After Twitter, PM set to conquer app space

After Twitter, PM set to conquer app space

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who recently became the most followed Indian on Twitter beating film star Amitabh Bachchan, is now setting new records on his own ‘Narendra Modi mobile app’. The app, often referred to as ‘NM on the go’, has already been downloaded 2.5 million times. While the PM’s official app was launched in June 2015, it was Apple CEO Tim Cook who brought it alive two months ago. Cook launched the upgraded version of the app in June 2016 during his India visit.

The PM wants his app to connect with people in the remotest places of the country. It is being seen as a powerful tool of direct communication, ahead of several state elections next year and then the Lok Sabha polls in 2019, an official pointed out. Modi is looking at a growth of at least 20 times in the use of his app, translating to a user base of at least 50 million in the months to come, sources have indicated. The number might still be far from blockbuster games such as Pokémon GO, Angry Birds, Talking Tom and Candy Crush, but the PM’s app could catch up with many others.

A look at Google’s Play Store shows the number of downloads for some of the popular apps. Among the free apps, the Indian Railways train status app has seen an estimated five million downloads and the number is the same for IRCTC as well as SBI Anywhere.(more)

Indian officials' absence force O P Jaisha to run Rio marathon without water

Indian officials' absence force O P Jaisha to run Rio marathon without water

To say that Indian athletes are not new to indifference from sports authorities would not be an understatement. O P Jaisha’s divulgence of her collapse at the end of taxing 42 km women's marathon at Rio Olympics 2016 brings to light the suffering of the athletes.

In an interview to Times of India, Jaisha said she collapsed after the run as she was deprived of the basic need- water. Talking about the irresponsible behavior of the Indian officials, Jaisha said there was nobody present from the India to provide the national record holder with refreshments.

"Though there were officials from all other countries to provide refreshments to their runners at designated points - after every 2.5 km - there was no one from India and our desks were empty next to the country's name and flag," said Jaisha.(more)

PV Sindhu's performance is worth its weight in gold

PV Sindhu's performance is worth its weight in gold

For people who have seen India struggle at the Olympics over the last two decades, it’s extremely hard to describe PV Sindhu’s performance in the semi final at Rio Olympics 2016. Here was a 21-year-old Indian girl dishing out badminton to an opponent ranked higher than her. This isn’t supposed to be a part of the script – this is the Olympics where Indians come, fight hard, come close to winning medals but agonizingly fall short. Not this time though– not with Sindhu in scintillating form and showcasing her talent to the world.

Indian sport fans over the years — especially at the Olympics — have come to expect a certain kind of performance, behavior and body language from Indian athletes at the highest level. But there was something different about Sindhu — she was different, aggressive, and assertive and went for the kill.

It’s strange and uncanny as badminton is a sport that is not taken seriously in India. Partly because after cricket it is one sport which most of us have played — be it in the compound of our society, in school or perhaps a bit at amateur level. But it’s a sport where there is a sense of discerning entitlement. It’s a sport where there is a sense of familiarity and perhaps badminton is one sport where most Indian fans were expecting a medal — not because of Sindhu but because of Saina Nehwal. Read more

Rio Olympics 2016 Games

Rio Olympics: Spirited Sakshi Malik ends India's medal drought with a bronze in wrestling

A diminutive 23-year-old girl from Mokhra village near Rohtak in Haryana, Sakshi Malik, touched glory at the Rio Olympics on Wednesday by reaching out and grabbing the only medal India has been able to win at the 31st Olympiad.

What's even more astonishing and historic is that she is the only Indian woman wrestler to have ever won a medal at the Olympic games.

Sakshi brought an end to India's long medal wait, when every hopeful had failed one by one. She clinched the bronze in the Women's Freestyle 58kg category with a spirited comeback victory over Aisuluu Tynybekova of Kyrgyzstan.

The young wrestler overturned a 0-5 deficit in a hectic second round to script an 8-5 victory in the medal bout at the Carioca Arena 2 here.

WATCH Video: Moment when #SakshiMalik 's family saw their daughter end India's medal drought at the Rio Olympics.