News in Short

• Lakshya Sen became the first Indian to win an Indian Open men’s singles title on debut in the tournament as he beat reigning world champion Loh Kean Yew 24-22, 21-17 in a thrilling final in New Delhi.
• This is Lakshya’s first Super 500 title on the BWF tour. He had earlier won bronze in the 2021 World Championships after losing to Srikanth in the semi-final.
• Lakshya was the second Indian representative on the final day of the tournament as SatwiksairajRankireddy and Chirag Shetty won the men’s doubles title.

• T15 or Collarwali, the legendary tigress of Madhya Pradesh’s Pench Tiger Reserve in Chhindwara district who earned the title of “super mom” after giving birth to 29 cubs, died after prolonged illness.
• The tigress was 16. Also known as Mataram, she had given birth to 29 cubs in eight litters during 11 years.
• As a female cub, the tigress was radio-collared in March 2008. While the radio collar stopped functioning later, she was again radio-collared in January 2010.

• Acclaimed Goan writer, Maria Aurora Couto, passed away after a brief illness. Couto shot to fame for her book ‘Goa: A Daughter’s Story’ and won the Padma Shri in 2011.
• Couto helped in starting the annual DD Kosambi Festival of Ideas, a lecture series sponsored by Goa government’s department of art and culture, and also headed the DD Kossambi Centenary Committee in 2008.
• She taught English literature in Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi and Dhempe College, Panaji, and also contributed to periodicals in India and the United Kingdom.

• Captain of India’s Test team after seven years in the position.Kohli led the team for 68 matches and won 40 of them, making him India’s most successful Test captain.
• Kohli gave up the Twenty20 captaincy and he was replaced as One-Day International (ODI) skipper in December, with opener Rohit Sharma taking over in both formats.
• One of the main highlights of his captaincy included India’s first Test series win in Australia in 2018-19, and leading the country to the final of the first World Test Championship in England last year.

• Kathak legend PanditBirju Maharaj died at his home in Delhi after suffering a heart attack. He was 83.
• Brajmohan Maharaj or Birju Maharaj was a descendant of the Maharaj family of Kathak dancers. He trained under his father and guru Acchan Maharaj and uncles Shambhu Maharaj and Lachhu Maharaj.
• A recipient of the country’s second-highest civilian award, Padma Vibhushan, he was fondly called Pandit-ji or Maharaj-ji by his disciples and legions of followers, and was one of India’s best known artistes.