The 15th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship is set to kick off today at the Major Dhyan Chand Hockey Stadium in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh. The tournament, which is scheduled to run until the 15th of this month, will follow a new division-based format, similar to the Senior Women’s Championship held in March.

A total of 30 teams will participate, divided into three divisions: A, B, and C. The points system in all three divisions is the same. Each team will be awarded three points for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss. Matches in Divisions B and C will start today, while Division A matches will commence on April 8.

On the first day, Hockey Rajasthan will face Tripura Hockey, Hockey Arunachal will take on Hockey Jammu and Kashmir, Chhattisgarh Hockey will play Hockey Gujarat, and Hockey Himachal will face Hockey Association of Bihar in Division C.

The United Kingdom appears set to host the 2035 Women’s World Cup after FIFA President Gianni Infantino described its interest as the “one valid bid” for the tournament.

England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales announced last month that they would submit a joint bid to host the finals.

“We are honoured to be the sole bidder for the FIFA women’s World Cup 2035,” FA CEO Mark Bullingham said in a statement.

“Hosting the first FIFA World Cup since 1966 with our home nations partners will be very special. The hard work starts now, to put together the best possible bid by the end of the year.”

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) has announced the launch of the BPCL Sports Scholarship Initiative. This initiative aims to support and nurture emerging sports talent across India by providing financial assistance to promising young athletes, allowing them to focus on their training and competitive aspirations at both national and international levels.

The BPCL Sports Scholarship Initiative is open to Indian athletes aged 13 to 25, spanning multiple sports disciplines, including Athletics, Badminton, Cricket, Hockey, Chess, Tennis, and more. The selected athletes will receive a monthly stipend, a sports kit, and financial coverage for tournament expenses, ensuring they can train and compete without financial constraints. The scholarships will be awarded in three categories based on age groups: Budding Athlete Engagement for ages 13-17, Junior Athlete Engagement for ages 17-21, and Elite Athlete Engagement for ages 21-25.

In a remarkable display of skill and dedication, young Indian equestrian player Niharika Singhania has clinched first position in the prestigious Azelhof CSI Lier equestrian competition held in Belgium. Competing against international participants, Niharika demonstrated exceptional talent and composure to bring home gold. Niharika participated in the Two Phases special event, riding on Hotese Charboniere. She finished the event with 40.72 and 40.34 penalty points

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu launched the ‘Zero Poverty - P4’ initiative under Swarnadra 2047 vision with an aim to ensure poverty-free Andhra Pradesh by 2029, on Sunday, marking the Telugu New Year, Ugadi. The ambitious programme seeks to bridge the socio-economic divide by encouraging the wealthiest 10% of the population to support the bottom 20% of the poorest families, fostering inclusive growth.

The ‘P4’ initiative stands for Public-Private-People Partnership, wherein affluent individuals willing to contribute are designated as ‘Margadarsies’ (mentors), while the underprivileged beneficiaries are identified as ‘Bangaru Kutumbams’ (golden families). The government will act as a facilitator, ensuring real-time tracking of progress through digital dashboards.

Speaking at the launch, Mr. Naidu expressed confidence that this initiative would be a game-changer in eradicating poverty and serve as a model for the world. “Until now, charitable efforts have been individual, and the government has introduced Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). But this initiative is unique as it provides an institutionalised platform for direct interaction between Margadarsies and Bangaru Kutumbams,” he said.

Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) today expanded its Multi-Banking Centralised Collection System by empanelling 15 more banks, bringing the total to 32. Addressing the occasion in New Delhi, Union Minister for Labour and Employment Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya said that the country’s progress towards a Naya Bharat is being significantly supported by institutions like EPFO, which plays a crucial role in shaping the nation’s future. He mentioned that with nearly 8 crore active members and more than 78 lakh pensioners, EPFO provides benefits that ensure social security for millions. Dr. Mandaviya also pointed out that EPFO is actively working on evolving towards EPFO 3.0 to make it as accessible and efficient as banks. The newly empanelled 15 banks will enable direct payment of nearly 12,000 crore rupees in annual collections and allow direct access to employers who maintain their accounts with these banks. This initiative will streamline employer payments, enhance efficiency, and reduce transaction delays, benefiting crores of members.

The Maharashtra government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Microsoft Corporation for a strategic partnership to establish three cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) centres of excellence in Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur to accelerate the adoption of AI technologies within the state’s administration. The Mumbai Centre for Geospatial Analytics will be hosted in the chief secretary’s office and will provide advanced geospatial analytics capabilities. It will support critical decision-making in governance through satellite imagery analysis, spatial data management, and geographic information system-based applications. The Centre for Excellence in Pune will see an integration of AI capabilities with existing forensic science infrastructure to enhance criminal investigation processes, forensic data analysis and evidence management.

The Nagpur-based Maharashtra Advanced Research and Vigilance for Enforcement of Reformed Laws Limited (MARVEL), the third centre of excellence, will help strengthen AI-driven solutions for government functions, focusing on enforcement, monitoring, vigilance, and innovative governance reforms. The capacity building will be ensured through the collaboration between MARVEL and IIM-Nagpur.

The MoU engages Microsoft Corporation for comprehensive training programs and certification to the government employees through its globally recognised MS Learn platforms.

The Startup & IT Promotion Cell, Department of Information Technology, Electronics & Communications (DITE&C), Government of Goa launched the Goa Open Innovation Challenge 2025 (GOIC) under the leadership of the Hon'ble Minister for Tourism, Information Technology, Electronics and Communications, Printing and Stationery Shri. Rohan A. Khaunte in the presence of Hon'ble MLA and Chairman of InfoTech Corporation of Goa Ltd, Dr. Chandrakant Shetye, Director of DITE&C Shri. Kabir Shirgaonkar, Joint Director of DITE&C Shri. Milind Sakhardande, OSD to Minister of ITE&C Shri. Neville Noronha and CEO of Startup and IT Promotion Cell, Government of Goa Shri. D S Prashant.

This launch brought together startups, students, government bodies and industry to develop technology-driven solutions for key challenges in sectors such as Tourism, Waste Management, Agriculture, NABARD, Public Service Commission and Industry.

Star Air is a progressive full-service regional carrier which is 'connecting real India' from their main base at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

Star Air currently operates a modern fleet of 9 Embraer aircraft, and are one of only three domestic airlines in India offering both business and economy cabins. Star Air plans to operate a fleet of 25 aircraft by 2027 and enhance connectivity across Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities in India. With new aircraft soon to commence operations, Star Air will target underserved markets and set new standards in air travel.

With such progressive growth plans, Star Air needed an established revenue management partner to help them maximise passenger revenue day in and day out. Star Air choose Maxamation and the Aviator Revenue Management system as the best fit for their needs.

The Rajya Sabha passed the Protection of Interests in Aircraft Objects Bill, 2025, on Tuesday, which seeks to implement international conventions on the leasing of aviation equipment.

Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu said the new Bill will provide a boost to the aircraft leasing industry.

“We are leasing so many planes every year. Ireland has a big leasing industry, and Dubai and Singapore have taken a lead in this industry. In our Indian skies, 840 planes are operating, and 86.4% of those planes are in the leasing model today. Airlines are preferring to go into the leasing model, and they go to other countries and lease. So, our Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) thought we should have a leasing industry here…there was no legislation so far,” he said.