Sanjeev Rajput secures India's 8th Olympic quota in shooting with silver
Rio de Janeiro: Sanjeev Rajput secured India's eighth Olympic quota in shooting with a silver medal finish in the men's 50m rifle, 3 positions, event at the World Cup here on Thursday. Thirty-eight-year-old Rajput shot 462.0 in the eight-man finals, finishing second behind Petar Gorsa of Croatia (462.2). Gorsa won the Olympic quota in air rifle. China's Zhang Changhong clinched the bronze medal.
Rajput, a former Indian Navy marksman from Haryana's Yamuna Nagar, could have won gold but for a poor last shot. This could have been his second World Cup gold after the he won one in 2011.
Rajput had been denied a chance to compete in the Rio Olympics after his quota had been exchanged for a shotgun spot by the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI).
The Navy marksman staged a remarkable comeback after a poor start in the finals. His first three shots were in the 9s. However, a 8.8 final shot meant he finished behind Gorsa by just 0.2 point. Rajput had qualified for the final in second place (1,180), following a successful appeal by India after a scoring equipment malfunction. He began the first kneeling position poorly but recovered well to move up to fifth after 10 shots.
By the end of the 15th and final shot in the position he was at fourth, which he maintained till the end of the second prone position series of 15 shots. He still had some ground to cover and responded with a brilliant standing position series - a 10.9 on the 36th and an encore on the 43rd, putting him in contention for gold.
Had he shot better than the 8.8, Rajput could have won his second ISSF World Cup gold medal.
However, the effort was good enough for Rajput to join India's other quota holders Anjum Moudgil, Apurvi Chandela, Saurabh Chaudhary, Abhishek Verma, Divyansh Singh Panwar, Rahi Sarnobat and Manu Bhaker.
The World Cup and Commonwealth Games gold medallist shot 392 in kneeling, 398 in prone and 390 in standing to make it to the eight-man finals.
China's Changhong Zhang topped the qualifications with a total of 1,181. Among the other Indians competing in the event, Chain Singh finished 49th with 1161, Parul Kumar was 57th with 1148. Only five shooters were eligible to win Olympic quota in the event.
In the men's 10m air pistol event, Saurabh Chaudhary (584 points) and Abhishek Verma (582 points) qualified for the final, while Gaurav Rana was 44th with 571.
In the women's 25m pistol, Chinki Yadav finished 10th (584 points), Annu Raj was placed Singh 25th (579 points) and Abhidnya Ashok Patil was 53rd (572 points).
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HK Dua, who helmed three of India's top dailies, passes away
New Delhi (PTI): HK Dua, a distinguished journalist and a veteran of Indian public life who held the rare distinction of helming editorial operations at three of India's leading newspapers, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 88.
He breathed his last peacefully this afternoon at a private hospital, a member of his family said.
His cremation will take place at Lodhi Road crematorium on Thursday.
Dua was admitted to the hospital around three weeks ago. He was survived by wife Adity and son Prashant.
In a remarkable career spanning over four decades, Dua traversed the world of journalism, served as a media advisor to two prime ministers -- Atal Behari Vajpayee and HD Deve Gowda -- and transitioned into the roles of a diplomat and parliamentarian.
A Padma Bhushan recipient, Dua was known for his affable persona, sharp political insight and unwavering commitment to editorial independence. He commanded respect across the political spectrum.
Dua served as editor of The Hindustan Times (1987-94), Editor-in-Chief of The Indian Express (1994-96) and The Tribune (2003-09) and Editorial Advisor for The Times of India (1997-98).
Born on July 1, 1937, Dua also served as India's ambassador to Denmark (2001-2003).
He was a nominated member of Rajya Sabha (2009-2015), where he contributed significantly to debates on foreign affairs and national security. He was also part of several high-profile parliamentary committees, including the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Home Affairs.
A two-term president of the Editors' Guild of India and a steadfast defender of democratic values, Dua also served on the National Security Advisory Board and received honorary doctorates from Punjab and Kurukshetra Universities for his contributions to the Fourth Estate.
Apart from the Padma Bhushan, he received several awards, including the Durga Ratan award and the Bal Gangadhar Tilak award for excellence in journalism.
Leaders across the political spectrum and members of the media fraternity expressed condolences over Dua's demise.
"My deepest condolences on the passing of H K Dua, a distinguished journalist, diplomat, and Padma Bhushan recipient whose commitment to truth, editorial independence, and public service enriched public discourse," Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said on social media.
Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal said Dua upheld editorial independence with unwavering integrity, sharp insight, and commitment to democratic values.
"His contributions as a journalist and an editor across leading newspapers leave behind an enduring legacy," he said.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said: "A journalistic giant has left us."
