Fund meant for athletes used to upgrade bureaucrats’ #luxurysports facilities
An investigation by The Indian Express found that the money used to build, or refurbish, the world-class facilities meant for some of the country’s top bureaucrats came from the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF).
The NSDF entails funds created to train #athletes and build sporting infrastructure, and allotted by a committee of bureaucrats.
An analysis of 5 years of official records and data obtained under RTI Act, and interviews with current and former Govt officials, reveal that while a chunk of these funds was indeed allotted for #sports facilities, a slice of the pie was also channelled into civil services institutions and the #Delhi colony for bureaucrats.
Who governs?
The NSDF is governed by a Council headed by the Union Sports Minister — currently Mansukh Mandaviya.
The Council has been constituted by top office-bearers from Public Sector Undertakings, which are the biggest donors to the NSDF, industry bodies like FICCI and CII, private-sector representatives and sports ministry officials.
Day-to-day operations and grant approvals are handled by a 6-member executive committee chaired by the Sports Secretary.
Written by: Mihir Vasavda
Click on the 🔗 in our bio to read the full #investigation in detail
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met King of the Netherlands Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima at the Royal Palace and discussed close cooperation in digital technology, innovation, fintech and blue economy.
Modi arrived in the Netherlands on Friday - after a brief stopover in the UAE - on the second leg of his five-nation tour that also includes Sweden, Norway and Italy.
Photos: PTI
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has arrested a Syrian national and seized over 227.7 kg ‘Captagon’ drug worth around Rs 182 crore, marking what it called the country’s first major interception of the synthetic drug.
Around 196 kg of the drug powder was seized from Gujarat’s Mundra while another 36 kg Captagon tablets from a Delhi house this week, the NCB said.
The bust was part of an NCB operation, code-named “Operation RAGEPILL”. Captagon pills mainly contain fenetylline and amphetamine — psychotropic substances banned under the NDPS Act.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday laid the foundation stone for the first phase of an international cricket stadium in Gorakhpur’s Tal Nador area, to be built over 46 acres at a cost of ₹393 crore.
"The stadium with a seating capacity of 30,000 is being built with the help of the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. It will have all the required facilities of international standard. We have also reserved an additional 60 acres of land adjacent to it, where a sports complex will be constructed. Along with the cricket stadium, hotels, restaurants, and a market will also come up here,” Adityanath said.
Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri was also present at the event and performed the ‘Bhumi Pujan’ along with the Chief Minister
Photos: PTI
Why does Union food minister Pralhad Joshi not want Ration Cards to be used as proof of identity? In an Exclusive interview to The Indian Express he explains.
A decade-long analysis by NITI Aayog shows major shifts in India’s school education system. Overall enrolment has declined, government schools now account for less than half of total students, and private school enrolment continues to rise. The report also flags secondary education as the “most fragile link” in the schooling cycle, with many students dropping out after Class 8 due to financial and social pressures.
While dropout rates have improved over the years, challenges around retention, access and learning outcomes remain. Here’s a breakdown of what the latest education data reveals about India’s classrooms.
Written by: Abhinaya Harigovind
Design: Srijita Chakraborty (Intern)
The fish, locally known as “kaage meenu” or crow fish, was caught near the Shivanasamudra Dam in Karnataka’s Cauvery.
In April 2026, researchers Rahul G Kumar, Charan Ravi, N P Krishnaprasoon and V S Basheer formally described the species as Labeo kaage in a research paper after detailed analysis of its physical features and DNA.
Scientists say several questions about the species still remain unanswered.
Its IUCN conservation status is yet to be determined because the fish was only recently discovered, and researchers found just eight specimens between 2019 and 2022, leaving even its full size range uncertain.
Written by: Arnav Chandrasekhar
NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case accused Manisha Waghmare and P.V. Kulkarni were brought to Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court after their arrest.
The CBI also arrested Pune-based botany professor Manisha Gurunath Mandhare as part of its investigation into the alleged leak.
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Express Exclusive | A 150-page “guess paper”, two teachers in Rajasthan’s Sikar, and a decision they say was driven by conscience — that is how the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak first came to light.
After spending hours cross-checking the PDF with the actual exam paper, the teachers claim they found 135 matching questions.
But instead of going public immediately, they chose to formally approach the NTA, Ministry of Home Affairs and CBI, fearing the issue could either be buried or turned against them.
Click on the 🔗 in our bio to read the full article.
Written by: Hamza Khan
A day after arresting a retired lecturer from Pune for allegedly leaking the NEET-UG 2026 paper, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday ( May 16) arrested another professor from a reputed college in Pune after allegedly finding crucial evidence.
The professor has been identified as Manisha Gurunath Mandhare, a senior botany professor from Pune, who was arrested in Delhi after thorough interrogation.
Click on the link in our bio to know more.
Addressing the Indian community in The Hague, the Prime Minister said that India is dreaming big and its youth aspires to reach the sky.
"Today India is saying we don't just want transformation, we want the best, we want the fastest. That is why when there are unlimited aspirations in India, the efforts are also becoming limitless," he said in his over 40-minute speech, amid applause from the audience.
Modi praised India's start-up ecosystem, saying India has the third-largest start-up network in the world.
Photos: PTI
