Football fans in India will need a Zee5 subscription to watch the live telecast of all 104 FIFA World Cup matches, which kicks off with a match between Mexico and South Africa at 12.30 am IST (Friday). Zee Entertainment, which recently secured the India broadcast rights after months of uncertainty, has unveiled dedicated World Cup streaming plans and confirmed the television channels that will carry the matches.

Zee5 is offering a special FIFA WC'26 + All Access subscription pack for the tournament, according to a release. Viewers can choose between: 3-month plan: Rs 799 (works on up to three devices); 1-year plan: Rs 1,699 (works on up to four devices). The plans include access to World Cup matches along with Zee5’s broader content library.

Fans who prefer watching on television can tune in to Zee Entertainment's newly launched sports channels: Unite8 Sports 1; Unite8 Sports 1 HD; Unite8 Sports 2 & Unite8 Sports 2 HD. All matches will be, meanwhile, available for live streaming on Zee5 through smartphones, laptops, tablets, smart TVs and other supported devices.

Despite being one of the few major football markets in Asia, India remained without a confirmed broadcaster for the tournament until recently. While China finalised its World Cup broadcast deal in May, Indian football fans had to wait until the final days before kickoff for an official announcement.  However, the match timings for pose a challenge for Indian viewers as they will be played across multiple cities and time zones in North America.

Expected start times include: Atlanta matches: 9:30 pm IST; Dallas and Houston matches: 10:30 pm IST; San Francisco, Vancouver and Monterrey matches: Up to 9:30 am IST. The opening match, both semi-finals and the final are scheduled to begin at 12:30 am IST making them late-night viewing events for football fans in India.

Meanwhile, a massive opening ceremony packed with music, culture and global entertainment will usher in the tournament and this year’s ceremonies will not follow the traditional single-city format. Instead, FIFA will launch the tournament through interconnected events in Mexico, Canada and the United States.

Shakira will headline the ceremony and perform Dai Dai, the official tournament anthem alongside Nigerian superstar Burna Boy. Colombian singer J Balvin and South African artist Tyla are also scheduled to appear.Mexico’s own music icons will play a major role as well as Alejandro Fernandez, Lila Downs, Belinda, Danny Ocean, legendary band Maná, and Los Ángeles Azules are all expected to perform during the celebration.

Canada’s ceremony in Toronto will include Alanis Morissette, Alessia Cara, Michael Bublé, Jessie Reyez, Elyanna, Vegedream, William Prince, Nora Fatehi  and Sanjoy.The United States ceremony in Los Angeles is expected to deliver a Hollywood-style production before the USA face Paraguay in its tournament opener.

India's 'Blue Tigers', whose last international fixture was a dead rubber in an AFC Asian Cup qualifier in March, have returned to English soil after 24 years — this time for a four-nation Unity Cup at The Valley, London. Later tonight, they take on Jamaica for the semi-final while the other teams in the fray are Nigeria and Zimbabwe.

The last time the senior Indian men’s team played on English soil was in 2002, also against Jamaica, when the sides met twice in friendly matches in Watford and Wolverhampton. This time around, the invitation tournament offers the team guided by Khalid Jamil a unique opportunity to test themselves against higher-ranked opposition from the opposite ends of the globe.

The winners of the semi-finals will advance to the final on 30 May while the remaining teams will contest the third-place play-off on the same day. ‘’We have selected players who performed well in the ISL. Based on that, we will continue to build the team and whoever performs well gets selected,” the head coach said. 

The Blue Tigers arrived in London on Sunday with 17 players after the withdrawal of Mohun Bagan SG players. Goalkeeper Hrithik Tiwari joined a day later while Jamil has also called up midfielder Macarton Nickson and defender Nikhil Barla, who reached the camp on Tuesday.

Forward Edmund Lalrindika, a member of the ISL champions East Bengal, felt that the tournament represents both exposure and an important benchmark for the team’s progress. “This is a very good exposure for us and a great experience. It is an opportunity to test ourselves against higher-ranked teams. We will try our best to get positive results,’’ said Lalrindika.

The 27-year-old also called on the Indian expats to rally behind the team in London. “To all the Indian fans, I hope they come in big numbers and support us,” he said. 

Currently ranked 136th in the FIFA chart, India enter the contest as underdogs against a 71st-ranked Jamaica side that came within a game of qualifying for the upcoming World Cup. The Reggae Boyz lost to DR Congo in the qualifying play-offs in March.

“It is very good for us to be here and play in this tournament,’’ said Jamil, before adding:  ‘’Jamaica are definitely a stronger team, but we will try our best to do well. It is important for us to make a good start. We are focused on the opening match. Then we will think about the next game. We want to go step by step,’’ said Jamil.

Jamaica, however, have arrived with one of the youngest squads in the competition, carrying an average age of 22.8 years. Some experienced names in the Jamaican squad include captain and defender Damion Lowe, right-back Dexter Lembikisa, defender Joel Latibeaudiere, a member of the 2017 FIFA U17 World Cup in India in England colours and midfielder Isaac Hayden.

Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal has been elected president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), becoming the youngest person to hold the position after securing an overwhelming mandate in the board's election.

The 37-year-old former opener was elected for a four-year term after receiving 73 votes from 75 councillors at the election held at the Sher-e Bangla National Stadium on Sunday. Tamim becomes the 21st president in the history of the BCB.

Tamim had already been serving as head of the board's ad hoc committee since April, when he took charge following the removal of the previous leadership after a corruption probe.

Addressing the media after his election, Tamim acknowledged the scale of the challenges facing Bangladesh cricket and indicated that structural reforms would require broad support from stakeholders.

"There are a lot of things, loopholes, and if we all agree together we will discuss them in the next AGM," Tamim said.

"This is not like a board of 12 or 13 people where one person says something and it is done. We have to deal with 1,972 councillors. So they also have to agree. But for the betterment of Bangladesh cricket, if any constitutional changes are needed, we will definitely discuss and consider them."

The former batter stressed that meaningful changes would take time, saying he was still getting acquainted with many members of the cricket administration.

"It is very new for me because I still have to mix with all these people. I may not know more than half of them. I met them for the first time. So give us some time, let us discuss, and then we will find out where improvements are needed," he said.

Tamim also pledged greater transparency and accountability in the functioning of the board.

"I hope we can be as transparent as possible. Because I am sure I do not want any of my board members to do anything that makes us controversial. From my side and from the whole board's side, we will try to act with full honesty," he added.

One of Bangladesh's most accomplished cricketers, Tamim Iqbal represented the national team for 15 years, playing 70 Tests and 243 One-Day Internationals. Widely regarded as one of Bangladesh's finest batters, he now takes charge of the country's cricket administration at a time when the board faces scrutiny over governance and structural issues.

The BCB was also in the spotlight earlier this year following a contentious dispute involving India over the omission of Mustafizur Rahman from the IPL despite securing a deal with Kolkata Knight Riders. Tamim had publicly advised against escalating tensions over the matter.

His election marks the beginning of a new chapter for Bangladesh cricket, with expectations high that the former captain will bring both administrative stability and a player's perspective to the boardroom.

With PTI inputs

Indian grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa delivered another statement victory at Norway Chess 2026, defeating world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in a classical game for the second time this year and emerging as the only player to achieve the feat in the elite tournament.

The 20-year-old's victory dealt a near-fatal blow to Carlsen's hopes of securing an eighth Norway Chess crown while keeping alive Praggnanandhaa's own bid to become the first Indian champion of the prestigious event.

With two rounds remaining, American Grandmaster Wesley So leads the standings on 14 points, followed by Alireza Firouzja on 13 and Praggnanandhaa on 12 after a crucial Round 8 triumph. Carlsen, enduring one of his most difficult campaigns in recent years, is stranded on nine points and appears out of contention.

Playing with the black pieces, Praggnanandhaa gradually outplayed the five-time world champion in a tense queen-and-bishop endgame. Although the position appeared headed for a draw, the Indian continued to apply pressure and eventually capitalised on a late mistake from Carlsen.

"It's more important for the tournament that I get this win than thinking that it's Magnus," Praggnanandhaa said after the game.

"Of course, it's great to do it against Magnus, but I think winning any game at this stage of the tournament is good."

Reflecting on the contest, he added: "I was putting pressure throughout, both on the clock and on the board. I thought Carlsen defended really well given the time trouble, and in the end it looked like it could be a draw. I've lost too many points in time trouble, so I don't mind taking some back."

The defeat marked Carlsen's third overall loss to Praggnanandhaa in classical chess, having also fallen to the Indian star during the 2024 edition of Norway Chess. It further underlined the Chennai-born grandmaster's growing status among the world's elite.

However, Praggnanandhaa dismissed suggestions that a generational shift was underway.

"He's still very good. He has around 20 world titles, so no one is even close," he said.

"I've had some good results in the past two months, but I wouldn't say it's easier to play Magnus. He is still very strong, but in this tournament, whenever he has been under time pressure, things haven't gone his way."

While Praggnanandhaa surged into title contention, reigning world champion D. Gukesh endured another disappointing outing. The Indian lost to Firouzja in a classical game, ending his title hopes and leaving him at the bottom of the six-player field on eight points.

Firouzja's victory lifted him to second place on 13 points, just one behind leader Wesley So, who defeated Germany's Vincent Keymer in an Armageddon tie-break after their classical game ended in a draw.

The ninth and penultimate round after Wednesday's rest day will see an all-Indian clash, with Praggnanandhaa taking on Gukesh with the black pieces.

In the women's event, Kazakhstan's Bibisara Assaubayeva tightened her grip on the title race with a vital classical win over Divya Deshmukh, moving to 15.5 points. China's Zhu Jiner defeated women's world champion Ju Wenjun to draw level with Divya on 10 points.

Defending champion Anna Muzychuk and Koneru Humpy shared the points in their classical game before Humpy secured the Armageddon bonus point.

With two rounds to go, Assaubayeva leads comfortably on 15.5 points, ahead of Muzychuk on 10.5, while Divya and Zhu remain tied on 10.

With PTI inputs

The manicured lawns of Mohun Bagan Club was teeming with members of Kolkata's footballing fraternity — players, media crew and admirers. Inside the tent of the historic club lay the mortal remains of Swapan Sadhan Bose, the club's long-serving former president popularly known as ‘Tutu’ Bose, as numerous VIPs — including new chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, politicians of all hues, and Sourav Ganguly — trooped in to pay their last respects.

Not the usual send-off reserved for a sports official even in this football-crazy city, but then the universal 'Tutu da' was no ordinary sports administrator. Kolkata has seen quite a few of this breed, including those who have wielded enormous clout in the cricket or football ecosystem of the country (Jagmohan Dalmiya, Biswanath Dutta), but Tutu was arguably the most colourful, with his appeal stretching across club loyalties to East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting fans as well.      

“It is with profound grief and deep sorrow that we inform you of the passing away of our very own Mohun Bagan Ratna Swapan Sadhan Bose. His immense contribution, unwavering dedication and lifelong service to Mohun Bagan Athletic Club will forever remain etched in our hearts,” read a Mohun Bagan AC Instagram post.

‘’His contribution to the club has been unparalleled. I have always shared a special relationship with him and the family,’’ remarked Ganguly, former India captain and now president of the Cricket Association of Bengal.

A local businessman and former Rajya Sabha member (2005-11) nominated by the Trinamool Congress, Tutu was admitted to a private hospital in Kolkata late on Monday, 11 May after he suffered a massive cardiac arrest, passing away on Tuesday.

Born on 23 January 1948 in Howrah, Tutu first got involved with Mohun Bagan in 1989-90 and was an integral part of the club in different administrative capacities all the way to April 2025, when he officially announced his retirement from all positions largely due to ill health.

He was secretary of the club from 1991-95 and then became president, a position he held until 2017. The long tenure saw Tutu mastermind a major policy change in the club's recruitment policy, which had until then desisted from signing up a single overseas footballer.

Famed Nigerian striker Chima Okorie was their first foreign professional in 1991, and Tutu's aggressive recruitment style saw the maroon-and-green mariners rope in I.M. Vijayan — one of India’s most gifted strikers — from Kerala Police, while Maidan folklore still talks about the way his team snatched the Krishanu Dey-Bikash Panji combination from archrivals East Bengal.

The emergence of the Indian Super League (ISL) and Mohun Bagan’s entry aided by the RP Sanjiv Goenka Group in 2014 ushered in the so-called era of corporatisation, which in a way also signalled the erosion of Tutu’s stature.

At the peak of his powers, Tutu’s famous pep talks to Mohun Bagan players ahead of the Kolkata derby against East Bengal was something which fired up the supporters as well. However, things will be different ahead of their clash in the Indian Super League on Sunday, 17 May, which could be a title-deciding one.

Go well, Tutu da. It will be difficult to get another one quite like you...

The wait was worth it for Alexander Zverev, who finally captured his first Grand Slam title at the French Open after two near misses and three appearances in major finals over the years. There will be no shortage of critics pointing to the absence of Carlos Alcaraz and the early exits of Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic as factors that eased his path. However, his five-set final against Italy's Flavio Cobolli had all the ingredients of a Roland Garros classic.

 “If anyone asks me who deserves this title, I would say you,” Cobolli told Zverev after the duel – and it was not just a manner of speaking. What has often gone under the radar is that Zverev had been a child diabetic from the age of four – Type 1 – and even the final in Paris saw him taking a timeout to check his blood sugar and inject an insulin before returning to action.

He is not the first elite sportsperson to battle the silent killer with controlled diet and fitness regimen, with former Pakistan cricketing great Wasim Akram being the most famous name in Indian sub-continent to cope with it ever since he was only 31.  Football has seen the likes of Nacho Fernandez, a Spanish international and stalwart Real Madrid defender who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at 12. Nacho, in fact, became the first player with the condition to score in a FIFA World Cup.

 Much like Akram, Zverev had been a crusader against diabetes and created a foundation to help the cause of children diagnosed with diabetes. He also joined hands with Medtronic Diabetes as their global ambassador to the champion the ‘Life without Limits’ campaign. In a signed article for Medtronic, Zverev had once said: “Becoming a professional tennis player was always my dream. Early on, I was told that competing at the highest level with diabetes was impossible — but my family and I refused to accept that. That’s why I’m partnering with Medtronic Diabetes: I want every person with diabetes to feel empowered to live the life they want.”

  In 2022, Zverev teamed up with his brother Mischa and parents, Irina and Alexander Zverev Sr., to launch the Alexander Zverev Foundation, which supports children with type 1 diabetes around the world. Zverev’s brother and parents have also played professional tennis. “Olympic champion and two-time ATP world champion Alexander Zverev launched the Alexander Zverev Foundation in 2022, based in his hometown of Hamburg. He is supported by his brother Mischa and his parents Irina and Alexandr Zverev. The foundation is mainly committed to children with type 1 diabetes. Among other things, the life-saving insulin and other essential drugs are provided – also in developing countries.”

The French Open crown was nothing short of redemption for Zverev, for long being termed as the nearly man in tennis. In the 2024 final against Alcaraz, he squandered 2-1 sets lead while back in 2020 US Open final, he famously blew a two-set lead to Dominic Thiem to eventually lose in a deciding tie-break. However, nothing could possibly match his heartbreak of the 2022 French Open semi-final when Zverev had to retire mid-match against Rafael Nadal after suffering a freak ankle injury.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 may have been branded as the ‘biggest’ of them all with 48 teams and a whopping 104 matches, but all are certainly not welcome. The rigid US visa rules — which saw a leading African referee on the panel being the latest to be denied entry — and the controversy over ticket distribution and pricing has left thousands of fans bitterly disappointed.

Close on the heels of the Iranian football team’s complaint of delays in receiving visas while its support staff, including the Iranian Football Federation chief, were denied entry came the news that FIFA had to drop Omar Artan — set to be the first Somalian referee in the showpiece — from the officials’ list.  Somalia is one of several countries on a travel ban list introduced by President Donald Trump’s administration.

In another shocking development, Iran complained on Tuesday, 9 June that FIFA has now revoked the country's share of tickets for travelling fans, which means Iranian fans cannot be present at the venues. FIFA regulations state that each federation involved in the World Cup receives 8 per cent of tickets for each of their matches to distribute to supporters.

The Iran football federation added that it had already begun selling tickets but can no longer provide them to fans, some of whom have already made travel arrangements. ''Depriving Iranian supporters of access to their lawful and official allocation of tickets is an action contrary to the spirit of governing international competitions and the principle of equality among participating countries," the statement said.

Artan, the 2025 Confederation of African Football (CAF) men’s referee of the year, was barred from entering the country at Miami International Airport and is currently in Turkey. A helpless FIFA gave in after speaking to US authorities as their statement read: ‘’FIFA can confirm that match official Omar Abdulkadir Artan will be unable to train and officiate at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after he was denied entry into the United States.’

‘’FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr Artan’s status will not be changed at present. In line with previous FIFA events, a host government ultimately determines who receives a visa and who is admitted into their country.’’

Speaking in a statement to Reuters, Artan said despite the circumstances he was in a positive mood and focused on the next challenge. ‘’I would like to thank FIFA and CAF for all their support and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrate on the future,’’ he said. ‘’I want to thank the football family for their messages and wish my colleagues all the best success during the World Cup and I look forward to joining them again in future competitions.’’

The world governing body has so far betrayed a weak-kneed attitude in terms of earning any kind of bandwidth from the US, leading many to question the logic of them wooing Trump with a peace award last December. FIFA’s greed to maximise profits from ticket sales — despite expanding the event by 16 teams at one go as well as the number of matches — has also faced a heavy flak as they introduced ‘variable pricing’ for the first time, whereby prices can fluctuate based on real or perceived demand.

Between October 2025 — when they threw open the ticket window — and April, FIFA hiked prices in at least one ticket category for 95 of the World Cup’s 104 matches: the average increase being 35 per cent. Media reports say that a Category 1 ticket to the final now costs $10,990, up from $6,730 back in October. Group-stage prices ranged from $140 in Category 3 for less important games to $890 in Category 1 (Colombia vs Portugal) and nearly $3,000 for the World Cup opener between Mexico and South Africa. 

Ticket prices, as of April, were more than twice that of equivalent tickets in Qatar 2022. FIFA boss Gianni Infantino had, on his part, justified the prohibitive pricing by calling the US a very special market when ‘’no one complains’’ about ticket prices “when you go to a concert or an NFL game”.

The huge backlash from fans worldwide has led FIFA to a damage control measure of alloting $60 tickets for around 1,000 supporters per match. This is, of course, a drop in the ocean as many were still left staring at prices far beyond any they’d ever seen — while FIFA continued to defend its pricing as a reflection of “existing market practice for major entertainment and sporting events” in North America.

The run-up to World Cups has often not been smooth — be it reports of human rights abuse in Qatar in 2022 or public outrage about extravagance on the eve of Rio 2014. However, when the 'Big Brother' hosts an event of this magnitude, one expects better.

Former Mohun Bagan Super Giant president Swapan Sadhan Bose, fondly known as “Tutu Babu” in Kolkata’s Maidan circles, died late Tuesday night after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was 79.

One of the most influential football administrators in Indian football history, Bose had been undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Kolkata for multiple health complications. According to family sources, he breathed his last around 11.45 pm.

Bose is survived by his sons, Srinjay and Soumik Bose. Srinjay currently serves as secretary of Mohun Bagan.

His mortal remains will be kept at the Mohun Bagan club tent on Wednesday to allow fans, former players and sports lovers to pay their final respects. The cremation is scheduled for 4.30 pm later in the day.

“It is with deepest sorrow that we announce the passing of Tutu Bose. He was the best father and grandfather one could ever have, a remarkable administrator, and the strongest pillar of support for everyone around him. A true banyan tree in our lives,” his grandson Arinjoy Bose wrote in a Facebook post.

Known for his administrative acumen and strong influence in Kolkata football, Bose played a defining role in shaping Mohun Bagan’s modern identity. Over a career spanning more than three decades, he served the club in multiple capacities, including secretary and president, becoming synonymous with the green-and-maroon institution.

During his tenure, the club navigated several financial and administrative crises while also embracing transformative changes that altered the landscape of Indian football. Bose was instrumental in opening the doors for foreign footballers at Mohun Bagan, breaking the club’s century-old tradition of fielding only Indian players.

One of the landmark decisions under his administration was the signing of Nigerian striker Chima Okorie, who went on to become one of the most iconic foreign footballers in Indian football history after being brought in from arch-rivals East Bengal FC.

Bose had risen to prominence in Mohun Bagan administration after defeating veteran administrator Dhiren De in a closely watched club election, eventually emerging as one of the most powerful figures in the Maidan.

He also played a key role in the merger of Mohun Bagan with ATK Mohun Bagan FC — formerly ATK or Atletico de Kolkata — in 2020, ushering in a new corporate era for the club and helping it transition into the Indian Super League age.

Tributes poured in from across the Indian football fraternity, with former players, club officials and supporters remembering Bose as a visionary administrator who left an indelible mark on the sport in the country.

With PTI inputs

The Norway Chess 2026 title will remain a major signpost in R. Praggnanandhaa’s short but stellar career. Not only did the 20-year-old make history to become the first Indian to win the Classical event, he did so in the seemingly invincible Magnus Carlsen’s backyard by beating him twice during the tournament, as well as turned the tables on reigning world champion D. Gukesh.

When he sealed the title with a must-win game in the final round against German grandmaster Vincent Keymer on Friday, 5 June, it capped a rally which saw him win four games in a row in the 10-round event after losing two on the trot. The three other crucial wins came against Alireza Firouzja, Carlsen and Gukesh over the last four days.

After his victory over compatriot Gukesh on Thursday, Praggnanandhaa summed up his reaction on clawing back from the bottom of the table. “I’m happy that I’m still in the race because three days back, I was fighting for the last spot,” Pragg had said. “And now I have a chance at fighting. So I’ll take it,” he said as he kept his date with the first title of the year.

The Gukesh victory was, admittedly, one of the standout moments for Pragg in what has been an extraordinary campaign. “Quite proud about this game (versus Gukesh) honestly, because this is how I usually lose to him. He does some weird creative stuff. I end up overthinking and somehow doing something myself and losing. I thought I managed my time well and I was also calculating well. So I thought it was a good game overall,” he said in a post-game interview on Norway Chess’ official broadcast.

“I felt I played well in this tournament There were a couple of positions I could have probably… even the game against Gukesh, when I was playing with white, I was just winning, I outplayed him and then I messed up in time trouble. So there were few games where I could have converted and could have had more points. I thought I was playing well. I just had to try and keep some time in reserve,” added the Indian chess hero.

The 2026 edition marked the tournament’s 14th year, with Oslo stepping up as host for the first time since the high-profile tournament’s inception in the city of Stavanger. It had been a flagship tournament for Carlsen, with this year's venue barely 10 km from the world no. 1's residence.

Indian hurdler Tejas Shirse produced a career-defining performance at the Indian Athletics Series 9 in Ludhiana on Saturday, breaking the national record in the men's 110m hurdles and comfortably achieving the Athletics Federation of India's qualification standard for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

The 24-year-old clocked an impressive 13.27 seconds to better his previous national record of 13.41 seconds, which he had set in 2024. The timing also placed him well inside the Commonwealth Games qualification benchmark of 13.39 seconds, significantly strengthening his chances of earning a place in India's squad for the multi-sport event.

Competing in the B final, Shirse made a blistering start and established control of the race from the opening hurdles. Despite making contact with the final barrier, he maintained his rhythm and crossed the finish line well ahead of the field. Krishik M finished second in 13.55 seconds.

The performance marked a major improvement on Shirse's gold medal-winning run of 13.50 seconds at the Federation Cup in Ranchi last month and underlined his growing stature in Asian athletics. His latest effort places him among the continent's leading hurdlers this season.

The result also carries historical significance. If selected for the Commonwealth Games, Shirse would become the first Indian male athlete to compete in the 110m hurdles at the event since Siddharth Thingalaya represented the country in 2014.

While Shirse celebrated a breakthrough moment, the day proved disappointing for national 800m record holder Mohammad Afsal P. The middle-distance runner finished with a time of 1:47.00, falling short of the 1:45.00 qualification requirement and leaving his Commonwealth Games hopes hanging by a thread.

Attention later turned to the men's javelin throw competition, where several athletes were looking to achieve qualification standards amid the absence of some of India's leading names. World Championships finalist Sachin Yadav remains sidelined with an elbow injury, while two-time Olympic medallist Neeraj Chopra is continuing his recovery programme.

In their absence, throwers such as Rohit Yadav, Shivam Lohakare and Kishore Kumar Jena were among those seeking to impress selectors as competition for places in the national team intensifies ahead of next year's Commonwealth Games.

With IANS inputs

In Kolkata’s social circles, she may have been referred to as Leander Paes’ mother in recent years, but Jennifer Paes — who passed away at 72 on Sunday, 17 May — was much more than that. Captain of the Indian women’s basketball team in the 1970s and early ‘80s, Jennifer was reported to be suffering from cancer for a number of years and had moved away from public life.

The memorial service, performed at St Thomas Church in Kolkata, had the Paes family in attendance — including Jennifer's Olympic medallist tennis icon son Leander, now a BJP member based in the city of his birth. It has been a double blow for Leander and his sisters Jackie and Maria as they lost father and Olympian Dr Vece Paes only in August last year.

Paying a brief visit at the service was Bengal’s new chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, who also put out an X post for convey his condolences. ‘’Deeply saddened by the passing away of Smt. Jennifer Paes; Mother of Indian Tennis legend Leander Paes. A former captain of the Indian Basketball team & Olympian, her immense contribution to Indian Sports and her legacy will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to Leander Paes and the entire family in this hour of grief. Praying for strength to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss. May her Soul rest in Eternal Peace.’’

There is, however, a factual inaccuracy that has often circulated about Jennifer being part of the Indian women’s basketball team at the 1972 Munich Olympics alongside Vece Paes, who a member of the bronze medallist men’s hockey team. Records say women’s basketball was introduced in the Olympics only in 1976, so it would not have been possible for Jennifer to be part of the 1972 contingent. Oldtimers like hockey legend Gurbux Singh, now 91, feels Jennifer could have visited the Olympics as Dr Paes’ wife.

However, Jennifer led the country in the 1980-82 Asian Basketball Championship and was a long-time stalwart of the sport, apart from being an inspiring figure at the West Bengal Basketball Association (WBBA) courts at the Kolkata maidan for years.

Born Jennifer Dutton, Jennifer was a descendant of legendary and iconoclastic Bengali poet Michael Madhusudan Dutt, a fact made famous by Leander later. Though Dr Paes and Jennifer separated when the children were very young, the Paes family remains a unique chapter in the country’s history of sporting families. During several interviews, Leander has often spoken about acquiring his DNA from his sporting parents.