National News
Sport is one area where there’s no bias or reservation based on caste or age: Shashank Singh
New Delhi, Sep 18: Punjab Kings cricketer Shashank Singh shared what keeps him motivated and energised during tense moments, as well as how he manages disappointing situations. He was last seen on the field during the IPL 2025 final in Ahmedabad, where his team finished runners-up as Royal Challengers Bengaluru claimed their first trophy.
Shashank was very vocal about his aspirations and mentioned how his dream to represent India at the biggest stage keeps him motivated to do well. He spoke about his journey and growth over the years, and how his family played a key role in shaping his career as a cricketer.
“While my family has always been supportive, many others have also backed me throughout my career. All my coaches who have taught and trained me so far, as well as my teammates, have also played a part. However, my mum, dad, and sister have been the biggest supporters, and a lot of credit goes to them,” Shashank told IANS in an exclusive interview.
“Looking back on my journey, I started playing for MP, then we moved to Bombay, and later I returned to Chhattisgarh. Eventually, I began gaining recognition in the IPL. It’s been a long journey, and like every other cricketer, I faced many ups and downs. But I believe I have overcome them all, and I am currently in the right zone.
“My dream of representing the Indian national team is something I believe I am very close to achieving. I am working hard because cricket is all about dedication and discipline, and I feel I am on the right path,” he added.
Despite his impressive numbers in domestic cricket, the PBKS batter has not managed to break into the national side. Speaking on what might have went wrong, Shashank stated, “My job is to deliver good performances and assist the team in winning. That has always been my motivation, to lead the team to victory. I cannot concentrate solely on my individual performance and the runs I score in each game, because cricket is a team sport. Ultimately, it matters how many matches I have helped the team win.”
“To be very honest, I don’t know why I’m not a part of the national side yet. I don’t have an answer to that. I think I’m trying to tick all those required boxes at the highest level, at the domestic level, at any level I play cricket, where I learn and improve my game as a player.”
Shashank highlighted the importance of winning trophies in domestic cricket, adding, “If you ask me what’s going wrong or the missing link, I think it might be because my state hasn’t won any championships yet. Players from other states have a championship title to their name, whether it’s the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the Ranji Trophy, or the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy; they win matches. I believe that helps them gain recognition at the highest level.
“My team doesn’t have trophies yet, so there might be a 1% chance that’s the reason. But besides that, I don’t think I lack any attribute needed to represent India at the highest level. I have the qualities that an Indian player must possess, and I hope that dream turns into reality soon.”
Even after impressive performances at the IPL for Punjab Kings over the years, Shashank hasn’t found his name in the Indian squad. When asked if that affects him mentally, he said, “Obviously, I get disappointed. I think about the reasons and details for a few days and then move on. It’s ultimately up to me how I perceive it, and my job is to perform well and help the team win. All you can do is follow the schedule and train properly, hoping to achieve the end goal. I am following the same process instead of banging my head and wondering why things didn’t fall into place. That’s beyond my control.”
When asked how he copes with the pressure and disappointments, the Chattisgarh cricketer added, “It’s essential to stay strong mentally. Firstly, you should be grateful that you’re playing cricket at a high level in a country where the competition is fierce. That’s always a motivating factor. I’m not the first person to be here, nor will I be the last. Many have rightfully had their chance when they deserved it, and many will have in the future. You must always have belief. I’ll never say that I’ve always been talented. I worked hard to get here, and I believe in myself that I can do it. I always think I’m the best when I step onto the ground, and that always motivates me to keep improving every day.
The 33-year-old believes that age doesn’t matter if a cricketer’s statistics show their true ability. He feels that selection depends on a player’s merit, and that age cannot prevent anyone from reaching greatness.
“Sport is one area where there’s no bias or reservation based on caste or age. Selection is solely on merit. If I’m hitting the world’s best bowlers for fours and sixes, running from long on to long off while fielding, being quick between the wickets, and proving to be an asset for the team, then I believe no force can prevent me from playing cricket at the highest level,” he said.
“Age is nothing. People say age is just a number, but for me, it’s irrelevant and doesn’t matter. There are numerous examples of players and athletes continuing to perform beyond a certain age and dominating the sport. If I’m playing fast bowlers who bowl at a pace of 160 and not fearing them and performing well across departments, then I don’t think age will play a role. If you’re putting up stand-out performances and your stats do the talking, then age is literally nothing,” he concluded.
Mumbai Press Exclusive News
Navneet Rana meets Sunitra Pawar… Is BJP preparing to send Navneet to Rajya Sabha from NCP quota, NCP senior leaders are angry

Mumbai : BJP leader Naveen Rana’s meeting with Nationalist Congress Party president Sunitra Pawar has sparked fresh debate in political circles. There are speculations that the meeting was held to deliberate on the Rajya Sabha seat that fell vacant after Sunitra Pawar resigned as an MP. After Vikram Kakde, who is outside the party, was nominated for the Pune Local Authority constituency of the Legislative Council, preparations are being made to send Naveen Rana, who has now joined the BJP, to the Rajya Sabha, a debate that has angered several senior leaders in the NCP.
Rajya Sabha seat: Chhagan Bhujbal is interested Senior party leader Chhagan Bhujbal is interested in this Rajya Sabha seat. However, after the discussion of Navneet Rana’s name started, an open discussion has started that the influence of MP Partha Pawar’s group on the decision-making process in the party has increased. It is also being said that Praful Patel is not very active in the party after his name was removed from the post of National Executive President. It is also being said that Sunil Tatkre is also angry and the number of angry leaders in the party is increasing. The last date for filing nominations for this Rajya Sabha seat is June 8, so various leaders in the party have started lobbying for this seat and efforts to get nomination are going on rapidly. After all, the focus of political circles is on who will give the party a candidate.
Navneet Rana, who was elected as an independent candidate with the support of the Nationalist Congress Party in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, joined the BJP in 2024. However, there are talks about her political revival after her defeat in the Lok Sabha elections. It is also said that she has recently contacted some senior BJP leaders. However, it is known that she was advised to contact them because the vacant Rajya Sabha seat is in the NCP quota. It is believed that she met Sunita Pawar only after that.
Elections have been announced for 24 vacant Rajya Sabha seats and by-elections. This includes 4-4 from Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Karnataka, 3-3 from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, 2 from Jharkhand and one each from Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram. Apart from this, by-elections for one seat each from Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu will also be held on the same day. Voting will be held on June 18 and the results will be announced on the same day. Meanwhile, there is an important development. It is being told that former MP Naveen Rana is trying to get the Rajya Sabha nomination. The Rajya Sabha nomination from the Nationalist Congress Party quota will be announced soon. For this, Naveen Rana met Sunita Pawar and Partha Pawar on Wednesday. Yesterday, Naveen Rana and Ravi Rana also met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Therefore, it is being said that an attempt is being made to nominate Navneet Rana on the NCP quota seat. However, will Navneet Rana give up his quota seat for the NCP? This is also a question. So, will this meeting result in Navneet Rana being nominated in place of Sunitra Pawar? This will become clear in the coming days.
Rajya Sabha Seat: Amul Matkari’s social media post is under discussion, Amul Matkari has posted in this regard and said that the vacant Rajya Sabha seat of Smt. Sunitra Vahini belongs only to NCP! No one else should claim this and put up a front. The name of the NCP party is “Ajit Dada”. Therefore, the decision taken by Smt. will be final. This party is a party that is under the sway of Ajit Dada. That’s all for now.
Crime
CBI court sentences firm partner to three years RI in Rs 4 crore bank fraud case

Chandigarh, June 5: A Special CBI Court in Mohali, Punjab, has convicted and sentenced Samir Dua, a partner of M/s G.D. Ispat Udyog, Mandi Gobindgarh, to three years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) along with a fine of Rs 15,000 in connection with a multi-crore bank fraud case, an official statement said on Friday.
The sentence was pronounced on June 4, following the conclusion of trial proceedings in the case investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
According to the CBI, the case was registered against Dalip Dua and Samir Dua, partners of M/s G.D. Ispat Udyog, along with other accused, for allegedly entering into a criminal conspiracy to defraud Indian Overseas Bank’s Mandi Gobindgarh branch in Punjab.
The investigation revealed that the accused had fraudulently secured a cash credit limit of Rs 4 crore from the bank by submitting false and fabricated information and documents.
The loan facility was allegedly obtained through misrepresentation, causing a wrongful loss to the bank and corresponding unlawful gain to the accused, the agency said.
Following a detailed investigation, the CBI filed a charge sheet against the accused persons before the competent court. During the trial, the prosecution presented evidence establishing the fraudulent nature of the transactions and the conspiracy behind obtaining the credit facility.
After examining the evidence and hearing the arguments, the Special CBI Court found Samir Dua guilty and sentenced him to three years of rigorous imprisonment. The court also imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 15,000.
Proceedings against co-accused Dalip Dua were abated due to his death during the pendency of the case.
The conviction marks the culmination of the CBI’s investigation into the bank fraud, underscoring the agency’s efforts to prosecute financial crimes and hold those responsible for defrauding public sector banks accountable.
National News
Rahul Gandhi, Kharge condole loss of lives in Malviya Nagar blaze; ask Cong workers to extend help

New Delhi, June 3: Congress leaders, including party President Mallikarjun Kharge, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi and party MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, on Wednesday, expressed grief over the 20 lives lost in the tragic Delhi fire, calling the tragedy “extremely heartbreaking”. They also appealed to Congress leaders and workers to extend every possible help and support to the victims injured in the blaze and the families of the deceased.
At least 20 people were killed, and dozens were injured after a massive fire broke out at the multi-storied Lemon Green Restaurant in Malviya Nagar on Wednesday morning, officials said.
So far, 37 people were rescued and taken to the hospital, while a search for others is underway, officials added.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said he was “deeply saddened” by the news.
“My heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their loved ones and prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured,” he said in a post on X.
He urged the Delhi government and authorities to provide adequate and timely compensation, “including prompt medical care to the victims”.
“I urge Congress workers to extend every possible help and support to the victims in this difficult time,” he added.
LoP Rahul Gandhi called the incident “extremely heartbreaking.”
Taking to X, he said: “I express my deepest condolences to all the bereaved families. I urge all Congress workers to contribute in every possible way to the relief and rescue operations.”
“I hope for the swift recovery of the injured,” Rahul Gandhi mentioned.
Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra echoed: “The news of the deaths of a large number of people and injuries to nearly three dozen or more due to a fire in a hotel in Malviya Nagar, Delhi, is extremely heartbreaking.”
“May God grant peace to the departed souls. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. I pray for the swift recovery of the injured,” she wrote in a post on X.
She, too, appealed to Congress leaders and workers to extend their support to the affected people as much as possible.
Senior officials from Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Services and rescue services are present at the scene of the tragedy and were monitoring the situation.
Upon receiving information, ten fire tenders were immediately dispatched to the scene. The fire was soon brought under control. However, the damage was extensive.
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