Saudi Arabia: Exciting and thrilling MASA Premier League 2021 – Season 1

Sunil Puthran & Ravi Karkera
January 18, 2021

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Riyadh: On Friday, the 15th Jan 2021 history was scripted as MASA the well-known charitable organization organized the first ever MASA PREMIER LEAGUE CRICKET TOURNAMENT (MPL – 2021) season – 1, ‘ARTLAND TROPHY’ for a noble cause at the DCA ground in Rakha Saudi Arabia.

The inaugural tournament was powered by ARTLAND TRANSPORT SERVICE Co along with Six Franchisee Team Owners namely: Kudla Royal Challengers (KRC) of Naveen Shetty, Al Khobar, Sasihithlu Beach Boys (SBB) of Ravi Karkera, Intermodal SA 11 (IMS) of Messrs. Vishwanath Hegde & Sadashiv Poojary, Namma Kudla Strikers (NKS) of Messrs. Dayanand Shriyan & Naveen Bhandary, Kottara Katpady Royals (KKR) of Messrs. Narendra Shetty & Jitesh Kottara, Gadi Nadu Warriors (GNW) of Messrs. Gopal Shetty & Imran Karkala.

Co-sponsored by FEOL (Sathish Shetty), CLC Pest & Termite Control (Joy Suvarna), AYD (Mohammed Sharif), AKTS (Abdul Mohsen) and SASP (Yogeesh Poojary). Also, generously supported by Messrs. Naveen Bhandary, Khobar Seniors Group, Khobar Friends Group, Santhosh Shetty Dubai, Ameer Hussain, Sunil Puthran, Arun D’ Souza, Uday Sanil, Usman Hosangadi & Group, Ganesh Karkera, Sathish Bajal, Rajesh Shetty, Sudarshan Sanil, Kiran Upadhyaya.

GADDINADU WARRIORS became the first to emboss their name winning the tournament beating SASIHITLU BEACH BOYS in the final and create history.

This prestigious tournament was played between six franchises owned by senior MASA members. Players were nominated from the pool of exclusive top-rated players who are members of the MASA and an elite bunch of non-members divided into six teams. 

The teams were selected through a bidding process as players were scattered into different categories and each team given an equal number of points based on select group of players. The bidding process was thoroughly conducted in true manner of professionalism which was lauded by all. 

First of its kind this format became very popular in the region and MASA is proud to say that many other associations are approaching the core committee members of MPL for guidance.

The Core committee members were RAVI KARKERA, GOPAL SHETTY, AMEER HUSSAIN, NAVEEN SHETTY & SACHIN HEGDE.

MASA being a charitable organization in the Eastern Province in KSA is well known in the middle east and coastal Karnataka for their noble service to humanity helping the downtrodden people in Karnataka irrespective of cast, creed and religion. MASA established in October, 2006 has contributed around Rs 2 crores of aid towards Medical, Educational and financial help to the needy back home in Coastal Karnataka.

In the year 2020 during the COVID pandemic MASA helped around Rs 15 lacs to the people in need.  Besides, locally in the region, MASA stretched their helping hands to various individuals belonging to Karnataka origin by arranging food and financial aid.   

Apart from Charity which is its core objective, MASA has been instrumental over the years in developing hidden talents of the core MASA members be it teens, youngsters, or the superstars of yester years. MASA is extremely proud to say that some of them are now established as international stars who started their journey in MASA. 

Franchise Teams, Owners, Captains:

Franchise

Owners

Captain

1

Intermodal SA 11

Vishwanath Hegde & Sadashiv Poojary

Sampath Shetty

2

Sasihithlu Beach Boys

Ravi Karkera

Yoganand A. Kinnigoli

3

Namma Kudla Strikers

Dayananda Shriyan & Naveen Bhandary

Mohammed Iqbal

4

Kudla Royal Challengers

Naveen Shetty

Sandesh Thadambail

5

Kottara Katpady Royals

Narendra Shetty & Jitesh Kottara

Sudheer Shetty

6

Gadi Nadu Warriors

Gopal Shetty &   Imran Karkala

Vaishak Shetty

A large holiday crowd enjoyed the day with family and friends watching thrilling games with close encounters and nail-biting finish, relishing lovely snacks, lunch and braving the lusty weather adhering strictly to safety norms and maintaining social distancing. 

Achievers for the daylong event: 
WINNERS: GADI NADU WARRIORS - Vaishak Shetty & Team of Imran Karkala & Gopal Shetty.
RUNNERS UP: SASIHITHLU BEACH BOYS 11 – Yogananda Acharya & Team of Ravi Karkera
Man of the Series: Nisar Ahmad (GNW)
Bowler of the Tournament: Naveen Salian (SBB XI)
Batsman of the Tournament: Nisar Ahmad (GNW)
Maximum Sixes: Sachin Hegde & Nisar Ahmad (GNW)
Man of the match in Final: Sachin Hegde (GNW)
Man of the match in Semi Final 1: Nisar Ahmad (GNW)
Man of the match in Semi Final 2: Mohammed Kota (SBB)
Man of the match in League Matches: Nisar Ahmad (GNW), Sachin Hegde (GNW), Afwan Karkala (SBB), Naveen Salian (SBB), Haris Bajal (KRC), Sudhir Shetty (KKR).

Prize distribution ceremony was conducted professionally by Sports Committee Head, Ameer Hussain. Chief Guest, Joel Gomes, representing ARTLAND Transport Co, Dignitaries, Guests, Sponsors, Franchise Owners, EXCOM & Advisory Com members were welcomed to the dais. 

MASA President Naveen Bhandari warmly welcomed the guest’s participants and thanked sponsors for their valuable contributions. He appreciated the effort of Core Committee Members for bringing out such a wonderful format of MPL 2021. The extra ordinary effort of Gopal Shetty in arranging attractive Trophies, uniforms, mementos and ground facilities are highlighted during his address. 

Ravi Karkera from Advisory Committee congratulated winners, all the participating teams and team members for their contribution in bringing up sunshine in someone’s life by participating in this MPL 2021, Cricket tournament which is played for noble cause with true sportsmen spirit.  He also thanked all sponsors, franchise owners, Masa members who supported whole heartedly with their generous contributions. Perennial contributions and great support from philanthropist Mr. Joey Fernandes were remembered during this special occasion. 

Sports Committee Head Ameer Hussain thanked everyone who were responsible for the success of the tournament, including the participants, sponsor’s, volunteers and committee members, who contributed in every possible way to make this event a memorable one.

The basking glory of this stupendous success of the inaugural MASA MPL is credited to the sponsors, the core committee, MASA members, players, participants and all the lovely crowd who witnessed an historic and memorable event which was paralleled symbolically in line to the IPL. 

MASA extends their wholehearted appreciation and sincerely would like to thank every individual who directly or indirectly contributed to make this event a grand success, indeed a thrilling exciting & rejoicing day for all to remember.

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News Network
November 18,2024

Advisors to US President-elect Donald Trump have instructed his allies and associates to refrain from using the inflammatory language they previously employed when discussing issues related to migrants and the deportation of asylum seekers, in a bid to avoid “looking like Nazis.”

US media reports said that Trump’s associates had been asked to stop using the word “camps” to describe potential facilities that would be used to accommodate migrants rounded up in deportation operations across the country.

The reports said the US president-elect’s allies had been ordered to stave off such charged terms as they would bring to mind “Nazis,” and be used against Trump.

“I have received some guidance to avoid terms, like ‘camps,’ that can be twisted and used against the president, yes,” one Trump ally told American monthly magazine Rolling Stone.

“Apparently, some people think it makes us look like Nazis.”

The presidential advisers also cautioned surrogates and allies to keep racist terms, which have dogged Trump’s campaign, out of their remarks.

They said with Trump’s heated rhetoric that used to compare undocumented immigrants to “animals” and his slight that they are “poisoning the blood of our country,” detractors did not need to reach too far to find parallels to Nazi Germany.

Stephen Miller, who Trump tapped to be his deputy chief of staff of policy, specifically used the word “camps” to describe holding facilities that he hoped the military could put together for immigrants.

Tom Homan, who served as the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is chosen by Trump to be in charge of the US borders, was no stranger to such language.

“It’s not gonna be a mass sweep of neighborhoods,” he said in an interview earlier this week. “It’s not gonna be building concentration camps. I’ve read it all. It’s ridiculous.”

Becoming a little more forthright about the new government’s aggressive deportation plans, Homan likened the early days of the Trump administration to the initial invasion of Iraq in 2003.

“I got three words for them – shock and awe,” he said. “You’re going to see us take this country back.”

Trump made immigration a central element of his 2024 presidential campaign but unlike his first run, which was mainly focused on building a border wall, he has shifted his attention to interior enforcement and the removal of undocumented immigrants already in the United States.

People close to the US president and his aides are laying the groundwork for expanding detention facilities to fulfill his mass deportation campaign promise.

The businessman-turned-politician deported more than 1.5 million people during his first term.

The figure do not include the millions of people turned away at the border under a Covid-era policy enacted by Trump and used during most of Biden’s term.

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News Network
November 12,2024

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The Taliban regime has appointed Ikramuddin Kamil as the acting consul in the Afghan mission in Mumbai, Afghan media has reported.

It is the first such appointment made by the Taliban set up to any Afghan mission in India.

There was no immediate comment from the Indian side on the appointment that came.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan has announced the appointment of Kamil as the acting consul in Mumbai, the Taliban-controlled Bakhtar News Agency reported on Monday, citing unnamed sources.

"He is currently in Mumbai, where he is fulfilling his duties as a diplomat representing the Islamic Emirate," it said.

The appointment is part of Kabul's efforts to strengthen diplomatic ties with India and enhance its presence abroad, the media outlet said

Kamil holds a PhD degree in international law and previously served as the deputy director in the department of security cooperation and border affairs in the foreign ministry, it said.

He is expected to facilitate consular services and represent the interests of Afghanistan in India, the report added.

Kamil's appointment comes days after the external affairs ministry's point-person for Afghanistan held talks with the Taliban's acting defence minister, Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, in Kabul.

Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the Taliban's deputy foreign minister for political affairs, also posted on X about Kamil's appointment.

The appointment of Kamil is seen as part of efforts to facilitate consular services to the Afghan population in Mumbai.

There has been almost negligible presence of diplomatic staff at the Afghan missions in India.

Most of the diplomats appointed by the Ashraf Ghani government have already left India.

In May, Zakia Wardak, the seniormost Afghan diplomat in India, resigned from her position after reports emerged that she was caught at the Mumbai airport for allegedly trying to smuggle 25 kg of gold worth Rs 18.6 crore from Dubai.

Wardak had taken charge as the acting ambassador of Afghanistan to New Delhi late last year, after working as the Afghan consul general in Mumbai for more than two years.

She took charge of the Afghan embassy in New Delhi last November, after the mission helmed by then ambassador Farid Mamundzay announced its closure.

Mamundzay, who was an appointee of the Ghani government, had moved to the United Kingdom.

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News Network
November 21,2024

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After the US prosecutors charged Gautam Adani with bribery and fraud, Congress reiterated its call for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the transactions of the Adani group, and hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging an "internal nexus" between him and "his favourite businessman."

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the indictment of Gautam Adani and others by the US Securities and Exchange Commission validates his party’s call for a Joint Parliamentary Committee investigation.

The Congress has been pushing for the probe since January 2023, raising concerns over alleged irregularities involving Adani and his business dealings, said Ramesh.

Ramesh referred to the party’s “Hum Adani ke Hain” series, where 100 questions were raised about the alleged scams and the links between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Gautam Adani.
He noted that the questions remain unanswered, reiterating the need for accountability in the matter.

The US prosecutors have charged Adani with deceiving investors by concealing information about his firm's solar energy project in India, which allegedly involved bribery.

Adani has been charged with securities fraud and conspiracy, according to an indictment unsealed on Wednesday. The case focusses on an agreement between Adani Green Energy Ltd. and another organisation to supply 12 gigawatts of solar power to the Indian government.

'BETRAYAL OF INDIAN INVESTORS'

Congress leader Pawan Khera described the allegations against Gautam Adani and his conglomerate as a “betrayal of Indian investors.”

Taking to X, Khera outlined the US charges, including claims that Adani’s group bribed Indian government officials between 2020 and 2024 to secure contracts. Citing media reports, he also pointed out that Gautam Adani personally met a government official to advance the scheme.

Khera referred to a March 2024 incident where the Adani Group allegedly misled the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange, calling it a “grave violation of investor trust.”

He further highlighted a March 2023 FBI raid on the premises of Sagar Adani, Gautam Adani’s nephew, where electronic devices were seized as part of the investigation.

'SEBI NOT ABLE TO PROVE ANY CHARGES AGAINST ADANI'

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi criticised central probe agencies following US charges against Gautam Adani and others in an alleged bribery case linked to solar energy contracts.

Chaturvedi raised concerns about corporate governance and regulatory oversight in the country. “They talk about corporate governance, responsibility, and accountability. The industrialists should be asked to follow the rules and regulations, but even the agencies were defending him. The SEBI has not yet been able to prove charges against him,” she said, pointing to what she viewed as failures in ensuring accountability.

'BROUGHT DISREPUTE TO INDIA'

On US charges against Gautam Adani, AAP leader Sanjay Singh called for a probe against the industrialist. He said that the probe should be conducted by an investigation agency under the Supreme Court.

"Adani Group has brought disrepute to India. This is a very serious matter. The PM of India should come forward and answer this. All the pending matters against Adani should be probed by an investigation agency under Supreme Court monitoring, and all the corruption done by him, within and outside the country, should come out before the country and action should be taken against him," he said.

BJP DFENDS

BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya responded sharply to the Opposition’s criticism regarding allegations involving Adani Green Energy and US-based Azure Power. He pointed out that the charges in the indictment are only allegations and emphasised, “The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.”

Malviya argued that the crux of the case concerns agreements to supply 12 GW of power to the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), contingent on SECI securing power purchase agreements with state electricity distribution companies (SDCs).

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