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Tag: olympics

  • Breaking stereotypes, these Raj girls opt for unconventional careers

    Breaking stereotypes, these Raj girls opt for unconventional careers


    The accident left Avani demotivated but the biography of Olympic gold medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra instilled fresh hope in her and she worked hard to add a feather in her cap….reports Archana Sharma

    Rajasthan, which was once known for its low sex ratio and lower literacy rate for women, is now making news with its girls winning laurels for the state by earning name and fame while choosing the most unconventional careers, irrespective of whether they were brought up in rural or urban areas of the state.

    Avani Lekhara (19) is the latest example. She won the gold medal in women’s 10m air rifle standing event in the SH 1 category at the Tokyo Paralympics. She was brought up in a small town Dholpur and had met with an accident due to which her spinal cord was injured.

    Avani, wanting to do something different, chose shooting. The accident left her demotivated but the biography of Olympic gold medallist shooter Abhinav Bindra instilled fresh hope in her and she worked hard to add a feather in her cap.

    Pic credits IANS

    In the same series, 10-year-old athlete Pooja Vishnoi from Guda Vishnoiyan village of Jodhpur was in the news for her six packs which she developed when she was 7. Besides being an athlete, she is a cricketer too and is the only member from Rajasthan in the Virat Kohli Foundation. Pooja recently shot an ad with cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Presently, she is working hard to bring a medal for India in the next youth Olympics to be held in 2024. The Virat Kohli Foundation manages her sport and diet plan too. She is the youngest member among 16 kids selected by the Foundation.

    Another young woman Megha Kapoor is hitting the headlines by being a certified health coach and has clients from Delhi, Mumbai, USA and even Africa while being located at Jaipur.

    When young, she was irritated with comments related to body shaming which inspired her to take up this unconventional profession. After somebody at her sister’s wedding asked her if she was eating for 2 people, it hurt her and her self-esteem and gave birth to a whole lot of body image issues. She then chose this career and went to London to pursue the course.

    “Being a female fitness coach means competing in a very male dominated industry in India – not easy but that should never stop us,” says this founder of Megha Squad adding “Unfortunately, in India, not many people know about being a certified health coach. However, the COVID pandemic has taught us to take health awareness seriously and act upon it. So, people have started being more conscious of their lifestyle choices when it comes to health and hence the career is now drawing more credence.”

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  • ‘Fruit of five years of sacrifices’

    ‘Fruit of five years of sacrifices’

    While the Indian men’s team finished with a bronze, ending a 41-year medal drought, the women’s team narrowly missed third place, going down to Great Britain 3-4 in the bronze-medal match…reports Asian Lite News

    Indian men’s and women’s hockey team captains Manpreet Singh and Rampal wrote an open letter to hockey fans across the world, saying that “The historic Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 campaign was the culmination of five years of intense hard work and lot of sacrifices” and that the “love and support we have received” from across the country and even abroad during the Games has been “overwhelming”.

    “Through this letter, we wanted to share with you some of the emotions we have experienced over these past three weeks and also let you know just how much your support meant to us during our campaign at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.

    “After a memorable tournament and a euphoric welcome we received upon our arrival in New Delhi on Monday, we have finally reached our respective homes. We must admit that the love and support we have received from across the country and even abroad has been overwhelming to say the least,” the two skippers wrote.

    While the Indian men’s team finished with a bronze, ending a 41-year medal drought, the women’s team narrowly missed third place, going down to Great Britain 3-4 in the bronze-medal match.

    “The historic Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 campaign was the culmination of five years of intense hard work, dedication and a lot of sacrifices. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy at all, we have had our ups and downs, but we never gave up. We were focused and gave our everything on the field in each game to show that we are fearless and can beat any team in the world.

    ALSO READ: India’s pride reaches home

    “Our achievement could not have been possible without the constant support and help from the team support staff, Odisha state government, Hockey India, Sports Authority of India (SAI), and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. We would like to thank each one of them for helping and encouraging us throughout the journey,” said the two skippers.

    “We would also like to thank each one of our fans, who have supported both teams at every step of the way. We are aware of you waking up early just to watch us play, you backed us all the way, you celebrated when we won, and you cried with us when we lost. This unconditional support we received from you means the world to us and we hope that you will continue to support us in the forthcoming Olympic cycle too.”

    The duo said that their teams were looking forward with renewed vigour to the Commonwealth and Asian Games next year.

    “We have big tournaments coming up and while we are now on a break for a few weeks, we are constantly thinking about ‘what next’. The support and encouragement we have received over these past few weeks has motivated us more than ever to bring laurels to the country and we have set our sights firmly on the big-ticket events coming up this Olympic cycle namely the Asian Champions Trophy, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, Asia Cup, the FIH Hockey Pro League and the FIH Men’s and Women’s World Cup.”

    ALSO READ: Olympic hockey: India win bronze, a medal after 41 years

  • MPs Vote For Diplomatic Boycott of Beijing Olympics

    MPs Vote For Diplomatic Boycott of Beijing Olympics

    Conservative MP Tim Loughton, the author of the motion said it is time for the British government to stop sending mixed messages to Beijing and to toughen up on its response to the Chinese government’s abuses, reports Asian Lite Newsdesk

    The UK House of Commons has unanimously passed a motion calling for the British government to stage a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics unless China ends the “atrocities” taking place in Xinjiang province.

    The motion referenced accusations of mass atrocity crimes in the Uyghur region and urged the UK Government and its representatives to decline invitations to attend the Beijing Games, according to a statement by Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC).

    The motion also referenced Chinese government sanctions on UK citizens, with Tim Loughton MP and four other members of IPAC among those sanctioned for their advocacy on Uyghur rights in March this year.

    The motion comes amid growing global calls to stage a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics. Last week, the European Parliament passed a resolution calling for EU Member State leaders to decline invitations to attend the Beijing Olympics.

    Conservative MP Tim Loughton, the author of the motion, said: “The government, on the one hand, speaks of industrial-scale human rights abuses taking place in the Uyghur Region, and on the other pursues ever deeper trade links with Beijing – even allowing our largest semiconductor manufacturer to be snapped up by a Chinese owned firm. It is time for the government to stop sending mixed messages to Beijing and to toughen up on its response to the Chinese government’s abuses.”

    “Authoritarian regimes have a long and troubling history of using the Olympics to whitewash their crimes and spread their propaganda on a global scale. The Chinese Communist Party knows this and so far is getting away with it. It’s up to Britain and democratic states across the world to send a clear message to Beijing: we will not turn a blind eye to the abuses in the Uyghur Region, Tibet and Hong Kong, and we will not let you score a major propaganda victory at the Winter Olympics.”

    Afzal Khan MP, Labour Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Commons, said: “The repression of Uyghur Muslims by the Chinese Government has a long and dark history, but in the last few years the CCP has ramped up its persecution of Uyghurs. A diplomatic boycott would ensure that the UK doesn’t turn a blind eye to industrial scale human rights abuses.”

    According to IPAC, Beijing hopes to use the Games as a chance to detract from the egregious abuses in the Uyghur Region and its brutal crackdown in Hong Kong.

    Last month, Free Tibet, a group fighting for the rights of Tibetans unfurled a banner at the Westminster Bridge calling for a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics.

    They have appealed to the UK government to recognise China’s appalling human rights abuses and to boycott Beijing 2022 Olympics.

    Last month in Washington, dozens of Uyghur, Tibetan and Hong Kong activists gathered outside the White House to protest against the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing and to call for a complete boycott.

    On International Olympics Day, representatives of minority groups from China, now living in the United States became a part of the Global Day of Action against the Beijing Olympics, which involved demonstrations in over 50 other cities around the world including Washington.

    The diverse group united together to call on the US government to draw a red line for genocide and boycott Beijing’s 2022 Winter Olympics.

    Earlier this month, Prime Minister Boris Johnson had ordered a review the purchase of the UK’s largest producer of semiconductors by a Chinese-owned manufacturer, a day after his government said it would not intervene.

    Chinese-owned firm Nexperia had acquired Britain’s largest producer of silicon chips Newport Wafer Fab. The agreement was said to be worth around USD 116 million but this has not been confirmed, The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) reported.

    According to the SMH, the deal was not reviewed under the UK’s new national security law, which is meant to stop high-risk foreign takeovers of critical infrastructure firms.

    The semiconductor industry has gained geopolitical importance as China has targeted the key technology for the future economy. Beijing has ambitions to corner the global supply chain of semiconductors as silicon-based products are the imperative component of all electronic devices. (ANI)

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  • Boycott Beijing ’22 banner at Westminster Bridge

    Boycott Beijing ’22 banner at Westminster Bridge

    A growing number of MPs have called on the UK to carry out either a diplomatic or full boycott of next year’s Winter Games, said Free Tibet…reports Asian Lite News.

    Free Tibet, a group fighting for the rights of Tibetans on Wednesday unfurled a banner at the Westminster Bridge calling for a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics.

    They have appealed to the UK government to recognise China’s appalling human rights abuses and to boycott Beijing 2022 Olympics.

    The action generated significant attention with several laypersons approaching them to enquire about the campaign and how they could support it, said the Free Tibet organisation.

    The organisation said that protesters will also gather outside Downing Street to call on the Prime Minister Boris Johnson to show leadership and not to attend the Winter Games and also urge him to dissuade the British Olympic Association not to send a team to Beijing.

    A growing number of MPs have called on the UK to carry out either a diplomatic or full boycott of next year’s Winter Games, said Free Tibet.

    On International Olympic Day (June 23) campaigners representing Tibetan, Uyghur, Southern Mongolian, Hongkonger, Taiwanese, and Chinese people united around the globe in over 60 global cities calling on world leaders, National Olympic Committees, Olympic Sponsors and all people of conscience to boycott Beijing 2022, ‘The Genocide Games.’

    Beijing Olympics Boycott (ANI)

    The protest was organised under the campaign “No Beijing 2022 Global Day of Action”.

    From New Zealand to Canada, Japan to Argentina, Australia to Sweden, thousands of people will stand in solidarity to deliver the joint message that China must not be allowed to use Beijing 2022 to ‘sport-wash’ the genocide against the Uyghur people, the severe and escalating repression in Tibet, Southern Mongolia, Hong Kong, and China proper, and the geopolitical bullying of Taiwan.

    In February 2022, Beijing will become the first city in the world to have hosted both the Summer and Winter Olympics. Tibetans had earlier protested during the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, they were brutally put down.

    Beijing Olympics Boycott (ANI)

    Since then more than one million Tibetans have been entered into coercive labour and relocation programmes designed to disrupt traditional ways of life. Over a million Uyghur people have been detained in concentration camps and up to 500,000 are being forced to pick cotton, said Free Tibet in a release.

    A boycott is already supported by politicians from the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat parties, as well as the Czech senate, and US politicians Nancy Pelosi and Mitt Romney.

    Support for a boycott of Beijing 2022 has grown exponentially since activists released a joint letter to governments in September 2020. Parliaments and elected representatives from across the political divide agree that supporting the Beijing 2022 Olympics is tantamount to endorsing China’s human rights abuses, said #NoBeijing2022 release.

    As human rights experts warned, the 2008 Summer Games led to a further crackdown on human rights and took place without any meaningful human rights due diligence.

    Contrary to China’s commitment to hold a “free and open” Olympic Games in 2008, Beijing continued to clamp down on the international media and quashed all freedom of expression for Tibetans wishing to voice their opinions about the Games. (ANI)

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  • European leaders call for ‘diplomatic boycott’ of Beijing Olympics

    European leaders call for ‘diplomatic boycott’ of Beijing Olympics

    Last month, a coalition of human rights groups had called for a complete boycott of the Winter Olympics, saying that participating in the games would be tantamount to endorsing China’s genocide against the Uyghur people”…reports Asian Lite News.

    Amid the growing calls for shunning 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, a group of politicians from countries across Europe and North America launched coordinated legislative actions on Monday, calling for a diplomatic boycott of games citing “gross violations of human rights” by the Chinese government.

    This action is aimed to mount pressure on governments, elected officials, and heads of state, to decline invitations to next year’s Olympics, South China Morning Post reported.

    “This coordinated effort by legislators in multiple democratic countries sends a message the IOC cannot ignore: if it can discuss postponing the Tokyo Games over public health concerns, it can certainly move the China games over the mass incarceration of millions in concentration camps,” said Tom Malinowski, vice-chair of the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, in a statement.

    Last month, a coalition of human rights groups had called for a complete boycott of the Winter Olympics, saying that participating in the games would be tantamount to endorsing China’s genocide against the Uyghur people”.

    In a joint statement, a coalition representing Uyghurs, Tibetans, residents of Hong Kong and others had said that the Chinese government is committing genocide against the Uyghur people and waging an unprecedented campaign of repression in East Turkistan, Tibet and Southern Mongolia, as well as an all-out assault on democracy in Hong Kong.

    “Participating in the Beijing Olympic Games at this time would be tantamount to endorsing China’s genocide against the Uyghur people, and legitimising the increasingly repressive policies of the totalitarian Chinese regime,” the coalition said in a statement.

    Demands for some form of boycott of the Beijing Games are continuously growing.

    US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi has also called for a “diplomatic boycott” of the Winter Olympics that are scheduled to take place in Beijing next year, over the human rights violations of Uyghurs in China.

    Speaking at a hearing of Congress’ Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, Pelosi last month had advocated for the United States to withhold any official delegation from traveling to the Games but allowing for athletes to compete in Beijing in 2022, reported The Hill.

    China has been rebuked globally for cracking down on Uyghur Muslims by sending them to mass detention camps and sending members of the community to undergo some form of forcible re-education or indoctrination.

    Early this year, the United States became the first country in the world to declare the Chinese actions in Xinjiang as “genocide”.

    In February, both the Canadian and Dutch parliaments adopted motions recognising the Uyghur crisis as genocide. The latter became the first parliament in Europe to do so. In April, the United Kingdom also declared China’s ongoing crackdown in Xinjiang a “genocide”. (ANI)

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  • Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar arrested in murder case

    Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar arrested in murder case

    The Special Cell has taken Kumar and his associate to Rohini court where he will be produced before a judge….reports Asian Lite News

    India’s two-time Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar, who was on the run for over a fortnight for alleged links with the murder of former international wrestler Sagar Dhankar, was arrested by Special Cell on Sunday.

    Special Cell Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Pramod Kushwah said that Kumar and his associate Ajay Kumar, another accused in the case have been arrested.

    Kushwah said that Kumar was arrested by a team of Special Cell SR led by Inspector Shiv kumar, Inspector Karambir and supervised by ACP Attar Singh.

    However, he did not share the details from where he was arrested.

    The Special Cell has taken Kumar and his associate to Rohini court where he will be produced before a judge.

    On May 18, Kumar had moved an anticipatory bail in New Delhi’s Rohini court, but the court rejected his bail plea.

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    Last week, Delhi Police had announced a cash award of Rs 1 lakh for information on the celebrated wrestler who was absconding since May 4.

    On May 4, two groups of wrestlers clashed with each other at Chhatrasal Stadium leading to the death of 23-year-old Dhankar due to injuries he sustained during the brawl.

    The Delhi court had also issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Kumar.

    Delhi Police issued a lookout notice for Kumar.

    “A lookout notice has been issued for Kumar,” Dr Guriqbal Singh Sidhu, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (North West Delhi) had said.

    Kumar, employed with the Indian Railways, is posted as an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) at Chhattrasal Stadium, where the brawl allegedly took place.

    Kumar won bronze in 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and silver in 2012 London Olympic Games in 66 kg category.

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  • Covid-19: Olympics may be cancelled

    Covid-19: Olympics may be cancelled

    Nikai, said that cancelling the games may be an option if coronavirus infections rise…reports Asian Lite News

    Secretary-General of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Toshihiro Nikai said Thursday that cancelling this year’s Tokyo Olympics could be an option if the Covid-19 situation continues to worsen.

    Nikai, the No. 2 leader of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s ruling party, said in a TV show yet to be aired that cancelling the games may be an option if the spread of coronavirus infections forces organizers to think it would be difficult to hold the event.

    His remarks came as the capital on Wednesday began a 100-day countdown until the beginning of the already postponed quadrennial event, with concerns rife that Covid-19 cases in and outside of Tokyo could be set to worsen.

    Such is the severity of Japan’s rebounding Covid-19 infections that the head of the government’s Covid panel warned that Japan has entered a “fourth wave” of infections.

    Shigeru Omi, an expert in infectious diseases who heads the government’s Covid-19 subcommittee, told a parliamentary session the previous day that the central government should broaden the areas currently subjected to stricter antiviral measures under a revised law.

    Omi said the expansion should be undertaken by the government “in an extremely swift and nimble manner.”

    On Monday, Tokyo, Kyoto and Okinawa prefectures were added to a list of regions where tougher virus measures have come into effect under a new law that falls short but is on the brink of declaring a state of emergency.

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