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<div class="itg-mosimage"><amp-img src="https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.dev?url=https%3A%2F%2Fakm-img-a-in.tosshub.com%2Fsites%2Fmedia2%2Findiatoday%2Fimages%2Fstories%2F1981December%2Ftable_102313041223.jpg" alt="" height="425" width="650" class="" layout="responsive"></amp-img>Ferreira: Confounding the sceptics<p>India's sporting fortunes have traditionally registered sharp peaks and long, sloping valleys and as if in sympathy, the Indian holders of world titles, though few and far between, have followed the same path. For many years, Wilson Jones, the champion cueist, was the sole Indian who could, lay claim to a world title. He was followed by his fellow cueist, Michael Ferreira and then badminton ace, Prakash Padukone.</p><p>Ferreira and Padukone kept the flag flying for a while before both went into a slump before Padukone retained the world title last month. Barely weeks later, Ferreira followed suit with a scintillating and highly deserving win in the 1981 Mohan Meakins 23rd World Amateur Billiards Championship which ended last week, thereby regaining the world crown he had last worn in 1977. Of the two, however, Padukone cornered the most coverage which is something of a tragedy since Ferreira deserved as much, if not more.</p><p><b>Vintage Display:</b> The pity is that billiards, in this country at least, is largely an esoteric sport as demonstrated by the seating gaps in the basement of the Maurya Sheraton Hotel where the championships were held. But for those who were interested enough to attend, the offerings on display were of a vintage nature. </p><p>The favourites of course were Ferreira, though he was seeded third, and Norman Dagley of England the top seed and two-time world champion. The two are a study in contrasts. Ferreira, the easy-going unassuming Bombayite whose slight suggestion of a paunch has had no effect on his game, and Dagley, the more flamboyant, cavalier, high-risk player.</p><p>Ferreira, however, faced two major handicaps at the start of the tournament. One was a torn pectoral muscle in his shoulder which had kept his arm in a sling till just before his first match. The other was his recent display of lapses of concentration at crucial stages in his game.</p><div class="itemcenter"><amp-iframe height="62" title="" width="320" sandbox="allow-forms allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-top-navigation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation" allowfullscreen src="https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.dev?url=https%3A%2F%2Fakm-img-a-in.tosshub.com%2Fsites%2Findiatoday%2Fbanner%2Fpreferred-source-new.html%3Fv%3D1.014%5Cu0026native%3D1" class="mrBt15 preferred-source-banner"> </amp-iframe></div></p><p>The other serious challengers, as was evident when the tournament reached the halfway stage, were Joe Grech of Malta, the dark horse who had caused a sensation at the last world championships held in Malta, Subhash Agarwal, the fourth seed, and Lateef Bux of Pakistan, a quite, modest player appearing in his first international tournament. Grech, unfortunately, displayed poor form and faded out in the later stages though not without giving Ferreira a rude fright in their match before finally succumbing to superior table-craft.</p><p>Agarwal, who eventually lost to Dagley and Ferreira in the semi-finals, was in devastating form till he met the two masters. He plays a fast but calculated game and his only drawback was that he seemed totally overawed by the reputations of Ferreira and Dagley. Bux, who plays a totally contrasting game, ever-cool and ever-collected, came on strongly and fully deserved his place in the semi-final line-up. But he was eventually defeated by his lack of international exposure which was quite obvious.</p><p><b>Exciting Final:</b> But the tournament, and the title, belonged to Ferreira, who remained the only unbeaten player in the 12-day championships and who successfully overcame his handicaps. His shoulder injury hardly seemed to bother him at all and his lapses of concentration were virtually nonexistent till his epic final with Dagley.</p><p>The four-session, eight-hour final was a pulsating affair with the lead switching from one to another. Dagley started powerfully pulling ahead to a massive 636-65 lead and then Ferreira clawed back into the lead only to relinquish it later. Both were displaying signs of tension and missed easy shots when in sight of a big break. Both also played a cautious game giving nothing away. </p><p>Eventually, in a nail-biting ending, Ferreira won the crown with a hairbreadth 2,725-2,631 victory to become the second Indian to win the world amateur billiards title twice. On his way to the title, Ferreira also compiled a world record break of 630 under the three pot rule and also a world record average for a two-hour session and a four-hour session, confounding the sceptics who felt he was over the hill.</p><div id="tab-link-wrapper-plugin"><div class="authors__container"><div class="authors__by"><div class="authlable">Published By: </div><div class="authdetaisl">AtMigration </div></div><div class="published__on"><div class="authlable">Published On: </div><div class="authdetaisl">Oct 23, 2013</div></div></div><div class="sendros">--- ENDS ---</div></div></div>

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Sport

<div class="itg-mosimage"><div class="itgimage"><img  title=""  class="" alt="" src="https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.dev?url=https%3A%2F%2Fakm-img-a-in.tosshub.com%2Fsites%2Fmedia2%2Findiatoday%2Fimages%2Fstories%2F1981December%2Ftable_102313041223.jpg" loading="lazy" /></div>Ferreira: Confounding the sceptics<p>India's sporting fortunes have traditionally registered sharp peaks and long, sloping valleys and as if in sympathy, the Indian holders of world titles, though few and far between, have followed the same path. For many years, Wilson Jones, the champion cueist, was the sole Indian who could, lay claim to a world title. He was followed by his fellow cueist, Michael Ferreira and then badminton ace, Prakash Padukone.</p><p>Ferreira and Padukone kept the flag flying for a while before both went into a slump before Padukone retained the world title last month. Barely weeks later, Ferreira followed suit with a scintillating and highly deserving win in the 1981 Mohan Meakins 23rd World Amateur Billiards Championship which ended last week, thereby regaining the world crown he had last worn in 1977. Of the two, however, Padukone cornered the most coverage which is something of a tragedy since Ferreira deserved as much, if not more.</p><p><b>Vintage Display:</b> The pity is that billiards, in this country at least, is largely an esoteric sport as demonstrated by the seating gaps in the basement of the Maurya Sheraton Hotel where the championships were held. But for those who were interested enough to attend, the offerings on display were of a vintage nature. </p><p>The favourites of course were Ferreira, though he was seeded third, and Norman Dagley of England the top seed and two-time world champion. The two are a study in contrasts. Ferreira, the easy-going unassuming Bombayite whose slight suggestion of a paunch has had no effect on his game, and Dagley, the more flamboyant, cavalier, high-risk player.</p><p>Ferreira, however, faced two major handicaps at the start of the tournament. One was a torn pectoral muscle in his shoulder which had kept his arm in a sling till just before his first match. The other was his recent display of lapses of concentration at crucial stages in his game.</p><div class="itemcenter"><iframe scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="62" awidth="320" aheight="62" amplayout="fixed" src="https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.dev?url=https%3A%2F%2Fakm-img-a-in.tosshub.com%2Fsites%2Findiatoday%2Fbanner%2Fpreferred-source-new.html%3Fv%3D1.014" class="preferred-source-banner" loading="lazy"></iframe></div><style>.preferred-source-banner{  margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom:10px;}</style></p><p>The other serious challengers, as was evident when the tournament reached the halfway stage, were Joe Grech of Malta, the dark horse who had caused a sensation at the last world championships held in Malta, Subhash Agarwal, the fourth seed, and Lateef Bux of Pakistan, a quite, modest player appearing in his first international tournament. Grech, unfortunately, displayed poor form and faded out in the later stages though not without giving Ferreira a rude fright in their match before finally succumbing to superior table-craft.</p><p>Agarwal, who eventually lost to Dagley and Ferreira in the semi-finals, was in devastating form till he met the two masters. He plays a fast but calculated game and his only drawback was that he seemed totally overawed by the reputations of Ferreira and Dagley. Bux, who plays a totally contrasting game, ever-cool and ever-collected, came on strongly and fully deserved his place in the semi-final line-up. But he was eventually defeated by his lack of international exposure which was quite obvious.</p><p><b>Exciting Final:</b> But the tournament, and the title, belonged to Ferreira, who remained the only unbeaten player in the 12-day championships and who successfully overcame his handicaps. His shoulder injury hardly seemed to bother him at all and his lapses of concentration were virtually nonexistent till his epic final with Dagley.</p><p>The four-session, eight-hour final was a pulsating affair with the lead switching from one to another. Dagley started powerfully pulling ahead to a massive 636-65 lead and then Ferreira clawed back into the lead only to relinquish it later. Both were displaying signs of tension and missed easy shots when in sight of a big break. Both also played a cautious game giving nothing away. </p><p>Eventually, in a nail-biting ending, Ferreira won the crown with a hairbreadth 2,725-2,631 victory to become the second Indian to win the world amateur billiards title twice. On his way to the title, Ferreira also compiled a world record break of 630 under the three pot rule and also a world record average for a two-hour session and a four-hour session, confounding the sceptics who felt he was over the hill.</p><div id="tab-link-wrapper-plugin"><div class="authors__container"><div class="authors__by"><div class="authlable">Published By: </div><div class="authdetaisl">AtMigration </div></div><div class="published__on"><div class="authlable">Published On: </div><div class="authdetaisl">Oct 23, 2013</div></div></div><div class="sendros">--- ENDS ---</div></div></div>

India's sporting fortunes have traditionally registered sharp peaks and long, sloping valleys and as if in sympathy, the Indian holders of world titles, though few and far between, have followed the same path.

India Today

Billiards: Top of the table - India Today

Michael Ferreira becomes second Indian to win the world amateur billiards title twice

TEAMS

Billiards: Top of the table

The Beatles biopic offered a first look as Paul Mescal, Barry Keoghan and others were teased as the Fab Four. The reveal came through postcard visuals ahead of the film’s planned 2028 release.

The beatles biopic

The Beatles first look: Paul Mescal, Barry Keoghan and cast teased as fab four

The complaint alleges that the IRS and the Treasury Department breached their legal duty by failing to safeguard sensitive taxpayer data, allowing a former IRS contractor to leak the information during 2019 and 2020.

The civil suit was filed in federal court in Miami and seeks at least $10 billion in damages.

Donald Trump

Trump and 2 of his sons sue IRS, US Treasury for $10 billion over tax return leak

The documentary, produced by AmazonMGM Studios at a reported cost of $40 million, will stream exclusively on Amazon Prime Video after opening Friday in about 1,600 theatres worldwide, including roughly 1,500 in the United States.

Donald Trump and his wife Melania

Melania Trump documentary debuts at Kennedy Center before worldwide release

School Assembly News Headlines for January 30: From major policy moves in Delhi and Kerala's historic milestone to global peace efforts and natural disasters, here are today's most important headlines.

School assembly news headlines

School assembly news headlines, January 30: Top India, world, sports, business news

Newly unsealed court documents revealed a candid voice note sent by Blake Lively to Justin Baldoni during the production of It Ends With Us. The message surfaced amid Lively’s sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit, set for trial in May 2026.

Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni

Inside Blake Lively’s candid voice message to Justin Baldoni unsealed in court

Play Time!

Ajit Pawar

PM Modi

Budget 2026

Border 2

Dhurandhar

Sunetra Pawar

Tariffs

Iran

WPL 2026

T20 World Cup

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would win 352 seats if the Lok Sabha elections were held today, INDIA bloc 182 seats and others nine seats, according to the India Today-CVoter Mood of the Nation survey.

NDA would win 352 seats if Lok Sabha polls were held today: Mood of the Nation poll

Bands of the Army, Navy, and Air Force and paramilitary enthralled the audiences with an array of foot-tapping melodies, including 'Vande Mataram', 'Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja', 'Vijay Bharat', 'Sitare Hind' and 'Brave Warrior', at the Beating Retreat ceremony at Delhi's Vijay Chowk on Thursday.

Beating Retreat ceremony: Military bands regale audience with foot-tapping melodies

In this report, the focus is on the high-level meeting between Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi. The meeting aimed to address speculations regarding a rebellion and internal friction within the Kerala Congress unit. Speaking after the marathon session, Shashi Tharoor stated, 'The discussion with my two party leaders, the LOP and the Congress President and we had a very good, constructive, positive discussion.' He emphasized that the party is moving forward on the same page, dismissing rumors of a fallout. Tharoor, the MP from Thiruvananthapuram, confirmed he would continue to campaign for the party alongside the state leadership. The Congress leadership has reportedly stepped in to ensure unity ahead of upcoming elections, describing Tharoor as an asset to the party. The discussion follows Tharoor's recent absence from party meetings and reported differences with the state leadership in Kerala.

sashi

Shashi Tharoor meets Rahul Gandhi, Kharge to resolve Kerala Congress rift

In this Special Report, the focus is on the tabling of the Economic Survey 2025-26 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address at the start of the Budget Session. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the survey in the Lok Sabha, projecting a robust GDP growth of 7.4% for FY26. Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the India-EU Free Trade Agreement, stating, 'In the beginning of this quarter, the free trade agreement between India and the European Union is a glimpse of how bright the future of the youth of India is.' The Prime Minister emphasized that the next 25 years are crucial for achieving the vision of 'Viksit Bharat 2047' and noted that India is now on the 'reform express.' The bulletin also covers the political friction in Parliament, with the opposition demanding a rollback of the G. Ramji law while the BJP accused them of disrespecting constitutional traditions. The survey highlights fiscal prudence, with the deficit met at 4.8% of GDP.

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PM Modi hails India-EU FTA as 'key to unlocking vast markets' for Indian goods

This special report covers the final rites of Ajit Pawar being conducted at Vidya Pratishthan in Baramati. The transcript highlights the emotional scenes as the Pawar family, including Sunetra Pawar, Parth Pawar, and Jai Pawar, pay their last respects. A significant moment is noted between Supriya Sule and Sunetra Pawar, who stood together despite their past political face-off in the Lok Sabha elections. The speaker notes, 'The family, the political divide blurred by what has been deep love within the family and that void today is filled by the outpouring of grief.' The programme reflects on Ajit Pawar's legacy as a 'mercurial leader' who transformed Baramati into a model constituency. The report details the public nature of the bereavement, with a three-day mourning period announced in the region as the community gathers to say goodbye to the leader they affectionately called 'Dada'.

Final Rites: Baramati Bids Farewell To Ajit Pawar

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Michael Ferreira becomes second Indian to win the world amateur billiards title twice

India's sporting fortunes have traditionally registered sharp peaks and long, sloping valleys and as if in sympathy, the Indian holders of world titles, though few and far between, have followed the same path.

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