THE SKIN DOCTOR

Chartered flights are not the standard travel arrangement provided by the ICC for ICC tournaments. The ICC usually provides commercial flight tickets. Because the situation is unusual, individual boards have to coordinate with the ICC to arrange chartered travel for their teams, as it would be a paid arrangement. The ECB, being financially stronger and administratively more proactive, secured a charter promptly. Cricket West Indies, which has long faced financial and administrative criticism, even from its own players, is taking longer, leading to the delay. In short, it is a matter for the respective cricket boards and has nothing to do with India. -

One good example to understand the difference between empowerment and entitlement. Draupadi Maurya, from a remote village in Bahraich, read that apple farming is emerging as a successful unconventional practice in UP. She had the idea but no money. So she took a ₹2–3 lakh loan through Samuh Sakhi and the Community Investment Fund, self-help group schemes supported by the govt, and went ahead with her vision. Today, she earns around ₹60–70k a month from her apple and vegetable farm. Cash handouts may win votes but rarely change a household’s economic trajectory. Programs like Samuh Sakhi and CIF under NRLM build capability, organizing women into self-help groups, providing small but timely credit, and enabling sustainable incomes. UP is showing what effective policy on the ground looks like. #NariSammanUPKaAbhiman -

Pakistanis stormed the US consulate in Karachi to protest against the US attack on Iran. The US Marines opened fire. Eight Pakistanis killed. Washington should take note: deep-seated anti-American hatred runs through the Pakistani street. Whatever “friendship” the US believes it has exists only at the level of Pakistan’s rulers, men who trade allegiance for dollars and foreign backing, especially to sustain hostility against India. From major terror strikes to regional instability, the trail repeatedly leads back to Pakistan. This is not a misunderstood state but a persistent threat to global peace. It must be denuclearized, diplomatically or otherwise. -

Scars may have softened with time, but legend stands firm. Today, remember those who rose beyond men into warriors. Long after flesh turns to dust, the lore will sing, ballads etched in blood and thunder. Happy fifth anniversary of the Battle of Baghpat: https://t.co/kQWAIV5svo -

Sports Authority of India (SAI) invited applications for 323 assistant coach vacancies, and with that I learned that we have reservation in this too. Lol! So athletes expected to compete with the world’s best are trained by coaches selected not purely on merit, but through a welfare framework. This is what happens when sports are treated like a govt employment scheme rather than a national mission to build excellence. While we’re at it, why not introduce reservation among players representing India in international sporting events like the Olympics? Designate 50% of sporting events as reserved, where only reserved-category persons can represent India, and keep the rest open. If open-category players win more than 50% of the medals, strip them of their medals and book them under the Atrocities Act. I’m sure this way we’ll soon become Vishwaguru in sports too. -