Track Legend M.D. Valsamma Honored at Sportstar Aces Awards 2026 Former Indian hurdler M.D. Valsamma was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award (Female) at the Sportstar Aces Awards 2026 in Mumbai on Friday, recognizing her pioneering contributions to women’s athletics in India. The award celebrates her legacy as one of the nation’s most influential track and field athletes during the late 1970s and 1980s. Born in Kannur, Valsamma rose swiftly through the national ranks to earn a place in the Indian team, becoming a dominant force in the 400 m hurdles. Valsamma etched her name in history at the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi, where she won gold in the women’s 400 m hurdles with a time of 58.47 seconds. This victory set both an Asian and national record, making her the second Indian woman to secure an individual Asian Games gold medal and the first to achieve this feat on home soil. She also played a key role in India’s silver medal in the 4×400 m relay at the same Games. Her international career continued with a notable appearance at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, where the Indian women’s 4×400 m relay team reached the final for the first time in the country’s Olympic history. Over a career spanning nearly 15 years, Valsamma competed in multiple Asian Games, Asian championships, World Cup meets, and SAF Games, consistently demonstrating her competitive spirit and dedication. Her achievements earned her several prestigious honors, including the Arjuna Award in 1982, the Padma Shri in 1983, and the G.V. Raja Award by the Kerala government.#amul #casagrand #srm_institute_of_science_and_technology #md_valsamma #sportstar_aces_awards_2026
Former India Captain Nari Contractor Honored with Sportstar Aces Lifetime Achievement Award Former India cricket captain Nari Contractor was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award (Male) at the Sportstar Aces Awards 2026 in Mumbai, recognizing his distinguished career marked by exceptional skill, leadership, and resilience. The award celebrates his contributions to Indian cricket, which spanned several decades and left an indelible mark on the sport. Nariman Jamshedji "Nari" Contractor, one of India’s most accomplished opening batsmen of the 1950s and early 1960s, made his Test debut in 1955. Over the course of his international career, he played 31 Tests, accumulating 1,611 runs at an average of 31.58. His performances included a century, eleven half-centuries, and a highest score of 108. Known for his elegant left-handed batting and sound technique, Contractor became a key figure in India’s cricketing history. Contractor’s leadership qualities were evident when he was appointed India’s youngest captain in 1961 at the age of 26. Under his guidance, the team secured a historic series victory over England in the 1961–62 tour, a milestone that remains a defining moment in Indian cricket. However, his international career was abruptly interrupted during India’s tour of the West Indies in 1962. A severe injury—a fractured skull caused by a bouncer from fast bowler Charlie Griffith—forced him to undergo multiple surgeries and blood transfusions, including one from West Indies captain Frank Worrell. Despite the life-threatening nature of the injury, Contractor’s determination to return to the game was remarkable. After a prolonged recovery, he made a triumphant return to domestic cricket, where he continued to excel.#amul #nari_contractor #sportstar_aces_awards #casagrand #srm_institute_of_science_and_technology
1.5 Lakh Kg Expired Amul Products Destroyed in Jaipur After FSSAI Raid Food safety officials in Jaipur conducted a raid that led to the destruction of nearly 1.5 lakh kilograms of expired Amul-branded food products. The operation, carried out under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) framework, uncovered an alleged scheme to alter expiry dates on the items to facilitate resale. The seized stock was destroyed after a four-day disposal process, with the cost of disposal recovered from the involved firm. The raid, initiated following a complaint through the state government’s public grievance helpline, targeted a warehouse in the Kho Nagorian area of Jaipur. Inspectors discovered thousands of cartons containing Amul products, many of which had surpassed their expiry dates. Among the seized items, approximately 3,000 cartons showed signs of deliberately erased expiry dates. Chemicals such as thinner and acetone, likely used to remove printed dates from packaging, were also found at the site. Authorities suspect the warehouse was linked to a distribution firm operating without a valid food licence, further violating regulatory standards. The alleged plan involved repackaging the expired products into new cartons with altered expiry dates to reintroduce them into the market. Officials sealed the premises, seized machinery and packaging materials, and collected samples for further examination. The decision to destroy the expired stock was made to mitigate potential health risks to consumers. The disposal process involved transporting the items in 27 truckloads to a designated site, where they were destroyed under official supervision. FSSAI has stated that the firm involved will bear the cost of the disposal.#jaipur #amul #fssai #kho_nagorian #food_safety_and_standards_act_2006
Expiry Dates Erased, Products Repacked: Jaipur Authorities Destroy 1.5 Lakh Kg of Expired Amul Stock Rajasthan’s Food Safety Department uncovered a scheme involving expired Amul-branded food products in Jaipur, leading to the destruction of 1.5 lakh kilograms of stock. The operation, which spanned four days, involved 27 trucks transporting the goods to a landfill. Authorities allege the products were part of a larger plan to erase expiry dates and repack them for resale. During a raid on a warehouse in Jaipur’s Kho Nagoriyan area, officials found thousands of cartons of non-dairy Amul products, including noodles, ketchup, mayonnaise, and energy drinks. These items were produced by the Kaira District Co-operative Milk Producers' Union in Gujarat and distributed through Advansys India Pvt. Ltd. Investigators discovered that approximately 12,000 cartons were already past their expiry dates, while around 3,000 had their dates chemically erased using substances like thinner and acetone. The warehouse, operated by M/s Athlete Distributor under Gagan Ahuja, was sealed after the operation. Ahuja’s food licence had expired, raising suspicions that the operator intended to reprint expiry dates and repack the items into nearly 4,500 new Amul-labelled cartons for sale. Officials confirmed the seized stock was “unfit for consumption” and posed health risks. The investigation was triggered by a complaint filed on the state government’s 181 public grievance helpline. Neighbors had also reported unusual activity, including workers entering early and the gate remaining closed for the entire day. Machinery, chemicals, and packaging materials found at the site were seized, and the warehouse was sealed as part of the crackdown.#amul #rajasthan_food_safety_department #kaira_district_cooperative_milk_producers_union #advansys_india_pvt_ltd #gagan_ahuja
MatsyaFed can become national co-op model like Amul: Kurien Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying George Kurian highlighted the potential for Kerala’s MatsyaFed to evolve into a national cooperative institution akin to the Amul dairy model, provided the state government submits a formal proposal. Kurian made the remarks during the inauguration of a workshop under the Matsya Shakti project at the ICAR–Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) in Vizhinjam, near Thiruvananthapuram. The event was organized as part of the PM VIKAS scheme, which aims to strengthen livelihoods in the fisheries sector through skill development, entrepreneurship, and institutional support. Kurian emphasized the role of cooperatives in transforming rural and sectoral economies, stating that the central government would provide financial and technical assistance to scale up MatsyaFed into a nationwide cooperative framework if a comprehensive development plan is proposed. He stressed the importance of collaboration between the Centre and states for sustainable growth in fisheries, noting that cooperative structures can enhance market access, strengthen value chains, and ensure fair returns for fishermen. The Matsya Shakti initiative, implemented under the Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) scheme, focuses on empowering fishing communities, particularly minority groups, through training and entrepreneurship opportunities. Around 690 beneficiaries are expected to receive training in fisheries-related activities, including hatchery production, cage culture fish farming, aquaculture management, and modern techniques to boost productivity and income in coastal areas. Training modules are designed to equip participants with technical and entrepreneurial skills.#matsyafed #george_kurien #amul #pm_vikas #cmfri
