The Indian Panorama

Tag: Cricket

  • SICC Eyes Youth & Women’s Cricket Development with ACF Coach Certification Clinics

    SICC Eyes Youth & Women’s Cricket Development with ACF Coach Certification Clinics

    SARASOTA, FLA (TIP): The Sarasota International Cricket Club (SICC) recently hosted a weekend-long American Cricket Federation (ACF) Level 1 and Level 2 cricket coaching certification session attended by 16 prospective coaches. West Indian Legend Shivnarine Chanderpaul was at the coaching clinics to interact with the participants.

    Interest is high in Youth and Women’s cricket in the State of Florida, as well as in after school cricket programs there, however the development is being hampered by the lack of certified cricket coaches. Encouraging and expanding the number of coaches is a vital part of SICC’s mission to promote cricket in Florida and the USA.

    The SICC club owns two side-by-side cricket fields, which can be used for youth and women’s cricket. The recent coaching clinics were conducted by ACF’s Director of Coaching Jatin Patel, and produced 10 new Level 2 coaches and six new Level 1 coaches; it is a first step towards providing an adequate number of trained coaches to help develop the potential of the youth and women cricketers in the Sarasota area.

    Founded in 1983 by a diverse group of SICC cricketers who brought their knowledge and love of the game to the west coast of Florida, with the aim of giving people there the opportunity to learn, play and enjoy the world’s second most popular sport. The club’s activities are geared to achieving its formal mission: To promote the sport of cricket by conducting games and tournaments for amateur cricketers nationally and internationally, and to support the development of amateur cricketers, particularly youth cricketers for those competitions, by providing facilities, equipment and training.

    SICC is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt organization under section 501(c) (3) of the revenue code, and the club is the only one in the USA organized solely for the purpose of promoting and playing cricket, that has its own facilities. Its Bermuda grass playing field, ICC approved non-turf match wicket, practice net and clubhouse, are recognized as being among the finest facilities in the country.

    SICC activities include a year-round schedule of games in Sarasota with teams from across Florida; occasional games with teams from up and down the east coast; the hosting of touring teams from other countries; the staging of an annual cricket tournament since 1997 that has drawn entries from Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, Australia, Israel and Holland, as well from all over the United States; sponsorship of a local youth cricket program; tours that have taken Sarasota cricket to England (twice), Scotland (as ambassadors for Sarasota to its Twin-city of Dumfermline), South Africa, the Bahamas, Canada (four times), California, Guyana, Trinidad and the Philadelphia International Cricket Festival (six times).

    Milestones for the club include the visit of the Lord’s Taverners, England’s primary cricket charity benefiting physically challenged children, in 1995: matches against the cricket team of Her Majesty’s Yacht Britannia in Sarasota and in the UK in 1997; the visit of the Primary Club, Australia’s principal cricket charity in 2003; and two matches with the MCC touring team from London as part of their cricket development tour of the eastern USA organized by the International Cricket Council and the England and Wales Cricket Board, respectively, the world and UK governing bodies for cricket.

    The following testimonials are indicative of the success of the ACF clinic hosted by SICC:

    “Thank you coach – Jatin Patel, it was a wonderful experience to attend the ACF Level 2 Sarasota Cricket Coaching clinic. Everything was perfectly organized; Chris Thakoorpersad did a marvelous job to make me feel at home. Thank you Chris. My perspective has changed as far as teaching the game of cricket to youths. Now onwards I will be more organized and simple in my approach with younger kids so they can develop as better players. Coaching instructions were simply practical rather than coming out of books. Thanks a lot for your effort to teach us how to become perfect coaches.” Sandip J. Desai

    “I really enjoyed the sessions and thanks to Jatin Patel and ACF for making the classes fun and engaging. Needless to say it was an honor to meet Shivnarine Chanderpaul and to listen to him share his experience and cricket knowledge. Thanks to Chris Thakoorpersad for making this happen, and I for one look forward to any other classes that come up in the future and to be a part of the SICC club in the future.” Ganeshbabu Venkat.

    About the American Cricket Federation 
    Cricket (ACF) Coach Certification Program

    The ACF Cricket Coach Certification Level 1 program was launched in May 2014, followed by the Level 2 certification program one year later in June 2015. Since the launch, 17 States can now boast of having certified ACF cricket coaches, with nine States having certified instructors for Level 1 coaches.

    As of August 20, 2016 there were a total of 266 Level 1 and 85 Level 2 certified coaches helping the sport grow in the USA, including 174 Physical Education teachers who have added cricket coaching expertise to their coaching certification portfolios in schools across the country. ACF’s Director of Coaching Jatin Patel has conducted six Level 2 coach certification clinics in a total of five States. The next ACF Level 2 Cricket Coaching Certification Clinic is scheduled for September 17-18, 2016 in New Jersey. For more information, contact:

    Avinash Gaje, New Jersey Softball Cricket League (NJSBCL) via e-mail at agaje@yahoo.com or Coach Jatin Patel via e-mail at forjatin@gmail.com

  • ‘Sidhu never asked to be made CM face, said God told him to work with AAP’

    ‘Sidhu never asked to be made CM face, said God told him to work with AAP’

    As cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Sidhu fired his first salvo at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) saying Arvind Kejriwal wanted to use him as a “piece of decoration” during elections, AAP’s Punjab co-incharge Sanjay Singh, in an interview to HT in Ludhiana on Thursday, said Sidhu is not speaking the truth as he (Sidhu) had himself said he is not selfish to contest from his wife’s seat and would campaign for the party in the entire state.

    Sidhu has accused the AAP of trying of give him a raw deal?

    Sanjay: I am surprised by his U-turn. I had a direct discussion with Sidhu and he had said he would join us in Punjab’s interests. He said it is a fight between ‘dharm’ and ‘adharm’ (good versus evil) and he wants to uproot the corrupt Badals. I still cannot forget what he then said. I quote him, “Mujhe Mahdev ka adesh ho gaya hai. Mein AAP ke saath Punjab ke liye laruga (I have been ordered by God Mahadev. I will fight alongside AAP to save Punjab)”.

    What was the deal offered to him?

    The AAP is not a mall that it would offer a deal or a discount on its policies. He was only told about the policy of “one family, one-ticket” rule. Sidhu had then said he is not so selfish that he would contest from his wife’s seat. He said his wife would contest elections and he would campaign for the AAP across the state. He is not saying the truth.

    Did he ask for being made party’s CM face, or was offered to be one?

    To be fair to him, neither did he once ask for being made the CM face of the party in Punjab nor was it offered. He did talk to us once again (after Arvind Kejriwal came back from his Vipassana meditation centre in Himachal) on what have we thought about him, and we told him all of that has already been discussed.

    Why is the AAP worried over the fourth front?

    The AAP is not worried. We are only gaining ground in Punjab. Our rallies are only getting bigger. The nervousness being betrayed by our rival parties is the proof. But it is for Sidhu to answer who is he trying to benefit by forming a fourth front. Even a child will not believe that a party being formed a few months before elections has any commitment. It will only lead to division of votes and vitiate the environment of the state before elections. Instead of attacking the Badals and their mafia raj, Sidhu is busy attacking the AAP and helping them.

  • Sidhu’s new outfit a ‘B-team’ of the RSS, says AAP’s Jarnail

    Sidhu’s new outfit a ‘B-team’ of the RSS, says AAP’s Jarnail

    Aam Aadmi Party’s Punjab co-incharge Jarnail Singh hit back at Navjot Singh Sidhu, alleging that his political outfit Awaaz-e-Punjab is the “B-team of the RSS”, and said his attack on the Badal family was a diversion, as his real target was Delhi chief minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal.

    Jarnail also said that by forming a new party, the cricketer-turned-politician finally accepted that he harbours chief ministerial ambitions. “Navjot Singh Sidhu’s press conference has made it clear that he is the B Team of the RSS. We were suspicious of him from the very beginning. He first wanted that the BJP should contest the Punjab polls all alone, but when it was not possible, he got separated with the blessings of the RSS,” Jarnail said.

    “How can a person save Punjab when he cannot relinquish his claim to a ticket,” Jarnail added.

  • My job is to protect ICC’s interests, says Shashank Manohar

    My job is to protect ICC’s interests, says Shashank Manohar

    MUMBAI (TIP): Shashank Manohar’s critics feel that he has let the BCCI down – first by deserting the ship just when the whole foundation was about to be hit by the Supreme Court-constituted Lodha Committee report, and then by ignoring India’s interests after being voted as the chairman of ICC.

    Speaking exclusively to TOI, the 58-year-old clarified his stance on issues which have seen him lose the confidence of the top officials of BCCI…

    There is a growing feeling in BCCI that you’re not protecting India’s interests in the ICC?

    As an independent chairman of the world body, I’m there to protect the ICC’s interests, and not the BCCI’s.

    BCCI is upset that ICC has earmarked a budget as high as $135 million (approx) as the organisational cost for the 2017 Champions Trophy in England, whereas India received only $45 million for organising the World T20 earlier this year…

    This $135 million is a factually wrong figure. The budget for the 2016 World T20 was $ 55m, which included the production cost too. The budget that has been earmarked for the Champions Trophy is $46m, which includes the production cost for the event. You must remember that the cost of accommodation and travel is much more in England than in India.

    It’s believed that both you and the ICC back the introduction of the two-tier system in Test cricket, which the BCCI has staunchly opposed…

    I had made it clear at the ICC meeting of Chief Executives (CECs) and the Board of Directors in Edinburgh that since this involved an issue regarding bilateral series rights, it shouldn’t be discussed on the ICC platform. The ICC only acted as a facilitator while organising an informal meeting of representatives of the countries in Dubai, which wasn’t attended by CECs. We didn’t pay for the expenses towards that meeting. Personally , I was against the idea, because the value of the second-tier teams would be negligible.

    The BCCI feels that you haven’t supported it enough on the Lodha issue…

    What can the ICC do in this? When it comes to the law of the land, everyone, including the ICC, has to abide by its order. We can’t sit on the judgment of the highest court of the country. 

  • BCCI to create digital injury monitoring system

    BCCI to create digital injury monitoring system

    NEW DELHI (TIP): The Indian cricket board (BCCI), which has long been looking for ways to minimize strain-related injuries to its players – especially the faster bowlers – has plans to devise a digital system that will revolve around the concept of injury prevention.

    The idea was proposed at a recent workshop for physios headed by renowned physiotherapists from Australia Patrick Farhart, along with Andrew Leipus, at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). Apart from the creation of a digital database to monitor injuries, the system will also try to identify the threshold workload which will allow a player to remain injury free. This system is already under implementation in Australia and South Africa.

    “The board has put more emphasis on preventing injuries rather than just rehabilitation. That’s why Farhart has come up with this system where there will be a digital bank in which each player’s workload is entered,” a BCCI official told TOI, adding: “He has discussed ways of tracking a player’s workload and understanding when a player may break down. There are different parameters for batsmen and bowlers but the key is to keep monitoring the faster bowlers.

    The board won’t have to depend entirely on local physios who are with state teams.”

    According to sources, there will be a core group of 15 physios operating across the country who will be punching in the workload of players. The digital database is also intended to be a tool to aid the selection process. “It doesn’t matter which state team a player represents. Suppose a player from Assam is picked for a national camp or an India ‘A’ camp at the NCA, the selectors and coaches can punch his name in the system and they will get all the details about the concerned player. This can also help in gauging how much workload a player can sustain if picked for an international tour,” sources said.

    India’s fast bowlers have a long history of breaking down in the middle of a series. If the Farhart-Leipus system is executed properly, this problem can be minimized to a fair extent.”There is a spike against the name of each bowler. Once there is a rise, a possible injury can be traced a good three weeks before it aggravates. Accordingly, workload can be regulated,” the source said.

  • CRY America & Sharmila Tagore call for support to give underprivileged children the opportunities to realize their dreams

    CRY America & Sharmila Tagore call for support to give underprivileged children the opportunities to realize their dreams

    NEW YORK (TIP): Child Rights and You America Inc, a 501c3 non-profit that works to ensure children their rights, hosted its annual benefit dinner ‘Pledge 2016’ on June 10th 2016, at The Taj Pierre in New York.

    The annual event witnessed high profile guests come together to support the cause of children. Legendary actress Sharmila Tagore, Ernst & Young Partner Don MacNeal, Comedian Dan Nainan and Center 10 founder Roopa Unnikrishnan were the speakers at the event.

    India has made tremendous economic strides in the last decade, but its children continue to battle deprivation of their rights. With their rights vastly ignored, millions of children are out of the safety net, forced into labor, malnourishment, abuse and illiteracy.

    Speaking at Pledge 2016, Shefali Sunderlal, President, CRY America said, “Only 54% of children complete their education in India due to obstacles such as child labor, child marriage, distance from schools and gender discrimination. CRY America works with grass-root Projects, communities and local authorities to ensure children have quality education, healthcare and are protected from causes which hinder their development.”

    “Investments in children are essential to a child’s and the communities well-being. Ensuring children get their due enables them to reach their full potential and realize their dreams. Thus far, CRY America has impacted the lives of 618,915 children living across 3,084 villages & slums through support to 70 Projects. This has been possible only because of the support received from 25,000 donors and 2,000 volunteers across the USA”, she added.

    Legendary Indian actress, Sharmila Tagore shared, “Lack of education and healthcare holds back the development of children. Together, we have a powerful voice and the resources to help organizations like CRY ensure that children have the right to live, learn, grow and play. Support CRY America and make a difference to a child’s life and your own!”

    The evening raised $110,000, which will be directed towards funding several Projects that ensure lasting change for children. Items auctioned at the dinner included paintings donated by prominent Indian Artists Ram Kumar, Jehangir Sabavala, JMS Mani, Prakash Deshmukh, Pravin Utge, & Deepa Vedhpathak; designer clothes donated by JJ Valaya, Sabyasachi, & Anita Dongre; jewelry donated by Velvetcase.com, Raj Jewels, & Amrapali; a cricket ball autographed by Saurav Ganguly, a baseball autographed by Bill & Hillary Clinton, Abbey Road Album autographed by the Beatles, among others.

    Since its inception 13 years ago, CRY America has enabled people to take responsibility for the situation of underprivileged children. Sunderlal concluded, “CRY America believes that ‘YOU’ have the power to change children’s futures and give wings to their dreams. Your support will allow us to ensure that thousands of children are able to go to sleep educated, healthy and protected. Your solidarity is needed today, more than ever.” She appealed for people to join CRY America as donors, volunteers and supporters and visit www.america.cry.org for more information.

  • Anil Kumble appointed head coach of India

    Anil Kumble appointed head coach of India

    BENGALURU (TIP): Coaching the Indian cricket team is one of the high-pressure jobs in the world. The expectations that comes with the team is enormous but Anil Kumble, the newly-appointed chief coach , is up for the task. The former India Test captain said he would take a friendly approach rather than dictate his wards as he believes the rigid approach will not work with the high-profile side. Calling it a new beginning of his career, Kumble said he was excited about his new role.

    Excerpts… How does it feel to be back in the Team India dressing room as a head coach?

    It’s a great honour. I know it’s a huge challenge, a huge responsibility. There’ll be a lot of expectations. I’m looking forward to contributing back to Indian cricket and I felt this was the right time for me to get involved.

    You have mentored RCB and Mumbai Indians but never coached any side. How prepared are you now?

    Yes, it is very different. Obviously I will learn a lot. I know that coaching is very different from playing. I’ve realized that over the last five years I’ve had some success and I’ve learnt from some of the mistakes. I’ll use all those learnings as well. I always believe that the team is first and the coach’s role is to ensure that the team prepares to the best of its ability for all adversities. And that’s all I’ll look to do, in terms of what we can try and achieve. We’ll be able to get the players in the best possible condition, and it’s a very different feeling to be part of the set-up again.

    You will be in charge of the team for one year, do you have a long-term plan?

    We can put together a proper plan for the next three years. Of course I’m in charge for one year, but I think it’s important to plan beyond that as well. And that’s what I presented – a three-year plan that took care of the FTP as of today, various challenges the team has, and how to address that, and how to plan to bridge whatever gaps there are. Those are few of the things I will discuss in detail with the players when I meet them.

    What are changes you have in mind?

    This is a young team with a lot of potential. They’ve shown in the recent past that they’re capable of beating big sides. It’s too early for me to say anything. Yes I have plans, I’ve laid out some blueprints, but at the end of it the team has to buy in and that’s what I’m really looking forward to. I had a chat with Virat. Once MS (Dhoni) returns from Zimbabwe I’ll have a chat with him as well.

    What are your immediate priorities?

    This is a young team. I certainly believe that as a coach of a young team, you need to be hands-on and you need to really get your hands dirty as well – train with them, be a part of their training. And be with them more like an elder brother, in every aspect, not just on the field, but also off it. That’s something I will be focusing on. There’s a camp here in Bengaluru. It’ll be nice to get to know these players. I know all of them obviously. I’ve worked with a few of them, played with a couple of them. It’ll be a new beginning.

    Can you point out some key points from your presentation made to the Cricket Advisory Committee?

    A lot of people have been talking about this presentation but it’s just a plan. It needs inputs from other people as well. It’s nice, now I’m coach of the national team, my long-time colleague Rahul (Dravid) is in charge of the junior team, and the three advisors are people I’ve played a lot of cricket with. I believe that we have a good set of people. And of course there are other stakeholders as well.

    (PTI)

  • Ganguly and Lodha helped Kumble topple Shastri

    Ganguly and Lodha helped Kumble topple Shastri

    BANGALURU (TIP): Cricket Association of Bengal chief and former India captain Sourav Ganguly and former chief justice of India RM Lodha played a big role in the appointment of Anil Kumble as Team India coach replacing incumbent Ravi Shastri on June 23.

    While Ganguly, who had one year ago lost to Shastri in his own quest to become the coach, spared no effort to ensure that the latter did not get a second term, Justice Lodha, who, as the head of Supreme Court appointed committee, has recommended sweeping reforms in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), played an indirect role in Kumble’s ascension.

    Justice Lodha, among his many antidotes for the ills besetting the cricket board had recommended setting up of a players’ association and suggested that Kumble be made its member. The BCCI by appointing Kumble India coach hit two targets with one stone – it killed the possibility of him becoming a member of the players’ body and also asserted its independence in taking decisions.

    Shastri would have in all likelihood won a second term had it not been for Ganguly’s relentless campaigning for Kumble. In fact, Shastri deserved an extension after having turned the Men in Blue world beaters in the 18 months he was the coach. India, under his stewardship, became the world’s No. 1 Test team, bagged the no. 2 slot in ODIs, and T20s. He also took India to the semi-final stage of the World Cup and the World Twenty20. Asia Cup title, series win against South Africa at home and a rare away series win against Sri Lanka were some of his other achievements. But what he could never win was Dada’s confidence.

    Ganguly and Shastri were never the best of buddies. When the latter bagged the coaching job in 2015 despite Ganguly wanting it for himself, the gulf widened. Ganguly was not even present when Shastri made his presentation to the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) two days back. This despite the venue of the CAC deliberations being shifted from Mumbai to Kolkata on his insistence.

    When Shastri was hooked via video link from Bangkok, where he is currently holidaying, Ganguly was conspicuous by his absence in the Taj Bengal conference room. The BCCI members say it was because Ganguly had to attend his book release function elsewhere in the city. The former team director was interviewed by Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, and Sanjay Jagdale, the other three members of the CAC.

    (PTI)

  • Banned Pak cricketer Danish Kaneria appeals to BCCI for help

    Banned Pak cricketer Danish Kaneria appeals to BCCI for help

    MUMBAI (TIP): When you meet a legspinner who’s taken 261 wickets in 61Tests (I’d have taken at least 500 if I was still playing, he says), you’d want to talk to him about his art, the mystique of which has always fascinated connoisseurs of cricket. Unfortunately, when you sit with Danish Kaneria -Pakistan’s fourth-highest wicket-taker (and the most successful spinner ever), the topic centres around just one thing -fixing, a charge which destroyed his career, for good perhaps.

    For the past four years, ever since the 35-year old was banned by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for life for allegedly indulging in spot-fixing in a NatWest Pro40 game while playing for Essex against Durham, Kaneria has been fighting a vain battle to ‘restore his honour’ and return to the game but has received ‘little help’ from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC).

    The leggie is currently in India on a “religious trip.” Only the second Hindu to play for Pakistan after Anil Dalpat, Kaneria has so far visited Shirdi, Trimbakeshwar, Siddhivinayak, Mahalaxmi and Mumbadevi temples during his visit. “I plan to go to the land of my forefathers, Surat too,” Kaneria tells TOI during an exclusive interview

    There’s speculation brewing k home that the tainted cricket back home that the tainted cricketer now wants to move to India for good. “This is such loose talk. I’ve received so much love in Pakistan, it is just that the PCB has discriminated against me. If I wanted to seek asylum here, why would I leave my kids behind in Karachi. I’ve come here with my mother and wife,” he shoots off. He does see a ray of hope emerge from this trip too. “I’ve got so much love from India every time I come here. Though I’m not scheduled to meet any BCCI officials, I won’t mind meeting them on this trip. I appeal to the Indian board to help me out, because they’ve the power to do so,” he pleads.

    Kaneria turns emotional while reliving his ordeal ever since his fellow Essex teammate Murray Westfield (a fast bowler) named him as the man who introduced him to Anu Bhatt, an Indian bookie, during an ECB trial in 2012. Westfield pleaded guilty to the charge and was let off, while Kaneria was banned for life for not admitting to his alleged “match irregularities.”

    “The trial was launched two years after the Scotland Yard cleared me. It was biased against me, since they (ECB) seemed to have struck a deal with Westfield to protect him.” Kaneria adds, “During the trial, when I told them that my father was suffering from cancer, the ECB attorney said ‘we don’t care whether your father lives or dies.’ Such was their attitude.” The PCB toed the line of ECB, and banned me too. Ironically, the (in)famous spot-fixing scandal of 2010 in England came after I was pulled out of the Pakistan team at ECB’s insistence, despite having provided the PCB all documents to prove my innocence. Salman Butt , Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamir were supposed to ambassadors of the game, but look at what they did,” he says, while slamming the move to end the bans of the trio.

  • Sanjay Bangar appointed as India’s coach for Zimbabwe tour

    Sanjay Bangar appointed as India’s coach for Zimbabwe tour

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Sanjay Bangar, former India all-rounder, has been appointed as India’s head coach for the Zimbabwe series, the Board of Cricket for Cricket in India announced on Thursday (May 26). Bangar has previously worked with the national team as one of the assistant coaches and is currently the head coach of Indian Premier League franchise Kings XI Punjab. The BCCI have also named Abhay Sharma as the fielding coach. Abhay was previously India A and Under-19’s fielding and wicket-keeping coach.

    “The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has appointed Mr. Koka Ramesh, a former cricketer and Zonal Secretary of the Andhra Cricket Association, as the Administrative Manager of the Indian team for the tour to Zimbabwe,” the BCCI said in a statement.

    “Mr. Sanjay Bangar has been appointed as the Head Coach of the Indian cricket team for the forthcoming tour to Zimbabwe, which commences on the 8th of June comprising 3 One-Day International matches and 3 T20 International matches to be played in Harare.”

    “Mr. Abhay Sharma has been appointed as the fielding coach of the team.”

    The BCCI has been looking to appoint a full-time head coach for the national team after team director Ravi Shastri’s tenure came to an end following the World T20. Bangar (batting), B Arun (fielding) and R Sridhar (fielding) were part of the coaching staff along with Shastri. Newly elected BCCI president Anurag Thakur recently revealed that the process to appoint the next head coach would take around two months and also went on to mention that they had set June 10 as the deadline day for applications to be submitted for the same.

    MS Dhoni will be leading the side in Zimbabwe but the selectors have rested several key players ahead of the Test tour to West Indies.

  • Champion declared for the first MoneyGram Cricket Bee

    Champion declared for the first MoneyGram Cricket Bee

    EDISON, NJ (TIP): At a game show like set of the MoneyGram Cricket Bee on Saturday,May 7th, Bharat Jayakumar of Sunnyvale, California bagged the title of Champion and $10,000 prize money.

    Jayakumar answered Australia as the winners of the first U-19 title the right option of his championship question to become the first ever Champion of the MoneyGram Cricket Bee.

    The second runner up, Auroshish Mishra of Belmont, California was the runner up having missed the right answer to his question and took home the $2,000 prize money.

    The MoneyGram Cricket Bee was launched earlier this year and is a game of Cricket Trivia that is conducted in a bee format, which is the miss and out basis. Over 800 people registered to play the contest and to qualify through the rounds and secure one of the 9 slots at the Finals.

    “We are pleased to be able to call the first annual MoneyGram Cricket Bee a success,” said Ivy Wisco, MoneyGram’s marketing director. “Congratulations to the winners and all of the contestants. It is an honor to support community events like the Cricket Bee that unite friends and loved ones around the world.”

    Contests were held in Edison, NJ, Hayward, CA and Toronto, Canada from where the top three were invited to the finals. Cash prizes of $500, $300 and $200 were given out at the regional levels as well.

    MoneyGram, along with its marketing agency, AAAZA, commissioned the idea for the Cricket Bee from leading multicultural agency Touchdown Media in an effort to engage and connect with the more than 10 million cricket fans in North America.

    “To watch the Finals yesterday were no less gripping than the last few overs of a hotly contested One day Cricket match; it was nail biting and intense. So very happy and proud of the Bee to have been able to provide a great platform for Cricket Enthusiasts,” said Rahul Walia, Founder.

    Malaysian based Food conglomerate Kawan Foods, served as the powered by sponsor while the exclusive broadcast rights were bagged by TV ASIA, which is going to telecast a packaged programming later this summer.

    “We were very happy to have associated with the first ever MoneyGram Cricket bee and watching the finalist battle out was legendary. Very impressed by the knowledge of the finalists and our heartiest congratulations to the winners, said Tim Tan, MD Kawan Foods.

    “As the oldest broadcast medium for the community, it was definitely an honor to be the exclusive broadcaster for the first ever MoneyGram Cricket Bee. We pride ourselves with connecting with our community and this initiative is in line with our continued commitment to the diaspora in North America,” said HR Shah, chairman and CEO of TV Asia and an avid cricketer himself.

  • MoneyGram Cricket Bee: Winners announced for Bay Area regional contest

    MoneyGram Cricket Bee: Winners announced for Bay Area regional contest

    METUCHEN, NJ (TIP): Over 200 people registered for the Bay Area regional of the MoneyGram Cricket Bee held at Chabot College on April 17.

    The three winners of the second regional, answered trivia questions on Cricket to solidify their position at the finals. Auroshish Mishra of Belmont, CA was declared second runner up, Bharat Jayakumar of Sunnyvale, CA was first runner up and the Regional champion was Ravishkumar Bhavsar of Union City, CA.

    The competition allows cricket fans to compete for prizes while sharing their knowledge of the game in an effort to win a cash prize of $10,000.

    Open to those 18 and older, the contest began with regional rounds in New Jersey, completed San Francisco and will conclude in Toronto, each testing participants’ general cricket knowledge. The regional contest will have two components, a written test and an oral test. In the written qualifier, contestants will be asked 35 questions. They must get at least 25 correct in order to advance to the oral round. In the oral round, the contest will be held on a miss and out basis; simply if a contestant misses the right answer, they are eliminated.

    Unlike quiz shows, the Cricket Bee will be conducted so that contestants are actually competing with themselves and the question posed to them as opposed to their peers.

    Cricket enthusiasts can still participate at the remaining center in Toronto (Apr 24). Contestants can register to compete in the game of their choice at www.cricketbee.com. A sample set of questions and sources will be provided for the participants.

    “We are proud to sponsor the 2016 Cricket Bee,” says Joann Chatfield, MoneyGram’s vice president of marketing. “We know that the passion for cricket unites friends and loved ones around the world and brings them closer together. It’s always exciting to be a part of initiatives that support out South Asian communities.

    Kawan Foods serves as the powered by sponsor for the innovative event and has been deeply involved with the South Asian community through various initiatives and hopes to connect with the entire Cricketing community here in the US and Canada.

    “We want to congratulate the winners of the regional contest and wish them continued success in their endeavor to win $10,000,” said Tim Tan, MD Kawan Foods.

    “There was a lot of excitement and immense talent at the regional which goes to show how passionate people are about the game. Participants had an opportunity to network and interact with other cricket players and enthusiasts from various cities and I am very happy to have our first set of finalists” said Rahul Walia, Founder of the Cricket Bee

    TV Asia serves as the exclusive broadcaster for the event and has been a strong proponent of promoting Cricket in the country.

    “Our studio was abuzz with the contestants and I was excited to see how much trivia and knowledge they had to share. It’s definitely a great platform for cricket enthusiasts across the country and we are excited to see them at the finals” said HR Shah, chairman and CEO of TV Asia and an avid cricketer himself.

    The finals are slated for May 7th and are open for the public to watch. You can reserve seats by calling 732-710-4361.

  • Winners announced for NJ regional MoneyGram Cricket Bee

    Winners announced for NJ regional MoneyGram Cricket Bee

    METUCHEN, NJ (TIP): Almost 400 people registered for the New Jersey regional of the first MoneyGram Cricket Bee held at the TV Asia Studios on April 10.

    The three winners of the first regional answered trivia questions on Cricket to solidify their position at the finals. Sandeep Shrivastava of Somerset, NJ was declared second runner up, Debi Prasad Mohapatra of Stamford, CT was first runner up and the Regional champion was Indrajit Sanyal of Piscataway, NJ.

    The competition allows cricket fans to compete for prizes while sharing their knowledge of the game in an effort to win a cash prize of $10,000.

    Open to those 18 and older, the contest will begin with regional rounds in New Jersey, San Francisco and Toronto, each testing participants’ general cricket knowledge. The regional contest will have two components, a written test and an oral test. In the written qualifier, contestants will be asked 35 questions. They must get at least 25 correct in order to advance to the oral round. In the oral round, the contest will be held on a miss and out basis; simply if a contestant misses the right answer, they are eliminated.

    Unlike quiz shows, the Cricket Bee will be conducted so that contestants are actually competing with themselves and the question posed to them as opposed to their peers.

    Cricket enthusiasts can still participate at one the remaining two centers in San Francisco Bay Area (April 17) and Toronto (Apr 24). Contestants can register to compete in the game of their choice at www.cricketbee.com. A sample set of questions and sources will be provided for the participants.

    “We are proud to sponsor the 2016 Cricket Bee,” says Joann Chatfield, MoneyGram’s vice president of marketing. “We know that the passion for cricket unites friends and loved ones around the world and brings them closer together. It’s always exciting to be a part of initiatives that support out South Asian communities.

    Kawan Foods serves as the powered by sponsor for the innovative event and has been deeply involved with the South Asian community through various initiatives and hopes to connect with the entire Cricketing community here in the US and Canada.

    “We want to congratulate the winners of the regional contest and wish them continued success in their endeavor to win $10,000,” said Tim Tan, MD Kawan Foods.

    “There was a lot of excitement and immense talent at the regional which goes to show how passionate people are about the game. Participants had an opportunity to network and interact with other cricket players and enthusiasts from various cities and I am very happy to have our first set of finalists” said Rahul Walia, Founder of the Cricket Bee

    TV Asia serves as the exclusive broadcaster for the event and has been a strong proponent of promoting Cricket in the country.

    “Our studio was abuzz with the contestants and I was excited to see how much trivia and knowledge they had to share. It’s definitely a great platform for cricket enthusiasts across the country and we are excited to see them at the finals” said HR Shah, chairman and CEO of TV Asia and an avid cricketer himself.

    The finals are slated for May 7th and are open for the public to watch. You can reserve seats by calling 732-710-4361

  • HOW CHAOS UNFOLDED AT NIT SRINAGAR CAMPUS?

    HOW CHAOS UNFOLDED AT NIT SRINAGAR CAMPUS?

    A cricket match The controversy kicked off with the alleged celebration of India’s loss in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup against West Indies. As it often happens, many Kashmiris celebrated India’s defeat against West Indies in T20 World Cup late on Thursday night. Non-local students were angry with locals cheering Andre Russell’s winning runs against India in Mumbai. A clash apparently broke out, and multiple reports indicated that non-Kashmiri students attacked Kashmiri students and a local courier-delivery boy.

    Teargas and lathicharge Last week, the atmosphere at the institute was charged with hundreds of non-local students protesting against the Kashmiris chanting ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’, ‘Hindustan Zindabad’ and ‘Pakistan Murdabad’. The non-local students also burnt a replica of the Pakistani flag, eyewitnesses said. In retaliation, Kashmiri students responded by shouting ‘Hum Kya Chahte Azadi’. Police fired tear gas shells and used baton charge to disperse the groups and authorities decided to close down the institution until further notice.

    Clashes The institution formally opened on March 4 but non-Kashmiri students had boycotted them. On Tuesday evening, a group of them went to the director’s office for a meeting. Trouble started when, after the meeting, the students took out a march, shouting slogans. Police stopped them at the main gate, and clashes erupted. The students group accused the police of entering classrooms and beating up students. Following the incident, the Central Reserve Police Force (CPRF) was deployed.

  • World T20: MS Dhoni invites Aussie journalist on stage, engages in banter

    World T20: MS Dhoni invites Aussie journalist on stage, engages in banter

    MUMBAI (TIP): In what was a surprise move that left the pack of media assembled in the basement of the Wankhede Stadium stunned and clamouring to take photos with their smartphones, MS Dhoni responded to a question from an Australian journalist by inviting him to sit next to him on the dais.

    The question asked by Samuel Ferris of cricket.com.au was about whether after the Indian team’s exit from the ICC World Twenty20 semi-finals, Dhoni, at 34, was keen to play on. At first Dhoni responded by asking Ferris to repeat the question, and when he did, the following played out.

    “Come here, let’s have some fun,” said Dhoni, beckoning to Ferris to join him. Ferris blinked and looked taken aback. Dhoni pushed aside one of the chairs next to him and said: “I am serious, come here.”

    A somewhat sheepish Ferris got up and joined Dhoni as cameras clicked. This was unprecedented in any media briefing for cricketers. That it was the captain of India calling a journalist out of the crowd made it all the more incredulous.

    The Australian sat down and Dhoni put an arm around him. “Do you want me to retire?”

    “Not that I want. That’s what I want to ask you,” replied Ferris.

    “I was hoping it was an Indian media guy because I can’t really ask you if you have a son or a brother who is a wicketkeeper. Do you think I am unfit, looking at my running?” asked Dhoni as giggles rippled around the room.

    “No. You’re very fast.”

    “Do you think I can survive till the 2019 World Cup?”

    “You should, yes, sure.”

    “Then you have answered the question.” With that, Dhoni patted Ferris’ back and the Australian got up and walked back to his seat.

    Dhoni wasn’t finished, though.

    “I wish it was an Indian media person,” he added, clearly in reference to the number of times his place has been questioned after a defeats and the times journalists have asked him questions about his future. “Then I would have asked if he has a son who is a wicketkeeper and ready to play. He would have said no, then I would have said maybe a brother who is a wicketkeeper and who is ready to play. You fired the right ammunition at the wrong time.”

    It is a moment that will find plenty of airplay over the next 24 hours, and countless viewing, no doubt, on YouTube. As for Twitter, well you can bet Dhoni’s brief chat with Ferris is going to kick up a lot of laughs.

  • Meet Joann L. Chatfield, Vice President of Marketing at MoneyGram

    Meet Joann L. Chatfield, Vice President of Marketing at MoneyGram

    Joann L. Chatfield, MoneyGram Vice President of Marketing was in town, February 24 to speak at the launch of her company sponsored Cricket Bee contest. Addressing a gathering of media persons at a Midtown Manhattan restaurant, she said, “We are proud to sponsor the 2016 Cricket Bee. We know that the passion for cricket unites friends and loved ones around the world and brings them closer together. It’s always exciting to be a part of initiatives that support our South Asian communities”.

    Joann is enthusiastic about reaching out to the South Asian communities who have a lot of interest in cricket. She was particularly excited at the suggestion floated by The Indian Panorama editor Prof. Indrajit S Saluja that MoneyGram could establish a better rapport with the communities if they visited them at their places of worship and at their social and cultural events which are many and often huge, like Diwali, Dussehra, Vaisakhi and Eid.

    Joann has served as vice president of marketing, since January 2013, most recently responsible for the US, Canada, UK, Ireland and northern Europe. Chatfield previously served as vice president, global marketing and services, and director of marketing, US and Canada. Since joining MoneyGram in May 2011, Chatfield has a proven track record of building and leading highly productive global teams, as well as demonstrated her proficiency in the intricacies of a complex, global, multi-cultural brand.

    Joann has taken on several leadership roles and has consistently shown her business acumen with her innate ability to drive a wide range of internal and external marketing and communication strategies designed to establish market presence, and increase revenue and profitability.

    Prior to joining MoneyGram, Joann served in a number of business development and marketing roles within the finance and telecommunication industries. She is a graduate of the University of New Mexico with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications.

  • Sedition Arrests in India Inflame Old Free-Speech Tensions

    Sedition Arrests in India Inflame Old Free-Speech Tensions

    Over the years, the thousand-acre campus of Jawaharlal Nehru University has seen too many protests by its leftist student body to count, most of them petering out without incident. But one staged this month seems to have struck a raw nerve.

    SeditionIn all likelihood, the protest would have passed like the others, except that on this occasion, a television station broadcast footage from the event that it said showed the protesters shouting, “Long live Pakistan.” Equally offensive to many Indians, the students had gathered to express support for Muhammad Afzal, a Kashmiri militant executed for a 2001 suicide attack on India’s Parliament in which nine people were killed.

    Apparently, the twin insults were more than India’s newly empowered authorities from the conservative Bharatiya Janata Party, or B.J.P., could stand. Three days later, the president of the university’s student union was arrested on charges that included sedition.

    Since the arrest, the B.J.P., with its strong Hindu nationalist roots, has gone on the offensive, casting itself as the defender of Indian patriotism. It has organized a countrywide campaign against the protesters, holding marches and rallies to defend “Mother India.” At one, in West Delhi, B.J.P. workers shouted, “The traitors of the nation, we will shoot them.”

    By Wednesday, two more students had been arrested on sedition charges, and a debate over free speech raged in Parliament, with a Congress party lawmaker accusing the government of “trying to stifle the voice of the youth.”

    The arrests have taken the tensions to a new level, with the B.J.P. calling the students “anti-national” and following up with a countrywide campaign against people viewed as unpatriotic.

    Underlying the political issue is a historic ambivalence about freedom of speech in the world’s largest democracy. While free speech is enshrined in the Constitution, it has been undermined by various sections of the penal code, the courts and successive governments, and is not always supported by the public.

    The Constitution provides for freedom of speech and expression, but with several exceptions, including speech that undermines “the sovereignty and integrity of India” or public order. The provisions are not unusual, but what has stymied freedom of speech, as a value and a legal right, is its history of being undermined for political gain by leaders across the ideological spectrum.

    Dating to the colonial era, sedition charges have been applied broadly in successive governments, often targeting political opponents rather than people inciting violence, which is the aim of the law.

    In 2012, a cartoonist criticizing corruption was charged with sedition, as were, briefly, a group of Kashmiri students cheering the Pakistani cricket team in 2014.

    A law against acts “intended to outrage religious feelings” has been used to ban books and films, or to effectively erase them by compelling distributors to withdraw them because of litigation. The Congress government banned Salman Rushdie’s “The Satanic Verses,” fearing it would offend Muslims. Publishers withdrew another book, “The Hindus: An Alternative History,” by an American historian, Wendy Doniger, after a right-wing activist filed a case under the law, saying the book had a “hidden agenda to denigrate Hindus.”

    Sedition was further reinforced in 1947 during the traumatic partition with Pakistan, which left hundreds of thousands dead as Hindus and Muslims turned on one another. Its continued use reflects a prevailing anxiety over such violence, even as some forms of vigilantism are effectively allowed free rein.

    What precisely happened at J.N.U. is unclear, but several people have stepped forward to question the television report. A producer who worked on the segment said that editors had supplied inflammatory and false captions to explain the students’ unintelligible cries. The station denied the producer’s claim, and the editor of the station said in a comment to Press Trust of India, “Our systems are completely transparent and stringent not to permit any specific viewpoint to dominate any news broadcast beyond editorial merit.”

    A student who attended the protest said there were calls for freedom from caste oppression, but did not recall anything about Pakistan.

    However, there is no denying that the purpose of the gathering was to protest the execution of a militant responsible for multiple deaths in India.

    A noted historian, Ramachandra Guha, maintained that the government had clearly overreacted in making the arrests, though the students’ hailing the man convicted of the Parliament attack was “a provocation where perhaps the freedom-of-speech limit has been crossed.”

    Others have condemned the B.J.P.’s attempt to capitalize on the protest to further its nationalist agenda. “This whole idea that India’s always right on everything and anyone who raises questions is a traitor,” said Shekhar Gupta, a political commentator, “that’s a new thing.”

    But the B.J.P. has enjoyed considerable public support. In an open letter, 33 people, including intellectuals and artists, said that the left was attempting to “cover up” the events at the university “in the garb of freedom of expression,” adding that “such slogans are unacceptable to all patriots.”

    Critics of the government noted that a group of lawyers went largely unpunished after mobbing a courthouse where the student leader, Kanhaiya Kumar, was expected for a hearing, beating up students and reporters and shouting slogans, including “Hail Mother India.”

    Two lawyers were arrested several days after the courthouse violence and accused of rioting and causing harm, but both were released on bail soon after. A third lawyer, issued a summons in connection with the riot, took five days to appear at a police station for questioning.

    In contrast, Mr. Kumar, whose lawyer says he did not even participate in the protest, is still behind bars nearly two weeks after his arrest.

    Prof. Harsh V. Pant, who teaches international relations at King’s College London, said it was hard for leftist opponents of the B.J.P. to aggressively defend freedom of speech because past governments, including those led by the Congress party, had undermined it before to further their own agendas.

    “Where was freedom of speech in the past?” Professor Pant asked. “I do think the left is not on as strong a wicket as it might seem.”

  • MoneyGram Cricket Bee Launched: Cricket Fans Get a Chance to Win $10,000

    MoneyGram Cricket Bee Launched: Cricket Fans Get a Chance to Win $10,000

    NEW YORK CITY (TIP): Leading multicultural marketing firm, Touchdown Media Inc. and MoneyGram, (NASDAQ: MGI) a leading global money transfer service, announced, February 24, the kick-off of the first annual Cricket Bee sponsored by MoneyGram. The new competition allows cricket fans to compete for prizes while sharing their knowledge of the game in an effort to win a cash prize of $10,000.

    Open to those 18 and older, the contest will begin with regional rounds in New Jersey, San Francisco and Toronto, each testing participants’ general cricket knowledge. The regional contest will have two components, a written test and an oral test. In the written qualifier, contestants will be asked 35 questions. They must get at least 25 correct in order to advance to the oral round. In the oral round, the contest will be held on a miss and out basis; simply if a contestant misses the right answer, they are eliminated.

    The three finalists in each regional round will move on to the grand finals. Unlike quiz shows, the Cricket Bee will be conducted so that contestants are actually competing with themselves and the question posed to them as opposed to their peers. In the oral round, the initial rounds will be category wise.

    Contestants can register to compete in the game of their choice at www.cricketbee.com. A sample set of questions and sources will be provided for the participants.

    “We are proud to sponsor the 2016 Cricket Bee,” says Joann Chatfield, MoneyGram’s vice president of marketing. “We know that the passion for cricket unites friends and loved ones around the world and brings them closer together. It’s always exciting to be a part of initiatives that support our South Asian communities.

    Kawan Foods will serve as the powered by sponsor for the innovative event and has been deeply involved with the South Asian community through various initiatives and hopes to connect with the entire Cricketing community here in the US and Canada.

    “Cricket is an integral part of the demographic and as a household brand, we want to involve ourselves with initiatives that bring the community together,” said Tim Tan, MD Kawan Foods.

    The brainchild of Founder Rahul Walia, who is credited with launching the successful South Asian Spelling Bee and other multicultural platforms, the Bee promises to attract all Cricket enthusiasts to test their knowledge and skills.

    “The game of Cricket is an integral part of any commonwealth Expat community in North America and the objective is to leverage the passion of the sport to engage the diaspora in a fun and informative manner while promoting the game to the next generation,” said Walia.

    TV Asia will serve as the exclusive broadcaster for the event and has been a strong proponent of promoting Cricket in the country. The broadcaster has been avidly involved with American College Cricket and also sponsors school children to play cricket in India.

    “As the oldest broadcast medium for the community, it’s definitely an honor to be the exclusive broadcaster for the first ever MoneyGram Cricket Bee. We pride ourselves with connecting with our community and this initiative is in line with our continued commitment to the diaspora in North America,” said HR Shah, chairman and CEO of TV Asia and an avid cricketer himself.

    About MoneyGram Inc.MoneyGram is a global provider of innovative money transfer services and is recognized worldwide as a financial connection to friends and family. Whether online, or through a mobile device, at a kiosk or in a local store, we connect consumers any way that is convenient for them. We also provide bill payment services, issue money orders and process official checks in select markets. More information about MoneyGram International, Inc. is available at moneygram.com.

    About TV Asia:TV Asia is a New Jersey based Pay TV Channel with more than 30 bureaus in major cities of North America. It is the only South Asian channel to cover the community coast-to-coast in this part of the world, making it the voice and mirror of the community. The channel is the only South Asian network to produce a major portion of its programming in North America. It is available in USA in HD on Dish Satellite Channel 700, Sling International IPTV and in SD on major Cable systems such as Comcast Xfinity, Time Warner, Cablevision etc including Verizon FIOS & AT & T U Verse. TV Asia is celebrating 23 years in the United States.

    For further information, visit www.tvasiausa.com andwww.YouTube.com/tvasiausa for program schedules as well as updates and short videos and on Facebook www.facebook.com/tvasiausa and stay connected to TV Asia.

    About Touchdown Media Inc.:Touchdown Media Inc. is a specialized South Asian advertising and promotions firm based in New Jersey. Now in its 12th successful year, Touchdown has helped clients- both mainstream and otherwise, reach out to the lucrative South Asian market, Touchdown Media represents more than 35 years of collective experience in this niche market. As a full service ad firm, Touchdown has helped many clients achieve their media and marketing goals within the South Asian Diaspora in the US.

  • Sling TV and DISH Announce Long-Term Agreement with Willow TV International to Provide the Most Extensive Cricket Offering in the U.S., Including ICC World Twenty20 2016

    Sling TV and DISH Announce Long-Term Agreement with Willow TV International to Provide the Most Extensive Cricket Offering in the U.S., Including ICC World Twenty20 2016

    February 23: Sling TV and DISH announced they have expanded their strategic relationship with Willow TV International for the Willow cricket channel.

    The agreement brings some of the world’s most popular cricket matches and events, including ICC, India, Pakistan, Australia, South Africa, West Indies and other top teams to cricket fans in the U.S., in high definition, as well as arrangements for coverage of live overlapping matches. With Willow included in most major South Asian packages, Sling TV and DISH customers will have access to the most extensive cricket programming available in the U.S.

    This agreement marks the first time that major ICC events, including the highly anticipated ICC World Twenty20 2016, which begins March 8, 2016, will be provided at no additional charge on the Willow cricket channel. Previously, many of these events have only been available via pay-per-view.

    “We are proud to have supported the launch of the Willow cricket channel in 2010, and by extending this longstanding relationship, we are not only bringing our customers the best in live cricket for years to come, we’re delivering on our commitment to make Sling TV and DISH ‘your home for cricket,’” said Chris Kuelling, senior vice president of programming for Sling TV and DISH. “With this agreement we are now able to bring U.S. viewers the most comprehensive cricket offering in the market, all in high definition.”

    “In just over five years since we launched Willow on DISH, we have expanded our coverage of live international cricket to unprecedented levels,” said Vijay Srinivasan, CEO of Willow TV International. “We are extremely pleased to further strengthen our partnership with Sling TV and DISH, and to announce the availability of the ICC World Twenty20 2016 and other ICC events on the Willow cricket channel for Sling TV and DISH viewers.”

    Willow is available across South Asian packages on both Sling TV and DISH. More information on Sling TV’s cricket offering can be found here, and detail on DISH’s cricket offering can be found here. New Sling TV viewers can try the service free for seven days, and DISH is currently offering the Hindi Mega Pack, which includes Willow, at 50% off for new subscribers.

    About Willow

    Willow TV International, Inc. is the premier broadcaster of cricket in the U.S. Willow distributes a high definition linear television channel dedicated exclusively to cricket in the U.S., and provides television and digital production services to its global partners. Willow is an Official Broadcast Partner of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and several major international cricket boards and leagues.

    About Sling TV

    Sling TV L.L.C., a subsidiary of DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH), provides over-the-top television services including domestic and international live and on-demand programming. It is available on televisions, tablets, computers and smartphones. The Sling TV programming portfolio includes content from Disney/ESPN, HBO/Cinemax, AMC, A&E, Turner, Scripps, EPIX, The Weather Company and Univision. Sling Latino offers a suite of standalone and add-on Spanish-language programming packages tailored to English-dominant, bilingual and Spanish-dominant U.S. households. Sling International currently provides more than 200 channels in 19 languages across multiple devices to U.S. households. Sling TV is a next-generation service that meets the entertainment needs of today’s contemporary viewers. Visit www.Sling.com.

    Follow @Sling on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Sling #TakeBackTV

    About DISH

    DISH Network Corp. (NASDAQ:DISH), through its subsidiaries, provides approximately 13.897 million pay-TV subscribers, as of Dec. 31, 2015, with the highest-quality programming and technology with the most choices at the best value. DISH offers a high definition line-up with more than 200 national HD channels, the most international channels and award-winning HD and DVR technology. DISH Network Corporation is a Fortune 250 company. Visit www.dish.com

  • NO PERMANENT POSITIONS FOR BCCI, ECB AND CA: ICC BOARD

    NO PERMANENT POSITIONS FOR BCCI, ECB AND CA: ICC BOARD

    DUBAI (TIP): The International Cricket Council is all set to scrap the controversial constitutional amendments, which gave executive clout and financial power to India, Australia and England, with its Shashank Manohar-led Board recommending complete overhaul of the current power structure on Thursday.

    In its first meeting of 2016 after Manohar took over as ICC Chairman, the world body’s Board agreed that the current system, put in place by controversial former head N Srinivasan, needed to be done away with.

    “As such, the Board unanimously agreed to propose to the Full Council that a new Chairman should be elected by the Board for a two-year term commencing at the June 2016 Board meeting through a secret balloting process overseen by the ICC’s independent Audit Committee Chairman,” the ICC said in a statement.

    “While in the office, the ICC Chairman will not be allowed to hold any post with any Member Board and may be re-elected at the expiry of the term with a maximum limit of three terms.”

    “To qualify to contest the election, it has been agreed that all nominees must be either a past or present ICC Board director and should have the support of at least two Full Member directors.”

    In fact the Manohar-led ICC suggested complete review of the constitutional changes made in 2014 by Srinivasan which gave enormous powers to the ‘Big Three’ with bulk of the revenue share going their way.

    “The Board agreed to approve changes to the terms of reference of the Finance & Commercial Affairs Committee and Executive Committee so as to remove the permanent positions for the nominees of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Cricket Australia (CA) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on these committees, and to allow fair access to membership for all Full and Associate Member directors, with the sole criteria being the skill, competence and experience of the relevant director.

    “To that end, the present composition of the committees will be reviewed in their entirety in June 2016,” an ICC release stated.

    “Moreover, the Board has also agreed to carry out a complete review of the 2014 resolutions and constitutional changes with a view to establishing governance, finance, corporate and cricketing structures that are appropriate and effective for the strategic role and function of the ICC and all of its members,” the ICC said.

    “As part of this wide-ranging exercise, the ICC Board has directed that the ICC’s constitution be reviewed in its entirety and all members have been encouraged to provide feedback on this issue to ICC management during the next few weeks.”Manohar said the recommendations were aimed at making ICC operations more transparent.

    “The decisions taken clearly reflect that we collectively want to improve the governance in a transparent manner, not only of the ICC but also the Member Boards.”

    Manohar has constituted a five-member steering group, which, under his leadership, also includes the respective Chairmen of the ICC’s Governance Review Committee, Executive Committee, Finance & Commercial Affairs Committee and Associate/Affiliate Member group, and will be supported by various members of ICC management.

    The steering group will report on progress at the April 2016 meeting, with a view to putting forward any required changes to the meetings during the ICC Annual Conference week in June 2016.

    In a further attempt to improve the governance standards of, and transparency within member boards, the ICC Board agreed to reinstate a previous requirement that Full Members must submit their latest audited statements on an annual basis, as is already the case with all Associate and Affiliate Members.

    With an aim to improve relationships with the Members and cricket stakeholders from around the world, the Board decided that three of the four meetings of the year will take place in Member countries outside of the UAE. (PTI)

  • SUPREME COURT TO BCCI: CARRY OUT ALL LODHA COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS

    SUPREME COURT TO BCCI: CARRY OUT ALL LODHA COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS

    NEW DELHI (TIP): The Supreme Court of India on Feb. 4 suggested to the Board of Control for Cricket in India that it accept all the recommendations of the Justice Lodha Committee relating to structural reforms in the governing body, says an IANS report.

    The apex court bench of Justice T.S. Thakur and Justice Fakkir Mohamed Ibrahim Kalifulla told BCCI that the Justice Lodha Committee has given a “very viable rational solutions. You take a realistic view of the matter and act according to the recommendations.”

    Impressing upon senior counsel Shekhar Naphade, appearing for BCCI, the significance of the report, the court said: “The report deserves respect as it is given by the most competent and well-meaning members of the legal fraternity.”

    “It may affect some people who are holding positions but any transition has to have its problems,” the court said as Naphade sought to project the difficulties that the apex cricketing body was encountering with the recommendations of the Lodha Committee.

    “It involves sweeping changes. We are not taking an obstructionist view. There are technical and legal problems. The legal committee (of BCCI) will take a call on the recommendations, which in turn will be considered by the Board and take a final decision,” Naphade told the court pointing out that BCCI was registered as a society in Tamil Nadu and had to go by its by-laws.

    Not missing on apparent reservations on the part of BCCI in going along with the recommendations of the Lodha Committee, the court made it clear that it would not appreciate any suitable assessment of the same (recommendations) by the cricketing body.

    “We will say that we accept the recommendations and ask the Justice Lodha Committee to push forward its (recommendations) for its implementation… help and steer them (BCCI) in the implementation of the recommendations and also monitor it,” Chief Justice Thakur said.

    Thakur also made it clear that there could not be any “ifs and buts” in going along with the recommendations for structural reforms in BCCI.

    Senior counsel Indu Malhotra, appearing for Cricket Association of Bihar, read out the summary of the recommendations by the Justice Lodha Committee and told the court that some states including Bihar and six north-eastern states Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and Mizoram have no representation in the apex cricketing body.

    On the other hand, Maharashtra and Gujarat have multiple votes, Indu Malhotra told the court.

    Naphade cited historical reasons to justify multiple representation of Maharashtra and Gujarat in BCCI.

    The apex court appointed Justice R.M. Lodha Committee have made a host of far-reaching recommendations for improvement of cricket administration in the country including limiting the term for BCCI office bearers with a cooling off period and separate governing bodies for BCCI and the Indian Premier League.

    It had also recommended bringing BCCI under the Right to Information Act, legalization of betting, uniformity in structure of state associations, and a one-state-one-member (vote) pattern for BCCI’s governing body.

    The matter would come up for further hearing on March 3.

  • DDCA probe panel chief alleges pressure, wants to meet Rajnath Singh seeking transfer to Centre

    DDCA probe panel chief alleges pressure, wants to meet Rajnath Singh seeking transfer to Centre

    Chetan Sanghi, a senior IAS officer serving in the Delhi government, who had claimed that he was under “pressure” for naming a “certain VIP” in the DDCA probe panel report, has sought an appointment of Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

    Sanghi has sought the appointment of the home minister but no decision has been taken yet to oblige him, sources said.

    The home ministry is the cadre controlling authority of the Union Territory cadre IAS officers and home minister is guardian of all of them. But no one will be allowed to break service rules and regulations, sources said.

    Sanghi, the Delhi government-appointed DDCA probe panel chief had recently written to Union home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi that he was under “pressure” from various “stakeholders” for naming some individuals, including a “certain VIP”, in his report on the affairs of the cricket body.

    Sanghi has requested for deputation at Centre, but his demand is unlikely to be addressed, sources said because the Centre wants the officer to first devote himself in his present assignment in the AAP government within the rules and regulations.

    Accepting the requests of Sanghi will only encourage “politicking” by bureaucrats and further confrontation with the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government, sources said.

    Leader of opposition in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta had recently alleged that lawyer Rahul Mehra, a member of the probe panel, had put pressure on Sanghi to name Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who has been accused by AAP of allowing “wrongdoings” to happen under his watch as DDCA chief from 1999-2013. Mehra had denied the charges.

    Sanghi had submitted the report to the AAP government in November last year.

    Based on recommendations of the Sanghi panel, the AAP government had last month set up an inquiry commission to investigate the alleged irregularities in DDCA, including the period from 1999-2013 when Jaitley headed it.

    “There was considerable emphasis on naming who were at fault and in particular a certain VIP. There was a lot of pressure from various stakeholders since the subject was very controversial,” Sanghi wrote to the home secretary.

    Since the “formal mandate was not to do so”, a very tightrope walk was taken and the short time frame of three days also did not particularly help matters, he added.

    Sanghi, who headed the three-member probe committee, said there was a “lot of pressure from various stakeholders” since the subject was very controversial and there were a lot of yesteryear cricket luminaries who were very vocal about the alleged mismanagement in DDCA.

    In his letter, Sanghi has also requested for closing cases initiated against him by the Anti-Corruption Branch.

  • Year in Review 2015’s biggest moments for online India

    Year in Review
    2015’s biggest moments for online India

    See Year in Review: 2015 for the complete lowdown on 2015’s biggest moments for online India.

    Top 10 Most-Searched Male Celebrities
    1.  Salman Khan
    2.  Yo Yo Honey Singh
    3.  Shahid Kapoor
    4.  Aamir Khan
    5.  Shahrukh Khan
    6.  Amitabh Bachchan
    7.  Akshay Kumar
    8.  Ranbir Kapoor
    9.  Prabhas
    10. Hrithik Roshan

    Top 10 Most-Searched Female Celebrities
    1.  Sunny Leone
    2.  Katrina Kaif
    3.  Deepika Padukone
    4.  Priyanka Chopra
    5.  Aishwarya Rai
    6.  Anushka Sharma
    7.  Kim Kardashian
    8.  Sonakshi Sinha
    9.  Radhika Apte
    10. Sonam Kapoor

    Top 10 Most-Searched Sportspersons
    1.  MS Dhoni
    2.  Virat Kohli
    3.  Suresh Raina
    4.  Sachin Tendulkar
    5.  Chris Gayle
    6.  Yuvraj Singh
    7.  Sania Mirza
    8.  Ab De Villiers
    9.  Sourav Ganguly
    10. Saina Nehwal

    Top 10 Most-Searched Politicians 
    1.  Narendra Modi
    2.  Arvind Kejriwal
    3.  Smriti Irani
    4.  Shashi Tharoor
    5.  Hema Malini
    6.  RR Patil
    7.  Yogendra Yadav
    8.  Jayalalitha
    9.  Kiran Bedi
    10. Radhe Maa

    Top 10 Most-Searched News Events
    1.  ISIS
    2.  APJ Abdul Kalam
    3.  ICC Cricket World Cup 2015
    4.  Indian Premier League 2015
    5.  Indian Super League 2015
    6.  Latest Gold Prices
    7.  MH370
    8.  Sheena Bora investigation
    9.  Yakub Memon
    10. Vyapam

    Top 10 Most-Searched Movies and TV Shows
    1.  Baahubali
    2.  India’s Daughter
    3.  Bigg Boss 9
    4.  Bajrangi Bhaijaan
    5.  ABCD 2
    6.  Ragini MMS 2
    7.  Prem Ratan Dhan Payo
    8.  Fast and Furious 7
    9.  Badlapur
    10. Fifty Shades Of Grey

    Top 10 Most-Searched Gadgets
    1.  iPhone 6
    2.  Apple
    3.  Nokia
    4.  Windows 10
    5.  Sony Xperia
    6.  Lenovo A6000
    7.  iPhone 5
    8.  Intex Mobile
    9.  iPhone 6S
    10. Macbook

    Most epic Selfies of 2015
    1.  Narendra Modi and Li Keqiang during the PM’s China visit
    2.  Ranveer’s antics and Deepika’s charms
    3.  Shahid Kapoor with new wife Mira Rajput
    4.  Sachin Tendulkar’s team selfie with Mumbai Indian
    5.  Arjun Kapoor’s star studded selfie
    6.  King Khan with ex-One Direction member Zayn Malik
    7.  Katrina’s debut in the realm of Selfies
    8.  Amitabh Bachchan and younger Bachchan pouting

    Top 10 Bike launches 2015
    1.  Bajaj Pulsar RS 200
    2.  Honda Livo
    3.  Bajaj Pulsar AS 200
    4.  Bajaj Avenger Street/Cruise 220
    5.  Mahindra Mojo
    6.  Yamaha YZF-R3
    7.  Bajaj CT100
    8.  Suzuki Gixxer SF
    9.  Ducati Scrambler
    10. Yamaha Saluto

    Best Instagram accounts of the year
    1.  Jacqueline Fernandez
    2.  Tanya Ghavri
    3.  Alia Bhatt
    4.  Yasmin Karachiwala
    5.  Karan Johar
    6.  Sonam Kapoor
    7.  Namrata Soni
    8.  Priyanka Chopra
    9.  Daniel Bauer
    10. Sonakshi Sinha

    Top 10 moments from Bollywood
    1.  Salman Khan’s conviction
    2.  Gajendra Chauhan’s appointment as FTII Chairman
    3.  Shahid Kapoor’s marriage
    4.  Aadesh Shrivastava
    5.  Labh Janjua
    6.  20 years of DDLJ
    7.  Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan
    8.  Priyanka Chopra in Quantico
    9.  Award wapsi
    10. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Jazbaa

    Top 10 Fashion trends of 2015
    1.  Cape Jackets
    2.  Pantsuits
    3.  Boho Chic
    4.  The Bob
    5.  Sneakers
    6.  Bardot
    7.  Gladiators
    8.  Slitted dresses
    9.  Separates
    10. Playsuits

  • DDCA row: AAP, Kirti Azad intensify attack on Jaitley

    DDCA row: AAP, Kirti Azad intensify attack on Jaitley

    NEW DELHI (TIP): Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, December 30, came under fresh attack over DDCA affairs with AAP accusing him of pressuring the then Police Commissioner to
    “close” investigation involving a cricket club of a bank in 2011 while suspended BJP MP Kirti Azad claimed the SFIO probe report had recommended his “prosecution”.

    In a related development, the DDCA said it has decided to file defamation case against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Azad besides other top AAP functionaries for making “wild and baseless” allegations of corruption against the cricket body.

    Continuing its offensive against him, AAP released two letters, purportedly written by Jaitley, to then Delhi Police Commissioner BK Gupta and then Special Commissioner Ranjit Narayan, requesting them to “fairly” deal with the matter and “close” the case since “DDCA has done no wrong”.

    The party also renewed its demand for Jaitley’s resignation in the wake of the “fresh disclosures”. The letter to Gupta is dated October 27, 2011 while the one written to Narayan is dated May 5, 2012.

    Senior AAP leader Ashutosh claimed that the letters “punctured” the Finance Minister’s repeated assertions that he was in no way connected with any wrongdoing in the Delhi and District Cricket Association, which he headed for 13 years till 2013.

    BJP dismisses allegations

    Reacting to the allegations, BJP spokesperson GVL Narsimha Rao asked as to what was wrong in Jaitley writing a letter to the police commissioner. “He was not even in power so the charge does not stick.”

    In the letter to Narayan, Jaitley is quoted as writing that “some persons have been repeatedly approaching Delhi Police with complaints in relation to the identity of the Syndicate Bank Cricket Club.

    “The complaints are completely unsubstantiated and do not disclose any offence. Certain office-bearers of the DDCA are feeling harassed by repeated questioning in this regard. I would request you to look into this matter so that it can be fairly dealt with and closed since the DDCA has done no wrong.”

    When contacted, DDCA said the club is under them and that it currently falls in the “institutional” category.

    “There are two types of clubs – institutional and private. While a private club receives a subsidy, an institutional does not and that is the broad difference between the two,” a DDCA official said.

    Azad, suspended by BJP for anti-party activities, claimed the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) probe report had recommended “prosecution” of Jaitley in the DDCA affairs even as he targeted more politicians, including party MP and BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur.

    Azad also appeared to support Kejriwal’s allegation that a DDCA official had sought sexual favors from a woman if she wanted her son to be part of its cricket team, saying it was not a new thing and he had raised a similar issue in 2007.

    DDCA row-arunSFIO recommended ‘prosecution’ of Jaitley, claims Azad  

    At a press conference here, Azad quoted from the report of SFIO, which had gone into the Delhi cricket body affairs, to claim that it had recommended “prosecution” of Jaitley among others but it has not been done in the last three years.

    “Under the Companies Act, 1956, all the directors were to be assigned particular roles and if they are not, then the term (for action against them) is compounding. As many as 27 executive members, including Jaitley, were not assigned any role. Twenty-four of them, including Jaitley, did not compound.

    “So SFIO recommended that under Section 5 G of the Companies Act, the Registrar of Companies should prosecute them for not compounding. It shows the BCCI is above law. It has been three years since the recommendation but they have not been prosecuted,” he said.

    Hitting back at Jaitley who had called him a “Trojan horse”, Azad said, “these were the Trojan horses who did not let it come. Trojan horses in and outside the Cabinet. I hope it does come”.

    Asked to identify the politicians, he named Jaitley, Thakur, Rajeev Shukla, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Farooq Abdullah and Praful Patel. All of them were then, and most still are, involved in cricket administration except Patel, who is All India Football Federation president.

    Referring to Thakur, the three-time MP from Darbhagna said, “You cannot wear two caps. This is a conflict of interest. Either you are in Parliament or you are associated with a sports association.”

    Refuting the fresh allegations by Azad and AAP leaders, DDCA said it will sue them having “defamed” the organization.

    Addressing a press conference where all top DDCA officials were present, acting president Chetan Chauhan said that a lot of “false” charges have been leveled against the state cricket body and it was forced to take legal recourse against those spreading such disinformation.

    Treasurer Ravinder Manchanda said DDCA will file a defamation case against Kejriwal, Azad and others who made the allegations of corruption and financial embezzlement in the DDCA.

    Chauhan said three agencies were already probing the cases against the DDCA and there was no need for a fresh probe to be initiated by the AAP government which has appointed a one-member Commission of Inquiry for the purpose. (Source: PTI)

     

  • Venue allotments for World T20 raises eyebrows

    Venue allotments for World T20 raises eyebrows

    NEW DELHI (TIP): The Indian cricket board’s (BCCI) decision to award almost half of the ICC World T20 matches next year to only two venues -Dharamshala and Nagpur -has raised eyebrows. These two venues -which will together host 17 out of 35 games in the tournament -belong to state associations from where the board secretary and president belong.

    Nagpur, the home association of BCCI president Shashank Manohar, is set to host nine games while Dharamshala -home to board secretary Anurag Thakur-run Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association -will stage eight.

    Five other venues will host the other half of the tournament.Chandigarh, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Delhi -all traditional Test venues -will host a total of 18 matches, including the final at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.

    There are 20 international cricket stadiums in the country , of which 15 are certified Test venues now. However, the BCCI decided to shortlist and finalize only these seven venues to host the World T20 matches, to be held from March 9 to April 3. The biggest surprise is that the marquee game of the tournament -India versus Pakistan -has been awarded to Dharamshala, which has a capacity of only 23,000. Some other venues across India which were ignored boasts capacities ranging from 30,000 to 55,000.

    “It is not even in rotation that Dharamshala has been awarded the game,” a senior board functionary said, adding: “If you had a choice between 23,000 people watching India play Pakistan and 40,000 or 50,000 people watching, which option would you choose?” Clearly, outside of Maharashtra, where Pakistan are not welcome to play, there are several venues that could have been considered for this big-ticket game.

    G Gangaraju, the BCCI vice-president from South Zone and also the chairman of the board’s tour programme and fixtures committee, was not forthcoming on the reasons behind allotting 17 matches to Nagpur and Dharamshala and shortlisting only five other venues. “I’ll have to look into it and get back to you. I’m in Parliament right now,” Gangaraju said.

    Only a month ago, BCCI had added six new venues to its list of certified Test centres. Of those six, only Dharamshala has been awarded eight World T20 games while the remaining five -Pune, Rajkot, Indore, Ranchi and Visakhapatnam -have been ignored altogether.

    Some other traditional centres like Chennai -the power centre of the previous regime in the BCCI -have also been snubbed. Chennai will host only four women’s World T20 games instead of the expected big-draw men’s matches.

    (PTI)