All posts tagged: Togo

MGNREGS workers togo on strike on May 15

MGNREGS workers togo on strike on May 15

Published by Parlour News

AIKS endorsed a set of demands raised by workers’ groups, including the rollback of the VB-G RAM(G) Act, expansion of MGNREGA to at least 200 days of guaranteed work, and a minimum wage of ₹700 linked to inflation. File | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement NREGA Sangharsh Morcha and All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) have called for an all-India strike by Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) workers on May 15, against the government’s decision to discontinue the scheme. The Act will stand repealed on July 1, as per a notification issued by the Union Government on Monday (May 11, 2026). Describing MGNREGA as the “only legal guarantee of employment” for rural workers, AIKS said the scheme has served as a crucial lifeline for poor peasants, agricultural labourers, women, and rural youth. It alleged that budget cuts, “exclusionary technological barriers”, delayed wage payments, and the VB-G RAM (G) Act were undermining the rights-based character of the programme and weakening rural livelihoods. The organisation endorsed a set of demands raised by workers’ groups, including the …

Togo whitewashed but Indian Tennis faces a long road ahead

Togo whitewashed but Indian Tennis faces a long road ahead

Published by Webster

India cruised to a comfortable 4-0 victory against Togo in the Davis Cup World Group I tie held on February 1st and 2nd at DLTA, New Delhi. The home team delivered a commanding performance, highlighting its strength in doubles while also giving young talent a chance to shine. On the opening day, Sasikumar Mukund set the tone by defeating Togo’s Liova Ajavon in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1, with minimal resistance. In the second singles match, Ramkumar Ramanathan faced Togo’s No. 1 player, Thomas Setodji. With aggressive serving and precise shot-making, Ramanathan wrapped up the match in just 45 minutes, securing a 6-0, 6-2 win and giving India a 2-0 lead. The doubles match on Day 2 featured Sriram Balaji and Davis Cup debutant Rithwik Bollipalli against Togo’s Hod’abalo Isak Padio and M’lapa Tingou Akomolo. The Indian pair dominated, clinching a 6-2, 6-1 victory and sealing the tie for India at 3-0. With victory assured, Karan Singh was given an opportunity to make his Davis Cup debut in a dead rubber match. The young Indian delivered …

India wins playoff against Togo; qualifies for World Group I

India wins playoff against Togo; qualifies for World Group I

Published by Webster

India registered a dominant 4-0 lead over Togo in the Davis Cup World Group I Playoff tie at the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association (DLTA) Complex on Sunday. The win sealed by the men’s doubles duo of N. Sriram Balaji and Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli, who triumphed in straight sets in the third match of the tie, ensured India’s spot in the World Group I. On the opening day, Sasikumar Mukund and Ramkumar Ramanathan won their singles matches, giving India a commanding 2-0 lead. This set up the crucial doubles match, where India needed to win to clinch the tie. Balaji and Bollipalli did not disappoint, defeating M’lapa Tingou Akomolo and Hod’abalo Isak Padio of Togo 6-2, 6-1, to complete the 3-0 result. Later in the day, India handed a Davis Cup debut to the young Karan Singh in the reverse singles match against Padio, with the fate of the tie already decided. Singh broke Padio’s serve just in the second game and comfortably wrapped up the first set 6-2. He carried forward the momentum to win …

How Togo is building a future in Tennis

How Togo is building a future in Tennis

Published by Webster

Togo’s No. 1 ranked tennis player, Thomas Setodji, is visiting India for the first time. But India, in many ways, does not feel foreign to him. As he sits by the swimming pool at the DLTA stadium in Delhi to talk exclusively to The Bridge, his face lights up when he talks about his connection to the country. “My fiancé, she’s a little bit from India too- Vietnamese and Indian. So when I saw the draw, I was happy to come here, and we received a warm welcome,” he says with a wide smile. Setodji is in India for the Davis Cup World Group I tie between India and Togo, happening at the DLTA stadium. India managed to solve the Togo puzzle with a clinical display to win both singles matches with ease on Day One of the Davis Cup World Group I Playoff in the Capital on Saturday. The relatively unknown bunch of Togolese came to the tie as the dark horse, a ring of mystery surrounding them following an unbeaten 10-0 run. The …

Togo whitewashed but Indian Tennis faces a long road ahead

India off to a strong start against Togo on opening day

Published by Webster

India made a strong start to their Davis Cup 2025 campaign on Saturday, taking a 2-0 lead over Togo on the opening day of the World Group I Playoffs at the DLTA Complex in New Delhi on Saturday. Mukund Sasikumar and Ramkumar Ramanathan put in commanding performances to win their respective singles ties, bringing Team India to the cusp of a victory. Mukund secured a decisive victory over Liova Ajavon in the opening match, setting the tone for India’s campaign with a 1-0 lead before Ramkumar doubled India’s advantage with a dominant win over Thomas Setodji. Playing in front of a home crowd, the opening set began on a positive note for Mukund, who claimed the first game with confidence, before Ajavon responded by leveling the score. The momentum shifted in Mukund’s favor during the third game when he successfully defended a crucial potential break before decisively breaking Ajavon’s serve. Despite Ajavon’s fierce attempts to regain control in game five, Mukund maintained his composure, eventually winning the set 6-2. The second set proved to be …

India capitalise on ‘healthy, drama-free environment’ to assert superiority over Togo, lead tie 2-0

India capitalise on ‘healthy, drama-free environment’ to assert superiority over Togo, lead tie 2-0

Published by Webster

As Thomas Setodji was close to bringing himself on the scoreboard, up a game point on serve midway through the first set of his Davis Cup rubber against Ramkumar Ramanthan, a wry smile escaped his face as he let an attempted backhand slice drop just a few feet away from him. It may have been a non-descript moment in the middle of a one-sided offensive. Still, it told the story of a day India comprehensively dominated, outclassing their significantly lower-ranked opposition that failed to be a resilient presence or threaten the hosts in any way. India left the tie on Saturday with a 2-0 lead and one foot in the World Group 1 phase of the tournament. Setodji did end up getting on the scoreboard, but only just. On the slow-paced Centre Court of the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association (DLTA) stadium, the kind of conditions where Ramanathan’s big-serving, serve-and-volley playing style does not always do well, he steamrolled the Togolese No. 1 6-0, 6-2 following Sasikumar Mukund’s 6-2, 6-1 victory over Liova Ajavon on a …

Davis Cup India vs Togo: With Nagal, Bhambri missing, mantle of securing Group 1 playoff tie falls on Ramkumar, Mukund | Tennis News

Davis Cup India vs Togo: With Nagal, Bhambri missing, mantle of securing Group 1 playoff tie falls on Ramkumar, Mukund | Tennis News

Published by Webster

Missing their two best players, and with the governing body of their sport at a standstill due to a petition in court, the Davis Cup team seeks to give Indian tennis a much-needed shot in the arm as they start their World Group 1 playoff tie, against vastly lower-ranked opposition Togo, at the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association (DLTA) Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday. The tie, while favourable in home conditions and against players of lesser repute, has the potential to be a banana skin for the Indian team that has flip-flopped between the World Group 1 and World Group 2 phase of the Davis Cup for a few years now. The possibility of slipping up against an unpredictable group of players while under pressure to deliver after their disappointing previous defeat away to Sweden last year, looms large. India are without their singles no. 1 Sumit Nagal and doubles no. 1 Yuki Bhambri, who are currently playing on the ATP Tour. Meanwhile, the old office-bearers of the All India Tennis Association (AITA) continue to …

Davis Cup: Depleted India start favourites against Togo | Tennis News

Davis Cup: Depleted India start favourites against Togo | Tennis News

Published by Parlour News

Jan 31, 2025 08:34 PM IST The hosts will be missing their top players but they should have enough firepower to emerge victorious NEW DELHI Though India will be playing their first Davis Cup tie at home in two years, neither their top singles nor doubles players will be available for the two-day contest against Togo at the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association (DLTA) complex here. India Davis Cup players ahead of their tie against Togo, at the DLTA. (AITA) India’s highest ranked singles tennis player Sumit Nagal (world No.106) and doubles player Yuki Bhambri (No.47) are unavailable for World Group I. While Nagal is currently in Buenos Aires where he will be playing the Argentina Open (an ATP 250 event) from February 10, Bhambri lost the men’s doubles quarter-final partnering Ivan Dodig at Open Occitanie (ATP 250) in Montpellier, France, on Thursday. “Yuki wouldn’t have played singles anyway. I don’t know what the reason was with Sumit not playing but if he’s our best player, then needless to say (he should play) except if he …

India faces surprise threat from in-form Togo in World Group I play-off

India faces surprise threat from in-form Togo in World Group I play-off

Published by Webster

New Delhi: India is set to face Togo in the Davis Cup World Group I play-off at the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association (DLTA) in New Delhi on Saturday. The two-day tie will conclude on February 2. The winning team will advance to the World Group I tie in September, while the losing team will drop to World Group II. Despite being a much lower-ranked team, Togo arrives in Delhi in formidable form. The West African nation has won 10 of its 11 Davis Cup fixtures over the past two years, including a 3-2 win against Indonesia and a dominant 4-0 victory over Latvia at home, which secured its promotion to the World Group I play-offs. Togo’s impressive streak has drawn concern from Indian captain Rohit Rajpal. “They are hitting the ball pretty well. They are looking good. We were surprised. They look quite talented as well,” Rajpal said at the press conference on Friday. Togo player Thomas Setodji addressing the media. (Photo credit: Special Arrangement) Togo’s captain, Agnamba Ali, acknowledged the challenge of facing India, …

Team India Ready For Davis Cup 2025 World Group I Playoffs Against Togo, Confident Of Strong Performance

Team India Ready For Davis Cup 2025 World Group I Playoffs Against Togo, Confident Of Strong Performance

Published by Webster

Backed by strong preparations over the previous week, including acclimatization, singles and doubles-specific training, and team cohesion building, Team India is confident of delivering a robust performance in their Davis Cup 2025 World Group I Playoffs tie against Togo at the DLTA Complex, New Delhi, on February 1 and 2. Led by captain Rohit Rajpal, a former Davis Cupper and a member of the Indian tennis team at the 1990 Asian Games, Team India consists of five members: the experienced N Sriram Balaji, Ramkumar Ramanathan, and Mukund Sasikumar, and debutants Rithvik Bollipalli and Karan Singh. “We all got in early. I am grateful to Ashutosh, our coach, our physios, and all the boys. All of us got in early because we wanted to get going, everyone was coming in from different parts of the world. The idea was that we do not let up, we have a good camp through and through, get used to the conditions, to the courts here, be sharp and well prepared,” Rajpal said at the press conference on …