Bengaluru teen Dhinidhi Desinghu set to make waves as India's Youngest Olympian at Paris 2024
Paris: Dhinidhi Desinghu, a 14-year-old budding Indian swimmer, is set to represent India at the upcoming Olympics in Paris, competing in the women’s 200m freestyle. As the youngest member of the Indian contingent, Dhinidhi’s journey is an inspiring story of overcoming her initial fear of water to participating in various international swimming competitions.
“But I didn’t like the water, I didn’t want to get in. I couldn’t get my feet into the pool, I couldn’t get my head inside. It was a struggle,” Dhinidhi told The Indian Express. Her journey began when her parents learned how to swim before her to help her feel at ease.
Although she got comfortable in the water, Dhinidhi initially had difficulties in handling the pressure, her mother Jesitha shared with the Indian Express. However, things changed for the better at a state-level open meeting in Mangaluru. Dhinidhi expressed fear and reluctance to swim. Jesitha motivated her to at least see the pool, after which Dhinidhi agreed to compete. She bagged gold and overcame issues with anxiety before competitions, Jesitha recalled.
Dhinidhi shed light upon her habit of writing a diary where she notes everything about her workout, the timing she strives to achieve, her optimal practice times, and national records, among others. Dhinidhi adds: “I write all of it down so that in case I want to know what I have to aim for, I know how far I am. For me, setting goals is a little better because if I have something to work towards, it makes me realise why I am doing all this.”
Along with maintaining a diary, she also has a blog where she shares her journey and experiences, hoping it might help someone else to overcome issues that she faced as a child.
Dhinidhi trains at Dolphin Aquatics in Bengaluru, headed by Dronacharya awardee Nihar Ameen, and is coached by Madhu Kumar. The youngster qualified for the women’s 200m freestyle on a universality quota and will compete alongside Indian swimming veteran Srihari Natara. She holds the record of being the youngest female swimmer to win seven gold medals at the National Games. Additionally, she holds a national record in the women’s 200m freestyle and has participated in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games.
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B'desh court issues arrest warrant against Sheikh Hasina, her sister Rehana, British MP Rizwana
Graft cases
Dhaka, Apr 13 (PTI): A court in Bangladesh on Sunday issued arrest warrants against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, British MP Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, and 50 others in connection with the alleged illegal acquisition of land by abusing political power.
Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Zakir Hossain passed the order after considering three separate chargesheets filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported.
Judge Hossain fixed April 27 to review reports on the execution of the arrest orders, the newspaper quoted ACC Assistant Director (Prosecution) Aminul Islam as saying.
Citing court sources, Bengali newspaper Prothom Alo reported that the ACC recently submitted chargesheets to the court against 53 people in three separate cases on corruption charges in plot allocation.
As all 53 accused, including Hasina, were absconding, the court issued arrest warrants against them, the paper said.
On April 10, the same court issued arrest warrants against Hasina, her daughter Saima Wazed Putul, and 17 others in a separate corruption case related to Rajuk plot allotments.
Putul has been serving as the South East Asian regional director for the World Health Organisation (WHO) based in New Delhi since November 1, 2023.
On January 13, ACC filed a case against Rehana for allegedly acquiring a 10-katha plot in the Purbachal New Town Project through abuse of authority. The case named 15 accused, including Hasina and Rehana's daughter British lawmaker Tulip Rizwana Siddiq. Rehana did not hold any official position in the past regime.
After the investigation, ACC submitted a chargesheet on March 10 against 17 individuals, adding two more names.
In a second case, ACC filed charges against Azmina Siddiq for similar irregularities in acquiring a 10-katha plot in Purbachal. This case initially listed 16 accused, including Tulip Siddiq and Sheikh Hasina. The final chargesheet, submitted on March 10, named 18 people.
The ACC filed a third case the same day against Rehana's son Radwan Mujib Siddiq, accused of obtaining a plot using political influence. Tulip Siddiq and Sheikh Hasina were among the 16 named in the initial complaint. The final chargesheet also included 18 accused.
Hasina is also accused of numerous charges like mass murders and crimes against humanity, enforced disappearances while these cases were being filed with Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal.
Hasina’s 16-year-long Awami League regime was toppled on August 5 last year in a student-led violent mass uprising. Since then, 77-year-old Hasina has been living in India.
