IBSF World Billiards title in the final in Carlow, Ireland on 17 April 2025

♦ Ace Indian cueist Sourav Kothari clinched the 2025 IBSF World Billiards title in the final in Carlow, Ireland on 17 April 2025.

♦ Kothari emerged champion, scoring 725 points to Advani’s 480.

♦ This victory marked a historic first IBSF world title (timed format) for Kothari, 35 years after his father and billiards legend Manoj Kothari won it in 1990 in Bangalore.

♦ Kothari is now only the third Indian to have won both the IBSF and the WBL World Billiards titles.

Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF)

♦ Olympic silver medallist Mirabai Chanu and Commonwealth Games gold medallist S. Sathish Kumar have been elected chairperson and vice-chairperson, respectively, of the Athletes’ Commission of the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF).

♦ Their term will last four years. 

♦ Mirabai is one of India’s most decorated weightlifters, holding multiple national records and historic milestones to her name.

♦ Her personal best in the total lift is 205kg — 86kg in snatch and 119kg in clean and jerk — which also stands as the national record.

♦ She holds the national record in snatch as well, with a lift of 88kg. At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, she became the first Indian weightlifter to win a silver medal.

♦ Sathish had clinched a gold medal in weightlifting at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast.

♦ Competing in the men’s 77kg category, he lifted a total of 317kg — 144kg in snatch and 173kg in clean and jerk.

Sourav Ganguly

♦ Former India captain Sourav Ganguly was re-appointed as the Chairperson of the ICC men’s cricket committee on 13 April 2025.

♦ VVS Laxman, also a former India international, returns as a member of the committee, which now includes Hamid Hassan, Desmond Haynes, Temba Bavuma, and Jonathan Trott.

♦ These appointments were approved following recommendations from the ICC’s Chief Executives Committee.

♦ Ganguly and Laxman have held these positions before, and their return brings continuity at a time when global cricket faces both challenges and opportunity.

♦ Ganguly, who led the Indian team with distinction for five years from 2000 to 2005, was first appointed as the committee’s chair in 2021.

♦ Ganguly has replaced compatriot Anil Kumble, who stepped down after serving a maximum of three, three-year terms.

♦ The ICC has launched a dedicated initiative to support displaced Afghan women cricketers.

♦ This move comes amid growing concern for Afghan women athletes, many of whom have lost access to training, funding, and international platforms due to political and social restrictions in their country.

International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF)

♦ In the first leg of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup 2025 at Buenos Aires, Argentina, India finished second in the standings behind China.

♦ India won a total of 8 medals, including 4 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze.

♦ On the last day of the competition (11 April 2025), the Indian pair of Saurabh Chaudhary and Suruchi Singh won the Bronze, beating compatriots Manu Bhaker and Ravinder Singh by 16-8.

♦ Other medal winners for India include Sift Kaur Samra, Rudrankksh Patil, Suruchi Singh, Vijayveer Sidhu, Esha Singh, Chain Singh and the duo of Arya Borse and Rudrankksh Patil. 

Suruchi Singh and Saurabh Chaudhary

♦ Suruchi Singh and Saurabh Chaudhary beat compatriots Manu Bhaker and Ravinder Singh 16-8 to win the mixed air pistol bronze in the ISSF World Cup in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 10 April 2025.

♦ It was the second medal for Suruchi, who had earlier won the women’s air pistol gold.

♦ Suruchi and Saurabh shot a cumulative 581, while Manu and Ravinder were behind them with 579.

♦ The Chinese pairs topped the qualification with identical scores of 582.

World Boxing Cup at Foz Do Iguacu

♦ Hitesh became the first Indian boxer to clinch a gold medal in the World Boxing Cup at Foz Do Iguacu, Brazil on 6 April 2025.

♦ He was handed a walkover in the final of the men’s 70kg weight category as opponent, Odel Kamara of England, was injured and couldn’t take to the ring. 

♦ Abhinash Jamwal, the other Indian boxer to reach the final in the 65kg category, gave his best against local favourite Yuri Reis but could not do enough to get a favourable verdict and bagged a silver medal.

♦ Four Indian players bagged bronze medals, including Jadumani Singh Mandengbam (50kg), Manish Rathore (55kg), Sachin (60kg), and Vishal (90kg).

♦ India had fielded a 10-member contingent for the World Boxing Cup, bagged six medals.