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Nepal men's cricket team made history at the ongoing <keyword id="17814560" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Asian-Games" source="Denny">Asian Games</keyword> cricket tournament in <keyword id="232713" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="hangzhou" source="Orion">Hangzhou</keyword>, China as they smashed the highest-ever total in T20I cricket history, the fastest fifty and fastest century by a player in format's history on Wednesday. They accomplished this during their match against <keyword id="18892173" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mongolia" source="Denny" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Mongolia" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Mongolia">Mongolia</keyword>. This match also kickstarts the men's cricket competition at the continental meet. In the match, Nepal smashed 314/3 in their 20 overs. It is the highest-ever total in T20Is, overtaking Afghanistan's 278/3 against Ireland in 2019. They also smashed a total of 26 sixes in their innings, the highest by a team in the format's history in a single inning. They went past Afghanistan's record of 22 sixes that helped them make 278/3 back in 2019. But two of the most interesting records are them smashing the fastest fifty and century in T20I cricket. <keyword id="13343669" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="dipendra-singh-airee" source="Orion">Dipendra Singh Airee</keyword>, the Nepal all-rounder reached his half-century in just nine balls, going past Indian legend Yuvraj Singh's record of a 12-ball fifty against England in the ICC T20 World Cup 2007, a match which saw him smash Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over. Airee ended with 52* in just 10 balls, with eight of them smashed out of the park for a six. His strike rate of 520 is also the best in a T20I innings. Kushal Malla also went past T20I giants like India's Rohit Sharma and South Africa's <keyword id="118827" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="david-miller" source="Orion">David Miller</keyword> to hit the fastest T20I century ever, in just 34 balls. Malla ended with 137 in 50 balls, with eight fours and 12 sixes. Notably, Rohit and Miller have 35-ball centuries to their names, but Malla has now shattered these records by smashing a helpless Mongolia bowling attack all over the park. Notably, Mongolia needs 315 to win. India's men's cricket campaign will start on October 3 in the quarterfinals. The title clash will be played on October 7.

Asian Games: Nepal shatters T20I records against Mongolia, smashes highest total, fastest 50 and century in format history

Asian Cricket Council (<keyword id="6374289" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="acc" source="Orion">ACC</keyword>) on Thursday announced a hybrid model for the upcoming <keyword id="22687" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="asia-cup" source="Orion">Asia Cup</keyword> 2023, with <keyword id="3001" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="pakistan" source="Orion">Pakistan</keyword> set to host four matches out of 13, while the remaining nine games will be played in <keyword id="6355572" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="sri-lanka" source="Orion">Sri Lanka</keyword>. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Nepal will compete in 13 exciting <keyword id="40478" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="odi" source="Orion">ODI</keyword> matches from August 31 to September 17, 2023. ACC released an official statement to announce the dates and reveal that the competition will feature two groups, with two teams from each group qualifying for the Super Four stage. The top two teams from the Super Four stage will then face off in the final. "We are delighted to announce that the Asia Cup 2023 will be held from 31st to 17th September 2023 and will see the elite teams from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Nepal, compete in a total of 13 exciting ODI matches. The tournament will be hosted in a hybrid model with four matches being held in Pakistan, and the remaining nine matches being played in Sri Lanka," ACC announced in a statement. "The 2023 Edition will feature two groups, with two teams from each group qualifying for the Super Four stage. The top two teams from the Super Four stage will then face off in the final." "We look forward to welcoming fans from around the world to witness this celebration of cricket at its finest," it further read. As of now the venues and fixtures are yet to be revealed by the ACC. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/supertech-plans-to-raise-1600-crore-by-july-to-complete-18-ongoing-housing-projects-in-ncr-chairman/articleshow/101018985.cms">Supertech plans to raise ₹1,600 crore by July to complete 18 ongoing housing projects in NCR: Chairman</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/raptee-plans-to-invest-85-crore-in-its-chennai-manufacturing-facility/articleshow/101020026.cms">Raptee plans to invest ₹85 crore in its Chennai manufacturing facility</a>

Pakistan to host four games of Asia Cup 2023 out of 13, Sri Lanka get 9 matches in hybrid model

The maharaja of the erstwhile princely state of <keyword id="23521757" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nawanagar" source="keywords">Nawanagar</keyword>, known as <keyword id="19974428" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="jamnagar" source="keywords">Jamnagar</keyword>, in Gujarat, has declared his nephew and former <keyword id="19938506" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cricketer" source="keywords">cricketer</keyword> <keyword id="20425169" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ajay-Jadeja" source="keywords">Ajay Jadeja</keyword> as his heir to the throne on the auspicious day of <keyword id="20211589" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dussehra" source="keywords">Dussehra</keyword> on Saturday. The 53-year-old cricketer, who played 196 ODIs and 15 test matches for India between 1992 and 2000, is a descendant of the Jamnagar royal family. <keyword id="23521756" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maharaja-of-Jamnagar" source="keywords">Maharaja of Jamnagar</keyword> <keyword id="23521758" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Shatrusalyasinh-Jadeja" source="keywords">Shatrusalyasinh Jadeja</keyword> is the cousin of Daulatsinghji Jadeja, the cricketer's father, a three-time Member of Parliament from Jamnagar from 1971 to 1984. "The festival of Dussehra is believed to mark the day the Pandavas emerged victorious from exile. Today, on Dussehra, I am equally happy, as I have found a resolution to one of my dilemmas thanks to Ajay Jadeja, who has accepted to be my heir," Maharaja Jamsaheb, as he is popularly called, declared in a statement. "Ajay Jadeja taking up the responsibility of serving the people of Jamnagar is truly a boon for its people. I express my sincere gratitude to him," he said. Maharaja Shatrusalyasinhji was also a cricketer who captained Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy in 1966-67 and served as the head of the Saurashtra Cricket Association. He was made the titular head of Nawanagar on February 3, 1966, after his father's death, and was married to a member of the Nepal royal family whom he later divorced. The family are descendants of legendary cricketer <keyword id="23521759" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ranjitsinh-Jadeja" source="keywords">Ranjitsinh Jadeja</keyword>, who ruled Nawanagar from 1907 to 1933.

Former cricketer Ajay Jadeja declared heir to Jamnagar royal throne

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday announced a strong 17-member squad for the upcoming <keyword id="10955288" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="Asia-Cup-2023" source="Orion">Asia Cup 2023</keyword> which will begin on August 30 with <keyword id="1627109" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="jasprit-bumrah" source="Orion">Jasprit Bumrah</keyword>, <keyword id="982208" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="shreyas-iyer" source="Orion">Shreyas Iyer</keyword>, <keyword id="6355454" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="kl-rahul" source="Orion">KL Rahul</keyword> returning to the squad and Tilak Verma also getting a place in the team The 2023 <keyword id="22687" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="asia-cup" source="Orion">Asia Cup</keyword> will be co-hosted by Pakistan and Sri Lanka with the tournament running from August 30 to September 17. Asia Cup will serve as an important benchmark for India's preparations for the World Cup starting in October and will also help selectors make choices for the marquee event. India will open their Asia Cup campaign with an iconic clash against Pakistan on September 2 in Kandy, Sri Lanka. Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya has been appointed Rohit Sharma's deputy in Asia Cup 2023. The squad also marks the return of Jasprit Bumrah to ODI cricket after a gap of more than one year. After proving his fitness in the ongoing T20I series against Ireland, Bumrah is set to test himself in the 50-over format heading into the World Cup. India's pace attack will be boosted by the return of Mohammed Siraj, who was not the in the team for some time due to a sore ankle. <keyword id="8327524" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="tilak-varma" source="Orion">Tilak Varma</keyword> made it to India's Asia Cup squad on the back of his strong performance against West Indies during the tour that ended this month. A big question ahead of Team India's selection meeting for the Asia Cup 2023 was the fitness of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer. Both have made it to the squad. Bowling all-rounders Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel are also in the squad to give the captain more diversity in choices. Apart from Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja is also in the team as an all-rounder. The tournament will kick off with a clash between Pakistan and Nepal in Multan, Pakistan. Pakistan, India and Nepal are in Group A while Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka are in Group B. The tournament will follow a hybrid model with Pakistan hosting four matches across two venues and Sri Lanka hosting the remaining games. The six group-stage matches will be followed by the Super fours, beginning September 6. The final will be played by the top two teams at the end of the Super fours on September 17 in Colombo. Squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna.

India announces Asia Cup squad — Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul return

Dubai, The <keyword id="46227" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="International-cricket-council">International Cricket Council</keyword> (ICC) on Friday announced that the three upcoming <keyword id="45633" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="series">series</keyword> in the <keyword id="320316" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Cup-league">World Cup League</keyword> 2, due to take place between March and May, have been postponed because of <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid-19">Covid-19</keyword>. The <keyword id="22177" type="SPORT" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-cup">World Cup</keyword> League 2, which forms part of the qualifying pathway to the 2023 World Cup, was scheduled to see 18 ODIs played across the sixth, seventh and eighth series of the <keyword id="5189" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="competition">competition</keyword>. The postponed series included table-toppers Oman who were due to host second-placed USA and seventh-placed Nepal for six ODIs between March 19 and 28. The seventh series of the competition scheduled PNG who sit at the foot of the standings to host Oman and third-placed Scotland between April 14 and 24. The final series which will need to be rescheduled was to see PNG play host again, with USA and fourth-placed Namibia travelling to the Pacific to play six ODIs between May 13 and 23. "The postponements are due to the current travel restrictions between countries, the quarantine time required before matches and the recent surge in Covid-19 cases," an ICC media release stated. The ICC said that it will now work with hosts and participating members to find an appropriate window where the qualification pathway fixtures can be safely and practically rescheduled before the cut-off date of February 28, 2023. The window for rescheduling fixtures has been extended to the latest possible date to provide the best opportunity for qualification to be determined on the field of play. The next series scheduled in the competition is in July this year where Scotland are due to host Nepal and Namibia for six ODIs. The World Cup League 2 is a three-and-half-year competition involving seven teams that are two steps away from the 2023 World Cup. At the culmination of the 21 tri-series, the top three teams in the standings will confirm their place in the World Cup Qualifier 2023. The bottom four teams will drop into the World Cup Qualifier Play-Off 2023 - which is a repechage event to the Global Qualifier - and will be joined by the winner of Challenge League A and B. The top two teams from the Play-Off will keep their hopes alive of participating in 2023 World Cup, by qualifying for the World Cup Qualifier 2023. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/comparison-between-realme-x7-pro-5g-and-xiaomi-mi-10i-mobile-phones-with-price-and-specifications/articleshow/80873224.cms">Realme X7 Pro 5G vs Xiaomi Mi 10i – best mid-range device under ₹30,000 in India</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/defense/news/experts-say-india-and-china-both-need-to-show-their-voters-that-they-won-in-ladakh-for-the-disengagement-to-be-successful/articleshow/80876036.cms">Experts say India and China both need to show their voters that they won in Ladakh⁠ for the disengagement to be successful</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/why-grofers-may-allow-an-american-blank-cheque-firm-to-buy-it-out-instead-of-fighting-ambani-and-bigbasket-for-ipo/articleshow/80874979.cms">Here’s why Grofers may allow an American “blank cheque” firm to buy it out instead of fighting Ambani and BigBasket for IPO</a>

ICC postpones three upcoming series in World Cup League 2 due to Covid-19

Beverage major Coca-Cola is going to have its highest-ever spending on brands in the second half of 2023 in India, when the ICC Men's <keyword id="3859" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cricket-world-cup" source="Orion">Cricket World Cup</keyword> is coinciding with the festive season, which is expected to boost the consumption, a top company official said on Friday. Though the company has not shared the quantum of spending but said it is a "big part of overall <keyword id="6355120" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="investment" source="Orion">investment</keyword>" that they are going to make during the ICC World Cup, which provides "a very big platform" for their business expansion, Coca-Cola India and South-West Asia Vice President, Marketing Arnab Roy, said. Coca-Cola, which had a "challenging summer" this year due to unseasonal rains, expects people will spend money across categories during the festive season despite challenging macro conditions, and affordable packages would do well. When asked if Coca-Cola can make up for a slower second quarter, Roy said: "Probably based on the trends we are seeing both in Q3 and the beginning of Q4, we feel very positive and encouraged, with the way we hopefully end this year." <keyword id="49792" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="festival-season" source="Orion">Festival season</keyword> has already begun in some parts of the country, where Coca-Cola has started off brand activation. Coca-Cola is also doing the same in neighbouring markets such as Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka during the ICC Cricket World Cup, he said. "This is going to result in one of the largest investments we have ever done in Q3 and Q4 combined, in the history of our company in India," Roy said at a virtual media round table. The investment would be from Coca-Cola and its bottling arm Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages, he added. When asked about the investments, Roy said: "<keyword id="389052" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ad-spends" source="Orion">Ad spends</keyword> in the December quarter as a percentage of overall spending are 5-7 per cent higher compared to a year ago." Coca-Cola India's Advertising promotional expenses were at Rs 737.97 crore in FY22, according to the financial data accessed by the business intelligence platform Tofler. Coca-Cola, which is the exclusive non-alcoholic beverage partner of the ICC until 2023, has activated its brand Thums Up along with Limca Sportz, the hydration drink from Coca-Cola India's home-grown brand Limca, as the event is in India, he added. It is also adding Sprite, a lime-flavoured beverage, the second brand in India to breach the USD 1 billion mark in annual sales. "The ICC World Cup is in India, which is the largest sporting event in the country after almost 11-12 years. So it is very big for us... to activate our brands, our entire system and obviously ensure that we are able to leverage this big platform to continue the business momentum," Roy said. According to Roy, this is not only for "classic brand marketing investments but also the investments on shopper marketing, trade marketing, working with our customers, working with retailers or distributors. So the whole ecosystem it was important for us to activate" taking over all DME (Direct Marketing Expense) higher. It is a combined effort between two brands as "Thums Up is leading all the work in ICC World Cup and brand Coca-Cola... around the festivals" with a regional approach. Coca-Cola faced a "challenging summer" this year due to early rains but Roy said, "long-term metrics are looking very strong, therefore it was very important for us to continue investing in the business ...in our brands, so that we do not lose the momentum." Regarding the benefits, Roy said typically in the second half of a year, you do not have business expansion. But "with the ICC World Cup, especially as you go to small town and rural India, whether you can start increasing your numeric distribution from what you have had in the past, in this particular period." On the demands, Coca-Cola sees it to be "very robust" across both urban and rural. The company is optimising its demand through affordable packs, giving a quantitative push. Coca-Cola is expanding its returnable glass bottle business across parts of India, which is important to hold and ensure the market at Rs 10 and 20 price points. "We would have to optimise everything in our supply chain and work on pack mix so that your overall profitability is not going down. So Rs 10 and Rs 20 ...will continue to be important in the year 2024," he said. Besides, Coca-Cola is also a lead sponsor of Disney Star which has exclusive broadcast and media rights for linear and digital platforms of ICC Men's Cricket World Cup. It has signed for both linear and digital streaming for OTT platform Disney+ Hotstar.

Coca-Cola India's spending on brands to be highest in H2

Tournament story-makers <keyword id="19896116" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Afghanistan" source="keywords">Afghanistan</keyword> will be up against perennial dark horses <keyword id="19899437" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="South-Africa" source="keywords">South Africa</keyword> in the first <keyword id="20306462" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="semifinal" source="keywords">semifinal</keyword> of the <keyword id="19921630" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="T20-World-Cup" source="keywords">T20 World Cup</keyword> here, a much-anticipated showdown that will be historic irrespective of the outcome. Without belittling the poised run of the Proteas, Afghanistan have been the revelation of this ICC showpiece. They found life and fighting spirit to rise above the ravages of war back in their country, best exemplified by an astounding win over 2021 winners Australia, whom they had never beaten before. There were multiple heroes -- skipper Rashid Khan has been immense throughout, pacers Fazalhaq Farooqi and Naveen-ul-Haq have given early breakthroughs, Gulbadin Naib conjured a miraculous spell against the Aussies while Mohammad Nabi remained perseverant. Opener Rahmanullah Gurbaz leads the batting chart with 281 runs, while Farooqi is on top of the bowling list with 16 scalps. It is a story in itself as how two Afghanistan players have raced past some marquee names to the top of the stats table. But all of it can come to nothing if they falter at the Brian Lara Academy, a venue named after the West Indian legend who has supported Afghanistan to the hilt. The Afghans are a skilled set of cricketers, on whose back the team rose brilliantly from the low-tier obscurity of the early 2000s. So, they are not unfamiliar to intense competition and T20, more than any other format, offers them the chance to challenge the big brothers. But they have never competed in the semifinal of a World Cup, and the Afghans now need to control their nerves to overcome a fancied opponent. Head coach Jonathan Trott affirmed his side was not perturbed by the big occasion. "We go into the semifinal with no scarring or no history. This is uncharted territory for us. But, by no means, do we feel like we're going into the semifinal just to compete. "We're there to win the semifinal. We've beaten some major teams," Trott said after the win over Bangladesh. South Africa's scars also run deep but they are purely of cricketing nature. In the past, the Proteas have assembled some high-velocity squads but never managed to enter the title round of a T20 or 50-over World Cup after their re-admission into world <keyword id="19919646" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cricket" source="keywords">cricket</keyword> in 1991. To change that long-running show of misfortune, South Africa need to tame not just Afghanistan but also the demons in their own minds. The signs have so far have given hope. In this event, they have shown a propensity to win the clutch moments, their Achilles Heel in previous global tournaments, that often prop up without any warning. But here, they have notched up victories as close as one-run (vs Nepal), four-run (vs Bangladesh) and three wickets (vs West Indies). South Africa of old could have bungled in those situations, but Aiden Markram's side has displayed remarkable fortitude. They seem to have escaped the hackneyed C-Word. Experienced left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj explained his team's run in this World Cup. "If you look at previous World Cups, the small moments, we haven't really won. It's good to see that all the games have come really close and we've found a way, so it's building the character within the team. "It prepares us for certain opportunities that we could get and cross over the line in those small moments. These are things that we've never done before. So, it's good to see us getting into that," said Maharaj. His words offer a true reflection of the collective effort South Africa have made here. There is only one South African player in top-10 batters' list. Quinton de Kock is placed sixth with 199 runs from seven matches, while none of their bowlers feature inside the first 10. But here they are, playing in the semifinal and they will have to negate those small, key moments against Afghanistan, perhaps in the next match too. For once, South Africa might not feel overwhelmed by that thought. If Afghanistan too can keep their heartbeats in check, a classic for the ages seems well on the cards. Squads: Afghanistan: Rashid Khan (c), Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Azmatullah Omarzai, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Ishaq, Mohammad Nabi, Gulbadin Naib, Karim Janat, Nangyal Kharoti, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Noor Ahmad, Naveen-ul-Haq, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Fareed Ahmad Malik. Reserves: Sediq Atal, Hazratullah Zazai, Saleem Safi. South Africa: Aiden Markram (c), Ottniel Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortuin, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs. Match starts at 6am IST. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/stanley-lifestyles-ipo-allotment-how-to-check-allotment-ipo-gmp-listing-date-and-more/articleshow/111261779.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/stanley-lifestyles-ipo-allotment-how-to-check-allotment-ipo-gmp-listing-date-and-more/articleshow/111261779.cms" target="_blank">Stanley Lifestyles IPO allotment – How to check allotment, IPO GMP, listing date and more</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/oneplus-nord-ce-4-lite-vs-poco-x6-which-phone-should-you-buy-under-25000/slidelist/111257892.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/oneplus-nord-ce-4-lite-vs-poco-x6-which-phone-should-you-buy-under-25000/slidelist/111257892.cms" target="_blank">OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite vs Poco X6 – which phone should you buy under ₹25,000?</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/ipos-this-week-allied-blenders-and-vraj-iron-and-steel-look-to-raise-1671-crore/articleshow/111233159.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/ipos-this-week-allied-blenders-and-vraj-iron-and-steel-look-to-raise-1671-crore/articleshow/111233159.cms" target="_blank">IPOs this week – Allied Blenders and Vraj Iron and Steel look to raise ₹1,671 crore</a>

South Africa, Afghanistan look to rise above deep scars to seal T20 WC final berth

India at 5th spot in the new T20I rankings released by ICC featuring 80 teams

After the new government took over the reins in New <keyword id="66" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Delhi">Delhi</keyword>, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited the leaders of SAARC countries including <keyword id="3001" type="COUNTRY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Pakistan">Pakistan</keyword> to his swearing-in ceremony. This act was more of a symbolic gesture to send a message to the world at large that the new government in Delhi is looking to prioritise its relationship with its immediate neighbours that have been anything but rosy in the recent past. Political pundits had their own take on this with many dubbing it as some sort of ‘diplomatic-coup’ from the new PM’s side. 
 
Be that as it may, one thing is indisputably true: India can not become a major player on the world stage unless and until it plays a more significant role in its own backyard (read: South Asia) commensurate with its power, both economically and militarily. This part of the world is one of the least developed areas on the planet where all types of elements inimical to a standard quality of life are prevalent: chronic poverty, large-scale unemployment, high illiteracy levels, religious bigotry, scourge of extremism et al. It is against this backdrop that India has to tread the path to economic and social prosperity. But in doing so, it would have to play a much bigger role in the region than it currently does. For all of this to happen, India must be seen as a willing partner by its neighbors that commands trust and co-operation of its smaller counterparts. And, that can come only through dialogue and engagements at different levels. 
 To the credit of the new government, since it has come to the office, it has undertaken substantive steps in strengthening its relationships with its immediate neighbors starting with the premier Narendra Modi’s visits to Bhutan and Nepal and other high-level talks with other countries at different levels. Probably, the most awaited diplomatic manoeuvre that was to come—a foreign-secretary level dialogue between India and Pakistan in Islamabad scheduled for August 25 this year. This arrangement was agreed upon by <keyword id="2257489" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="PM-Narendra-Modi">PM Narendra Modi</keyword> and his Pakistani counterpart <keyword id="6576" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Nawaz-Sharif">Nawaz Sharif</keyword> in May in a bid to break the stalemate in the bilateral dialogue process. 
 
As luck would have it, the proposed dialogue was cancelled over a meeting by Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit with Kashmiri separatist leaders ‘for consultations’ ahead of the talks. India said it had expressed its displeasure in ‘clear and unambiguous terms’ to the envoy even before he was to meet the separatist leaders. The envoy went ahead and chose to ignore the warnings from New Delhi. Taking strong objection over the issue, the Indian government called-off the proposed dialogue between foreign secretaries of the two countries in Islamabad. 
 
Now that incident can be broadly looked upon from two perspectives. One is India’s tough message to Pakistan that its meddling with India’s internal affairs is unacceptable and unwarranted for, and the other message that goes out is that both the countries are not sincere enough in their approach toward normalizing their strained relations with each other. 
On a closer look, however, at the internal political crisis in Pakistan together with repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistani border forces in days leading up to the talks, and even more stepped-up firing and shelling from across the border following the cancellation of the talks, seem to suggest that India did the right thing, albeit in disguise some would say. It can be safely assumed that nothing substantive could have come out of the talks given that Pakistani PM is himself preoccupied with saving his own seat and government from unyielding protesters being led by cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan and his ally, cleric Muhammad Tahir ul-Qadri. They vociferously demand that the PM resigns and fresh elections be held and nothing less over alleged rigging in the General Elections that took place in 2013 in which his party swept to power on the national scene. 
 
Whatever, firing and talks cannot co-exist and no self-respecting government would allow that. For a lasting peace, Pakistan would have to completely dispense with its malicious designs against Indian state. Then only we can have a peaceful resolution to Kashmir issue: a flashpoint of many wars between the two countries both overt and covert and various other things. For now it all seems utopian. Talks are only a step in that direction. One can only hope that both the countries come together to the talking-table in a true spirit of bilateral engagement as early as possible.

Friendly Ties With Pakistan: A Distant Dream?

<keyword id="619668" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Arunima-Sinha">Arunima Sinha</keyword> whooped for joy. After a gruelling climb over 52 days, several near brushes with death, and as severe a test of her will as she had ever faced, she was on top of the world. She had conquered Everest – the first woman amputee to accomplish this feat. Since that day in May 2013, Sinha has scaled the highest peaks on five other continents and is just one summit away – McKinley in North America – from completing the Seven Summits Challenge to reach the highest point on each of the seven continents. A former national level volleyball player in India, Sinha was travelling from Lucknow to New Delhi in 2011 by train when robbers tried to snatch her gold necklace. “I resisted and so they pushed me out of the train,” says Sinha, who watched in horror as another train sped towards her and ran over her left leg. “I lay by the train tracks bleeding and screaming in pain the entire night, fighting off rats.” Villagers found her in the morning and carried her to the local hospital, which lacked basic facilities. Doctors amputated her left leg below the knee and inserted a rod in her right leg to support it – without anaesthetic. Sinha on Mt Elbrus Photo: courtesy of Arunima Sinha Sinha was moved to a New Delhi hospital where she was fitted with a prosthetic leg and spent four months recovering. Those were her “darkest hours,” when she came to hate the look of pity in people’s eyes. She took inspiration from Yuvraj Singh, an Indian cricketer who had successfully battled lung cancer and was forging his return to the elite levels of the sport. After leaving hospital, she contacted Bachendri Pal, who in 1984 had become the first Indian woman to summit Everest. Pal heads the Tata Steel Adventure Foundation, funded by India’s leading steelmaking company. Moved by Sinha’s story, Pal took her under her wing. “When I met Arunima, I told her, ‘In your heart you have already climbed Everest. Now you merely need to prove it to the world’,” says 65-year-old Pal. “In the early stages, she could barely walk. Her legs would bleed and swell up making every step excruciating. But she persisted.” Sinha spent two years under Pal’s guidance, building both her physical and mental toughness. She enrolled in the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarkashi, training in the mountains of Uttarkhand, Ladakh and Nepal. Sinha on Mt Vinson in Antarctica. Photo: courtesy of Arunima Sinha “I felt demotivated when I couldn’t keep up with the other climbers, but I was determined to outpace them,” says Sinha. After eight months her legs grew accustomed to climbing. She ascended progressively higher mountains, moving to Island Peak or Imja Tse (6,189 metres) in the eastern Nepalese Himalayas and Mount Chamser Kangri (6,622m) in Ladakh, India. She learned to use ropes to climb, carrying 20kg of supplies and walking with crampons for traction on ice. Tata Steel helped her cross the final hurdle, providing sponsorship to cover costs that can range from US$40,000 to US$90,000. On April 1, 2013, Sinha began her quest as a part of the company’s Eco Expedition Everest Group. Climbers tackle hazards that include freezing temperatures, altitude sickness, avalanches and blizzards. After reaching Camp 2 at 6,400m, the second of four stops en route to the 8,858m summit, Sinha ran into serious and unique difficulties. <h2 style="margin-top: 1.14286rem; margin-bottom: 0.428571rem; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 1.71429rem; line-height: 2.21429rem; font-family: Merriweather, serif; vertical-align: baseline;">I resolved that I would not let the fear of death hold me back … I knew that if I turned back then, I would never forgive myself. It was now or neverSinha on risking her life to continue through Everest’s death zone</h2> “Banging my feet against the snow to get a grip on the ice, I damaged my artificial leg stump. On several occasions my artificial leg turned 180 degrees and I had to put it back to its normal position which slowed me down,” she says. “I had to crawl along the slope to move forward, annoying the climbers behind me.” At Camp 4 at 8,000m – the infamous ‘death zone’ where the ambient oxygen level is so low that the body’s cells slowly begin to die – Sinha witnessed dead bodies, and even saw a climber who had run out of oxygen take his last few breaths. “I resolved that I would not let the fear of death hold me back,” she says. On May 21, after hours of strenuous climbing, Sinha’s group had reached the Hillary Step, just 100m from the summit. Stretched in front of them was <a href="https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/3012340/now-time-crowd-control-everest" class="link-text">a human traffic jam along a dangerously narrow route</a> in which only one person could pass at a time. It took two hours for the jam to clear, by which time Sinha was running low on oxygen. Sinha on Mt Everest. Photo: courtesy of Arunima Sinha Her sherpa, Neema Kancha, warned that if she continued up, she might not survive the climb down. “I knew that if I turned back then, I would never forgive myself. It was now or never,” says Sinha, who pushed on. Two hours later, she stood on top of the world. “I felt like dancing, crying and laughing, all at the same time. I wanted to tell the world: here I am!” Unfurling the Indian flag, she recorded a one-minute video, asking Kancha to send it home if she didn’t survive. The climb down Everest is far more deadly than the ascent. Thirty steps into her descent, Sinha’s oxygen ran out. Luckily, a climber had turned back before reaching the summit and left behind an extra oxygen cylinder which Sinha put to lifesaving use. <h2 style="margin-top: 1.14286rem; margin-bottom: 0.428571rem; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 1.71429rem; line-height: 2.21429rem; font-family: Merriweather, serif; vertical-align: baseline;">I would not have climbed Everest had I not met with the accident in 2011. Though I lost my leg, it made me a stronger person</h2><h2 style="margin-top: 1.14286rem; margin-bottom: 0.428571rem; font-variant: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 1.71429rem; line-height: 2.21429rem; font-family: Merriweather, serif; vertical-align: baseline;">Arunima Sinha</h2> When Sinha’s artificial leg came loose, she could not risk removing her gloves to secure it in the biting cold (-30 to -40 degrees Celsius) as she could have lost her hand to <keyword id="1101430" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="frostbite">frostbite</keyword>. Instead, she held the support rope with one hand, and her prosthetic with the other, dragging herself down to the first stop. It usually takes 17 hours from Camp 4 to the summit and back. It took her 28 hours. Her determination was well rewarded. Sinha with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Photo: courtesy of Arunima Sinha “At 23 years of age I lost my leg, but at 25 years of age I realised my dream,” she says. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched her memoir, Born Again On The Mountain, in December 2014. In 2015, Sinha was awarded India’s fourth highest civilian award, the Padma Shri, and the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award. Sinha has established an eponymous foundation to empower women and disabled children, and plans to set up a sports academy for underprivileged and physically challenged children in India’s Uttar Pradesh state. “I would not have climbed Everest had I not met with the accident in 2011. Though I lost my leg, it made me a stronger person,” she says, adding she wants to give opportunities for growth to others. Sinha on Mt Elbrus. She is one peak away from completing the Seven Summits Challenge. Photo: courtesy of Arunima Sinha There is no mountain high enough to stop amputee Arunima Sinha, who has scaled: <keyword id="14834" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mount-Everest">Mount Everest</keyword>, Nepal, Asia, 8,858m – May 21, 2013 Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, Africa, 5,895m – May 11, 2014 <keyword id="1127684" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mount-Elbrus">Mount Elbrus</keyword>, Russia, Europe, 5,642m – July 25, 2014 Mount Kosciusko, Australia, 2,228m – April 20, 2015 Aconcagua, Argentina, South America, 6,961m – Dec 25, 2015 Carstensz Pyramid (Puncak Jaya), Indonesia, Asia, 4,884m – July 8, 2016 Mount Vinson, Antarctica, 4,892m – Jan 1, 2019

The first woman amputee to summit Everest shares her incredible story of determination

<ul><li><keyword id="4511745" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="too-yumm">Too Yumm</keyword>! that was launched its journey in 2017 roped in cricketer <keyword id="6354486" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="virat-kohli">Virat Kohli</keyword> as its face pretty early in its journey.</li><li>Having Kohli as its face, along with various partnerships like <keyword id="6354312" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="IPL">IPL</keyword> and Inside Edge 2 have helped the brand stay visible. </li><li>Too Yumm! has expanded to many international markets and now is on its way to enter the kid’s category.</li></ul> The <keyword id="724092" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="RP-Sanjiv-Goenka-Group">RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group</keyword> (RPSG) ventured into the food and snacking category in 2017 with the launch of its low-calorie snacks brand, Too Yumm. The step was aimed at helping the group further its foray into the FMCG segment, which it considers to be a major growth driver. Since then, the brand has done its bit to make itself heard. It roped in Virat Kohli as a face of the brand, advertised heavily during IPL and recently partnered with Amazon Prime Video for the second season of its popular web series, Inside Edge. It has also recently came out with a high decibel campaign around four of its new flavors. Since its launch, the brand and done enough and more to stay in the public eye. Moreover, within 2 years of its launch, the brand has been able to scale its operations to reach a Rs 200 crore sales run rate in April 2019, becoming the country’s fastest growing healthy snacking brand in India. Following the reception it got in the country, it also spread to international markets including Singapore, Australia, Dubai, Oman, Bangladesh and Nepal. In a recent conversation with <keyword id="5831697" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Anupam-Bokey">Anupam Bokey</keyword>, CMO, RPSG, FMCG (<keyword id="4326807" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Guiltfree-Industries">Guiltfree Industries</keyword>), we talk about all the brand has done so far in terms of marketing, and how it further plans to establish itself in a market that is still only opening up to the idea of healthy snacking. Edited excerpts: Q) Healthy snacking as an idea is slowly picking pace in India. Have you been able to convince consumers that healthy really means healthy and doesn’t really mean it won’t taste good? For over two years now, we have built our product around its core of healthy snacking. We waited to first successfully establish ourselves as a dominant player in the healthy snacking category before we could shift our focus to taste. By rolling out our recent flavors campaign, we have done just that. We have identified India’s favorite flavors and incorporated them into our snacks to provide an offering that ranks high on both taste and health benefits. I believe that through the flavors campaign, we will be able to convince our customers that leading a healthy lifestyle won’t mean compromising on taste. Q) Tell us a bit about the recently launched campaign and the thought behind it? Over the years, we have built our brand proposition around the health benefits of Too Yumm! Having established ourselves as a strong player in the category, we now wanted to shift our focus to what consumers tend to take into consideration, more often than not, when deciding between snacks. With our flavors campaign rolling out this year, we have identified India’s favorite flavors and incorporated them into our snacks. What makes our products stand out here is the fact that these flavors have been made specifically to cater to the Indian palete. Our new campaign ‘Har Craving ka Jawaab’ aims to position Too Yumm! as the perfect guilt-free solution to all cravings, irrespective of where or when they arise. The ad campaign reveals India’s favorite flavors according to Virat Kohli – Noodle Masaala, Dahi Pappdi Chaat, Chilli Chataka and Chilli Achaari. The TVCs deliver a strong message that no matter where or when a craving arises, it can be aptly satisfied by opening a pack of your favorite Too Yumm! flavor. Q) How has roping in Virat pretty early in your brand journey helped you build your brand image? We realized rather early on in our journey that to succeed in the healthy snacking category, we would need an influencer. With influencers picking only brands and causes that they support and can get behind, consumers take their opinions into consideration before making a purchase. For us, making Virat our health ambassador helped us successfully reach our target audience and convey the right message. Virat’s personality matches that of our brand and hence our consumers get the right idea. We make sure to rope in our health ambassador in most, if not all our communications with our consumers. Additionally, since he is an inspirational personality representing the most-loved sport of our country and falls within the target age bracket, the match seemed ideal. Being an inspiration to the youth of the country, Virat is admired for his fitness regime and healthy lifestyle. Keeping this in mind, when youngsters look at Virat endorsing and enjoying our brand, they immediately associate it to health and wellness. Our latest ad campaign built around the new flavours shows Virat satisfying his cravings by opening a pack of Too Yumm! Hence, making Too Yumm! an aspirational product for the millennial generation by default. Q) Are there any new categories that Too Yumm! is currently looking at entering? Our next aim is to expand our presence among kids. Since we have already established ourselves in the healthy snacking category and have the parents’ trust on our side, we believe now would be the right time to provide a greater variety of offerings to the children. Q) How was 2019 for brand Too Yumm? Can you share some growth figures? What are your targets for 2020, and how do you aim to achieve these numbers? 2019 has been a good year for us overall. We stayed true to the core of ‘Health’ for our brand and entrenched it further with the genres relevant to us – like sports, travel, music, humour, and health; associated with platforms such as Kumbh, IPL, Karare Strikers gaming, Amazon Prime – Inside Edge Season 2, Mughl-e-azam. In 2019, we also became the first and only FMCG brand to set a Guinness World Record at the Kumbh Mela 2019 by lighting the world’s largest diya as a symbol of good health. Within just 2 years of operation, we have managed to scale operations to reach a Rs 200 crore sales run rate by April 2019 – becoming the country’s fastest growing healthy snacking brand in India. Based on our success in India, we have also expanded distribution to International markets with Singapore, Australia, Dubai, Oman, Bangladesh and Nepal being some of the latest additions. From 5 variants and 15 flavours in the market, we aim to continue growing the healthy snacking market with the launch of newer variants and expansion to new markets. Our latest campaign focuses on the 4 hero flavors of Too Yumm! that are made to suit the India palate. Having established ourselves as a healthy snacking option, we want to introduce Too Yumm! in the kids market as well. So in totality, we have a lot of work and great plans in the pipeline for the brand. Q) How critical a role will your FMCG offerings play in RP <keyword id="6355523" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="sanjiv-goenka">Sanjiv Goenka</keyword> Group’s overall growth? FMCG is just in its third year from a start-up; and in the very large RPSG group it’s a rather late entrant and small contributor currently. However it’s one of the most disruptive initiatives within the group that has a large vision and ambition for FMCG play with a very strong focus for the future. Q) What’s your primary media mix? We have a healthy media mix but a larger share of our communication is through TV and digital platforms as that provides us with requisite width to reach and engage our consumers. Q) Going ahead, what will be your broad marketing strategy to grow the brand further and capture a bigger market share? Our marketing strategy is more or less the same to reach our target audience – to provide our consumers with healthy yet tasty options for guilt free bingeing.

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