Sports
Fazza Dubai Para-badminton: Bhagat, Dhillon, Joshi, Parmar storm into semis

Paralympic gold medallist Pramod Bhagat had to dig deep to defeat fellow junior Nehal Gupta as Indian shuttlers maintained a strong show entering the semi-finals of several events at the ongoing 4th Fazza Dubai Para-badminton International 2022 here.
Bhagat, who won two gold medals at the recent Bahrain Para-badminton International 2022, had to come back from a game down to beat Gupta 18-21, 21-15, 21-11 and admitted to having taken time to get to adjust to the game.
“I took time to get my rhythm in the match. By that time, Nehal started playing well. He is improving fast and is highly skilled. He has a bright future,” said Bhagat, who will next face Daisuke Fujihara, the Paralympic bronze medallist in mixed doubles, from Japan.
Gupta said he would take a lot of learning experience from the match and the event. “I made a lot of errors and lifted the shuttle midcourt most of the time. But I am happy to have fought back and pulled off a game,” said the 17-year-old who is believed to be the next big thing in men’s singles SL3 emerging from India.
Gupta now aims to bring variation to his game and improve his physical strength.
In men’s singles SL4, Tarun Dhillon also advanced to the semifinals and is expected to meet Indonesian Fredy Setiawan in the finals.
Dhillon overcame a second game scare from Korea’s Cho Nadan to advance 21-15, 20-22, 21-14 in the quarters. The Haryana-based shuttler also entered the men’s doubles SL3-SL4 semifinals with partner Nitesh Kumar.
Joshi, Parmar, Ramadass, Kaur in semis too
The women’s SL3 semifinal lineup has three Indians with reigning world champion Manasi Joshi set to face Australia’s Celine Aurelie Vinot while Mandeep Kaur meets experienced Parul Parmar in the other semifinal.
Joshi is also through to the mixed doubles SL3-SU5 semifinal with partner Ruthick Ragupathi after they pulled off a come from behind win over the new pairing of Bhagat and Manisha Ramadass 21-12, 16-21, 19-21. “We are very happy. As we are also a relatively new pair, I didn’t expect to come this far. Our coordination and understanding are the best things in our partnership.”
Meanwhile, Parmar along with Palak Kohli has also advanced to the women’s doubles SL3-SU5 semi-finals. Manisha had an easy opponent in Italy and she made the most of it, defeating the Italian Rosa Efomo De Marco in straight Games 21-17, 21-11.
The young Indian shuttler will be fighting it out for a place in the finals of women’s doubles SL3-SU5 with Mandeep Kaur. The semi-finals will be played later this evening.
Crime
Two Held With ₹68 Lakh Cash Near India-Myanmar Border In Mizoram; Heroin Worth ₹78 Lakh Seized

Aizawl: Two persons were arrested with Rs 68 lakh in cash near the India-Myanmar border in east Mizoram’s Champhai district, officials said on Thursday.
Acting on a tip-off, the Assam Rifles intercepted a vehicle at Zote village on August 11, they said.
Upon thorough checking, Rs 60 lakh in cash was recovered from two persons in the vehicle.
The duo, identified as Joseph Lalthansanga and Vanlalruati, could not state any proper reason why they were carrying such a huge amount of cash. They were subsequently handed over to the police for legal action, officials said.
In another operation, the Assam Rifles recovered 94.6 gram of heroin, worth Rs 78 lakh, from the village on Wednesday.
The drugs were handed over to the Excise and Narcotics Department, officials said.
National
India’s AI Tech Spending Projected To Reach Rs. 92 Thousand Crore By 2028: Report

India’s AI technology spending is projected to grow at an annualised rate of 38 per cent from 2023 to reach $10.4 billion (approximately Rs. 92 thousand crore) in 2028, a report said on Thursday.
Around 40 per cent of organisations in India have already implemented agentic AI, and close to 50 per cent are planning to use the technology within the next 12 months, IDC InfoBrief and UiPath said in a joint report.
In 2025, AI investments are focused on building the foundational infrastructure required to power transformative, high-value use cases.
According to the report, the adoption is surging, fueled by a tech-savvy workforce, expanding digital infrastructure, and government-backed initiatives.
Organisations’ spending on enterprise automation, multilingual AI models, and agentic deployments is driving this momentum further.
The benefits are already visible, as 80 per cent of Indian companies say agentic AI boosts productivity, while 73 per cent say it improves decision-making, the report said.
According to the report, agentic AI is gaining strong traction across the manufacturing, retail and wholesale, healthcare, and life sciences industries, which heavily rely on data and repetitive decision-making cycles.
“Agentic automation is rapidly redefining business operations across India. While enterprises in this region are embracing the full potential of AI agents to streamline workflows and autonomously execute complex business processes, trust and security remain barriers to widespread implementation,” said DebDeep Sengupta, Area Vice President, South Asia, UiPath.
Our agentic automation platform directly addresses these challenges, breaking down barriers to enterprise AI adoption by enhancing security and compliance, improving accuracy and reliability for agentic outcomes, Sengupta added.
About 69 per cent of Indian organisations are using agentic AI to enhance productivity, 59 per cent to drive personalised customer engagement, while 57 per cent apply it to risk and fraud detection, highlighting how agentic AI is being applied across front and back-office functions, the report highlighted.
“Becoming an AI-fueled business is no longer an option in today’s unpredictable climate. For many organisations, it’s fast becoming a strategic necessity,” said Deepika Giri, Associate Vice President, IDC Asia/Pacific.
Across the region, organisations are embracing agentic AI and agentic automation at scale, Giri added.
Maharashtra
MUMBAI’S CRICKET MUSEUM SET TO OPEN SOON

The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) is pleased to announce the upcoming inauguration of the MCA Sharad Pawar Cricket Museum in the second half of August 2025. Located at the iconic Wankhede Stadium, the museum is a tribute to Mumbai’s rich cricketing heritage and the legendary figures who have shaped its success.
At the museum’s entrance, visitors will be welcomed by life-size statues of Shri Sharad Pawar and cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar who remains one of Mumbai’s and India’s most iconic sporting figures. Gavaskar’s statue, in particular, stands as a symbol of excellence and dedication that will inspire aspiring young cricketers for generations to come.
The highlight of the museum is a priceless collection of rare and iconic memorabilia donated by Mumbai’s legendary cricketers. These historic items reflect the deep-rooted legacy of Mumbai cricket and its contribution to Indian and world cricket.
The museum also features a cutting-edge audio-visual experience centre, bringing to life the stories, milestones, and memorable moments of Mumbai’s cricketing journey.
“The MCA Sharad Pawar Cricket Museum is our heartfelt tribute to the stalwarts of Mumbai cricket and a testament to the visionary leadership of Shri Sharad Pawar. This museum stands as a living chronicle of Mumbai cricket’s unparalleled legacy, dedicated to preserving its rich history and inspiring future generations.
The statue of Shri Sunil Gavaskar, one of India’s greatest cricketing legends, will serve as a powerful symbol of excellence and determination. His monumental contributions to Indian and Mumbai cricket will continue to motivate young cricketers to dream big and aim high,” said MCA President Shri Ajinkya Naik.
“The MCA invites all cricket lovers and the public to visit and experience this one-of-a-kind tribute to Mumbai cricket” said Shri Abhay Hadap, Secretary MCA.
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