MAM
From districts to dreams as Bengal Super League kicks off in Malda
MUMBAI: When football leaves the metropolis and heads to the districts, something shifts. In Malda, the whistle that opened the Bengal Super League did more than start a match, it signalled a new chapter for grassroots football in West Bengal.
Shrachi Sports formally inaugurated the first edition of the Bengal Super League (BSL) at the District Sports Association Stadium in Malda, launching a district-focused competition designed to widen football’s footprint beyond Kolkata. The evening blended sport with celebration, opening with a musical performance by Doyel Goswami, a familiar voice to Bengali television audiences, before the league’s first ball was kicked.
Senior officials from the Indian Football Association, including president Ajit Banerjee and secretary Anirban Dutta, attended the ceremony alongside Indian football legend Bhaskar Ganguly. Team owners from the opening fixture JHR Royal City Malda Murshidabad FC and Northbengal United FC were also present, joined by Shrachi Sports chairman Tamal Ghosal, managing director Rahul Todi and chief executive officer Ayan Banerjee, who have overseen the league’s planning.
For organisers, the focus is firmly on pathways rather than polish. Rahul Todi described the BSL as a platform to strengthen grassroots football, create structured opportunities for local talent and bring communities closer through the game. IFA president Ajit Banerjee echoed the sentiment, calling the league a step towards a more sustainable district-level football ecosystem in the state.
The football itself matched the occasion. The opening fixture drew an attendance of 3,472 spectators and ended in a 3–1 win for JHR Royal City Malda Murshidabad FC over Northbengal United FC. João VÃtor de Paula Morais opened the scoring in the 26th minute, before Robi Hansda struck twice, once in the 31st minute and again in stoppage time to seal the result. Northbengal United’s lone goal came via an own goal in the 51st minute. Hansda was named Man of the Match.
In a distinctive twist, the contest was followed by a penalty shootout, a regulation feature that will be staged after every Bengal Super League match, adding an extra layer of drama regardless of the final scoreline.
Launched in July 2025 and licensed by the IFA, the Bengal Super League features eight franchise teams representing district clusters, with matches hosted across eight district venues. From Sundarban Bengal Auto FC and Howrah Hooghly Warriors to Burdwan Blasters and Kopa Tigers Birbhum, the league aims to surface talent, spark local pride and give players competitive exposure closer to home.
With Zee Bangla Sonar and Zee5 on board as official broadcast and streaming partners, the league’s ambitions stretch beyond the touchline. If the opening night in Malda is any indication, Bengal’s football story is ready for a district-level reboot and the crowd is already listening.
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Oracle layoffs affect up to 30,000 employees globally
Job cuts span US, India and more, staff cite abrupt emails, uncertainty.
MUMBAI: April began with an inbox shock and for thousands, it ended with an exit. Oracle has carried out a sweeping round of layoffs, impacting an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 employees across its global operations, even as the company continues to report strong business performance. The job cuts were communicated via emails sent early on April 1, affecting staff across multiple regions including the United States, India, Canada and parts of Latin America. The reduction spans a wide range of roles and functions, though the company has not disclosed specific criteria behind the decisions.
In the days following the layoffs, employees have taken to platforms such as LinkedIn to share their experiences, many describing the process as abrupt and unsettling. Several posts pointed to a lack of prior indication, with notifications arriving suddenly in early-morning messages.
A recurring concern has been the impact on long-tenured staff. Users reported that employees with decades of experience were among those let go, raising broader questions about job security even for seasoned professionals within large technology firms.
The layoffs have also sparked anxiety about the wider direction of the sector. As companies continue to invest heavily in automation and artificial intelligence, workforce recalibration is becoming more common often accompanied by uncertainty around future roles and skills.
For many affected employees, the immediate challenge lies in navigating career transitions in an increasingly competitive job market, with posts reflecting concerns about stability and next steps.
The development comes against a backdrop of strong financial performance at Oracle, which recently reported a 22 percent year-on-year increase in revenue, alongside continued growth in its cloud infrastructure business. The company has also been committing significant capital towards artificial intelligence and data centre expansion.
The contrast between growth and job cuts has added to the unease, underscoring a broader shift in how large technology firms balance expansion with efficiency sometimes at the cost of the very workforce that helped build that growth.
