Kartik Sharma: I couldn’t stop crying even when bidding ended
Mumbai (PTI): Overwhelmed with emotion, 19-year-old Kartik Sharma was left in tears after five-time champions Chennai Super Kings secured him for a record Rs 14.20 crore at the IPL 2026 mini auction, making him the joint-highest paid uncapped player in the league's history.
Coming into the auction at a base price of Rs 30 lakh, Kartik and Uttar Pradesh’s Prashant Veer set the record when CSK splurged Rs 14.20 crore on each of them, in the auction at Abu Dhabi on Monday.
“When the bidding started, I was scared I might miss out. But as the bid kept going up, I started crying,” Kartik was quoted as saying in a JioHotstar release.
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“Even after it ended, I couldn’t stop. I was overwhelmed with emotion and happiness, I honestly don’t know how to put it into words,” the teenage keeper-batter from Rajasthan added.
The bidding for Kartik was started by Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants before Kolkata Knight Riders joined in.
While MI exited the bidding, KKR and LSG took the price to Rs 2.80 crore before CSK entered the fray.
The bidding price surged to Rs 13.20 crore when KKR left the race and Sunrisers Hyderabad entered, before CSK sealed the deal at Rs 14.20 crore.
Kartik said he was exited to play alongside MS Dhoni but remembered the contributions of his family and friends in his journey.
“A special thank you to all my family members & friends, without their support, I don’t think I would have reached this stage,” he said.
“My entire family is very happy, everyone is celebrating and dancing. I’m extremely excited to play alongside Mahendra Singh Dhoni and learn from him.”
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Mangaluru man creates India’s first beeswax chessboard, enters record book
Mangaluru: A unique chessboard made entirely from beeswax has earned Prajwal M, a beekeeper from Kinnigoli near Mangaluru, a place in the India Book of Records.
According to a report published by The Times of India on Wednesday, the handmade beeswax chessboard was showcased at a state-level agricultural exhibition held at the University of Agricultural Sciences (GKVK), Bengaluru, last month. The exhibit attracted widespread attention for its creativity and eco-friendly design.
"The beeswax chessboard measuring 20cm by 26cm works like any other chessboard. The only condition is that it should not be exposed to heat," as a full-time beekeeper and founder of Coastal Honey Bee Farm, I have been experimenting with various value-added products from beeswax and honey," TOI quoted Prajwal as saying.
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Prajwal, who runs the Coastal Honey Bee Farm reportedly said, he has been experimenting with value-added products made from honey and beeswax. An MBA graduate, Prajwal took up beekeeping during Covid-19 pandemic.
He said the idea for the chessboard came after he won a state-level award in October, following which he was invited to display an innovative product at the GKVK exhibition.
Initially, I thought of creating a statue, but I realised it would not be possible to complete it within four days. That is when the idea of making a chessboard struck me. Later, I was told that this is the first chessboard of its kind in India, he said.
As per the report, a native of Talipadi village in Dakshina Kannada district, Prajwal is the son of Sunita and Madhava Shettigar. Apart from the chessboard, he has developed over 25 value-added products, including skincare items, kajal, dry fruit honey and other honey-based products. He is also involved in training programmes for aspiring beekeepers and conducts awareness sessions for schoolchildren.
In recognition of his efforts, Prajwal was conferred the state-level Young Beekeeper Award earlier this year. He hopes to commercially introduce the chessboard soon.
