Sourav Ganguly's brother, sister-in-law survive boat capsize
BHBANESWAR: A leisurely boat ride nearly turned into a death trap for Cricket Association of Bengal president Snehasish Ganguly and his wife Arpita, when the vessel capsized in the rough sea near Puri's Light House beach.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
Snehashish is the elder brother of former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly.
The couple, along with three other tourists, were about 100m from the shore when a massive wave struck their speedboat, flipping it. Swift action by lifeguards prevented the adventure boat ride from turning tragic.
While the incident took place on Saturday evening, the matter came to light on Monday when video footage emerged of the incident, prompting the Puri district administration to launch a probe.
"I have been coming to Puri for 31 years, but never experienced anything like this. We owe our lives to the blessings of Lord Jagannath and Maa Chandi, and the brave lifeguards who rushed to our rescue," Snehasish said.
Narrating their 20-minute ordeal, Arpita said, "It is a second life for us. We are still in trauma. For those terrifying moments under the capsized boat, we had given up all hope."
She said the sea was rough and the waves were towering over them.
"Even though it was a 10-seater boat, there were just four or five persons in it. Before boarding the speedboat, I had asked the operator whether it was safe to venture into the sea in such inclement weather. The greedy operator assured us it was safe," said Arpita, who intends to write to Odisha CM and Puri SP to strengthen safety measures.
Lifeguard G Appa Rao said the tourists were lucky it was not dark and the incident happened close to the shoreline.
Panchanan Reddy, another lifeguard, said at least 15 of them rushed to sea and pulled the tourists to safety. "Such a boat capsize incident has never occurred in Puri sea," he said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
20 minutes ago
- Indian Express
The curious case of IPL sporting loyalties
Written by Vishal R Choradiya At the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which ended on June 3, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finally laid their ghosts to rest. After nearly two decades of unfulfilled promise and perennial heartbreak, the team secured its maiden title, sending its long-suffering fan base into a frenzy. The celebrations spilled out into the streets of Bengaluru, culminating in a grand victory parade the next day, cheered on by hordes of ecstatic supporters. For those who have stood by the team through crushing defeats and elusive dreams, the triumph no doubt felt personal, almost like vindication. But this very intensity of emotion, this deeply felt bond between the team and its fans, begs a more probing question: What explains such unwavering loyalty, especially in a league as commercially constructed and geographically arbitrary as the IPL? To explore this, one must first acknowledge the peculiar structure of the IPL itself. Unlike traditional club sports rooted in local histories and communal memories, IPL teams are corporate franchises named after Indian cities or states, but rarely composed of individuals who hail from them. Players and coaching staff are shuffled around at auctions like assets, their affiliation to a team based more on monetary bids than regional connection. In the case of RCB, the incongruity is stark: Apart from symbolic gestures, like sporting the Kannada slogan 'Ee Sala Cup Namdu', there is precious little that ties the team to Bengaluru. Most players, past and present, have no connection to the city by birth, language, or residence. The team has never been a reflection of the city's cultural or sporting ecosystem — it is, rather, a brand operating under the city's name. This phenomenon is not unique to RCB. Every IPL franchise operates under a similar logic. Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Mumbai Indians (MI), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) — all trade on the symbolic capital of the cities they are named after, while fielding teams that, for the most part, have little organic relation to those places. The few exceptions — like M S Dhoni's association with CSK — are themselves the product of sustained marketing and narrative-building rather than any real civic affiliation. Dhoni is from Ranchi, after all, and Virat Kohli, the face of RCB for all 18 seasons, was born and raised in Delhi. That he has never played domestic cricket for Karnataka and does not reside in Bengaluru seems to matter little to fans for whom he has become synonymous with the city's cricketing hopes. One could argue that Kohli and others like him have 'adopted' their IPL cities in a broader, metaphorical sense — much like professionals who relocate to new cities and build new identities. But such reasoning only underscores the performative and constructed nature of these affiliations. The truth is that sporting loyalties in the IPL are shaped not by local rootedness but by a carefully curated spectacle, engineered to evoke belonging, pride, and passion. Franchise owners, marketing teams, and broadcasters collaborate to sell a version of regional identity that is palatable, entertaining, and above all, profitable. From this perspective, what fans are loyal to is not so much a 'team' in the traditional sense, but a franchise — a commercial enterprise that exists to generate returns for its investors. The only constants are the owners; players, support staff, and even team philosophies are ephemeral. Yet, fans invest emotionally as if these franchises represent enduring traditions or civic values. This dissonance, between the reality of corporate sport and the illusion of local identity, is both striking and troubling. It becomes more so when we consider the commodification of fan emotion. Through relentless advertising, cinematic teasers, anthems, merchandise, and high-voltage pre- and post-match programming, the IPL transforms cricket into a grand, immersive spectacle. Fans are not merely spectators but consumers, their attention monetised through ad revenues, brand endorsements, and fan engagement platforms. There is little room for critical thought or dispassionate appraisal. To question the basis of one's loyalty is to risk exclusion from the communal euphoria that the league thrives on. This is not just about entertainment; it is about power and profit. The league's structure leverages people's yearning for identity, community, and a sense of belonging, only to repackage and sell it back to them. The IPL trades on regional pride while remaining indifferent to the actual lived realities of the regions it invokes. The fan, in this economy, is both the product and the consumer — an avatar of what French philosopher Guy DeBord called the 'Society of the Spectacle', where images and appearances displace authentic relationships and experience. DeBord argued that in such a society, the spectacle is not merely a collection of images, but a social relation mediated by images. This describes the IPL perfectly: City names, team chants, and celebrity endorsements create a symbolic universe that feels intimate but is, in truth, transactional. The experience is real, but its foundations are manufactured. The joy of victory and the agony of defeat are deeply felt, but they are orchestrated within a system designed primarily for profit. To be clear, none of this is to begrudge fans their celebrations, nor to question the sincerity of their emotions. Joy, after all, is joy, however mediated. But in the heady afterglow of RCB's long-awaited triumph, it is worth asking what exactly we are celebrating. Is it a city's sporting victory, a vindication of fan faith, or simply the success of a well-executed brand strategy? Perhaps it is all of these at once. But if the IPL is to be more than a polished performance, if its fans are to be more than brand ambassadors, then a little critical reflection might be in order. Loyalty is a beautiful thing — but it need not be blind. The writer is an assistant professor with the Department of Professional Studies, Christ University, Bengaluru
Hindustan Times
30 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Jasprit Bumrah fired up against Shubman Gill; Gautam Gambhir instructs newcomer; Rishabh Pant sledges Mohammed Siraj
The Indian cricket team has hit the ground running in preparation for the five-match Test series against England, which gets underway on June 20. India have not won a Test series in England since 2007, when Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and VVS Laxman were still the mainstays of Indian batting. India has since toured England four times but never returned victorious, losing 0-4 in 2011, 1-3 in 2014, 1-4 in 2018 and drawing 2-2 in 2021/22. This time in particular, the job at hand is tough, especially now that Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin have retired from Test cricket. India have assembled a promising bunch of 18 players – the best they have – to script history, who landed in the United Kingdom more than 24 hours ago. The squad features a couple of fresh faces in Arshdeep Singh and Sai Sudharsan, while also boasting experience in the form of KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja. Veteran sports journalist Vimal Kumar, on his YouTube channel, provided some interesting insights. On a cold, windy morning at the Kent County Ground in Beckenham, where India had their first of many practice sessions, the intentions were laid bare. For three hours, the players were at it, training full throttle, during which head coach Gautam Gambhir remained the most proactive individual of them all. He had discussions with all members but spent most of his time with youngsters. Gambhir took guard behind the nets and kept a close tab on Rishabh Pant and newcomer Sai Sudharsan. In fact, Gambhir was constantly in Sudharsan's ears ahead of a much-anticipated debut. Coming off a memorable IPL, where the left-handed youngster won the Orange Cap, Sudharsan is tough to keep out. But the question lies: If he plays, where does he bat? In another fascinating battle, Mohammed Siraj and Rishabh Pant had a go at each other with some proper sledging. The India pacer bowled full steam, but did not faze Pant, who, two weeks ago, scored his first century since returning to international cricket. In Lucknow Super Giants' final IPL game of the season, Pant sizzled with an unbeaten 118, although the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who eventually won the IPL, chased it down with 6 wickets left. Expectations are high from Pant, who did not have the greatest of outings in Australia last year, to produce a repeat of his heroics from the 2020-21 tour Down Under. Same from Siraj. The India speedster looked tired in Australia, which led to him getting dropped from India's Champions Trophy squad. However, with a decent showing in the IPL behind him, Siraj would have been told he needs to step up and deliver, especially since there's no Mohammed Shami and because Jasprit Bumrah won't be playing all five Tests. Prasidh Krishna has barely looked convincing in the three Tests he has played for India, while Arshdeep is yet to earn his cap. Speaking of Bumrah, perhaps the most riveting battle was between the Indian pace spearhead and the newly-crowned Test captain Shubman Gill. The 25-year-old is embarking on what promises to be his toughest test yet. As well-documented, Gill's track record outside India isn't the greatest, with just 649 runs from 13 Tests, and when it's down to SENA nations, it's even worse. The England pace attack may not be at its peak – no James Anderson, Stuart Broad, whereas Chris Woakes is just coming off a long injury layoff – but it does have potential. Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, and Craig Overton are highly talked about, and hence, to help Gill be at his best, Bumrah had to be at his. Bumrah bowled a long spell to everyone, but it was against Gill that upped his class a notch. The fiery pace, the plays and misses, the movement – it was as if Bumrah was bowling in a World Cup final. And why not? He picked 32 wickets in the five Tests against Australia. And with the ball darting around in the swinging conditions of England, he should – actually, scratch that – would be India's best weapon.
Mint
31 minutes ago
- Mint
Jasprit Bumrah's special message ‘filled me with confidence': Cameron Green makes big revelation ahead of WTC final
Australian all-rounder Cameron Green has revealed a special message he received from Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah last year that helped lift his spirits ahead of back surgery. The night before going under the knife, Green received an unexpected message from his former Mumbai Indians teammate, who was checking in on him. Notably, Bumrah reached out while he was in the middle of a home Test match against New Zealand. Bumrah has faced his own struggles with back injuries and had undergone the same surgery as Green just 18 months earlier. The Indian pacer's fitness issues resurfaced during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year, which ruled him out of action for a few months. Speaking to Cricbuzz, Green said that the message from Bumrah made him realise that he was "doing the right thing" by getting the surgery done. "That is really special. And makes you feel a lot better about it. I didn't play with him in Mumbai but that was the connection through there. Spent a bit of time with him there. To get someone like him to reach out and then to watch him during the summer, to see how good he is obviously post-surgery, filled me with a lot of confidence," the 26 year old stated. "The silver lining to having four back injuries is I've got four chances only to be a batter. I felt like my game's always been good around those periods. So, that's never to take away, I'm always going to be keep bowling. But you're so much more relaxed. Half a game to worry about, which is obviously nice. When you're bowling and batting, there's so much more you have to do bowling wise to keep yourself fit and ready to play. It does take away from batting. So, certainly, just batting is nice," he further added. Green is all set to make a comeback in the Australian playing XI at the number 3 spot for the Word Test Championship Final against South Aftica. He will, however, only be playing as a top order batter and is unlikely to bowl in the near future.
