Dinesh Kamath's news 'IFSC Climbing World Cup 2017 Hosted in Navi Mumbai, Red Bull Athlete Shauna Coxsey & Jongwon Chon wins Climbing World Cup Champion' that was published in Newsband

IFSC Climbing World Cup 2017 Hosted in Navi Mumbai

Red Bull Athlete Shauna Coxsey & Jongwon Chon wins Climbing World Cup Champion

By Dinesh Kamath

NAVI MUMBAI: Great Britain's Red Bull Athlete Shauna Coxsey and Korea's Jongwon Chon emerged champion in women's and men's sections respectively at the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) World Cup of Climbing on Sunday. CIDCO Exhibtion Centre in Navi Mumbai played host to the second edition of the India leg of the IFSC Climbing World Cup 2017 and climbers from around the world on June 24-25. India was the sixth stop of the season for the bouldering championship. Athletes from 86 countries are registered with IFSC, the Italian based body, that claims a huge interest in the sport of climbing over last couple of years.

At the CIDCO Exhibition Centre in Vashi, the crowds were enthralled by the prowess of the two champions. Red Bull Athlete Shauna Coxsey just showed why she is the best female climber in the world in the way she emerged champion, while Chon revealed why he is the best amongst men as both topped all the routes on the way to emerging champions.

Red Bull Athlete Coxsey had 11 attempts to achieve four tops (4t11), while she had eight attempts to achieve four bonus points (4b8).Chon, on the other hand, had 10 attempts to achieve four tops (4t10), but took 10 attempts to achieve four bonus points (4b10).

Britain's Red Bull Athlete Shauna Coxsey won a second successive Bouldering World Cup overall title after victory at the Navi Mumbai event in India on Sunday. The 24-year-old from Runcorn became Britain's first champion in the event's 17-year history when she won in 2016. Coxsey needed to finish ninth or higher to guarantee back-to-back titles, but took gold in the penultimate event of the season in Mumbai.

In the women's section, Red Bull Athlete Miho Nonaka from Japan finished second, with compatriot Akiyo Noguchi third. Miho was only off the podium twice in the World Cup in 2016, with a debut World Cup Bouldering win in India and another victory in Germany. She came second in the World Championships in Paris too.

Sport climbing - which includes bouldering - is one of five new sports confirmed for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Ram Nath Kovind versus Meira Kumar' that was published in Newsband

Ram Nath Kovind versus Meira Kumar

In the 2017 presidential election, while the candidature of Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind on behalf of the ruling party was a surprise, the response from the opposition in naming former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar was anything but that.  Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah chose someone less known but from a disadvantaged community. The Congress and its allies came up with the name of Ms. Kumar, daughter of the late leader of the depressed classes, Babu Jagjivan Ram.

As usual, the opposition has reacted too late - and might have been almost deliberately. Thus, whole election procedure has become a formality. This may also indicate the plight of splintered opposition and its lack of any affirmative action

NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovind's victory is a foregone conclusion with over 63% of the electoral college votes. CM Nitish Kumar rightly pointed out, "Bihar ki Beti has been nominated only to lose." Congress wants to fight a battle of ideologies and does not want a long-time BJP leader to be President. How about Meira Kumar? Is she an alien from Mars? She is not only a long time Congress leader but also daughter of a senior Congress leader. Congress is in her genes. CM Nitish Kumar reiterated that Ram Nath Kovind as Governor of Bihar worked with immaculate neutrality. How about Meira Kumar? The whole world witnessed her pathetic part as Speaker in the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. She is unqualified and unfit to be President of India.

What was the strategy of UPA and its cohorts all the while insisting on NDA to first announce its Prez. candidate as though such an announcement itself would guarantee its win over the NDA. The truth was that the UPA lacked original thinking and 'were only waiting to react'. There was no creative thinking in the UPA camp to take the initiative. It did not draw any lesson from its Goa debacle. The NDA has the numbers and also a master strategist in the person of Amit Shah. So it carries the day.

It is a universal fact that the ornamental Presidential post in India is just for rituals that have no relevance except creating a painting of Human signature on all Laws/Enactments/Rules etc as passed by the Legislature and at other times Notified by the Govt of the day. Election of the President is mere endorsement of that ritual, and when the Opposition brings in their candidate, they create a ritual within the ritual.

Regarding Presidential elections, why is the Opposition not having any credibility? The opposition appears like group of criminals and corrupt, who are branding themselves as "Secular", while in reality being completely communal.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Pak supporters tried under sedition law' that was published in Newsband

Pak supporters tried under sedition law

Several people across the country have been booked under the sedition law – Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code for celebrating the Pakistani cricket team’s victory over India. In Kedar Nath Singh vs the State of Bihar a Constitution Bench had stated that the charge of sedition must demonstrate an intention or tendency to subvert the government by violent means. So can celebrating a rival team’s cricket victory – even if that team is Pakistan –be called sedition?

It’s true that everyone knows the nefarious role of Pakistan in last 75 years. Hence anyone aligned to Pak against our interests - whether by way of treachery in battle or clapping in cricket games should be tried under sedition. Pakistan is an enemy country and only traitors will celebrate an enemy. All who indulge in similar activities should face the sedition law. Stone pelters in Kashmir must be booked under sedition law. Violence against state as we see in Kashmir is the last stage of sedition act. The first stage is giving the moral support that Pakistan and enemy within extends to traitors in India. Anti Nationals must be stopped in the first stage itself.

Unlike most laws drafted in British India, elegant, finely chiselled, useful even today, the law on sedition was deliberately loose limbed, allowed the colonial power to lock up someone who rightly resented their presence and expressed unhappiness over it, and throw away the key for a lifetime. It ought to have been rescinded very early in the life of the republic.

If only the law of sedition is being applied irresponsibly to trivial situations, the court may be pleased to hold the law as it stands incompatible with the value system of a vibrant, raucous democracy. A new law could always be drafted.

Lastly, a question that arises is if Indians in America had to celebrate the victory of Indian sports team against American sports team, and if the American Law had to try them under sedition law, then would the Indians tolerate it? In this case, one should remember that Indo-American relations is not at all like Indo-Pak relations. 

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Unselfish decision by Kumble' that was published in Newsband

Unselfish decision by Kumble

Anil Kumble quit as the national team’s head coach. Skipper Kohli and coach Kumble had seemed to be a perfect match. The duo oversaw five Test series victories against opponents besides winning one-day internationals and Twenty20s. The lone blip was the loss to Pakistan in the Champions Trophy final this Sunday.

There was alleged rift between Kohli and Kumble. The coach’s farewell statement was “It was apparent that the partnership was untenable.” He clearly did not want to be drawn into an unpleasant battle with Kohli. There is a precedent in the spat between Ganguly and Greg Chappell. The latest development highlights the superstar culture undermining Indian cricket. The two, for the last few months, mostly spoke in monosyllables.

The Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) — comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman — had endorsed an extension to Kumble’s tenure. But they made it clear that Kumble would only be retained if his differences with Kohli were solved. Though the BCCI attempted to resolve the misunderstandings between the captain and me, it was apparent that the partnership was untenable.

Kohli is no genius. So far he has only won at home. Big thing is winning worldwide touranments - he failed miserably in CT 2017. He has not won anything in SA, Australia or England yet. But he is treated as God by BCCI and gets his own choice of a coach. So it will be just one person making top level decisions.

Kohli thinks he is demigod because huge cricket supporters have made him one. Time to abandon these false gods and embrace our national sport hockey. It is the arrogance, 'media hyped image' and financial earnings of Virat Kohli, which are responsible for state of Indian Cricket today. Anil Kumble has been a brilliant and no nonsense coach since he has assumed duties. Virat Kohli is an excellent cricketer but a poor leader.

Fighting it out would have been more Kumble-like, but that would have caused more friction in the team and could even have harmed performance of players like Kohli. As such Kumble has taken an unselfish decision that is best for the India Team's future performance.

Dinesh Kamath's column 'New movie released in Navi Mumbai' (Tubelight) that was published in Newsband

New movie released in Navi Mumbai

By Dinesh Kamath

Tubelight

Tubelight is an Indian war drama film written and directed by Kabir Khan. The film is produced by Salman Khan and Kabir Khan. Set in the 1962 Sino-Indian War, it stars Salman Khan in the lead role who plays a man from India. It is confirmed from the director that Shah Rukh Khan will play a cameo on the film. Julius Packiam and Pritam scored the music of the film, with the former composing the film score and latter composing the songs.

The film is a story depicting how people get affected when their countries go to war. Particularly it is the journey of a character called Laxman Singh Bisht (Salman Khan) a gullible, good-hearted person who sets out to find his brother Bharat (Sohail Khan). It is set in the backdrop of 1962 Sino-Indian war, where a disputed Himalayan border served as the main pretext for the war. It isn’t a political saga. It’s more a human drama.  The film has political backdrop. 'Tubelight' tells us the story of a small-town simpleton Laxman (Salman Khan) who is waiting for his brother Bharat (Sohail Khan) to come back home safely as he is braving the war at the Indo-China border. The movie, as mentioned earlier, is set in the background of the 1962 Sino-Indian war. We follow Laxman's journey in finding his faith even when everyone in his village makes fun of him. The villagers call him tubelight because it takes time for Laxman to register normal feelings, just like a tubelight flickers before it lights up. His uncle, wonderfully played by the late Om Puri, teaches him about following Mahatma Gandhi's principle of having faith in your belief. Laxman also forms a great friendship with Guo, played by child actor Matin Rey Tangu, and his mother who are Indians but have a Chinese background.

The film has Salman Khan as Laxman Singh Bisht, Sohail Khan as Bharat Singh Bisht, Matin Rey Tangu, Zhu Zhu, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Om Puri and Shah Rukh Khan in a cameo appearance.

Sony Music India will release the soundtrack album of the film. All music composed by Pritam. The film has songs like "Radio", "Naach Meri Jaan", "Tinka Tinka Dil Mera", "Main Agar" and "Tinka Tinka Dil Mera" (Film Version). 

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Ram Nath Kovind to be the next Indian President?' that was published in Newsband

Ram Nath Kovind to be the next Indian President?

The office of the President should not be part of either the government or the Opposition. Ram Nath Kovind has been chosen as presidential candidate by NDA government.

Most appointments to high office are needlessly politicised these days. Presidential post is no exception. The Opposition meanwhile has put up another Dalit candidate to counter Kovind.

When KR Narayanan became president much was made of his Dalit credentials. The NDA is being accused of playing the Dalit card too.  

Reasons why PM Modi picked Ram Nath Kovind for the President’s post is that  Kovind is a Dalit from Uttar Pradesh, and if elected, he will be the second state leader after Modi to land a top post in the government. He will also become the first leader from Uttar Pradesh to be appointed President. The party examined a long list of candidates before zeroing in on Kovind.

By picking Kovind, BJP and the RSS leaders have given a fresh push to their strategy of integrating Dalits into Hindu society. Nominating a Dalit for the President’s post also makes it difficult for Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi to further their own interests in this respect. Another reason was to divide the Opposition and the last one was to focus on Uttar Pradesh which gave 73 out of 80 Lok Sabha seats to the BJP in 2014, and propped a saffron government with two-thirds majority in the 2017 assembly polls.

If the nomination of Ram Nath Kovind as the NDA’s presidential candidate was a surprise, so was the nomination of Pratibha Patil in 2007.

Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Congrats, Pakistan!' that was published in Newsband

Congrats, Pakistan!

Pakistan scored a thumping 180-run victory over India in the ICC Champions Trophy final at London’s Oval. There were rumours floating about of a cold equation between Kohli and coach Anil Kumble — usually it is Pakistan that grapples with revolts in the dressing room. However, the arch-rivals did well to reach the tournament’s climactic end. The squad that ranked eighth walked away with the silverware.

India and Pakistan did well in reaching the final. Despite all the technicalities involved cricket is still a luck game and when the teams are close in their talent like these teams the results can go either way. Win some and lose some is the sum of game. The team that performs best on a given day wins and it was Pakistan's day. The winning team should be congratulated. But, it is sad that not much attention was paid to Indians winning hockey match against Pakistan. This shows commercial hypocrisy of the mainstream media and public.

India losing in final doesn't put Pakistan on top of India. India had a bad day but it is immeasurably stronger than Pakistan in all fronts. Virat Kohli committed a folly in electing to bat.

It's too early to believe that this will be a revival in Pakistan cricket. Their pace attack has always been good. It's the batting that seems to be strengthened with some young blood. However, Pakistani batsmen showing initial promise have rarely gone on to be consistent world-class players. It remains to be seen whether this so-called revival was a flash in the pan.

Anyway, it was a brilliant display of batting, bowling and fielding by the Pakistanis, no doubt. On the contrary, it was an off-day for our boys as nothing went in their favour. Bumrah's wicket of Fakhar was off a no-ball and an LBW decision wasn't even reviewed. A few run outs could not be effected, unlike in earlier games. The Pakistani batsmen survived the first ten overs by luck as streaky shots either missed stumps or the fielders. It would have been a different ball-game had one or two wickets fallen at this stage. To add to our woes, Bumrah, Ashwin and the usually miserly Jadeja were wayward and not only conceded extras but also were easy picks to score off. Bumrah's famed Yorkers never materialized. Ashwin has a poor record away from homes anyway. Amir is a great bowler no doubt but B. Kumar bowled better in the overall circumstances. Consistent India can nevertheless hold its head high. One swallow doesn't make a summer for the awfully inconsistent Pakistanis.

Anyway, Congratulations, Pakistan team!