Kuldeep Yadav and his wife Vanshika (File Photo)

LUCKNOW: Team India spinner Kuldeep Yadav added a touch of humour to a celebratory evening at the Times of India Sports Awards (TOISA) 2025, offering a candid glimpse into his newly married life while being honoured for his performances.The Uttar Pradesh spinner, who was among several athletes felicitated with a Special Honour, drew laughter with his honest admission about his recent marriage with Vanshika Chadha. “I was a little nervous at the beginning, before the marriage. After that, it was unbelievable. It feels really good, it’s the start of a new life,” Kuldeep said, reflecting on the early days after recently tying the knot.He followed it up with a light-hearted line that quickly became a highlight of the evening: “Nayi shaadhi sabko acchi lagti hai, maine ek cheez sikhi hai 4-5 dino mein ki biwi ki suno sirf toh acchi chalegi life. (Everyone enjoys the early days of marriage. I’ve learned one thing in the last 4–5 days, if you just listen to your wife, life will go smoothly)”Kuldeep, along with Deepti Sharma, was recognised for his contribution to Indian cricket during the year, as part of a broader segment honouring athletes from Uttar Pradesh across disciplines. The ceremony celebrated sporting excellence across more than 45 categories, covering performances from January to December 2025.The awards, judged by an eminent panel featuring Abhinav Bindra, PR Sreejesh, Mithali Raj, Achanta Sharath Kamal, Leander Paes and Devendra Jhajharia, recognised achievements across levels.Kuldeep’s remarks, however, ensured that beyond the honours, it was a moment of relatability and laughter that stayed with the audience.

NEW DELHI: Till Feb 27, it seemed like a usual trip back home through familiar waters for the crew of the Indian-flagged ship. But everything changed dramatically, recalled a senior officer of the vessel — that returned to India early this week after crossing the conflict-hit Strait of Hormuz — as the US and Israel launched coordinated, surprise airstrikes against multiple sites across Iran the next day.After loading the ship at Ras Laffan in Qatar on Feb 27, which is around 300–350 km (about 160–190 nautical miles) by sea, the captain and crew were all set to embark on their voyage to India. “But things came to a halt with reports and instances of major airstrikes. We took refuge at a safe anchorage at a port in the UAE. We faced a lot of problems as GPS started giving trouble and instruments on the ship were not working properly. This added to our anxiety levels. We were watching news and getting updates of the war and attacks which were happening in the region. We just followed the advisories and instructions of DG Shipping, Shipping Corporation of India and Indian Navy,” the officer told TOI on condition of anonymity.For the crew, apart from the risk they faced in the war zone, what added to their anxieties was the depleting stock of drinking water. “We had enough food to manage for more than a month. But potable water was becoming an issue. Cargo ships can generate very little drinking water when stopped, and that’s not enough to sustain crew members; in the case of older ships, this is reduced further. We could have managed for another 7-10 days with the water we had,” the officer said.This is because the onboard water production system or freshwater generators on such a vessel are linked to the heat and power generated by the main engine while it is running.Another big challenge was to keep the crew members motivated and instill confidence in them that the ship would be able to sail back to India safely given the govt’s focus on rescuing Indian-flagged vessels, which are crucial to its energy security. The cricket World Cup matches helped too to reduce the stress in the air on the ship.After an almost 10-day wait at the port, the crew got the good news on March 13 (Friday) that they could start their journey that night. “We had no prior information, though we were aware that the Indian govt was working hard for safe passage of Indian-flagged vessels. We were in touch with Indian Navy, which escorted us after we crossed the Strait of Hormuz. We were not in contact with the Iranian Navy,” the officer said in response to a question.News agency Bloomberg reported that the Iranian Navy had guided an Indian LPG vessel through the Strait of Hormuz, allowing the ship to pass on a pre-approved route following diplomatic engagement by New Delhi. It said that during the crossing, the ship was in contact with the Iranian navy by radio and the Iranians took details of the ship’s flag, name, origin and destination ports, and the nationality of the crew members.There have been reports of at least eight vessels transiting Hormuz this week.

Ambekar framed the RSS’s approach to caste through social harmony rather than structural confrontation (File photo)

NEW DELHI: Drawing a line between welfare and politics on caste data, RSS national publicity head Sunil Ambekar said the Sangh backs caste census but opposes its use for “dividing society”, even as he outlined the organisation’s position on key debates from caste reform and women’s participation to its equation with BJP.In an interaction with TOI, Ambekar framed the RSS’s approach to caste through social harmony rather than structural confrontation. “If mutual affection grows and discrimination disappears, even large issues can be resolved. Without harmony, even small issues become major conflicts,” he said.He said access to temples, cremation grounds, water sources and public spaces should be open to all, with RSS volunteers engaging at the local level to address such concerns. He pointed to institutions such as Vidya Bharati, Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, Ekal Vidyalaya and Seva Bharati as part of a wider outreach network, adding that leadership is increasingly emerging from marginalised communities, including women.On women’s participation, Ambekar defended the parallel structure ofRashtriya Sevika Samiti, saying it mirrors the RSS shakha model. At the same time, he acknowledged the need to expand women’s role, noting that participation in decision-making and outreach is rising through a coordination mechanism called “Mahila Sambandh”. He also flagged the centenary theme of “Kutumb Prabodhan”, which seeks to encourage families to support women’s participation in public life.On the caste census, he reiterated that while RSS supports it for welfare, it opposes political misuse. “Democracy requires representation, but politics should not pit one community against another,” he said, arguing that societal unity can counter divisive mobilisation. Despite perceptions of polarisation, he said “on the ground we see unity”, citing gatherings such as the Kumbh and the Ram Mandir consecration.Addressing the RSS-BJP equation, Ambekar said the Sangh remains a social organisation focused on “building individuals”, with swayamsevaks working across sectors, including politics. He stressed that organisations operate independently, while describing India’s framework as “society-centric” in contrast to Western state-centric models. While political parties function within electoral cycles, he said RSS works on a longer civilisational horizon through “Lokmat Jagran”.On criticism linking Hindu nationalism to democratic backsliding, Ambekar rejected the premise, describing Hindu culture as “unifying” and rooted in ideas such as “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”. He argued that India’s civilisational ethos enables coexistence and strengthens democracy in a diverse society.On concerns over discrimination against people from the north-east, he said the term “racial discrimination” is misplaced, attributing past tensions to historical distortions and limited interaction. He said exchange programmes have reduced misunderstandings and called for sensitive handling of such issues.On global conflicts, Ambekar said India should be guided by peace and principles, with the govt taking decisions based on strategic assessment.

Aditya Dhar‘s ‘Dhurandhar: The Revenge’ headlined by Ranveer Singh released in theatres on March 19 and reviews are pouring in from all over. Viral scenes from the film are all over the internet and netizens cannot stop gushing over the film and several celebs have also dropped their reviews. Despite the fact that ‘Dhurandhar 2’ also criticised and accused of being a propaganda film, it’s creating history at the box office. Many celebs have reacted to the film and now ‘Krrish’ director Rakesh Roshan has also praised the film. The film-maker shared a photo of Aditya Dhar on his Instagram and he wrote, “I just watched ADITYA DHAR’S HISTORIC DHURANDHAR, and it is a reminder to all of us filmmakers to pause and reset the fabric of cinema with the vision, passion and audacity with which Aditya has made Dhurandhar. He has started a new era in filmmaking! This should not be considered as a threat, but a healthy and much needed revolution in storytelling and entertainment. It was about time, and @adityadharfilms has delivered beyond expectations! God bless and more power to you, Aditya!” Director Siddharth Malhotra of ‘We Are Family’ fame commented on Rakesh Roshan’s post and wrote, “So so so agree sir ❤️❤️ I hope actors also learn to stop following trends and film makers also start believing in scripts and conviction 🙌 ❤️ inspiring this is for everyone.”Mahesh Babu also reviewed the film and said, “#DhurandharTheRevenge is an explosion executed with perfect precision!!!! The finest version of Ranveer unleashed and how… 💥💥💥 The way Aditya Dhar has conceived and delivered this standing ovation worthy experience is remarkable 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Special mention to Maddy’s performance and Shashwat Sachdev’s music..🔥🔥🔥 This is a film meant to be experienced and celebrated…. Congratulations to the entire team….❤️❤️❤️Meanwhile, Ram Gopal Varma called it a ‘horror’, as he wrote, “Allu Arjun, Jr NTR, Ram Gopal Varma among others also showered praise on ‘Dhurandhar 2’.

A charming interaction between Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma highlighted the relationship between the top batters of the Indian cricket team. During the BCCI Naman Award ceremony, Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill faced each other for a brief conversation.

The Indian cricket fans know that these two batters from Punjab are very close to each other. Whenever they shared the same dressing room, field, or the team bus, paparazzi got their moment. Like multiple times before, Gill and Sharma shared a very joyful chat during the interview, which is now viral on social media platforms.

Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill engaged in a funny chat

The funny conversation started with a very simple question, which could be answered in only one word. But if the person standing opposite is the best friend of the team, then things are different.

Your daily dose of cricket!

The presenter asked Gill whether Sharma sought advice from him after registering three back-to-back ducks in the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2026. Abhishek Sharma had a very poor run during the tournament when he managed to get three ducks in a row in the group stage.

Gill, the captain of Team India for the Test and ODI formats, who will advise the No.1 T20I batter in the world? “No.1 T20I batsman in the world ko kaun advice dega?” Shubman Gill said.

These types of comments can only be made if the person next to you is a very close friend. As Gill started the chat in a teasing way, and that too publicly, Abhishek Sharma, who loves to smash the ball all over the park, easy to assume that he did not hold back.

Sharma claimed jokingly that he texted Shubman first

After Gill’s remark, Sharma replied, “Maine hi message kiya tha isko 3 duck ke baad ke mujhe bat de de, isse pehle koi aur record bann jae” (I was the one who messaged him after three ducks and told him to give me his bat, otherwise some other unwanted record would have been made).”

When presenter asked Shubman if he gave any advice to Abhishek Sharma before T20I WC-

SG- no.1 T20I batsman in the world ko kaun advice dega 😭😭

AS- maine hi message kia tha SG ko 3 duck ke baad ke mujhe bat dede, isse pehle koi aur record bann jae 😂 He said ke tu kar lega… pic.twitter.com/5zMiFpMism

— Naina Dev (@NainaDev380254) March 21, 2026

When most of the batters prefer not to talk about the bad days on the pitch, Sharma was talking about his hat-trick of ducks jokingly, which is common among friends. As soon as the video was shared on social media platforms, cricket fans thoroughly enjoyed the pure friendship atmosphere.

Abhishek did not forget to share what Shubman told him in reply when he asked to give his bat. “Usne bola tha, tu kar lega” (He told me, you’ll manage it)”, Sharma further added.

Shubman Gill made the chat more hilarious with his final touch

It was a small line, but enough to express how much trust and comfort they contained for each other.

As the conversation shifted from runs to bats, the presenter asked, “Who do you think has the best bat?” to Abhishek Sharma. He spontaneously replied, “Shubman ka hi” (Shubman’s, of course)”.

In reply, what Shubman said made the whole conversation more hilarious. “Woh mere bat se hi khelta hai hamesha (He plays with my bat all the time anyway),” Shubman Gill said.

Read More: Not Shubman Gill! These 3 players could power GT to IPL 2026 glory