July 15, 2026

Representative image NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate has informed Supreme Court that NBFC entities of Reliance ADAG – Reliance Home Finance Ltd and Reliance Commercial Finance Ltd – had siphoned off parts of Rs 15,500 crore, they had raised from banks, through “an intricate network of 53 shell and group entities under control of R-ADAG”.ED sources said the agency gave details of the investigation carried out against different R-ADAG companies in the alleged siphoning scam to a bench led by CJI Surya Kant Monday. It said the ongoing probe found that 35 banks and financial institutions lent money to the two banks without proper documentation or credible credit appraisal. So far, assets worth Rs 5,500 crore have been attached.Sources said Reliance Communications (RCom) group companies diverted parts of over Rs 40,000 crore they had raised from 2007 onwards, ” towards acquisition of a luxury yacht ‘Tian’ and a luxury condominium in Manhattan, New York”. They claimed these assets were subsequently sold during the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process, and the sale proceeds were allegedly diverted to Dubai. RCom’s assets worth approximately Rs 15,000 crore have been attached. In both cases, group MDs – Amitabh Jhunjhunwala and Gautam Doshi – have been arrested with other top officials, they said.Agency sources said they had detected Rs 200 crore of public funds being siphoned off in connection with NHAI tenders by Reliance Infrastructure Ltd. In connected FEMA proceedings, the adjudicating authority has confirmed seizure of approximately Rs 77 crore.They said Reliance Power Ltd had furnished a forged bank guarantee issued by a non-existent foreign bank for participation in a tender and it led to loss of Rs 105 crore to the exchequer.Since April 28, the agencies have carried out 19 search operations and ED has attached properties worth Rs 1,021 crore. ED has filed an additional prosecution complaint in the RHFL-RCFL matter, where proceeds of crime were quantified at Rs 15,548 crore after verifying the complete trail of funds. As many as 55 people have been arraigned as accused in the complaint, ED said. It added so far, assets valued at Rs 20,367 crore have been attached, including Anil Ambani’s residence at Pali Hill, Mumbai, Reliance Centre properties in Delhi and Mumbai, and shareholding in flagship companies including R-Infra and Reliance Power.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos5 Plots, 4 Flats, Villa: ACB Raid On HMDA Engineer Exposes Rs 9.24 Crore Assets | HyderabadIndia-UK Trade Deal Kicks In From July 15, 99% Of Indian Exports Get Duty-Free AccessSupreme Court Refuses Stay In Bhojshala Case, Allows Alternate Namaz Site Till Final VerdictOp Vijay: How India Captured Tololing And Point 5140 Before Tiger HillAssam’s Tinsukia Uses CCTV And LED Screens To Shame Alleged Public Urinators’Brazenly Violated Our Order’: Supreme Court Imposes ₹3 Lakh Fine On Comedian Samay RainaCalls For Wangchuk To Call Off Hunger Strike Grow: Politicians, Actors, Even Dipke Issue Appeals₹198 Crore, 8 Criminal Cases: What Prashant Kishor’s Bankipur Bypoll Affidavit RevealsIron Rods Hurled, Car Windows Smashed As Family Chased For 15 Km After Harassment RowViral Video Claims Pensioner’s Bank Account Showed Rs 759 Crore, Raises Questions Over Glitch123PhotostoriesExclusive – Sunita Ahuja on Govinda’s alleged affairs and why she chose forgiveness; says ‘Why should I walk away if I love my husband? Kaun sa hero doodh ka dhula hai’From gold mines to desert ruins; 5 real ghost towns across America that look frozen in timeThink you know cows? These 5 surprising facts say otherwise8 ways to stop overthinking before it steals your peace of mindAlia Bhatt serves gothic glam in an all-black look as she joins Sohum Shah for ‘Tumbbad 2’Your kidneys could be losing function for years before creatinine rises; Doctor explains the silent damage most people never notice10 literary baby names inspired by Shakespeare’s timeless playsAvoiding sweets but blood sugar still rising? These overlooked daily habits could be the real reason, says doctor“Children need more than just parents to grow”: Kajol on why she sent her daughter to a boarding schoolHPV vaccine can prevent most cervical cancer cases: What every parent and young woman should know before deciding123Hot PicksNEET recorded responseRSCIT admit cardGold rate todayITR filingOil Price TodaySonam Wangchuk hunger strikeS. JaishankarWayanad LandslideStrait of HormuTop TrendingKarnataka Black MagicVietnam Boat TragedyITR filingFIFA World Cup 2026Tamil Nadu Steel Melting UnitGhaziabad Mall Rape MurderDelhi Police Wife MurderSharad PawarJharkhand RapeIran war

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Representative image NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate has informed Supreme Court that NBFC entities of Reliance ADAG – Reliance Home Finance Ltd and Reliance Commercial Finance Ltd – had siphoned off parts of Rs 15,500 crore, they had raised from banks, through “an intricate network of 53 shell and group entities under control of R-ADAG”.ED sources said the agency gave details of the investigation carried out against different R-ADAG companies in the alleged siphoning scam to a bench led by CJI Surya Kant Monday. It said the ongoing probe found that 35 banks and financial institutions lent money to the two banks without proper documentation or credible credit appraisal. So far, assets worth Rs 5,500 crore have been attached.Sources said Reliance Communications (RCom) group companies diverted parts of over Rs 40,000 crore they had raised from 2007 onwards, ” towards acquisition of a luxury yacht ‘Tian’ and a luxury condominium in Manhattan, New York”. They claimed these assets were subsequently sold during the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process, and the sale proceeds were allegedly diverted to Dubai. RCom’s assets worth approximately Rs 15,000 crore have been attached. In both cases, group MDs – Amitabh Jhunjhunwala and Gautam Doshi – have been arrested with other top officials, they said.Agency sources said they had detected Rs 200 crore of public funds being siphoned off in connection with NHAI tenders by Reliance Infrastructure Ltd. In connected FEMA proceedings, the adjudicating authority has confirmed seizure of approximately Rs 77 crore.They said Reliance Power Ltd had furnished a forged bank guarantee issued by a non-existent foreign bank for participation in a tender and it led to loss of Rs 105 crore to the exchequer.Since April 28, the agencies have carried out 19 search operations and ED has attached properties worth Rs 1,021 crore. ED has filed an additional prosecution complaint in the RHFL-RCFL matter, where proceeds of crime were quantified at Rs 15,548 crore after verifying the complete trail of funds. As many as 55 people have been arraigned as accused in the complaint, ED said. It added so far, assets valued at Rs 20,367 crore have been attached, including Anil Ambani’s residence at Pali Hill, Mumbai, Reliance Centre properties in Delhi and Mumbai, and shareholding in flagship companies including R-Infra and Reliance Power.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos5 Plots, 4 Flats, Villa: ACB Raid On HMDA Engineer Exposes Rs 9.24 Crore Assets | HyderabadIndia-UK Trade Deal Kicks In From July 15, 99% Of Indian Exports Get Duty-Free AccessSupreme Court Refuses Stay In Bhojshala Case, Allows Alternate Namaz Site Till Final VerdictOp Vijay: How India Captured Tololing And Point 5140 Before Tiger HillAssam’s Tinsukia Uses CCTV And LED Screens To Shame Alleged Public Urinators’Brazenly Violated Our Order’: Supreme Court Imposes ₹3 Lakh Fine On Comedian Samay RainaCalls For Wangchuk To Call Off Hunger Strike Grow: Politicians, Actors, Even Dipke Issue Appeals₹198 Crore, 8 Criminal Cases: What Prashant Kishor’s Bankipur Bypoll Affidavit RevealsIron Rods Hurled, Car Windows Smashed As Family Chased For 15 Km After Harassment RowViral Video Claims Pensioner’s Bank Account Showed Rs 759 Crore, Raises Questions Over Glitch123PhotostoriesExclusive – Sunita Ahuja on Govinda’s alleged affairs and why she chose forgiveness; says ‘Why should I walk away if I love my husband? Kaun sa hero doodh ka dhula hai’From gold mines to desert ruins; 5 real ghost towns across America that look frozen in timeThink you know cows? These 5 surprising facts say otherwise8 ways to stop overthinking before it steals your peace of mindAlia Bhatt serves gothic glam in an all-black look as she joins Sohum Shah for ‘Tumbbad 2’Your kidneys could be losing function for years before creatinine rises; Doctor explains the silent damage most people never notice10 literary baby names inspired by Shakespeare’s timeless playsAvoiding sweets but blood sugar still rising? These overlooked daily habits could be the real reason, says doctor“Children need more than just parents to grow”: Kajol on why she sent her daughter to a boarding schoolHPV vaccine can prevent most cervical cancer cases: What every parent and young woman should know before deciding123Hot PicksNEET recorded responseRSCIT admit cardGold rate todayITR filingOil Price TodaySonam Wangchuk hunger strikeS. JaishankarWayanad LandslideStrait of HormuTop TrendingKarnataka Black MagicVietnam Boat TragedyITR filingFIFA World Cup 2026Tamil Nadu Steel Melting UnitGhaziabad Mall Rape MurderDelhi Police Wife MurderSharad PawarJharkhand RapeIran war


ADAG companies siphoned off loan money via 53 shell firms: ED

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate has informed Supreme Court that NBFC entities of Reliance ADAG – Reliance Home Finance Ltd and Reliance Commercial Finance Ltd – had siphoned off parts of Rs 15,500 crore, they had raised from banks, through “an intricate network of 53 shell and group entities under control of R-ADAG”.ED sources said the agency gave details of the investigation carried out against different R-ADAG companies in the alleged siphoning scam to a bench led by CJI Surya Kant Monday. It said the ongoing probe found that 35 banks and financial institutions lent money to the two banks without proper documentation or credible credit appraisal. So far, assets worth Rs 5,500 crore have been attached.Sources said Reliance Communications (RCom) group companies diverted parts of over Rs 40,000 crore they had raised from 2007 onwards, ” towards acquisition of a luxury yacht ‘Tian’ and a luxury condominium in Manhattan, New York”. They claimed these assets were subsequently sold during the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process, and the sale proceeds were allegedly diverted to Dubai. RCom’s assets worth approximately Rs 15,000 crore have been attached. In both cases, group MDs – Amitabh Jhunjhunwala and Gautam Doshi – have been arrested with other top officials, they said.Agency sources said they had detected Rs 200 crore of public funds being siphoned off in connection with NHAI tenders by Reliance Infrastructure Ltd. In connected FEMA proceedings, the adjudicating authority has confirmed seizure of approximately Rs 77 crore.They said Reliance Power Ltd had furnished a forged bank guarantee issued by a non-existent foreign bank for participation in a tender and it led to loss of Rs 105 crore to the exchequer.Since April 28, the agencies have carried out 19 search operations and ED has attached properties worth Rs 1,021 crore. ED has filed an additional prosecution complaint in the RHFL-RCFL matter, where proceeds of crime were quantified at Rs 15,548 crore after verifying the complete trail of funds. As many as 55 people have been arraigned as accused in the complaint, ED said. It added so far, assets valued at Rs 20,367 crore have been attached, including Anil Ambani’s residence at Pali Hill, Mumbai, Reliance Centre properties in Delhi and Mumbai, and shareholding in flagship companies including R-Infra and Reliance Power.



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File photo NEW DELHI: Samay Raina, the standup comedian who triggered national outrage and drew the Supreme Court’s ire by mocking people with disabilities, has earned the apex court’s anger again: this time for not holding a show to highlight achievements of people with disabilities that he promised to conduct to make up for his original sin.The court Tuesday imposed a cost of Rs 3 lakh each on Samay Raina and four others. Senior advocate Aparajita Singh, appearing for NGO ‘Cure SMA Foundation’, informed a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana that these comedians had reneged on their undertaking to the court.”They have filed affidavits informing the court that they could not invite NGO members to their show as they did not have their contact details and have tried to appear magnanimous by offering donations,” she said, adding Raina and others appeared to be on an “ego trip”.”We do not need their donations. The NGO is a body of well-accomplished parents whose children suffer from the rare spinal muscular atrophy disease, whose treatment is very expensive. We do not want to participate in their show when they have such an arrogant attitude,” Singh said on behalf of the NGO. The bench was particularly severe on Raina and accused him of lying and taking the court for a ride by brazenly violating his own undertaking to the apex court.”The way he is treating persons with physical disabilities, what kind of youth icon is he?” it asked.Expressing solidarity with the NGO, solicitor general Tushar Mehta said India’s youth had better icons and Raina could at best be a self-proclaimed social media influencer. “Recently, he started a show with stringed lemon and chillies and told his audience that he earlier got into trouble because he did not do this exercise as if to mock the SC,” he said.The bench, which had initially slapped a fine of Rs 10 lakh on Raina, later reduced it to Rs 3 lakh and asked the other four – Vipul Goyal, Paramjeet Singh Ghai, Sonali Thakur and Nishat Jagdish Tanwar – to also pay Rs 3 lakh costs each within two weeks. The bench also warned that none of them should think that they could say and do anything sitting on foreign soil. “We had shown leniency earlier. Instead of cashing in on it, you audaciously breached the undertaking. As an artist, you are in public life and who other than you can understand what respect and dignity mean. You must respect people with disabilities and their talents,” the CJI added.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos5 Plots, 4 Flats, Villa: ACB Raid On HMDA Engineer Exposes Rs 9.24 Crore Assets | HyderabadIndia-UK Trade Deal Kicks In From July 15, 99% Of Indian Exports Get Duty-Free AccessSupreme Court Refuses Stay In Bhojshala Case, Allows Alternate Namaz Site Till Final VerdictOp Vijay: How India Captured Tololing And Point 5140 Before Tiger HillAssam’s Tinsukia Uses CCTV And LED Screens To Shame Alleged Public Urinators’Brazenly Violated Our Order’: Supreme Court Imposes ₹3 Lakh Fine On Comedian Samay RainaCalls For Wangchuk To Call Off Hunger Strike Grow: Politicians, Actors, Even Dipke Issue Appeals₹198 Crore, 8 Criminal Cases: What Prashant Kishor’s Bankipur Bypoll Affidavit RevealsIron Rods Hurled, Car Windows Smashed As Family Chased For 15 Km After Harassment RowViral Video Claims Pensioner’s Bank Account Showed Rs 759 Crore, Raises Questions Over Glitch123PhotostoriesExclusive – Sunita Ahuja on Govinda’s alleged affairs and why she chose forgiveness; says ‘Why should I walk away if I love my husband? Kaun sa hero doodh ka dhula hai’From gold mines to desert ruins; 5 real ghost towns across America that look frozen in timeThink you know cows? These 5 surprising facts say otherwise8 ways to stop overthinking before it steals your peace of mindAlia Bhatt serves gothic glam in an all-black look as she joins Sohum Shah for ‘Tumbbad 2’Your kidneys could be losing function for years before creatinine rises; Doctor explains the silent damage most people never notice10 literary baby names inspired by Shakespeare’s timeless playsAvoiding sweets but blood sugar still rising? These overlooked daily habits could be the real reason, says doctor“Children need more than just parents to grow”: Kajol on why she sent her daughter to a boarding schoolHPV vaccine can prevent most cervical cancer cases: What every parent and young woman should know before deciding123Hot PicksNEET recorded responseRSCIT admit cardGold rate todayITR filingOil Price TodaySonam Wangchuk hunger strikeS. JaishankarWayanad LandslideStrait of HormuTop TrendingKarnataka Black MagicVietnam Boat TragedyITR filingFIFA World Cup 2026Tamil Nadu Steel Melting UnitGhaziabad Mall Rape MurderDelhi Police Wife MurderSharad PawarJharkhand RapeIran war

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Representative image NEW DELHI: Terming it a “travesty of justice” for putting on the dock a man and 16 other members of his family for 26 years for alleged dowry death of his wife in an accidental fire, SC has appealed the courts not to treat defence evidence with “distrust, suspicion or scepticism” and to give equal attention to it like prosecution evidence in trial.A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and K Vinod Chandran said that the defence evidence was given “a complete go by” in this case without any valid reasons, despite the substantive testimonies and credible documents produced remaining uncontroverted. The court acquitted all the 17 accused in the case.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos5 Plots, 4 Flats, Villa: ACB Raid On HMDA Engineer Exposes Rs 9.24 Crore Assets | HyderabadIndia-UK Trade Deal Kicks In From July 15, 99% Of Indian Exports Get Duty-Free AccessSupreme Court Refuses Stay In Bhojshala Case, Allows Alternate Namaz Site Till Final VerdictOp Vijay: How India Captured Tololing And Point 5140 Before Tiger HillAssam’s Tinsukia Uses CCTV And LED Screens To Shame Alleged Public Urinators’Brazenly Violated Our Order’: Supreme Court Imposes ₹3 Lakh Fine On Comedian Samay RainaCalls For Wangchuk To Call Off Hunger Strike Grow: Politicians, Actors, Even Dipke Issue Appeals₹198 Crore, 8 Criminal Cases: What Prashant Kishor’s Bankipur Bypoll Affidavit RevealsIron Rods Hurled, Car Windows Smashed As Family Chased For 15 Km After Harassment RowViral Video Claims Pensioner’s Bank Account Showed Rs 759 Crore, Raises Questions Over Glitch123PhotostoriesExclusive – Sunita Ahuja on Govinda’s alleged affairs and why she chose forgiveness; says ‘Why should I walk away if I love my husband? Kaun sa hero doodh ka dhula hai’From gold mines to desert ruins; 5 real ghost towns across America that look frozen in timeThink you know cows? These 5 surprising facts say otherwise8 ways to stop overthinking before it steals your peace of mindAlia Bhatt serves gothic glam in an all-black look as she joins Sohum Shah for ‘Tumbbad 2’Your kidneys could be losing function for years before creatinine rises; Doctor explains the silent damage most people never notice10 literary baby names inspired by Shakespeare’s timeless playsAvoiding sweets but blood sugar still rising? These overlooked daily habits could be the real reason, says doctor“Children need more than just parents to grow”: Kajol on why she sent her daughter to a boarding schoolHPV vaccine can prevent most cervical cancer cases: What every parent and young woman should know before deciding123Hot PicksNEET recorded responseRSCIT admit cardGold rate todayITR filingOil Price TodaySonam Wangchuk hunger strikeS. JaishankarWayanad LandslideStrait of HormuTop TrendingKarnataka Black MagicVietnam Boat TragedyITR filingFIFA World Cup 2026Tamil Nadu Steel Melting UnitGhaziabad Mall Rape MurderDelhi Police Wife MurderSharad PawarJharkhand RapeIran war

Representative image NEW DELHI: Terming it a “travesty of justice” for putting on the dock a man and 16 other members of his family for 26 years for alleged dowry death of his wife in an accidental fire, SC has appealed the courts not to treat defence evidence with “distrust, suspicion or scepticism” and to give equal attention to it like prosecution evidence in trial.A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and K Vinod Chandran said that the defence evidence was given “a complete go by” in this case without any valid reasons, despite the substantive testimonies and credible documents produced remaining uncontroverted. The court acquitted all the 17 accused in the case.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos5 Plots, 4 Flats, Villa: ACB Raid On HMDA Engineer Exposes Rs 9.24 Crore Assets | HyderabadIndia-UK Trade Deal Kicks In From July 15, 99% Of Indian Exports Get Duty-Free AccessSupreme Court Refuses Stay In Bhojshala Case, Allows Alternate Namaz Site Till Final VerdictOp Vijay: How India Captured Tololing And Point 5140 Before Tiger HillAssam’s Tinsukia Uses CCTV And LED Screens To Shame Alleged Public Urinators’Brazenly Violated Our Order’: Supreme Court Imposes ₹3 Lakh Fine On Comedian Samay RainaCalls For Wangchuk To Call Off Hunger Strike Grow: Politicians, Actors, Even Dipke Issue Appeals₹198 Crore, 8 Criminal Cases: What Prashant Kishor’s Bankipur Bypoll Affidavit RevealsIron Rods Hurled, Car Windows Smashed As Family Chased For 15 Km After Harassment RowViral Video Claims Pensioner’s Bank Account Showed Rs 759 Crore, Raises Questions Over Glitch123PhotostoriesExclusive – Sunita Ahuja on Govinda’s alleged affairs and why she chose forgiveness; says ‘Why should I walk away if I love my husband? Kaun sa hero doodh ka dhula hai’From gold mines to desert ruins; 5 real ghost towns across America that look frozen in timeThink you know cows? These 5 surprising facts say otherwise8 ways to stop overthinking before it steals your peace of mindAlia Bhatt serves gothic glam in an all-black look as she joins Sohum Shah for ‘Tumbbad 2’Your kidneys could be losing function for years before creatinine rises; Doctor explains the silent damage most people never notice10 literary baby names inspired by Shakespeare’s timeless playsAvoiding sweets but blood sugar still rising? These overlooked daily habits could be the real reason, says doctor“Children need more than just parents to grow”: Kajol on why she sent her daughter to a boarding schoolHPV vaccine can prevent most cervical cancer cases: What every parent and young woman should know before deciding123Hot PicksNEET recorded responseRSCIT admit cardGold rate todayITR filingOil Price TodaySonam Wangchuk hunger strikeS. JaishankarWayanad LandslideStrait of HormuTop TrendingKarnataka Black MagicVietnam Boat TragedyITR filingFIFA World Cup 2026Tamil Nadu Steel Melting UnitGhaziabad Mall Rape MurderDelhi Police Wife MurderSharad PawarJharkhand RapeIran war

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From Shubman Gill and Priyanka Chopra to tennis lifers such as Lara Dutta and Ravi Shastri, Wimbledon now offers sport, style, status, and sentiment Wimbledon is a great place to stargaze — from Hollywood and Bollywood to musicians, royalty, sporting icons and the fashion elite. For an Indian walking the grounds in southwest London this past fortnight, there was another striking sight: the sheer number of familiar faces from home.Indian cricket captain Shubman Gill seemed to be everywhere. One moment, he was chatting with Roger Federer, whose post-retirement reinvention as a style icon has only added to his allure. Photographs of the duo swept across social media. Next, Gill was in the Royal Box alongside Sachin Tendulkar and his wife Anjali.Shubman GillWimbledon dubbed Gill the “Prince of Indian cricket”. In an interview with the hosts, Gill returned the compliment, calling Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, both two-time champions here, the “princes of tennis”.Gill picked Federer as his greatest tennis inspiration.“People associate him with being very effortless,” he said. “When I started playing cricket, people also used to call me effortless, but then, you know, how much effort goes into making it look effortless to people.”Beyond the baselineFor India’s sporting and entertainment elite, Wimbledon has become more than a tennis tournament. It is one of the rare sporting events that occupies the same cultural space as a fashion week or a Hollywood premiere. Over the fortnight, the grounds drew figures such as Anna Wintour, Jennifer Lopez, Lily Collins, Tom Hiddleston, Nicole Kidman and Benedict Cumberbatch, among others.Wimbledon has become as much a place to be seen as a place to watch tennis, in a way that Melbourne, Paris and New York have yet to replicate.Which raises the obvious question: why has Wimbledon become the Grand Slam that Indian celebrities increasingly want to attach themselves to? According to Sally Bolton, chief executive officer of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, that growing visibility is no accident. In its bid to reach new audiences at home and abroad, Wimbledon has consciously broadened its appeal beyond tennis.“That’s how we’ve used the intersectionality of sport with culture, fashion, celebrity,” Bolton told TOI. “It’s using that space, talking about The Championships to a new audience, who might not be natural tennis fans, and who might grow an affinity for Wimbledon for reasons that go beyond the tennis.”The strategy has produced striking results in India.“I remember we had Rohit Sharma and Sachin Tendulkar here in 2024,” Bolton said. “They were in the Royal Box and they posted a few pictures on social media. The scale of engagement we got from what was a relatively simple thing was enormous in India. People who may never have really thought about tennis before, that kind of gave them a reason to ask, what is Wimbledon? And might I be interested in that?”Indian cricketers at Wimbledon are hardly a new phenomenon. In Cricket Delightful, Mushtaq Ali wrote that the Indian team touring Britain in 1936 was invited to Wimbledon, where its members watched Fred Perry in action. That was 90 years ago.The faces have changed, but the fascination remains.Tennis LifersAsk Ravi Shastri, the cricketer-turned-coach-turned-commentator for whom tennis was his first sport.“I played tennis first and then shifted to cricket,” he said. “I knew as much about tennis records as I knew about cricket records of the 70s. Even now, I follow tennis.”Shastri has been coming to Wimbledon since 1982, when Jimmy Connors and Martina Navratilova won the singles titles. In 2019, he was seated behind the umpire’s chair during the men’s final, in which Roger Federer lost to Novak Djokovic after holding two championship points.Shastri, then coach of the Indian cricket team, was seated almost level with the court and was struck by the sound and speed of the game.“You see how hard they hit the ball. And how it flies, you watch their footwork, the way they move. It was unbelievable,” he said.Having attended three of the four Grand Slams, including the Australian Open and Roland Garros, Shastri places Wimbledon above the rest.“It has tradition, it has history; the rules don’t bend that easily there,” he said. “Strawberries and cream, Pimms… and every time you go there, it grows on you more. It’s something different. You know that right from the moment you walk through that gate and enter the grounds. It is a whole different vibe.”Ravi ShastriFor Lara Dutta Bhupathi, Miss Universe 2000 and actor, Wimbledon also represents something more personal. Her connection comes through her husband, Mahesh Bhupathi, who won three Wimbledon titles — one in men’s doubles and two in mixed doubles.“My introduction to Wimbledon is very different from the others in Bollywood,” Lara said.Each summer, Mahesh, Lara and their daughter Saira make what has become an annual pilgrimage to SW19.“It’s a different feeling now when we walk around the grounds. As I walked past the player restaurant, I remember Saira was crawling around the place then. She’s 15 now and plays tennis,” Lara said. “But every summer we are here for our tennis fix.”Lara DuttaCentre court cachetBut Lara is also clear-eyed about what draws much of the wider celebrity crowd.“If there’s a place you want to be seen at in the summer, it’s the Centre Court of Wimbledon,” she said. “Now you see a lot of the global stars from every industry here, and most of the people from the industry back home are also signed on by global brands, they are just leveraging their net worth.”This year’s Indian contingent included Priyanka Chopra, Ananya Panday, Deepti Sharma, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Yuvraj Singh, Ayesha Khan, Archana Puran Singh, Sreeleela and Kalyani Priyadarshan, among others.Sanju SamsonPriyanka, beauty queen, actor and, more recently, style icon, arrived in a ruffled Toni Maticevski dress and delighted fans by FaceTiming her husband, Nick Jonas, from Centre Court.Priyanka Chopra Jonas video calls her husband Nick from Centre Court of Wimbledon. On her left is her manager Anjula Acharia and British actor-singer Cynthia Erivo.“Usually he accompanies me to Wimbledon,” she explained to Indian tennis legend Vijay Amritraj during a chat. “He’s a big fan; he wasn’t able to do that. He is back home in LA, so I just did a three-second video.”The video promptly went viral.The celebrity carousel now extends beyond film stars and cricketers. Wimbledon has also become a destination for influencers and social media personalities, who pose beside trophies, smile for endless photographs, sip Pimm’s — the signature cocktail of The Championships — and broadcast the experience to thousands of followers.Their reels offer guides to what to wear, where to pose and what to eat at Wimbledon — though not necessarily whom to watch.Part Of The spectacleAt a tournament without courtside advertising hoardings, the people themselves have become part of the spectacle.Bolton said the same thinking lies behind Wimbledon’s engagement with influencers.“It’s about taking opportunities to get to new and different audiences. By using those that have access to that audience.”That, ultimately, is Wimbledon’s peculiar achievement. It can be a branding opportunity, a fashion statement, a family tradition and a sporting pilgrimage all at once. The celebrity arrivals and social-media posts may draw new audiences through the gates, but the tournament’s history and atmosphere give them a reason to return.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.About the AuthorPrajwal HegdePrajwal Hegde, Senior Editor (Tennis) at The Times of India since July 2005, has covered all four Grand Slams—Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open—for over a decade, along with Tour events across Asia and Europe, Davis Cup, and BJK Cup. She received the 2021 Ron Bookman Media Excellence Award from the ATP. Prajwal serves on the International Tennis Federation’s Media Commission and is a member of the International Tennis Writers Association. She appears in the docuseries Break Point and authored the Steffi Graf chapter in Sportstars 40, published by The Hindu in January 2020.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos5 Plots, 4 Flats, Villa: ACB Raid On HMDA Engineer Exposes Rs 9.24 Crore Assets | HyderabadIndia-UK Trade Deal Kicks In From July 15, 99% Of Indian Exports Get Duty-Free AccessSupreme Court Refuses Stay In Bhojshala Case, Allows Alternate Namaz Site Till Final VerdictOp Vijay: How India Captured Tololing And Point 5140 Before Tiger HillAssam’s Tinsukia Uses CCTV And LED Screens To Shame Alleged Public Urinators’Brazenly Violated Our Order’: Supreme Court Imposes ₹3 Lakh Fine On Comedian Samay RainaCalls For Wangchuk To Call Off Hunger Strike Grow: Politicians, Actors, Even Dipke Issue Appeals₹198 Crore, 8 Criminal Cases: What Prashant Kishor’s Bankipur Bypoll Affidavit RevealsIron Rods Hurled, Car Windows Smashed As Family Chased For 15 Km After Harassment RowViral Video Claims Pensioner’s Bank Account Showed Rs 759 Crore, Raises Questions Over Glitch123PhotostoriesAre fewer toys better for your child? What happened when a German kindergarten removed every toy for three monthsExclusive – Sunita Ahuja on Govinda’s alleged affairs and why she chose forgiveness; says ‘Why should I walk away if I love my husband? Kaun sa hero doodh ka dhula hai’From gold mines to desert ruins; 5 real ghost towns across America that look frozen in timeThink you know cows? These 5 surprising facts say otherwise8 ways to stop overthinking before it steals your peace of mindAlia Bhatt serves gothic glam in an all-black look as she joins Sohum Shah for ‘Tumbbad 2’Your kidneys could be losing function for years before creatinine rises; Doctor explains the silent damage most people never notice10 literary baby names inspired by Shakespeare’s timeless playsAvoiding sweets but blood sugar still rising? These overlooked daily habits could be the real reason, says doctor“Children need more than just parents to grow”: Kajol on why she sent her daughter to a boarding school123Hot PicksNEET recorded responseRSCIT admit cardGold rate todayITR filingOil Price TodaySonam Wangchuk hunger strikeS. JaishankarWayanad LandslideStrait of HormuTop TrendingKarnataka Black MagicVietnam Boat TragedyITR filingFIFA World Cup 2026Tamil Nadu Steel Melting UnitGhaziabad Mall Rape MurderDelhi Police Wife MurderSharad PawarJharkhand RapeIran war

From Shubman Gill and Priyanka Chopra to tennis lifers such as Lara Dutta and Ravi Shastri, Wimbledon now offers sport, style, status, and sentiment Wimbledon is a great place to stargaze — from Hollywood and Bollywood to musicians, royalty, sporting icons and the fashion elite. For an Indian walking the grounds in southwest London this past fortnight, there was another striking sight: the sheer number of familiar faces from home.Indian cricket captain Shubman Gill seemed to be everywhere. One moment, he was chatting with Roger Federer, whose post-retirement reinvention as a style icon has only added to his allure. Photographs of the duo swept across social media. Next, Gill was in the Royal Box alongside Sachin Tendulkar and his wife Anjali.Shubman GillWimbledon dubbed Gill the “Prince of Indian cricket”. In an interview with the hosts, Gill returned the compliment, calling Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, both two-time champions here, the “princes of tennis”.Gill picked Federer as his greatest tennis inspiration.“People associate him with being very effortless,” he said. “When I started playing cricket, people also used to call me effortless, but then, you know, how much effort goes into making it look effortless to people.”Beyond the baselineFor India’s sporting and entertainment elite, Wimbledon has become more than a tennis tournament. It is one of the rare sporting events that occupies the same cultural space as a fashion week or a Hollywood premiere. Over the fortnight, the grounds drew figures such as Anna Wintour, Jennifer Lopez, Lily Collins, Tom Hiddleston, Nicole Kidman and Benedict Cumberbatch, among others.Wimbledon has become as much a place to be seen as a place to watch tennis, in a way that Melbourne, Paris and New York have yet to replicate.Which raises the obvious question: why has Wimbledon become the Grand Slam that Indian celebrities increasingly want to attach themselves to? According to Sally Bolton, chief executive officer of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, that growing visibility is no accident. In its bid to reach new audiences at home and abroad, Wimbledon has consciously broadened its appeal beyond tennis.“That’s how we’ve used the intersectionality of sport with culture, fashion, celebrity,” Bolton told TOI. “It’s using that space, talking about The Championships to a new audience, who might not be natural tennis fans, and who might grow an affinity for Wimbledon for reasons that go beyond the tennis.”The strategy has produced striking results in India.“I remember we had Rohit Sharma and Sachin Tendulkar here in 2024,” Bolton said. “They were in the Royal Box and they posted a few pictures on social media. The scale of engagement we got from what was a relatively simple thing was enormous in India. People who may never have really thought about tennis before, that kind of gave them a reason to ask, what is Wimbledon? And might I be interested in that?”Indian cricketers at Wimbledon are hardly a new phenomenon. In Cricket Delightful, Mushtaq Ali wrote that the Indian team touring Britain in 1936 was invited to Wimbledon, where its members watched Fred Perry in action. That was 90 years ago.The faces have changed, but the fascination remains.Tennis LifersAsk Ravi Shastri, the cricketer-turned-coach-turned-commentator for whom tennis was his first sport.“I played tennis first and then shifted to cricket,” he said. “I knew as much about tennis records as I knew about cricket records of the 70s. Even now, I follow tennis.”Shastri has been coming to Wimbledon since 1982, when Jimmy Connors and Martina Navratilova won the singles titles. In 2019, he was seated behind the umpire’s chair during the men’s final, in which Roger Federer lost to Novak Djokovic after holding two championship points.Shastri, then coach of the Indian cricket team, was seated almost level with the court and was struck by the sound and speed of the game.“You see how hard they hit the ball. And how it flies, you watch their footwork, the way they move. It was unbelievable,” he said.Having attended three of the four Grand Slams, including the Australian Open and Roland Garros, Shastri places Wimbledon above the rest.“It has tradition, it has history; the rules don’t bend that easily there,” he said. “Strawberries and cream, Pimms… and every time you go there, it grows on you more. It’s something different. You know that right from the moment you walk through that gate and enter the grounds. It is a whole different vibe.”Ravi ShastriFor Lara Dutta Bhupathi, Miss Universe 2000 and actor, Wimbledon also represents something more personal. Her connection comes through her husband, Mahesh Bhupathi, who won three Wimbledon titles — one in men’s doubles and two in mixed doubles.“My introduction to Wimbledon is very different from the others in Bollywood,” Lara said.Each summer, Mahesh, Lara and their daughter Saira make what has become an annual pilgrimage to SW19.“It’s a different feeling now when we walk around the grounds. As I walked past the player restaurant, I remember Saira was crawling around the place then. She’s 15 now and plays tennis,” Lara said. “But every summer we are here for our tennis fix.”Lara DuttaCentre court cachetBut Lara is also clear-eyed about what draws much of the wider celebrity crowd.“If there’s a place you want to be seen at in the summer, it’s the Centre Court of Wimbledon,” she said. “Now you see a lot of the global stars from every industry here, and most of the people from the industry back home are also signed on by global brands, they are just leveraging their net worth.”This year’s Indian contingent included Priyanka Chopra, Ananya Panday, Deepti Sharma, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Yuvraj Singh, Ayesha Khan, Archana Puran Singh, Sreeleela and Kalyani Priyadarshan, among others.Sanju SamsonPriyanka, beauty queen, actor and, more recently, style icon, arrived in a ruffled Toni Maticevski dress and delighted fans by FaceTiming her husband, Nick Jonas, from Centre Court.Priyanka Chopra Jonas video calls her husband Nick from Centre Court of Wimbledon. On her left is her manager Anjula Acharia and British actor-singer Cynthia Erivo.“Usually he accompanies me to Wimbledon,” she explained to Indian tennis legend Vijay Amritraj during a chat. “He’s a big fan; he wasn’t able to do that. He is back home in LA, so I just did a three-second video.”The video promptly went viral.The celebrity carousel now extends beyond film stars and cricketers. Wimbledon has also become a destination for influencers and social media personalities, who pose beside trophies, smile for endless photographs, sip Pimm’s — the signature cocktail of The Championships — and broadcast the experience to thousands of followers.Their reels offer guides to what to wear, where to pose and what to eat at Wimbledon — though not necessarily whom to watch.Part Of The spectacleAt a tournament without courtside advertising hoardings, the people themselves have become part of the spectacle.Bolton said the same thinking lies behind Wimbledon’s engagement with influencers.“It’s about taking opportunities to get to new and different audiences. By using those that have access to that audience.”That, ultimately, is Wimbledon’s peculiar achievement. It can be a branding opportunity, a fashion statement, a family tradition and a sporting pilgrimage all at once. The celebrity arrivals and social-media posts may draw new audiences through the gates, but the tournament’s history and atmosphere give them a reason to return.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.About the AuthorPrajwal HegdePrajwal Hegde, Senior Editor (Tennis) at The Times of India since July 2005, has covered all four Grand Slams—Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open—for over a decade, along with Tour events across Asia and Europe, Davis Cup, and BJK Cup. She received the 2021 Ron Bookman Media Excellence Award from the ATP. Prajwal serves on the International Tennis Federation’s Media Commission and is a member of the International Tennis Writers Association. She appears in the docuseries Break Point and authored the Steffi Graf chapter in Sportstars 40, published by The Hindu in January 2020.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos5 Plots, 4 Flats, Villa: ACB Raid On HMDA Engineer Exposes Rs 9.24 Crore Assets | HyderabadIndia-UK Trade Deal Kicks In From July 15, 99% Of Indian Exports Get Duty-Free AccessSupreme Court Refuses Stay In Bhojshala Case, Allows Alternate Namaz Site Till Final VerdictOp Vijay: How India Captured Tololing And Point 5140 Before Tiger HillAssam’s Tinsukia Uses CCTV And LED Screens To Shame Alleged Public Urinators’Brazenly Violated Our Order’: Supreme Court Imposes ₹3 Lakh Fine On Comedian Samay RainaCalls For Wangchuk To Call Off Hunger Strike Grow: Politicians, Actors, Even Dipke Issue Appeals₹198 Crore, 8 Criminal Cases: What Prashant Kishor’s Bankipur Bypoll Affidavit RevealsIron Rods Hurled, Car Windows Smashed As Family Chased For 15 Km After Harassment RowViral Video Claims Pensioner’s Bank Account Showed Rs 759 Crore, Raises Questions Over Glitch123PhotostoriesAre fewer toys better for your child? What happened when a German kindergarten removed every toy for three monthsExclusive – Sunita Ahuja on Govinda’s alleged affairs and why she chose forgiveness; says ‘Why should I walk away if I love my husband? Kaun sa hero doodh ka dhula hai’From gold mines to desert ruins; 5 real ghost towns across America that look frozen in timeThink you know cows? These 5 surprising facts say otherwise8 ways to stop overthinking before it steals your peace of mindAlia Bhatt serves gothic glam in an all-black look as she joins Sohum Shah for ‘Tumbbad 2’Your kidneys could be losing function for years before creatinine rises; Doctor explains the silent damage most people never notice10 literary baby names inspired by Shakespeare’s timeless playsAvoiding sweets but blood sugar still rising? These overlooked daily habits could be the real reason, says doctor“Children need more than just parents to grow”: Kajol on why she sent her daughter to a boarding school123Hot PicksNEET recorded responseRSCIT admit cardGold rate todayITR filingOil Price TodaySonam Wangchuk hunger strikeS. JaishankarWayanad LandslideStrait of HormuTop TrendingKarnataka Black MagicVietnam Boat TragedyITR filingFIFA World Cup 2026Tamil Nadu Steel Melting UnitGhaziabad Mall Rape MurderDelhi Police Wife MurderSharad PawarJharkhand RapeIran war

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