Pioneer in short

Lin denies Lakshya historic crown

India’s Lakshya Sen fell agonisingly short of ending the country’s 25-year wait for the men’s singles title at the All England Open Badminton Championships, losing 15-21, 20-22 to Chinese Taipei’s Lin Chun-Yi in a gripping final on Sunday. Playing his second All England final after finishing runner-up in 2022, the 24-year-old from Almora battled hard in a 57-minute contest packed with high-speed rallies. Lin’s relentless attacking play secured him the title, making him the first player from Chinese Taipei to win the men’s singles crown at the prestigious tournament. Despite the loss, Lakshya said he was pleased with his performance through the week. “The first set he was better, but in the second I could have finished better,” he said. The defeat means India’s only men’s singles champions at the event remain Prakash Padukone (1980) and Pullela Gopichand (2001). Lakshya reached the final after defeating top players including world No.1 Shi Yu Qi and Li Shi Feng. But a gruelling campaign, including a 97-minute semifinal, left him battling cramps and fatigue in the closing stages.

EAM to brief LS on West Asia crisis

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will make a statement in the Lok Sabha on Monday regarding the evolving situation in West Asia. The statement will come as the second half of Parliament’s Budget session resumes on March 9. According to the revised list of business circulated on Sunday evening, Jaishankar will brief the House on developments in the region. Opposition parties have been demanding a discussion on the escalating tensions and their implications for India, particularly concerning the safety of Indian nationals stranded there. The Ministry of External Affairs said more than 52,000 Indians have returned home following the partial reopening of airspace in parts of the region.  

Punjab announces cash aid for women

The Aam Aadmi Party Government in Punjab on Sunday announced a monthly financial assistance scheme for women, nearly four years after promising the measure ahead of the 2022 Assembly polls. Presenting the 2026-27 budget in the Assembly, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said under the Mukh Mantri Mawan Dhian Satikar Yojana, eligible women will receive `1,000 per month, while women from Scheduled Caste communities will get `1,500. About 97 per cent of adult women in the State are expected to qualify, with `9,300 crore allocated for the scheme. Current and former Government employees, MPs, MLAs and income-tax payers will be excluded. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said registrations will begin on April 13, coinciding with Baisakhi