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Amit Rohidas is the only Odia player included in the team. The team, with five Olympic debutants, will be led by ace drag-flicker and defender Harmanpreet Singh, with powerful midfielder Hardik Singh as the vice-captain.

Harmanpreet is set to play in his third Olympics, having debuted as the youngest member of the Indian squad at the 2016 Rio Olympics and subsequently contributing to the bronze medal win at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The squad also features veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh and midfielder Manpreet Singh, both of whom will be making their fourth Olympic appearance.

The defence line includes Harmanpreet Singh, Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Sumit, and Sanjay, while the midfield will see the contributions of Raj Kumar Pal, Shamsher Singh, Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, and Vivek Sagar Prasad.

The forward line boasts formidable players such as Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Mandeep Singh, and Gurjant Singh.

Additionally, goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak, midfielder Nilakanta Sharma, and defender Jugraj Singh have been named as alternate athletes.

Intriguingly, Jarmanpreet Singh, Sanjay, Raj Kumar Pal, Abhishek, and Sukhjeet Singh are the five players who are set to make their Olympic debut in Paris.

"The selection process for the Paris Olympics’ squad was incredibly competitive due to the depth of talent within our ranks, however, I am confident that every player chosen will bring their best to Paris. Each player selected has demonstrated exceptional skill, dedication, and resilience throughout our rigorous preparation phase. Our journey has been marked by unwavering commitment to excellence and a collective drive to elevate Indian hockey on the world stage," said chief coach Craig Fulton.

"This squad embodies a perfect blend of experienced players and promising young talents, giving us the versatility and energy required to tackle the challenges ahead. Our focus has been on building a cohesive team that can adapt to different playing styles and situations, and I believe we have achieved that," he added.

"As we head to Paris, our goal is clear – to play with heart, skill, and determination. We are prepared to face the world's best teams and strive for the highest podium. This squad is ready to seize the opportunity and bring glory to India. We are confident in our abilities and excited about the journey ahead," he concluded.

Talking about the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics, India are placed in Pool B alongside defending Champions Belgium, Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, and Ireland. To advance to the Quarter-Finals, the team must secure a top-four finish in their pool.

Pool A comprises the Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, Spain, South Africa, and host nation France, setting the stage for a highly competitive 12-team men’s hockey tournament at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

India will kick off their campaign on July 27 against New Zealand, followed by a match against Argentina on July 29. They will then face Ireland and Belgium on July 30 and August 1, respectively, with their final group stage game against Australia on August 2.

It is worth mentioning that the Indian men's team has a rich Olympic history, having secured an impressive 12 Olympic medals, including 8 Gold, 1 Silver, and 3 Bronze medals, hence, the Harmanpreet-led team will be aiming to add another medal to the tally.

Indian Men’s Hockey Team for Paris 2024 Olympics:

Goalkeepers: Sreejesh Parattu Raveendran

Defenders: Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Harmanpreet Singh, Sumit, Sanjay

Midfielders: Rajkumar Pal, Shamsher Singh, Manpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Vivek Sagar Prasad

Forwards: Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Lalit Kumar Upadhyay, Mandeep Singh, Gurjant Singh

Alternate Athletes: Nilakanta Sharma, Jugraj Singh, Krishan Bahadur Pathak

--IANS

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Malaika took to Instagram on Wednesday morning, where she shared a quote, which read: “I like people that I can trust with my eyes closed and my back turned."

On Tuesday night, Arjun had a birthday bash, where Janhvi Kapoor, Shanaya Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, Natasha Dalal, and Mohit Marwah were seen at his home. However, Malaika’s absence led to chatter about their “break up” once again.

In May, rumours about the two breaking up started doing the rounds on social media.

A source close to IANS back then had shared that: "Going by Arjun's body language and how he is right now, it has happened. They have been dating for so long, hence it has been very peaceful, dignified, and respectful. Malaika and Arjun are still amicable with each other."

In 2018, rumours about the two dating started doing the rounds. However, in 2019, Arjun and Malaika made their relationship Instagram official.

Talking about his upcoming work, Arjun will next be seen in “Singham Again” in shades of grey. Filmmaker Rohit Shetty shared a new look of the actor on his Instagram stories.

In the poster, Arjun is seen flashing a mysterious smile and has blood all over his face. He is holding a sickle in his hand.

Rohit captioned it: “Happy Birthday Arjun Kapoor".

To which, the actor replied: “Sir what a gift!! Ek aur ‘Danger’ reveal on birthday”.

--IANS

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Birla took oath as the speaker after a voice vote in what was the first election to the post in decades. Birla was up against INDIA bloc candidate K Suresh. The opposition however did not press for a division vote and Birla was elected speaker for the second time. He had earlier served as speaker in the 17th Lok Sabha.

"The NDA government has been formed for the third consecutive term under the leadership of PM Modi. In the last decade, the expectations, hopes and aspirations of the people have increased. Therefore, it becomes our responsibility to make collective efforts to fulfil their expectations and aspirations effectively," Om Birla said.

"This 18th Lok Sabha is the world's largest celebration of democracy. Despite other challenges, more than 64 crore voters participated in the elections with great enthusiasm. On behalf of the House, I express my gratitude to them and the people of the country. I thank the Election Commission for conducting the election process in a fair, unbiased and transparent manner and for the efforts made by them to ensure that even a single vote is cast in remote areas," Birla added

In his address to the house, Birla condemned the Congress-led government's decision to impose an emergency in 1975 and the house also maintained a two-minute silence for the people who lost their lives during the period.

"This House strongly condemns the decision to impose Emergency in 1975. Along with this, we appreciate the determination of all those people who opposed the Emergency, fought and fulfilled the responsibility of protecting the democracy of India. 25th June 1975 will always be known as a black chapter in the history of India," Birla said.

"On this day, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed an Emergency in the country and attacked the Constitution made by Baba Saheb Ambedkar. India is known all over the world as the mother of democracy. Democratic values and debate have always been supported in India. Democratic values have always been protected, they have always been encouraged. Dictatorship was imposed on such an India by Indira Gandhi. The democratic values of India were crushed and freedom of expression was strangled," he added.

Even as the newly elected speaker was making his speech, the opposition parties continued sloganeering "Stop Dictatorship". Afterwards, the Lok Sabha was adjourned till June 27.

National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate and MP from Kota, Om Birla was elected as the Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha after the motion for the same was moved by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and seconded by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The motion was adopted by the house through a voice vote.

(ANI)