.

Leading the tributes was Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who described the achievement as a reflection of the immense trust repeatedly placed in Modi by the people of India.

“Your vision of an economically dynamic India has inspired many beyond your borders, including in Sri Lanka,” Dissanayake said, while expressing gratitude for India’s support during Sri Lanka’s recent economic and political crises.

‘A Role Model for Leadership’

The praise extended far beyond South Asia.

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape hailed Modi as a “role model and an example of leadership,” emphasizing his country's desire to strengthen ties with India in the years ahead.

Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar also congratulated the Indian leader, highlighting India's rise as an influential voice on major global issues under Modi's leadership. She pointed to advancements in foreign policy, infrastructure, economic growth and broader social development as key achievements of his tenure.

India’s Growing Global Influence

Foreign leaders noted that India has significantly expanded its international profile during Modi’s years in office, emerging as one of the world's leading economies and a powerful voice in regional and global affairs.

Dissanayake said India-Sri Lanka relations had reached new heights during Modi’s tenure, driven by mutual trust, civilisational links and a shared commitment to development.

He added that securing multiple electoral mandates in a country as large and diverse as India underscored Modi’s governance capabilities and ability to deliver results.

Jaishankar Highlights Diplomatic Achievements

Joining the global tributes, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar highlighted India's expanding diplomatic footprint under Modi’s leadership.

He pointed to India's successful handling of major international crises, including evacuation missions in Ukraine, Israel and Afghanistan, as examples of the country's growing diplomatic capacity.

Jaishankar also noted that India has signed 21 mobility partnerships, creating greater employment opportunities abroad for Indian citizens, while government initiatives have helped businesses access new markets and boost exports.

According to the minister, services for the Indian diaspora have also improved significantly, with the opening of 44 new embassies and consulates worldwide, along with reforms aimed at simplifying passport services and grievance redressal systems.

A Milestone with Global Attention

As Prime Minister Modi crosses another landmark in his political journey, the flood of congratulatory messages from leaders across Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean reflects India's expanding global stature and the increasing importance of New Delhi in international affairs.

The milestone is being viewed by many observers as not just a personal achievement for Modi, but also a symbol of India's growing influence in shaping regional and global conversations in the 21st century.

Every day, millions of plastic bottles are used, discarded, and forgotten. They end up on beaches, in rivers, on roadsides, and eventually in the environment we all share. Most people know plastic pollution is a problem. The harder question is: how do you make people truly feel the scale of it? 

That was the challenge behind UnPlastic India, a campaign that started with a simple but powerful idea and grew into one of the country's most talked-about environmental movements.

A Campaign That Refused to Be Ignored

UnPlastic India first appeared as a hard-hitting print campaign in The Times of India on World Environment Day. The campaign used striking visuals and a blunt message to force readers to confront the reality of plastic pollution. The images were uncomfortable, emotional, and impossible to dismiss that they challenged people to think about the consequences of everyday plastic consumption and the damage it leaves behind long after a bottle is thrown away.

The campaign quickly gained attention across the country. In fact, it generated so much discussion that plastic bottle manufacturers reportedly filed complaints with the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), seeking to have the campaign withdrawn. The challenge did not succeed, and the conversation around plastic waste only grew stronger.

From Newspaper Pages to Real-World Change

What made UnPlastic India different was that it did not stop at awareness. The campaign evolved into a nationwide movement that encouraged people to take a 21-day pledge to reduce plastic consumption. Schools, NGOs, communities, and volunteers joined hands to organise clean-up drives and environmental activities across multiple cities. 

The message was clear that awareness alone is not enough. Real change begins when people take action. As participation increased, the campaign transformed from a media initiative into a public movement that invited ordinary citizens to become part of the solution.

Turning Plastic Waste into a Powerful Message

One of the most impactful moments of the campaign came when the plastic collected during clean-up drives was transformed into massive public installations. These structures were built using the very waste people had discarded. Among them were installations created by renowned sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik, designed to confront people with the visible consequences of plastic pollution. The message was difficult to ignore. What many people considered a small piece of litter became part of a giant visual reminder of a growing environmental crisis.

Five Lakh Voices for a Cleaner Future

The campaign struck a chord with people across India. Nearly five lakh individuals took the pledge to reduce plastic use and contribute towards a cleaner environment. The movement's impact extended beyond national borders when it was recognised and featured by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The recognition highlighted how a campaign that began with a newspaper advertisement had evolved into a large-scale environmental initiative capable of inspiring meaningful action.

Why UnPlastic India Matters

Plastic pollution is often discussed through statistics and reports, but numbers rarely create emotional change. UnPlastic India succeeded because it transformed an environmental issue into a human one. It reminded people that every discarded bottle has a destination, and every choice has a consequence.

At a time when environmental challenges continue to grow, the campaign demonstrated the power of storytelling, public participation, and collective responsibility. More importantly, it showed that when awareness is combined with action, even a simple idea can inspire hundreds of thousands of people to rethink their habits.

A Reminder That Change Starts Small

UnPlastic India is not just a story about a campaign. It is a story about how ordinary people responded when asked to care. A plastic bottle may seem insignificant in a single hand. But multiplied by millions, it becomes a crisis. In the same way, a single pledge may seem small. Yet when taken by five lakh people, it becomes a movement.

And perhaps that is the most important lesson of all: lasting environmental change does not begin with governments or organisations alone. It begins with individual choices that, together, can reshape the future.

The world, from the very beginning, is trying to find water on the moon, mars and other planets. But not every space mission has been fruitful. In the new space race, water and fuel are more valuable than gold, and India today may have found the moon’s most valuable resource– water.

Based on observations made by the Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter's Dual Frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar (DFSAR), scientists have detected radar signatures that are highly indicative of the presence of subsurface water-ice within permanently shadowed craters in the vicinity of the Moon's south pole.

The discovery is significant because the south pole of the moon is becoming the focus of the international space race. With this finding, India has come under the spotlight and might soon rewrite deep space exploration. 

Chandrayaan-2 Discovered Ice Under The Lunar Surface

PRL scientists, Ahmedabad, have studied what are called “doubly shadowed craters” which are the areas within the permanently shadowed craters where sunlight never reaches.

The interior temperatures of these craters can reach almost minus 248 degrees Celsius, which means that water-ice can persist for billions of years without evaporating.

The scientists identified signatures of subsurface ice deposits in four craters on the moon using advanced radar polarimetry data from Chandrayaan-2's DFSAR instrument. One crater within the Faustini basin exhibited particularly strong evidence such as radar reflections and surface features that could suggest the presence of ice-rich material beneath the surface.

As per official ISRO mission updates, Chandrayaan-2 orbiter is still functioning and has been performing high-resolution scientific observations of the Moon for years since its launch.

The Importance Of Water On The Moon Is Growing

Water on the Moon was considered primarily a scientific curiosity for decades. It is now considered to be one of the most valuable resources for future space missions. Water can potentially be converted into astronauts' drinking water, breathable oxygen, and rocket fuel of hydrogen.

This is referred to as In-Situ Resource Utilisation (ISRU) and could enable future lunar missions to rely less on supplies sent from Earth, significantly decreasing the cost of long-term space exploration. That is one reason why major space agencies are now focusing heavily on the Moon’s south pole. 

Moon’s South Pole is the Starting Point of New Space Race

NASA's Artemis programme will see astronauts return to the Moon and a long-term human presence near the Moon's south pole. The area is thought to be ideal because the permanently shadowed craters could contain water-ice that is accessible, and the surrounding elevated areas are exposed to near-constant sunlight for generating power from the sun.

In the 2030s, China is also stepping up its plans for future lunar explorations and a proposed International Lunar Research Station with Russia.

With countries getting ready for the next phase of lunar exploration, control of resource-rich areas of the Moon is gaining importance. In that context, the findings of Chandrayaan-2 are not only of scientific importance but also of importance to the country.

India's Growing Ambitions in the Moon

India’s lunar programme has rapidly evolved over the past decade. Following the successful soft landing of Chandrayaan-3 in 2023, ISRO has announced its plans for future missions such as Chandrayaan-4, which will be dedicated to the lunar sample return objectives and advanced exploration capabilities.

India also has long-term plans related to human spaceflight and deep space exploration. The Chandrayaan-2 discovery thus not only puts India in the lunar exploration game, but also as a nation contributing to the scientific data that can drive future lunar missions around the world.

A Quiet Scientific Success With Worldwide Impact

Scientific findings from orbiters are not as dramatic as a rocket launch or landing, but they can take years to develop. However, they can have a profound impact on how humans understand space.

The new Chandrayaan-2 results are being interpreted as a significant clue to the  possibility of the presence of a substantial amount of water-ice that can be used on the Moon. And if future missions validate these results, India's involvement may be a key factor in humanity's next chapter beyond Earth.

As the world rushes to the Moon again, Chandrayaan-2 is quietly reminding the world that India's space programme is not only reaching the Moon, it is helping to shape the future of deep-space exploration itself and making its place in history. 

Malayalam cinema legend Mammootty was conferred an honorary Doctor of Letters (DLitt) by Mahatma Gandhi University on Monday in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Indian cinema.

The honorary doctorate was presented during the university’s convocation ceremony in Kottayam by Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar. The university cited Mammootty’s unparalleled service to cinema and his lasting cultural impact as the basis for the honour.

Reacting to the recognition, the actor shared photographs from the ceremony on social media and expressed gratitude to his supporters. “Humbled to have received the Honorary DLitt from Mahatma Gandhi University today, presented by the Honourable Governor of Kerala. My gratitude to each and every one of you who stood by my side throughout this memorable journey,” he wrote.

This marks the third honorary doctorate awarded to Mammootty by a state university in Kerala. In 2010, the University of Kerala conferred a DLitt on him for his contributions to art and literature through cinema. Later the same year, the University of Calicut also honoured him for his lifelong dedication to artistic work and public service.

During his address at the convocation, Mammootty struck an emotional chord with the audience while reflecting on his journey in cinema.

“My father wanted me to become a doctor,” the actor said, adding, “but now I’ve been able to treat you, not patients, but you, through cinema for the past 45 years.”

The remark drew loud applause from the gathering, highlighting the deep emotional connection the actor shares with audiences across generations.

With a career spanning more than five decades, Mammootty has acted in over 400 films across multiple languages and genres. He has won three National Film Awards for Best Actor, jointly holding the second-highest number of wins in the category alongside Kamal Haasan and Ajay Devgn.

The Government of India announced the Padma Bhushan for Mammootty in 2026 for his contribution to cinema. He had earlier received the Padma Shri in 1998.

On the professional front, Mammootty was recently seen in the political espionage drama Patriot directed by Mahesh Narayanan. The film also marked his on-screen reunion with Mohanlal after nearly 17 years.