Pankaj Advani won world Professional Billiards Cmampionship 

Leeds: Ace cueist Pankaj Advani became only the second Indian to win the World Professional Billiards Championship title when he defeated defending champion Mike Russell 2030-1253 in the final Monday.

Geet Sethi is the only other Indian to have won the title, in 1996.

This was Advani’s third attempt at the Pro championship, having lost the quarter finals in 2007 and 2008.

In Monday’s final, Advani made a break of 226 and six more centuries en route to the victory over nine-time winner Russell at the Northern Snooker Centre.

An elated Advani said he could now play in peace as he has silenced his critics with this win.

“It’s a great feeling… I can now play in peace because nobody can tell me that I haven’t won a professional billiards title,” the soft-spoken 24-year-old, who is already a world champion on the amateur circuit, said.

“It’s always tough winning any world championship simply because you have to beat the best in the business.”

The Khel Ratna awardee and 2006 Doha Asian Games gold medallist said winning the pro title was a special.

“Records are meant to be broken, but when you think you are only the second Indian to achieve it, it makes the feeling all the more special,” he said.

Advani was part of the seven-member Indian contingent, led by second seed Geet Sethi.

The last time India won a professional billiards world title was in 2006, when Sethi defeated Lee Lagan of England 2093-1057 in the final at Wales.

In 2008, Sethi lost in the final to Mike Russell while the other Indians bowed out in the early stages.

With this triumph Advani, the five-time IBSF World Billiards champion, has now won all the major world titles.

He also is the only player to have achieved a ‘grand double’ of winning both the points and timed formats at the World Amateur Billiards Championships in 2005 and 2008 respectively.

Earlier this year, Advani retained the Asian Billiards Championship crown, beating Peter Gilchrist of Singapore, in Pune.

Meanwhile, Advani’s Indian peers showered praises on the youngster following Monday’s victory.

“This is his biggest achievement. He had beaten the top three players, including Sethi and Russell, in his last three games. He was due for it,” Ashok Shandilya, the 1998 Bangkok Asian Games gold medallist said.

Former two-time Asian champion Yasin Merchant also complimented Advani: “I think he is the most deserving candidate to have won this title. He is a very dedicated and promising player.”

Andhrapradesh CM r. YSR Reddy passed away in helicopter crash.

Andhra CM YSR Reddy died in a helicopter mishap while on his way from Hyderabad to Chittoor yesterday . The helicopter carrying the CM deviated 18 km from its path towards east, near Rudrakoduru in the Nallamala forest range in Kurnool district, before it hit a cliff and crashed. "The chopper hit the cliff, crashed and exploded. All the five persons in the ill-fated helicopter were burnt to death," state Finance Minister K Rosaiah and Chief Secretary P Ramakanth Reddy said here today.

The chopper might have drifted from its path because of a large cloud formation due to inclement weather and ended up hitting the cliff, they said. Except the tail portion, the body of the Bell-430 helicoper of AP Aviation Corporation was reduced to bits and pieces in the mishap.

The helicopter crashed 10 km away from Rudrakoduru on a hostile terrain and army commandos had to slither down with the help of a rope from a rescue helicopter. "Initially three bodies were traced and then the fourth one. It took a while to locate the fifth body. We have identified the bodies from the dresses," Director General of Police S S P Yadav said

India won second time in Nehru Cup football Tournament.

New Delhi, Aug 31 (IANS) Subrata Paul's awesome goalkeeping saw India overpower Syria 6-5 in a shootout to retain the Nehru Cup football title in a sensational match played out in front of an overflowing Ambedkar Stadium here monday.

Paul in an amazing display of reflexes and anticipation saved three spot kicks in the

tie-breaker after the two teams failed to score in regulation time and scored once each in the dying minutes of extra time.

Man-of-the-Match Paul, who had an outstanding tournament, blocked shots from Wael Ayan, Ahmad Haj Muhmad and Hamzeh Alattouni.

Paul fisted out the decisive attempt by Alattouni to spark a riotous invasion by a frenzied crowd. It came as a big relief for coach Bob Houghton as the twists and turns of the match captured his changing moods.

Climax Lawrence, Sunil Chettri, Steven Dias, Anwar and Surkumar Singh were on target for India in the tie-breaker while Raja Rafe, goalkeeper Mosab Balhous, Abdul Fatah Alaga and Abdal Razzak Al Hossian scored for Syria.

India appeared to have broken the the deadlock in the high-voltage clash when Renedy Singh scored through a free-kick in the 24th minute of extra time, but Ali Dyab came up with a stupendous header of' Raja Rafe's free-kick to sink Indian hopes of a clear-cut victory.

What followed next was the high drama culminating in Paul's brilliance under the bar. The Kolkata boy, who was discarded by both East Bengal and Mohun Bagan, showed why he is rated so highly by national coach Bob Houghton.

It was a a re-match of the 2007 final at the same venue where India had also won the AFC Challenge last year.

Both teams played out an exciting 90 minutes where they came close to open their account on numerous occasions.

Egged on by some 20,000 fans and Bollywood star Salman Khan, the hosts put up an inspiring performance and there seem to be hardly any difference between the 156th ranked India and 95th ranked Syrians.

In fact, India were the better team as they created more opportunities but they unfortunately lacked a finisher.

Skipper Bhaichung Bhutia and his striking partner Chettri were unlucky, as on their day they could have ended the game well within 90 minutes.

Bhutia was on target as early as in the second minute after he found a through pass and had just the goalie to beat but Balhous put on a stunning dive to thwart the attack.

Balhous had a busy first 10 minutes after both Bhutia and Chettri broke past the Syrian defence but failed to find the net.

Syrian forwards finally broke free after the half-hour mark as Alaga and Mohammed Alzino launched a flurry of attack to rattle the Indian defence but Paul stood solid.

After India failed to score, Houghton played his last trick by bringing in Renedy in the 101st minute in place of Anthony Pereira and the winger responded by firing in a swerving free-kick.

The roaring crowd fell into silence when Dyab came from nowhere to stun the defence with his header.

In the end, it was not enough for Syria as Paul proved to be the match-winner for the hosts.

Nirupama Rao as Foreign Secretary :-

Nirupama Rao, the 1973-batch IFS officer, has taken over as the country’s new Foreign Secretary, replacing Shiv Shankar Menon, to become second woman after Chokila Iyer to hold prestigious and very responsible post.

Raman Srivastava to be new BSF chief :-

IPS officer Raman Srivastava, who is currently posted in the home ministry as special secretary (internal security), will be the new chief of Border Security Force. Srivastava, a 1973 batch officer, will replace M L Kumawat who will retire on July 31. He will be the director general of the paramilitary force from August 1, 2009 until his superannuation on October 31, 2011 or till further orders. 

Indira Jaisingh appointed Additional Solicitor General

After a woman President and a Lok Sabha Speaker, the country will now have its first woman Additional Solicitor General in eminent lawyer Indira Jaisingh. 

Slumdog Millionaire Author Vikas Swarup Is India's Osaka Diplomat

Vikas Swarup, whose book “Q&A” was turned into the Oscar-winning "Slumdog Millionaire", will be India's consul general in Osaka, Japan. 

Sunil Mitra is new Disinvestment Secretary

West Bengal Power Secretary Sunil Mitra will be the new Disinvestment Secretary, at a time when offloading of government equity in public sector units is hogging the headlines.