Category Archives: World Opinion

Tata Starbucks celebrates International Coffee Week with Brewtober

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Coffee News, World Opinion

BrewtoberKF27sept2018

Mumbai:

Tata Starbucks in India is taking its coffee heritage and inspiration to celebrate International Coffee Week this year with coffee-forward experiences and special promotions across its stores.

Recognised in delivering consistent, authentic in-store experiences, rooted in high-quality Arabica coffee, Tata Starbucks is celebrating the art of coffee from heritage to brewed innovation over a seven-day celebration titled ‘Starbucks Brewtober’, beginning October 1.

To celebrate coffee, Starbucks stores, which bring to life the Third Place experience, will feature seven international whole bean coffees handpicked from seven different parts of the coffee belt, allowing customers to ‘Travel the World in Seven Sips’ this International Coffee Day- October 1.

Other experiential activities during the week include ‘Farm to Cup’ story – an immersive coffee tasting experience that brings to the fore Starbucks’ commitment to ethically sourced coffee and its 47-year old legacy of coffee processing and roasting; ‘Starbucks Coffee Experience Bar’- a masterclass into the art, craft and science behind different cups of coffee and ‘Latte Art’ – a showcase of the craft of Starbucks partners.

On October 6, Starbucks Brewtober brings ‘Starbucks 100’ – a day Starbucks shares coffee love with all its customers by offering them any short/ tall Starbucks beverage at only Rs 100 across all its stores in India.

Continuing with the celebrations, Starbucks is also offering My Starbucks Rewards Gold Members an exclusive offer on October 7.

“At Starbucks ,we take great pride and joy in partnering with customers on their journey of coffee exploration and are committed to delivering an unparalleled coffee experience. With ‘Starbucks Brewtober’, Tata Starbucks commemorates coffee with a week-long celebration. ‘Starbucks Brewtober’ offers coffee lovers a unique way of celebrating coffee, starting with various immersive coffee experiences to the big day of ‘Starbucks 100’ – a day when Starbucks shares coffee love with its customers by offering all its short/ tall handcrafted beverages for only Rs 100,” said Veetika Deoras, Head – Marketing, Category, Digital and Loyalty at Tata Starbucks Limited.

“We hope to celebrate coffee and the spirit of Starbucks through the week and look forward to welcoming our customers in our stores,” she added.

International Coffee Week will be celebrated across all Starbucks stores in India from October 1 to 7, 2018.

StarbucksKF27oct2018

SOURCE: ANI

source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home / by Syed Qayam Ali / September 26th, 2018

Gulshan Devaiah’s film shines bright at TIFF

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, World Opinion

GulshanKF26sept2018

Gulshan Devaiah is getting all the praises at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2018 for his performance in the upcoming Vasan Bala directorial ‘Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota’ (‘The Man Who Feels No Pain’). The actor’s film which premiered at the TIFF 2018 has gone on to win the Grolsch People’s Choice Midnight Madness section award after beating big-budget Hollywood franchises like ‘Halloween’ and ‘Predator’.

Gulshan is playing a double role in the film — a mysterious Karate Master named Mani and his psychotic twin named Jimmy. His dual performance is being lauded by the critics and audiences with Gulshan being called “an irreplaceable component to the film who brings great energy to every scene he is in”.

“Vasan and I worked again after his first film ‘Peddlers’. Vasan is a fabulous talent. I am so happy for him that ‘MKDNH’ was so widely appreciated by the audiences and critics in Toronto where they were demanding a sequel. I am so overwhelmed by what people are saying and writing about our film and my performances,” says Gulshan.

‘Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota’ is Gulshan and director Vasan Bala’s second collaboration after the 2012 crime thriller film ‘Peddlers’.

source: http://www.freepressjournal.in / The Free Press Journal / Home> Entertainment / by FPJ Bureau / September 25th, 2018

Saving Cauvery’s cradle

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Green Initiatives / Environment, Nature, Nri's / Pio's, Records, All, World Opinion
“A forest­depleted Kodagu basin will have reduced capacity to capture and store rainwater.” It is a picture of destruction in Hattihole near Somwarpet, Kodagu, after the floods. | Photo Credit: Sampath Kumar G.P.
“A forest­depleted Kodagu basin will have reduced capacity to capture and store rainwater.” It is a picture of destruction in Hattihole near Somwarpet, Kodagu, after the floods. | Photo Credit: Sampath Kumar G.P.

Protecting the Kodagu watershed is essential to ensure the water security of three States

We require water for everything: drinking, growing crops, producing electricity and industrial production. With the world population projected to grow to about 10 billion by 2050, according to the United Nations, and with climate change discernible, both the quantity and quality of freshwater will become critical, affecting health, food security, and economic well-being. A 2015 UN report, Water for a Sustainable World, pointed out that the gap between the availability of water and our need for water is only going to increase.

Projects in the river basin

The growing demand on freshwater resources demonstrates the need for sustainable management of water. In this context, projects that are being contemplated, such as the laying of multiple railway tracks in the critical Cauvery river basin in Kodagu district, Karnataka, are not only economically unviable but also ecologically damaging. Mega projects pose a clear threat to the long-term water security of the three States that depend on the Cauvery (Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu), and exacerbate the threat posed by seasonal droughts and floods.

The Cauvery basin drains an area of about 81,000 sq. km. Originating in Talakaveri, Kodagu, the river irrigates agricultural fields, generates electricity, and provides drinking water to downstream communities across south India. The Cauvery and its tributaries contribute the bulk of water to the Krishna Raja Sagara dam near Mysuru, the primary water source for Bengaluru. However, increasing development pressure from the transportation and construction sectors poses a severe threat to the forests, riverbeds, wildlife and agricultural lands. This March, for the first time in decades, towns such as Virajpet in Kodagu faced a severe shortage of drinking water. The continuing loss of forest cover and illegal sand mining from river beds endanger water and food security for all the downstream communities in the Cauvery basin.

The three proposed railway plans have major implications. One, all the tracks will cut through large swaths of agricultural farms and fields as well as Protected and Reserve Forests that are spread across Kodagu and Mangaluru districts of Karnataka, and Wayanad and Kannur districts of Kerala. Along this sparsely populated area, transportation needs can be met by simply improving existing roads at a fraction of the monetary and ecological cost of the proposed railways. In fact, in its feasibility report of the Mysuru-Thalassery line, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation stated that the project would not be beneficial to the State. In response to protests by the people of Kodagu in February, the plan to build the Mysuru-Thalassery line was scrapped in March. However, if history is any guide, plans to build the tracks will reemerge in time.

Two, they will affect the Western Ghats, one of the most biodiverse regions on earth. Kodagu has about 45% forest cover and about 30% agroforestry systems (coffee plantations and paddy fields). Between 2013 and 2015, a high-tension power line linking Mysuru and Kozhikode resulted in the loss of about 50,000 trees in Kodagu alone. If the proposed railway lines are constructed, they would conservatively result in tree loss that is 10 times more than this. Forests help capture rainfall, reduce run-off and soil erosion, recharge groundwater aquifers, mitigate flooding, support local communities, and provide refuge for native flora and fauna. Raised railway tracks will also impede wildlife and could result in the deaths of endangered animals such as elephants. Most importantly, a forest-depleted Kodagu basin will have reduced capacity to capture and store rainwater. Even without the railway tracks, a satellite-based report titled India State of Forests 2017 noted that Kodagu lost 102 sq. km. of tree cover in just two years.

Variable monsoon

The Kodagu basin receives heavy rainfall, mainly during the southwest monsoon (June-September), that feeds the Cauvery. However, studies by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology and others, published in the journal Nature, have found evidence for increasingly variable monsoon rainfall. Thus, we can expect to experience more extreme floods as well as droughts in the future. These are scenarios that make preserving forest cover more vital in order to mitigate the collateral effects of these extreme events.

During this year’s southwest monsoon season, Kodagu received twice as much annual rainfall as usual and with greater intensity. This resulted in landslides and floods. A recent study of nearly 5,000 landslides around the world, published in Earth and Space Science News (Eos), has revealed that activities like construction, illegal mining and hill cutting are increasingly responsible for the uptick in fatal landslides, particularly in Asia. It will be hard to claim that the uncontrolled development and forest clearance in the steep slopes of the Western Ghats in recent years has not been a factor in the tragedy that just unfolded in Kodagu, and in the coastal districts of Kerala. With 100-year storms likely to become more frequent as the climate becomes warmer, business as usual is sure to increasingly endanger lives and property.

Erratic monsoon rains can cause flooding, droughts, water and food security. Preserving existing forests in the watershed provides an effective ‘insurance policy’ for reducing the effect of floods and droughts while recharging groundwater across the Cauvery river basin. Nature has reported that diminished access to water resources increases the risk of social unrest, political instability, intensified refugee flows and armed conflicts, even within borders. The variable nature of monsoons makes India one of the most vulnerable regions to water-related disasters associated with climate change and extreme weather events. According to a BBC report, Bengaluru is likely to run out of drinking water in the next decade. Economists should estimate the monetary and human cost of cities like Bengaluru becoming dry, and implement policies focused on achieving and maintaining sustainable water resources.

We are at the start of the UN Decade for Water, which emphasises water security for all. Everyone lives in a watershed, yet water remains a remote concept for those who consume it the most — people, industries and farmers. There are no substitutes for water as the very basis for life. Protecting the Cauvery’s source is essential for the sustained well-being of the entire basin and of the three States that the river nourishes. In fact, good water governance of the nation’s watersheds will be key to its sustainable future. We can begin by saving Cauvery’s cradle.

Bopaiah Biddanda is Professor of Water Resources at the Robert B. Annis Water Resources Institute, U.S.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Opinion> Comment / by Bopaiah Biddanda / September 24th, 2018

Alka Marala is Miss India Connecticut 2018, Other CT Pageant Winners Announced

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Nri's / Pio's, Records, All, World Opinion
Rekha Gopal - Mrs. India Connecticut 2018 (Left), Alka Marala - Miss India Connecticut 2018 (Middle), Nikitha Kikanamada - Miss Teen India Connecticut 2018 (Right)
Rekha Gopal – Mrs. India Connecticut 2018 (Left), Alka Marala – Miss India Connecticut 2018 (Middle), Nikitha Kikanamada – Miss Teen India Connecticut 2018 (Right)

Cromwell, Conn.(USA):

Alka Marala has been crowned as Miss India Connecticut 2018. Other winners in the state pageant, which was held last week and directed by Sumathi Narayanan, were: Nikitha Kikanamada, Miss Teen India Connecticut; and Rekha Gopal, Mrs. India Connecticut.

The winners will go on to compete at the national level pageant hosted by Dharmatma Saran, Chairman of IFC, for the title of Miss, Teen, and Mrs. India USA.

Sumathi Narayanan
Sumathi Narayanan

“We are so proud of the beautiful, talented, and successful women of Connecticut, and we’re excited to see how they further their causes and missions in this upcoming year by using the platform given to them,” said Narayanan, president of Sumathi Narayanan Realty, owner of Swaagat Collections in Shrewsbury, MA, and State Director of Miss India Connecticut Pageant. “We also encourage all women to continue to pursue their dreams and seize these opportunities.”

Miss Marala is a student at University at Buffalo and is currently finishing up her second major. She was elected as vice president of Finance for The Women in Management organization at her university. She is a part of UB Zeal, an inter-college competitive dance team. She is also a Kuchipudi dancer, and is fortunate to have her mother as her guru. She loves to travel the world, try different foods and learn about different cultures.

The Connecticut pageant, which was held on Saturday in Cromwell, CT, was directed by Ms. Narayanan, featuring three categories: Miss, Teen, and Mrs. A total of 23 contestants participated in the pageant and confidently portrayed Indian culture, unique talents, and American pride with grace and elegance.

“The pageant was not just about outer beauty, but also valued inner beauty, intelligence, and ambition of the young women of Connecticut,” Ms. Narayanan said in statement.

State Director Sumathi Narayanan along with all 2018 Winners and 2017 Winner Prachi Shah.
State Director Sumathi Narayanan along with all 2018 Winners and 2017 Winner Prachi Shah.

Miss India Connecticut is associated and part of IFC, a pioneer in organizing Indian pageants and fashion shows in USA, and aptly called the ‘Mother of all Indian Pageants in USA.’

The Connecticut pageant event started with an opening dance choreographed by P&P Dance Crew of Connecticut, in which all the contestants performed energetic and graceful introductory dances alongside the reigning Miss India CT 2017 and 1stRunner Up of Miss India USA 2017: Prachi Shah.

The opening dance was then followed by the ethnic wear round, where each contestant proudly displayed their Indian culture. Next was the talent round, in which contestants displayed their talent through dance and musical performances, acting, martial arts, crafts, and even magic shows. The contestants then gave their introduction in the evening gown round. Lastly, the finalists amazed everyone with their wits in the question and answer round.

The judges of the pageant were accomplished patrons of the arts from the New England area. The judges’ panel included: Tirthankar Das, a filmmaker and music composer from New Jersey; Sankar Gangaikondan, a singer and musician; Shaila Verma, Artistic Director of Shaila School of Dance in Massachusetts; Dr. Kavita Pattani, Mrs India USA 2017; and Namita Dodwadkar, Mrs India USA 2014 and Mrs India Worldwide 2016.

The crowned winners of each category are:

Miss India Connecticut – Alka Marala

Miss Teen India Connecticut – Nikitha Kikanamada

Mrs. India Connecticut – Rekha Gopal

1stRunner Ups:

Miss India Connecticut 1stRunner Up – Daman Brar

Miss Teen India Connecticut 1stRunner Up – Archita Mundrathi

Mrs. India Connecticut 1stRunner Up – Vidhi Dave

2ndRunner Ups:

Miss India Connecticut 2ndRunner Up – Radhika Rathore

Miss Teen India Connecticut 2ndRunner Up – Athulya Narayanan

Mrs. India Connecticut 2ndRunner Up – Mamatha Puttaswamy.

Here are some other subtitles given in each category, including Miss/Teen/Mrs. Social Media – Radhika Rathore, Athulya Narayanan, Debashree Rupalin. Miss/Teen/Mrs. Congeniality – Radhika Rathore, Nikitha Kikanamada, Mamatha Puttaswamy. Miss/Teen. Talent – Alka Marala, Athulya Narayanan. Miss/Teen/Mrs. Photogenic – Alka Marala, Dhruvi Patel, Nidhi Sinha and Miss/Teen/Mrs. Viewer’s Choice – Alka Marala, Archita Mundrathi, Mamatha Puttaswamy.

source: http://www.indianewengland.com / India New England News / Home> Lifestyle / by The New England News / September 18th, 2018

CCD, Afoozo in fray for Coffee House revamp

Coffee News, World Opinion

New Delhi :

The Coffee Board of India has received bids from two major players — Cafe Coffee Day and Afoozo Private Limited, owned by Vikram Gurbaxani — for a revamping of its iconic India Coffee House (ICH) outlets, Board CEO Srivatsa Krishna said here on Tuesday.

The Board has mooted the revamp of 12 outlets, including one in Parliament House in Delhi, bringing in private players in a revenue-sharing model in an attempt to create a premium brand.

“We want to leverage the ICH brand to promote coffee consumption in the country,” he said.

Krishna said efforts are afoot to get a Geographical Indication tag for coffee grown in different geographical regions in the country, including Wayanad, Kodagu, Mysuru and Chikmagalur.

source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com / Business Line / Home> Coffee (Commodity) / The Hindu Bureau / September 04th, 2018

Support Pours In For Kodagu Sports Star

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Inspiration / Positive News and Features, Nri's / Pio's, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

TashmaMuthappaKF03sept2018

Kushalnagar:

Tashma Muthappa, an International-level Throwball player who was living in a flood relief camp along with her family has now been rehabilitated. She, along with her parents, will move to a rented accommodation in Madikeri on Monday. Also, Kodagu District Minister S.R. Mahesh has promised her a government job.

It may be recalled that Star of Mysore had published a report on Aug. 30 under the title “Floods shatter sports star’s life in Kodagu.” The report had highlighted the plight of Tashma, who brought laurels to Karnataka and India by winning national and international tournaments. First she was forced to give up her sporting career and take up a data entry job to support her family and second, her house was destroyed in floods and landslides.

Tashma’s house, built just one-and-a-half-years back in Second Monnangeri at Madikeri was washed away and all her medals, certificates and hard-earned money were lost. 23-year-old Tashma was to get married in December but now her wedding has been postponed to April next year as the jewellery worth Rs. 3.5 lakh too were swept away.

Following the publication of the report that was widely shared in social media, help started pouring in to Tashma and her family. They will move to a fully-furnished house at Kannika Layout near Madikeri Race Course Road on Sept. 3. Singapore Kodava Samaja has sponsored Rs. 50,000 to be paid as advance to the house and has also sponsored the monthly rent of Rs. 10,000 for one year.

The Singapore Art of Living team has sponsored utensils, food, fuel and other requirements to the family and Chandrashekar and friends have volunteered to look after the day-to-day needs of the family till it can sustain on its own.

Meeting Tashma, Kodagu District Minister S.R. Mahesh has assured her that he will secure her a government job.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> News / September 01st, 2018

Asian Games 2018: Tamil Nadu government announces Rs 20 lakh for sailors Vikas Thakkar, Chengappa Kelapanda

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

Both will receive the Rs 20 lakh high cash incentive earlier announced by the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa for sportspersons winning medals in international games.

Jakarta : From left to right silver medalist Chae Bonjin and Kim Dongwook of Korea, gold medalist Shingen Furuya and Shinji Hachiyama of Japan and bronze medalist Varun Ashokthakkar and Kelapanda Chengappa of India pose for a selfie with their medals during the victory ceremony for in the 49er Men of sailing event at the18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Aug. 31, 2018.AP/PTI(AP8_31_2018_000227B)
Jakarta : From left to right silver medalist Chae Bonjin and Kim Dongwook of Korea, gold medalist Shingen Furuya and Shinji Hachiyama of Japan and bronze medalist Varun Ashokthakkar and Kelapanda Chengappa of India pose for a selfie with their medals during the victory ceremony for in the 49er Men of sailing event at the18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, Friday, Aug. 31, 2018.AP/PTI(AP8_31_2018_000227B)

Tamil Nadu government Saturday lauded state sportspersons Vikas Thakkar and Chengappa Ganapathy Kelapanda for winning the bronze medal in 49er men’s sailing event at the ongoing Asian Games in Indonesia.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami announced a high cash incentive of Rs 20 lakh each for their feat, in line with the government’s policy of promoting sporting talent from Tamil Nadu. In seperate letters to Thakkar and Kelapanda, the Chief Minister lauded them for their medal winning performance and said they had made the state and the country proud.

Both will receive the Rs 20 lakh high cash incentive earlier announced by the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa for sportspersons winning medals in international games, he said. “On behalf of the people and Government of Tamil Nadu, I once again extend my warm greetings to you and all those who supported you in this achievement and wish you bring more laurels to the country and the state in future,” he told them.

Further, the Chief Minister announced an additional Rs 20 lakh for paddler A Sharath Kamal, for winning a second bronze medal in the ongoing Asiad. “I am happy to hear that you have won your second medal in the ongoing 18th Asian Games, 2018 a Bronze Medal in Table Tennis mixed doubles event,” Palaniswami said.

The Chief Minister said Kamal was now eligible to receive a high cash incentive of Rs 20 lakhs, apart from a similar amount announced by him on August 29.

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Sports> Asian Games / by PTI, Chennai / September 01st, 2018

MR Poovamma: Beating Team With Fastest 400m Runner in the World Makes Relay Gold Special

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

MR Poovamma, spearhead and senior most member of the Asian Games gold medal winning Indian 4×400 Women’s relay team (which included Hima Das, Saritaben Gayakwad and VK Vismaya), explains the future implications of the victory in Jakarta, and reveals details behind the bold strategy that helped them upstage Salwa Naser-led Bahrain.

A gold medal is special under any circumstance, no doubt. But, when the top prize at the Asian Games — at any competition for that matter — comes after an athlete manages to upstage the best in the world, the medal attains a deeper meaning. Its significance transcends the podium, going much beyond the fervour or emotions the celebrating athletes, the fluttering flag, and the national anthem conjure up. The gold medal gets an additional gleam from a promise for the future, while dreams and aspirations of the athlete involved find new horizons.

When Hima Das, MR Poovamma, Saritaben Gayakwad and VK Vismaya climbed onto the top rung of the podium to celebrate the country’s final gold (in the women’s 4x400m relay) from athletics in Jakarta, on the last day of track and field competitions at Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Stadium on August 30, they stood tall with a realisation that could, in the coming years, take them to higher pedestals.

source:http://www.newsclick.in / News Click / Home> Sports> India / by Leslie Xavier / August 31st, 2018

Social media comes to international throwball star’s aid

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

Hailing from a poor family in 2nd Monnangeri — which was destroyed in a landslide — Tashma had a flair for throwball since childhood.

Tashma Muthappa
Tashma Muthappa

Madikeri :

The recent floods in Kodagu have altered numerous lives. Like that of Tashma Muthappa’s. Tashma (23), an international-level throwball player from Kodagu, is now staying at a relief centre after her house was washed away in the floods. And she lost her medals and trophies too. But thanks to the power of social media, help has been pouring in for her. After her story was circulated on the social media platforms, there has been a ray of hope. “I received help from 2nd Monnangeri activist Dhanjay and People for Kodagu Organisation,” Tashma said.

On Wednesday, MLC Veena Achaiah and her son Vishwas Achaiah visited Tashma and offered her help. “Vishwas Achaiah and his friends have offered to pay one year’s rent for our house and have promised to look after other expenses,” she added.

Hailing from a poor family in 2nd Monnangeri — which was destroyed in a landslide — Tashma had a flair for throwball since childhood. She has taken part in many throwball events, including those in Sri Lanka and Malaysia. She was part of the Indian throwball team that won an international championship in Bengaluru recently. However, she gave up her sporting career owing to financial constraints. Tashma, who completed her PU from Alva’s College, Mangaluru, now works as a data operator at Kodagu Medical College. Her parents Muthappa and Girija work at a homestay.

Life suddenly turned upside down for her on August 17. “At around 10 am that day, we started fleeing our homes after we noticed numerous cracks in the earth. We climbed uphill as roads were blocked owing to landslides. Walking through forests, we reached a relief centre at Cherambane at 9 pm,” she said recalling the horror. The family was later moved to a relief camp in Madikeri, where her story was learnt by many well-wishers and was circulated on social media.

Tashma hopes that the government offers her a permanent job. Though her immediate goal is to get a job and support her family, Tashma is ready to enter the throwball field and prove her mettle again … if she gets more support.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Express News Service / August 31st, 2018

Asian Games 2018: Gold medal for Rohan Bopanna-Divij Sharan

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All, Sports, World Opinion

Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan won 6-3, 6-4 to become the fifth men’s doubles pairing to win gold at the Asian Games.

Tennis - 2018 Asian Games - Men's Doubles - Final - JSC Tennis Court - Palembang, Indonesia - August 24, 2018. Rohan Manchanda Bopanna and Divij Sharan of India shake hands with Aleksandr Bublik and Denis Yevseyev of Kazakhstan after winning their match. REUTERS/Edgar Su
Tennis – 2018 Asian Games – Men’s Doubles – Final – JSC Tennis Court – Palembang, Indonesia – August 24, 2018. Rohan Manchanda Bopanna and Divij Sharan of India shake hands with Aleksandr Bublik and Denis Yevseyev of Kazakhstan after winning their match. REUTERS/Edgar Su

Top seeded men’s doubles pairing of Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan won India’s second medal in tennis – after bronze for Ankita Raina in women’s singles – at Palembang in the Asian Games. The duo produced clinical display of attacking tennis to beat the Kazakhstan pairing of Aleksander Bublik and Denis Yevseyev 6-3, 6-4 in 52 minutes.

In under 20 minutes, Bopanna-Sharan had taken a 4-1 lead in the opening set with two breaks of serves under their command. Soon enough, Bopanna got the job done to wrap up the opening set thanks to his booming serves and Divij’s confident play at the net. Kazakhs did have their moments but were undone by erratic and inconsistent play – a brilliant cross-court backhand winner one moment was followed up by a powerless return buried in the net the very next minute.

Bopanna who played mostly from the back of the court was formidable in his returns. He pulled off some tough winners helped by his sheer force.

Second set was a more evenly contested affair with Bublik and Yevseyev connecting better but they couldn’t keep their unforced error count low to put pressure on the Indian pairing. At 3-3, Bopanna and Sharan clinched the all-important break to go up and despite being pushed a bit in the very next game, the top seeds held serve to grab a 5-3 lead. Kazakhs held their serve to put the onus on Bopanna to hold for the gold medal – which he did so by serving it out to love.

India have claimed the men’s doubles gold on four occasions at the Asian Games, the last pair being Somdev Devvarman and Sanam Singh in the 2010 Guangzhou edition. Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes remain the most successful Indian men’s doubles pair in the Asian Games history, having claimed back-to-back gold medals in the 2002 and 2006 Games.

Paes, however, had stunned the Indian team this time by pulling out on the eve of the Games after complaining of not getting a specialist partner of his choice.

In 2014, Saketh Myneni and Sanam had ended with a silver medal.

(With PTI inputs)

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Sports> Asian Games 2018 / by Sports Desk / August 24th, 2018