BCCI appoints former India all-rounder Ajit Agarkar as chairman of senior men's selection committee
Mumbai: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has appointed former India all-rounder Ajit Agarkar as the chairman of the Senior Men's Selection Committee. Agarkar, who had an illustrious career representing the Indian cricket team, will now play a crucial role in shaping the future of Indian cricket as the head of the selection committee.
The decision was announced by the BCCI on Wednesday, recognizing Agarkar's valuable experience and understanding of the game. As the chairman, he will be responsible for leading a panel of selectors in identifying and picking the best talent for the national team across different formats of the game.
Ajit Agarkar, known for his excellent performances with both bat and ball during his playing days, brings a wealth of cricketing knowledge to his new role. He played 26 Tests, 191 One-Day Internationals (ODIs), and four Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) for India, showcasing his versatility as an all-rounder.
šØ NEWS šØ: Ajit Agarkar appointed Chairman of Senior Men’s Selection Committee.
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 4, 2023
Details š½https://t.co/paprb6eyJC
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Maharashtra village goes ācaste-freeā, penalties for abuse, 2-hour student āno-phoneā period
New Delhi: A village in Maharashtra's Ahilyanagar district made an effort to redefine social boundaries through a unanimous gram sabha resolution, with residents of Soundala publicly declaring the village "caste-free" earlier this month.
According to a report published by The Print, during a specially convened gram sabha, a resolution was passed on February 5, which calls for the removal of caste-based distinctions from public and social life. It urges residents to interact only on the basis of shared humanity. It also prohibits inquiries into caste identity and affirms equal access to public spaces, religious places, water sources, schools and government services.
Soundala is located about 350 km from Mumbai. It has a population of around 2,500 across nearly 450 families. Majority of the families belong to upper castes while a significant Dalit population, alongside a small number of Muslim and Christian families also live in the village. While overt discrimination had been declining over the years, residents say the resolution gives formal expression to changes that were gradually taking root.
The initiative was led by village sarpanch Sharad Argade. The Print quoted him as saying that the move was initiated because of rising caste and communal tensions in neighbouring areas of the state and he feared that social divisions seen elsewhere could harden in his own village if left unaddressed.
According to Argade, the idea of declaring Soundala caste-free was discussed over time, influenced by social worker Pramod Zinjade and shaped by his family’s long involvement in local politics. Argade’s wife Priyanka, a former sarpanch, is credited by villagers with playing a key role in challenging social norms through her outreach work, which included visiting homes across caste lines.
The resolution states that Soundala will not differentiate on the basis of caste, religion, creed or colour, and adopts the motto “My caste is humanity." The resolution also warns against social or economic boycotts, communal statements and the circulation of inflammatory content on social media, with provisions for penalties.
After the resolution villagers are sharing food in festivals, visiting each other's houses, and attending community events together. Older residents recall a time when Dalits were forced to sit separately at weddings, use different wells, and stay away from upper-caste houses. Members of the Muslim community also spoke of earlier experiences of exclusion that discouraged social interaction.
Soundala has also introduced penalties for verbal abuse, discouraged discriminatory practices against widows and extended financial support for widow remarriage. The gram panchayat also provides educational support to girls up to Class 12 and enforces a daily two-hour “no mobile phone” period for students to encourage study.
Two months before the caste-free resolution, the village had also adopted a practice of playing the national anthem each morning over a loudspeaker. Argade said it was intended to reinforce a shared civic identity.
Acknowledging that caste remains relevant in government policy, particularly in reservation for education and employment, the sarpanch was quoted by The Print as saying that the aim was to confine caste to official records and remove it from daily behaviour.
