The Latest Breaking News from Sharda Ugra

On July 1, inside a glass tower in Lausanne, India made its pitch to the world. 

In this episode, hosts Dhanya Rajendran, Pooja Prasanna and Leena Reghunath are joined by feature filmmaker Don Palathara, senior sports journalist Sharda Ugra and social media influencer Aysha Mahmood. 

Pakistan gets set to host just four of 13 matches of the regional cricket tournament after India’s refusal to tour.

We have witnessed a fortnight of high drama. The contrasting images – of the prime minister of a secular country walking into a new Parliament building accompanied by saffron-clad Hindu priests even as award-winning women wrestlers literally wrestled with the police to assert their right to protest – were riveting. 

India's top wrestlers, including two Olympic medallists, make allegations of sexual harassment and exploitation, threatening huge implications for a country where women's sport is only now gaining time in the spotlight.

In India, the “good old days” of journalism weren’t that great. News was dangerous during the Emergency and governments did their best to stifle the free press, such as former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra’s 1982 Bihar Press Bill.

While mainstream media continues to focus on games politicians play, this column will focus on the games women play, as in cricket, tennis, football, hockey, athletics, etc., and how the media covers their struggles and achievements.

Newslaundry subscribers Aniketh Kalur and Gowtham Kode are joined by sports journalist Sharda Ugra to discuss the recently concluded T20 World Cup, the impending FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, and Formula One. 

They have always mixed — the crucial thing is to not allow sport and sportspersons to be used as pawns