Sourabh Verma wins Russian Open title
Vladivostok (Russia), July 29 : Sourabh Verma stood out with his top-of-podium finish performance in the men singles event even as the young mixed doubles duo of Rohan Kapoor and Kuhoo Garg finished with the silver medal in the Russia Open Tours Super 100 badminton tournament here.
Sunday's triumph comes close on the heels of Lakshya Sen's gold medal winning performance at the Asian Juniors in Jakarta, just a fortnight ago.
The Indian shuttlers continued to put up a stellar display and it was capped by the sixth-seeded Sourabh who scripted a come-from-behind win to triumph over Japan's Koki Watanabe in the summit clash. He beat the Japanese 18-21, 21-12, 21-17 to clinch his first title of the season in a thriller that lasted exactly an hour.
In the first game, Sourabh had a lacklustre beginning as he was trailing 5-11 even though Watanabe managed only a slender lead initially. Yet, the Indian showed great character and levelled at 18-18 before the Japanese ran through to finish strongly.
Sourabh, obviously eager to keep himself in the hunt, looked much more composed and with his effective half-court smashes and an equally strong net play, maintained the lead to take the game 21-12.
Watanabe looked resolute to not let his guard down in the decider, surging with an early lead of 9-3. But Sourav staged a fine recovery from nowhere and exhibiting his prowess at rallies, pulled himself upfront, thanks to some clinical baseline smashes and decisive drops.
In his anxiety to catch up with Sourabh, the Japanese made several unforced errors which only helped the Indian's cause as the Japanese wilted under pressure. Sourabh romped home winners with the game and match at 21-17.
Earlier, Kuhoo Garg and Rohan Kapoor, who had won the silver at the Lagos International last week, continued their sublime form to repeat the success at the Russian Open. They put up a valiant effort but succumbed 19-21, 17-21 to the Japanese-Russian combine of Vladimir Ivanon and Min Kyung Kim in the final.
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Iqra aims to create leaders for community: Syed Mohamed Beary at Annual Day in Mangaluru
Mangaluru: “The aim of Iqra is to create leaders for the community,” said Syed Mohamed Beary while presiding over the Annual Day 2026 and Hifz felicitation programme of Iqra Arabic School, highlighting the institution’s focus on leadership and long-term community development.
Presiding over the event, Syed Mohamed Beary, Chairman of the Moulana Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi Educational and Charitable Trust, Mangaluru, spoke at length about the journey of the institution since its launch in 2000. He recalled the early days of the school and said it was started with a clear vision to serve the community through education rooted in values. He expressed pride in how the institution has grown over the years, both in strength and in its role within the community.
He said Iqra Arabic School was not built only to provide basic education, but to nurture individuals who can take responsibility and guide society. According to him, the institution has consistently worked towards shaping students into capable leaders who can face present-day challenges while staying connected to their roots. He stressed that the focus has always been on building character along with knowledge.
The programme was compered by Moulana Farhan Nadwi, who introduced the vision of the institution and said the school strives to prepare leaders and scholars who can respond to modern challenges faced by the community.
Chief guest Moulana Maqbool Kobatte, Principal, Jamia Islamia Bhatkal, congratulated the students and their parents for completing the memorisation of the Qur’an. He said these Huffaz are part of Allah’s promise of preserving the Qur’an until the Day of Judgement. He described the Qur’an as a guide for life and said while recitation is important, it is equally necessary to practise its teachings. He also noted that in the race for worldly success, people are moving away from values such as humanity, brotherhood and unity.
Taha Mateen, Chairman and Managing Director of ACURA Speciality Hospital, said the community should not forget its Islamic roots and history. He recited lines of poetry by Iqbal: “Kabhi ae nawjawaan Muslim tadabbur bhi kiya tu ne, wo kya gardu tha tu jiska hai ek toota hua taara.” He stressed the need to understand the Qur’an and recognise its importance, and urged students to continue learning across different fields without stopping at any stage. He congratulated the students, parents and the management.
Dr. C P Habeeb Rahman, Chairman and Managing Director o Unity Health Complex, Mangaluru said there is a need for introspection within the Muslim community to understand what has gone wrong and why it has fallen behind despite contributing to global civilisation. He also spoke about the lack of leadership within the community.
Students presented cultural programmes based on Islamic teachings during the event. Two of the books authored by the students of the institution were also released during the event
A total of 18 students who completed Hifz this year were felicitated and presented with mementos by the guests. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Moulana Salim Khalifa, the principal of the institution.
