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My commitment is to keep my game up to date and relevant: Pardeep Narwal

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Pardeep-Narwal

Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) star raider Pardeep Narwal said that his responsibility has been to be up to date and relevant in the game. Ahead of the PKL auctions, Narwal has been released by Patna Pirates, his team for the last five seasons.

“I believe every day is a new learning day, and there is always scope of improvement. I have continuously evolved my techniques and skills, and that is something I continue to do. How differently can I raid? How can I keep the opponent defenders on their toes? How competitive can I get — these are the things I have always looked for answers to. My commitment is to keep my game up to date and relevant,” said Narwal in an interview with IANS.

The eighth season of the Pro Kabaddi League will return in December after a long break enforced by COVID-19. Though Patna Pirates can get him back by using the Final Bid Match card, Narwal is excited about being in the auctions.

“It has been a great stint with the Patna Pirates, and I have learned a lot under the guidance of the coach and management. I am looking forward to the auction, and positive that I will return in Season 8 with the same enthusiasm and excitement”

Narwal, the two-time MVP, has been touted to trigger a fierce war for the highest bid ever in the auction. With so much pressure on him, Narwal speaks about how he keeps his calm on the mat.

“A raider needs to have a good presence of mind and quick thinking. When I step in to raid, I am always calm. Getting paranoid never helps me. My concentration is to make sure I use the right skill and techniques against the defender and come back safe into my half-court.”

The lockdown due to the virus caused problems for many people. But Narwal ensured he maintained his fitness and kept the motivation high in times of uncertainty.

“My training consisted of strength training, high jumps, running, and meditation. Despite the pandemic, I made sure to exercise daily and maintain my fitness. At home, we tend to eat and not exercise. I made it a point to exercise daily at least for an hour. As a kabaddi player, fitness is extremely important to make sure our body is agile and receives correct nutrition.

“Motivation has always been to continue playing kabaddi, for which I needed to always stay fit. Pro Kabaddi League is returning, and I am looking forward to getting back on the mat. The training, exercising and all the hard work will be seen on the mat very soon.”

Known for his ‘dubki’ move, where the raider ducks low to evade defenders, Narwal says he will bring the famous move to the mat. “I try to ‘dubki’ daily. You will soon see me ‘dubki’ on the mat.”

With sporting events happening in bio-bubbles, Narwal feels blessed about playing the sport in a safe environment. Asked about his target for the season, Narwal said, “PKL returning with Season 8 is a benchmark for all indoor sports and leagues. I am blessed to have this platform where I get to showcase my talent and play kabaddi. My goal is to continue to play the sport I have always loved and try new skills and techniques. I am currently at 1160 raid points. I am looking forward to break my own record this season.”

The Star Sports Network and Disney+ Hotstar will air the PKL Season 8 auctions live on August 30 at 6:30 pm.

health

Tobacco is not just addiction but poison: Delhi Speaker Vijender Gupta leads walkathon on World No-Tobacco Day in Rohini

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New Delhi, May 31: On the occasion of World No-Tobacco Day, Delhi’s Rohini area witnessed a strong show of public awareness and health advocacy through a walkathon organised to spread the message against tobacco consumption.

The event, themed ‘Walk for Life’, brought together medical professionals, civic leaders, and local residents in a collective stand against the harmful effects of tobacco.

Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta, who flagged off the walkathon, delivered a powerful message on the dangers of tobacco. “Tobacco is not just an addiction; it’s a poison,” he said, addressing the gathering. “It is a dangerous habit that ruins lives, and the only effective way to combat it is through sustained awareness and education,” he added.

Organised by the Indian Medical Association in collaboration with the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre, the event saw enthusiastic participation from doctors, healthcare workers, and members of the public.

The walkathon aimed to raise awareness, especially among the youth, about the health risks associated with tobacco, including its direct link to life-threatening diseases like cancer.

“The younger generation often views smoking and tobacco use as fashionable, but we must help them understand the long-term consequences,” Gupta added, urging collective efforts to curb the rising trend of tobacco use among the youth.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Sudhir Rawal, Medical Director at the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute, emphasised the medical impact: “Tobacco is one of the main avoidable causes of cancer. If you don’t use tobacco, you significantly reduce your risk of developing cancer, especially lung and mouth cancer.”

The event also featured health-themed activities, including group exercises and educational talks, to create a more engaging and impactful experience for participants.

As part of a broader initiative across the country, the Rohini walkathon served as a crucial reminder of the importance of quitting tobacco and promoting healthier, smoke-free lives.

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SpaceX’s Starship fails 3rd time, Musk blames fuel leak as megarocket explodes

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New Delhi, May 28: Even as SpaceX’s Starship flight exploded during splashdown on its ninth test on Wednesday, the company’s founder Elon Musk blamed it on fuel leaks.

This is the third time in a row that Starship flight has faced issues during the test flight. The company’s last two test flights — the seventh (January) and eighth (March) test flight — also ended prematurely with the destruction of the aircraft.

The ninth test flight of Starship — which blasted off at about 7:36 p.m. EDT (5:06 am IST) from the company’s Starbase launch site in Texas — successfully reached orbit, flying farther than on its two previous attempts.

However, the spacecraft’s payload bay door failed to open, preventing the planned release of simulated Starlink satellites. Around 30 minutes into the mission, SpaceX confirmed a fuel tank leak aboard the vehicle.

The first-stage Super Heavy booster exploded shortly before its expected splashdown, and live video showed the upper-stage vehicle spinning uncontrollably before its planned re-entry through Earth’s atmosphere, due to fuel leaks.

“Leaks caused loss of main tank pressure during the coast and re-entry phase,” Musk shared in a post on his social media platform X.

“Contact with the booster was lost shortly after the start of the landing burn when it experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly approximately 6 minutes after launch, bringing an end to the first reflight of a Super Heavy booster,” SpaceX said in a statement.

However, Musk called the flight an achievement and noted that there had been no loss to the heat shield tiles.

“Starship made it to the scheduled ship engine cutoff, so big improvement over the last flight! Also, no significant loss of heat shield tiles during ascent. Lot of good data to review,” Musk said.

SpaceX noted that the company “will continue to review data and work toward our next flight test”.

Standing 403 feet (123 meters) tall, Starship and heavy booster — the world’s biggest and most powerful rocket system. It will launch the moon lander for NASA’s Artemis 3 mission that aims to land astronauts on the Moon by 2026.

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‘Nothing wrong in renaming Ramanagara’: Abu Azmi backs Karnataka govt

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New Delhi, May 24: Backing the Karnataka government’s decision to rename Ramanagara district as ‘Bengaluru South’, SP Maharashtra chief Abu Asim Azmi said there was “nothing wrong” with the move and took a swipe at name changes in Uttar Pradesh, alleging that only Muslim names were being deliberately altered in the northern state.

“There is no hate in this name. In UP and other places, including Maharashtra, Muslim names were deliberately changed. If Karnataka has renamed Ramanagara to Bengaluru South, what’s wrong with it? Many names have been changed similarly in Mumbai without targeting any particular religion. I don’t think this is anything different,” Azmi told Media.

Azmi’s remarks came shortly after the Karnataka government formally issued a notification renaming Ramanagara district to ‘Bengaluru South’. The state’s Revenue Department said Ramanagara city will continue to serve as the district headquarters under the new name.

Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D K Shivakumar confirmed the decision, stating that it was made following due process. “Ramanagara city will remain the headquarters of the district. The Cabinet has decided to rename it as Bengaluru South district from today,” he told reporters after a cabinet meeting.

However, the decision sparked controversy, with Union Minister and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy strongly opposing the move. He has vowed to reverse the decision if the opportunity arises.

The renaming has been seen by some as a strategic political step to integrate Ramanagara more closely with the capital’s administrative and economic structure.

Speaking on all-party delegations’ global outreach against Pakistan-backed terrorism, Azmi said, “It’s a good initiative, people should know the truth about Pakistan sheltering terrorism, and not giving up on supporting them even after several warnings.”

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