News Broadcasting
DD Sports to air Commonwealth Chess highlights
MUMBAI: DD Sports will have a 25 minute highlight package of The Commonwealth Chess Championship every night. The event takes place at Hotel Mirador in the suburb of Andheri from 10 – 19 January.
25 grandmasters and 50 International Masters will participate from 15 countries including Vietnam, Ukraine, Russia.
In addition to the pubcaster’s coverage, live online coverage will be available at Venus chess Academies website. Along with the Commonwealth Chess Championship, the International Open Chess tournament will also take place. The Gold medallist gets Rs 300,000, the silver medallist Rs 200,000 and the Bronze winner takes home Rs 100,000. The top seed is Britains super Grandmaster Nigel Short. The second seed is Indias K Sasikiran. In the womans section, grandmaster S. Vijaylaxmi will battle it out with Koneru Humpy for the crown.
The event is being staged at a cost of Rs six million. The sponsors include MTNL. Addressing the media last evening Short said, “I last participated in a Commonwealth tournament in 1985. While the draw is a strong one there is nobody that really strikes me with terror. India is not a developing chess nation but a developed one. What youll need to do is hold international tournaments at regular intervals so that the young players get exposed to the Grandmasters and make their way up. India has a good chance of a medal at this years Chess Olympiad.”
Short also said that he was not in favour of Chess being a part of the Olympic Games.”I am a purist to a certain extent. Chess is the ultimate mind sport. When it becomes a small event in the grand scheme of things it gets lost easily.”
News Broadcasting
Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
