Bajrang Punia becomes first Indian to be seeded in Wrestling World Championships
New Delhi, Oct 11: CWG and Asian Games gold medallist Bajrang Punia is the only Indian wrestler from a strong 30-member squad to get a seeding at the upcoming World Championships as he has been seeded third in the 65kg category in men's freestyle competition.
Going by his form, Bajrang will be a strong medal contender at the World Wrestling Championships, scheduled to held in Budapest, Hungary, from October 20 to 28.
The United World Wrestling (UWW) has introduced the ranking-points based seeding system for the first time for the World Championships. Bajrang has 45 points in the ranking list released by the world body.
In the past, wrestlers were pulled into the brackets via a random draw of lots.
Recent ranking tournaments such as Tbilisi Grand Prix in Georgia and Yasar Dogu International in Istanbul have been used to determine the ranking points for the World Championship.
Turkey's Selahattin Kilicsallayan is the top seed (50 points) in the 65kg while Ilias Bekbulatov from Russia is second and Haji Aliyev from Azerbaijan is fourth.
Bajrang won a bronze at the 2013 World Championship and is aiming for the top prize.
"I had come here early to get acclimatized to conditions and am fully focused. I hope I can live up to everybody's expectations and return home with a gold medal," Bajrang said.
The 24-year-old has been training at the M trah za Olympic Training Center for the past two weeks, reaching Hungary before other team members arrived on Wednesday.
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Justice BV Nagarathna remembers father, former CJI ES Venkataramiah, at memorial lecture
Bengaluru: Supreme Court Justice BV Nagarathna paid tribute to her father, former Chief Justice of India (CJI) ES Venkataramiah, during the ‘Justice ES Venkataramiah Centennial Memorial Lecture’ organized by the National Law School of India University on Sunday.
Speaking at the event, Justice Nagarathna highlighted her father’s dedication to justice and calm demeanor. “He would raise his voice against injustice in court but remained composed while delivering justice,” she said. She noted how her father’s values and personality shaped her belief in standing for good causes, adding, “Even 27 years after his passing, his noble nature and calmness continue to guide us.”
Justice Nagarathna also acknowledged the role played by her mother, Padma, in supporting her father’s career. “Nothing about my father’s life is complete without mentioning my mother’s unwavering support. His accomplishments are as much hers as they are his,” she said, emotionally recalling her mother’s efforts.
Sharing a notable anecdote, she recounted her father’s journey with future President of India, R Venkataraman, when they met on a train to Nagpur for the All India Lawyers’ Conference in 1946. Decades later, in 1989, Venkataraman, as President of India, swore in ES Venkataramiah as the Chief Justice of India.
Justice ES Venkataramiah served as CJI from June 19, 1989, to December 17, 1989, and as a Supreme Court judge from March 8, 1979. Despite his brief tenure as Chief Justice, he left a significant impact on India’s legal system.
The event was attended by several dignitaries, including Supreme Court Justice PS Narasimha, former Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal, and senior members of the Karnataka High Court.
