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Selectors pick squads for Bangladesh and England tours
MUMBAI: The All-India Senior Selection Committee which met in Mumbai, earlier today has finally picked the two squads for the ODI series to be held in Bangladesh and the test series to be held in England.
Suresh Raina will lead the Indian team during the ODI series to be held in Bangladesh on 15, 17 and 19 June. The matches will be held at the Shere Bangla stadium in Mirpur. The team members comprises: Suresh Raina (Captain), Robin Uthappa, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ambati Rayudu, Manoj Tiwary, Kedar Jadhav, Wriddhiman Saha, Parvez Rasool, Akshar Patel, Vinay Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Stuart Binny, Mohit Sharma and Amit Mishra.
Captain cool Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli may have been kept out to provide them much needed rest before the crucial England tour. Uthappa who is the leading run scorer in the ongoing IPL is now all set to make a comeback in Team Blue.
Meanwhile the Indian squad for the England test series is as follows: M.S. Dhoni (Captain), Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Gautam Gambhir,Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Ravinder Jadeja, R Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ishwar Pandey, Ishant Sharma, Stuart Binny, Varun Arora, Wriddhiman Saha and Pankaj Singh.
The England tour will begin from 26 June with a three-day game to be held in Leicester. India will play one more warm-up, three against Derbyshire (1-3 July) before the five-match test series that starts on 9 July at Trent Bridge. The other tests are to be played at Lord’s (17-21 July), Ageas Bowl in Southampton (27-31 July), Old Trafford (7-11 August) and The Oval (15-19 August). The tests would be followed by the five-match ODI series commencing on 25 August at Bristol before India completes the visit by playing a one-off T20 international against the hosts on 7 September at Edgbaston.
But both the series will be in direct conflict with the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil that will begin from 12 June and culminate on 13 July.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
