Latest news with #Govindaraj
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Siddaramaiah's political secretary dismissed, ADGP intel shunted out
A day after the suspension of top police officials in connection with the June 4 stampede at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium, the Karnataka government on Friday dismissed MLC K Govindaraj from the post of Political Secretary to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The decision, though not officially linked to the incident, appears to be part of a broader damage control exercise by the government. An official notification issued by the Chief Minister's Office said, 'The appointment of K Govindaraj as Political Secretary to the Chief Minister is hereby revoked with immediate effect.' Govindaraj, a key political aide to Siddaramaiah and a prominent figure in Karnataka's sports circles, was closely associated with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) victory celebrations that ended in tragedy, with 11 people dead and over 50 injured in a stampede outside the stadium. Although the government has not publicly cited reasons for the move, officials suggest that the decision followed growing criticism of Govindaraj's involvement in the event and the surfacing of a letter he wrote on June 4. In the letter, addressed to government departments, Govindaraj had requested 'arrangements for a big celebration for the RCB team in Bengaluru on Tuesday.' The letter has reportedly caused embarrassment to the Chief Minister's Office. Earlier in the day, Govindaraj distanced himself from the controversy, denying reports that he had advised the Chief Minister against a full-fledged victory parade from the airport to Vidhana Soudha. 'Who am I to advise the Chief Minister?' he said, adding, 'I would be the last person to advise anything on cricket, since I head the Karnataka Olympic Association.' A sports administrator and the current president of the Karnataka Olympic Association, Govindaraj's sacking follows closely on the heels of the abrupt resignation of LK Atheeq, the Additional Chief Secretary to the CM, earlier this week. Both exits have further fuelled speculation that the government is struggling to contain the fallout from the deadly crowd surge. On the same day, the government also transferred Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Intelligence, Hemant M Nimbalkar. He, however, continues to hold charge as ADGP and Commissioner, Department of Information and Public Relations. Opposition parties criticised the government's recent actions, calling them reactive and politically motivated. Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra accused the Congress-led government of acting only under public and political pressure. 'The state government has acted only after coming under pressure… Action has been taken against RCB and the Karnataka Cricket Association. The Chief Minister suddenly suspended senior police officers, including the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner, and five other officials,' Vijayendra said.
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah's political secretary removed amid stampede during RCB victory celebrations
BENGALURU: A day after the State Government suspended five senior police officers, including the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner, the Chief Minister's Political Secretary has been removed from the post with immediate effect. A notification by the Undersecretary (Protocol), Department of Personnel and Administrative Reform (DPAR) said K Govindaraj, Political Secretary to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has been removed from the post with immediate effect. Congress MLC Govindaraj was appointed as the Political Secretary to the CM on June 1, 2023. The State government is facing flak after a stampede during the RCB's IPL-2025 victory celebrations at Chinnaswamy stadium that claimed 11 lives. Earlier in the day, Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy had accused Govindaraj of putting pressure on the CM to hold RCB victory celebrations. The opposition BJP and JDS leaders are demanding the resignation of CM Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar, and Home Minister G Parameshwara. On Thursday, the government suspended five senior officers including Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayanand. Accusing the government of making police officers scapegoats, BJP and JDS leaders said the investigation by CID, magisterial probe, and inquiry by a retired High Court judge would not reveal the truth and justice would not be served to the victims' families. The Congress party high command has to remove Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, said Kumaraswamy.
The Hindu
06-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
In Chintadripet, a boxing club gives underprivileged kids a fighting chance
On the morning of her second-semester exam, 18-year-old S.M. Durga Sri is hard at work, punching away at the bags at GS Boxing Club in Chintadripet. When asked if she's worried about the exam, she replies with a smile, 'Not really. I can manage.' Ms. Durga, a gold medallist at the 5th Junior Girls National Boxing Championship in 2022 and a bronze medallist at Khelo India 2024, is one of many young athletes at GS Boxing Club, led by a former railway loadman turned boxing coach. This club is dedicated to helping children from North Chennai rise socially and economically through boxing, hard work, and perseverance. Ms. Durga got into boxing by chance, initially seeking fitness while her younger brother was interested in the sport. She says, 'At first, it was tough, but we are a middle-class family, and boxing is one way to secure a good government job. Now, I love the sport and look forward to winning more medals.' Currently pursuing a degree at a private city college, Ms. Durga has been selected by the Sports Authority of India to compete in international contests, and she trains in Haryana. Around 35 students train at the club, which is on the first floor of the Greater Chennai Corporation's gym in Chintadripet, twice a day — three hours in the morning and three in the evening. One key rule is that children must attend school. The boxing club was founded by U. Govindaraj, a boxer certified by the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports. Initially, the club began as an informal training facility for local kids in Cox Colony, Chintadripet. However, the space was later repurposed for housing, and with the help of local government representatives, the current gym location was secured. Mr. Govindaraj, passionate about using boxing to uplift local children, recalls his own childhood. 'My father was a boxer but succumbed to alcoholism and passed away at just 32. I was only five at the time. Despite my interest in boxing, my mother forbade me from learning, but I secretly trained. It was only when I won a state-level gold medal that I showed my mother a newspaper clipping and revealed I'd been training.' Eventually, family responsibilities led him to a job as a loadman with the Railways through the sports quota. During this time, Mr. Govindaraj started the GS Boxing Club to help local kids. He also hosts a free summer camp each year to introduce more children to the sport. One such camp in 2018 drew in Kharthikeyan K.S., a 22-year-old techie who was moved by the coach's dedication, especially as Mr. Govindaraj used his own resources to fund the club. Inspired, Mr. Kharthikeyan began mobilising funds for the club. When the pandemic hit in 2020, he, along with his partner Abhinaya J.L., helped local families by providing essentials. This effort evolved into the Whakapapa Foundation, which now supports the GS Boxing Club through donations and corporate social responsibility funds. Realising the toll of managing two jobs, Mr. Govindaraj eventually left his loadman position and began coaching full-time. 'We support him with a monthly salary, which is the main part of our fundraising efforts through the foundation,' Mr. Kharthikeyan says. 'Once I started full-time, my students began winning medals consistently,' says Mr. Govindaraj, who credits his growth as a boxer and coach to his mentor, boxing veteran A.K. Karunakaran. The full-time commitment also allows him to network and raise the club's profile. 'In sports, visibility is key. The coach's presence represents the kids, and his integrity is the foundation of the entire club,' Mr. Kharthikeyan adds. Beyond boxing, the children are trained in discipline, learning to avoid the bad habits that Ms. Abhinaya says, are often prevalent in their local community.'The discipline these kids have is remarkable,' she adds. Despite its impact, the club, which is gearing up for the upcoming summer camp from May 10, operates on a tight budget. It lacks a boxing ring, and there's insufficient financial support to send athletes to tournaments. For example, 15-year-old Lenin, who was recently selected for the Asian Games from Tamil Nadu, couldn't attend because they couldn't afford to pay for a passport in time. 'Nutrition is just as important as training. We spend a lot on milk, eggs, nuts, and protein for the children, especially during tournaments,' Mr. Govindaraj says, adding that a boxing ring and additional support for nutrition would make a significant difference.
The Hindu
24-04-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Weavers expect cheaper Chinese rayon yarn amid US tariffs
At Palladam, located 40 km from Coimbatore city, weavers who produce rayon fabrics are looking forward to yarn that costs ₹8 to ₹10 per kg less than what is available in the market now. Powerloom weavers in Erode district, who also produce rayon fabric, are similarly hopeful. With US President Donald Trump imposing a 145 % tariff on Chinese goods, Chinese viscose yarn is expected to be available at the weaving clusters in Tamil Nadu at prices lower than the yarn spun at textile mills in the State. Govindaraj of the Shuttleless Loom Cloth Manufacturers Association informed The Hindu on Thursday that several traders have reportedly booked Chinese yarn, which will be available to weavers at approximately ₹8 per kg less than Indian yarn. However, the weavers will not receive a credit period for payment and will have to purchase large quantities of yarn. As a result, the actual price difference will be around ₹4 per kg less than Indian yarn. He noted that this situation will have an impact on viscose textile mills. Velusamy, President of the Palladam Job Working Powerloom Unit Owners Association, said the imported yarn is likely to arrive only after a month, since the traders have only just begun placing orders. While smaller weavers may lack the resources to import directly, larger weaving units are expected to take advantage of the price differential. A viscose spinner in Pallipalayam explained that the landed cost of Chinese viscose yarn had dropped from ₹192.17 per kg on April 1 to ₹185.06 per kg on April 23, while yarn produced in India costs ₹197 per kg. The price of Chinese yarn is cheaper by nearly ₹12 after the US levied reciprocal tariffs. In 2023, India imported 77,765 tonnes of viscose yarn, the quantity of which reduced to 22,237 tonnes in 2024. Between January and March this year, India imported a total of 4,317 tonnes of viscose yarn. Domestic spinners can produce 2,200 tonnes of viscose yarn a day. The yarn will land in India next month and the imports will go up again in 2025. 'The raw material (fibre) to spin viscose yarn is produced by only one company in India, and with a monopoly, this company determines the fibre price. Further, there are Quality Control Order (QCO) restrictions for fibre imports. Fabric imports attract a duty of 20%, and hence, there is not much import of fabrics. It is the spinning industry that is hit because there are no QCO restrictions for yarn imports,' the spinner said. The viscose yarn producing textile mills have called for restrictions on Chinese yarn imports and demanded the removal of QCO on viscose fibre or levy of the QCO norms on yarn too.
Asharq Al-Awsat
09-04-2025
- Sport
- Asharq Al-Awsat
FIBA Asia Cup Draw Places Saudi Arabia in Group C with China, Jordan, and India
The draw for the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) Asia Cup 2025 placed the Saudi Arabia National Basketball Team in Group C alongside the national teams of China, Jordan, and India. The draw ceremony was held on Wednesday in Jeddah Governorate, attended by the FIBA Asia president Dr. Govindaraj, FIBA Asia executive director Hagop Khajirian, and Saudi Basketball Federation president Dr. Ghassan Tashkandi. The tournament, which will be held in Saudi Arabia at the beginning of August, stipulates that the top teams from each group will qualify directly for the quarterfinals. Playoff matches will be held between the second and third-placed teams from each group to determine the four teams that will advance to the same round.
