Sundeep Misra

This took time. More than six years. And, yet, days after the launch in a packed, book loving audience or the ones interested in a 41-year-old murder story at The Taj in Chandigarh, I am still picking up the pieces, of what is left of me after writing a book on a three-time Olympian, with a haul of one gold, silver and bronze. Today, one bronze sets of a frenzy that might pale in front of an Alaskan Trump-Putin Summitt. Gunned Down, The Murder of an Olympic Champion is the story of Prithipal Singh, a man who crossed the border, as rivers of blood flowed. One word described that trauma, ‘Partition.’ Hockey gave him succour. Meaning. It calmed the storm that followed him from Nankana Saheb. Life dealt him contrasting hands. Some he aced. The others, a series of missteps, catapulted him to a gory death, shot in broad daylight. Could it have been avoided? No straightforward answers. Eckhart Tolle said, “All problems are illusions of the mind.” But trauma is no illusion. Trauma remains. #gunneddown #hockeycanada #hockey #hockeyfans #hockeyforall

Senegal’s president casually updates his social profile pictures to include the AFCON trophy behind him. How do you say “come and get it if you can” in Wolof?

Chasing the ghosts of 1975 There is a certain romantic masochism in waiting for the World Cup Pools. For the followers - a dwindling but devoted stock - the wait is laced with a peculiar anxiety. We trade “what-ifs” in the few chat rooms left: Will it be the clinical Dutch? Or the “perceived” safety of Spain? Then there is Pakistan. The four-time champions haven’t beaten us since 2016; the last time we met at the Asian Games, the scoreboard read a clinical 10-2. Yet the fixture still carries an edge that defies logic - a ghost of a rivalry that refuses to stay buried. It has been 50 years since India reached the final four. It is a stunning, sobering statistic. After the early 70s - Bronze, Silver, then the 1975 Gold -the well ran dry. Twelve consecutive World Cups have passed in a blur of “almost” and “the painful.” We’ve touched the heights of 5th in Sydney (’94) and the humiliation of 12th in London (’86). Yet the romance endures. Every four years, we convince ourselves this time is different. We look back at the 2014 Terry Walsh era and remember the heartbreak of those final-minute collapses against England and Belgium. We recall the home turf disappointments of 2018 and 2023, where we lacked the clinical edge to punish better-prepared opponents. Even now, with whispers that the Asian Games take priority for that golden ticket to LA 2028, restraining ourselves is difficult. The FIH has “achieved” the sub-continental pairing again: India, Pakistan, England, and Wales. On paper, Pool D is a path to the top two. Also, there is comfort. But hockey isn't played on paper; it’s played on the pitch. As the tournament nears, our reasoning will become a messy blend of the rational and the rhetorical. We will garnish our thoughts with “wish” and “expectation.” I hope this World Cup finally rearranges the storyline. Otherwise, it becomes just another chapter in a long biography - vivid, unsettling, and hauntingly familiar. For now, let’s just romanticise. #hockeyworldcup #hockey #hockeytwitter #hockeyindia

The Long View — Viewer Q&A This one’s all you. Arup Ghosh & Sundeep Misra answer your questions — on bias, the sport, and the technical side of track & field. No dodging. No scripting. Just an honest conversation. One ask: keep the questions coming — and say it straight. #TheLongView #TrackAndField #Athletics #SportsTalk #ViewerQnA @ArupSG @MisraSundeep

Do you stand for the truth… or just comment on it? 🤔 Speaking is easy — standing by it under your own name takes real courage. #podcast #talksport #truthovernoise #athletics @ArupSG @MisraSundeep

🚨 India saw the first season opener of the Indian Open Throws! Can Kishore Jena make his comeback? Did we truly capitalise on the Neeraj Chopra phenomenon? And Twinkle Chaudhary’s 4-year ban by the AIU. Watch as @MisraSundeep and @ArupSG discuss. #IndianAthletics #Athletics @afiindia @Media_SAI

🚨 Did we capitalise on the Neeraj Chopra phenomenon? Neeraj Chopra, who won India’s first Olympic gold in athletics and later became World Champion, sparked a massive surge of interest in the sport. But have we truly capitalised on these achievements? Does India have an upcoming pedigree in javelin throw? Watch as @MisraSundeep explains, and catch the full podcast at 19:30 IST. #IndianAthletics #Athletics @afiindia

Lakra’s rise is a significant shift for players from this region, moving from traditional defensive roles into the high-visibility attacking positions of the sport. In a way, that could define the future of Sundargarh hockey. #hockey #hockeytwitter

🚨 Kishore Jena’s battle to rediscover the big throw! Kishore Jena, who once became India’s all-time 2nd best javelin thrower, is now struggling to even cross the 80m mark. Watch as he speaks with our Editor @MisraSundeep about his current form and future plans for the season ahead. #IndianAthletics #Athletics @afiindia @Media_SAI

🚨 India’s all-time 4th fastest 800m athlete Twinkle Chaudhary banned for four years! She declined the testing of her ‘B’ sample, while the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) denied her request for DNA testing. Twinkle has also alleged that the testing selection process was unusual. Watch what really happened in her case as @ArupSG explains. #IndianAthletics #Athletics @afiindia @Media_SAI

Larry Myricks turns 70 today 🎂 One of the greatest long jumpers ever — and one of the most unlucky — competing in the same era as Carl Lewis and Mike Powell. Yet Myricks still ranks 4th all-time for jumps over 8.50m (with ancillaries): 🥇 Carl Lewis — 88 🥈 Ivan Pedroso — 43 🥉 Mike Powell — 41 4️⃣ Larry Myricks — 29 Among his major achievements: 2 World Indoor titles, Olympic bronze in 1988, and World Championships bronze medals in 1987 and 1991. A truly remarkable career that history doesn’t celebrate enough. Happy 70th birthday, Larry!

🚨 Twinkle Chaudhary banned for 4 years by Disciplinary Tribunal! Twinkle Chaudhary, who was suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) last year for the banned substance Methyltestosterone, has now been handed a four-year ban by a Disciplinary Tribunal. Last year, she clocked her lifetime best of 2:00.71 in the 800m at the Federation Cup, which is India’s 4th all-time best timing in the event. Twinkle had also finished 4th at the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships in the same event. She was tested by the AIU after the 800m heats at the competition. In response to the AIU’s Notice of Allegation, she denied the violation, stating that the sample did not belong to her or may have been tampered with. Twinkle also informed the AIU that she could not afford the cost of the B sample analysis. Her ban will run from 24 June 2025 to 23 June 2029. #Athletics #IndianAthletics @afiindia @aiu_athletics

When Indian athletes travel abroad, their coach often ends up doubling up as the cook, cleaner, driver and even the physio. But is that helping performance — or holding athletes back at the elite level? On The Long View, @MisraSundeep and @ArupSG discuss what this reveals about the system behind Indian sport, athlete support and high-performance preparation. Watch the reel.

Kishore Jena’s Battle with the Ghost of 87.54 His frustration is palpable. It’s raw, unfolding in the open air of Patiala. Each of his six throws was wrapped in the hope of recreating the magic of 2023 - that remarkable Budapest World Championship final ((84.77m) and the Hangzhou Asian Games silver (87.54m), where he pushed Neeraj Chopra to the brink. At the Indian Open Throws Competition (March 7-8), Jena headlined Group B toward the tail end of the two-day meet, searching for that lost rhythm. Jena’s run-up remained smooth, save for a subtle hesitation where he held back his throwing arm - an unusual technical add-on absent in his 2023-24 peak. An opening throw of 74.61m hinted at a bigger push to come, but the narrative slipped out of his hands when Army man Shivam Lohakare unleashed an 81.08m on his first attempt. It was the first 80m throw by an Indian in 2026, making Lohakare only the fourth javelin thrower globally to cross that mark this year, while simultaneously breaching the Asian Games qualification standard. Despite a handful of supporters urging him on with cries of “Jena Bhai, ek aur 85 maar do,” Jena’s fifth throw of 74.75m was the ceiling of his performance. Returning from a nine-month injury layoff is never seamless; Jena looked tentative, constantly conferring with his coach, Steve Lemke. The big throw simply didn’t materialize. Afterward, Lemke was overheard consoling his ward, insisting the below-par session wasn’t entirely his fault. Zipped up in a thin Manchester City hoodie, Jena reflected: “It is frustrating at times. It’s always difficult to come back after an injury. But I will make it. It’s only a matter of time.” Indian track and field exists in its own unique orbit. Deep inside the National Institute of Sports (NIS), Patiala, on a weather-beaten, dusty track with the early summer sun beating down, athletes and fans draped themselves over the fences to watch the javelin, discus, and hammer events. It was a missed opportunity for the organizers; the small, energetic crowd stood for nearly two days (9 am to 6 pm) without seating. To leave such a committed base standing is to take them for granted. Track and field thrives on this connection. As U20 shot put champion Omkar Nanda (Odisha) noted: “There is a different environment in Patiala missing in other centres. While I was throwing, they kept pushing me, egging me on. They understand the sport.” For Jena, the challenges are manifold. Within the brokenness of the time elapsed since the Asian Games, can he still produce meaning and rediscover the 85m-plus territory? Perhaps it is time to stop exalting the achievements of the past to make room for a meaningful present and future. #javelin #openthrows #Athletics #athleticsindia

#hockey #pakistanhockey #HockeyWorldCup

Ujwal Choudhary wins U20 Discus. 60.03m. Also his personal best. He was bronze winner at the 2025 inter-state. #athleticsindia #indianthrows #nispatiala

@afiindia designated judges hard work at the judges table. Keeping an eye on the throwers. Marking every throw. Not an easy task. #Indianthrows #Athletic #athleticsindia

I feel so sad at the amount of hatred that athletes have to endure online from keyboard warriors.  @PRANNOYHSPRI, who has done so much for Indian 🏸, puts out a very gracious tweet & these are the kind of replies he gets???  Wish we can show more love & support to our athletes

U 18 javelin throwers at the Indian Open Throws here at NIS Patiala. Aspiring to reach 70-75 m #Athletics #athleticsindia #javelin

Are we Funding Sport Wrong? Should sports funding focus on elite athletes or grassroots development? In this episode of The Long View, @ArupSG and @MisraSundeep debate where the sports budget should really go — building champions or growing participation. #SportsPolicy #EliteSport #GrassrootsSport #SportsFunding

Watching the crop of U20 in the mens shot put. There is a raw, quiet dignity in being at a venue like NIS Patiala. The stands are empty, and the only thing pushing the shotput is ambition, not a cheering section or a viral clip. #nispatiala #openthrows #athleticsindia