Sports

Notes:
National Sports Day 2025 is celebrated in India from August 29 to 31 under the Fit India Mission, led by Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya. The event honours hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand on his birth anniversary. Celebrations follow the theme “Ek Ghanta, Khel ke Maidan Main”, promoting at least 60 minutes of daily physical activity to fight lifestyle diseases. The programme promotes Olympic values: Excellence, Friendship, Respect, and Paralympic values: Courage, Determination, Inspiration, Equality.

Notes:
Cheteshwar Pujara, India’s Test specialist, announced retirement from all forms of cricket on August 24, 2025. The 37-year-old last played a Test over two years ago, with his final First Class match being Saurashtra’s Ranji Trophy quarterfinal loss in February 2025. He played 103 Test matches for India, scoring 7195 runs at an average of 43.60, with 19 hundreds and 35 fifties. Pujara was the hero of India’s 2018–19 historic Test series win in Australia, scoring 521 runs and facing 1258 balls. He finished with 21301 First Class runs, 18 double hundreds, and three triple hundreds.

Notes:
Madhya Pradesh (MP) topped the medal tally at the first edition of Khelo India Water Sports held at Dal Lake, Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir. MP won 18 medals, including 10 gold, 3 silver, and 5 bronze, and claimed the overall championship trophy. Odisha and Kerala secured second (10 medals) and third (7 medals) positions, while Chhattisgarh won a silver medal. MP dominated kayaking and canoeing, winning all four golds on the penultimate day and six more on the final day.

Notes:
The Khelo India Water Sports Festival (KIWSF) mascot and logo were unveiled in Srinagar ahead of the inaugural water games. The festival will be held at Dal Lake, Jammu and Kashmir, from 21–23 August 2025. The official mascot is the Himalayan Kingfisher, representing adventure, eco-sports, and Kashmir’s natural beauty. The event is hosted by the Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) Sports Council, supported by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and Sports Authority of India (SAI).

Notes:
On August 14, 2025, Dr. Vece Paes, a 1972 Munich Olympics bronze medal-winning hockey player, passed away in Kolkata at the age of 80 after prolonged illness. He was suffering from an advanced stage of Parkinson’s disease. Born in 1945 in Goa, he combined careers as a medical practitioner and a hockey player. He made his international debut in 1966 at the Hamburg International Cup and later won a bronze at the 1971 World Cup and 1972 Olympics. He represented clubs like Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, winning multiple Beighton Cups and Calcutta League titles.

Notes:
World No.1 Grandmaster (GM) Magnus Carlsen (Team Liquid) won the inaugural Chess Esports World Cup 2025. He defeated GM Alireza Firouzja (Team Falcons) by winning both sets 3-1 in a best-of-three final. Carlsen lost only one game, in the first round of the second set. He earned a prize of US$ 250,000 and 1000 points for Team Liquid. GM Hikaru Nakamura (Team Falcons) beat GM Arjun Erigaisi (Gen.G Esports) 3.5-2.5 to secure third place. The Chess Esports World Cup 2025 was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Notes:
The Punjab government has lifted the ban on traditional heritage sports in August 2025. These include bullock cart races, dog races, horse races, and pigeon racing. The ban was in place since 1997 due to concerns over animal cruelty. Chief Minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann announced the decision during a public event in Ludhiana. New legislation ensures these events will be conducted without cruelty to animals. The move aims to reconnect people with Punjab’s cultural identity and rural heritage.

Notes:
Lalita Babar is a renowned long-distance runner from Maharashtra, specializing in steeplechase and marathons. She represented India at the 2016 Rio Olympics and won the Arjuna Award in 2016 for her contributions to athletics.

Notes:
The Annasaheb Magar Sports Stadium in Pune is named after Annasaheb Magar, a Congress MP from Khed (1977-1980), and is owned by the PCMC. It features a pavilion, multi-sport facilities, and houses one of Pune’s main swimming pools.

Notes:
Wadia Park is a multi-purpose stadium situated in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra. It houses the district’s main sports office, and has facilities for cricket, football, swimming, gymnastics, and other sports. The stadium hosted several first-class cricket matches from 1957 to 1979.