Wiki/Biography

Vandana Vishwas was born on Friday, 17 July 1970 (age 53; as of 2023) in Lucknow, India. Her zodiac sign is Cancer. She grew up in Korba, Chhattisgarh. Vandana was blessed with a natural talent for singing. She could easily sing tough songs even when she was 4 years old. Her parents noticed this and they enrolled her for vocal singing lessons in Indian-classical music at the renowned institute Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal (ABGMM) of Miraj, India. When she was 5, she started her music lessons from Pandit Parashuram Sharma and later learned from Mrs. Vimala Soni. She earned a bachelor’s degree (Sangeet Virashad) in Indian Classical music form ABGMM in 1986.

A childhood picture of Vandana Vishwas with her brother. They are singing a ‘bhajan’ in a temple on the occasion of Janmashtami

Alongside schooling, Vandana started composing music and sang as a contract-based artist at All India Radio and Doordarshan. Here she met Ustad Ahmed Hussain and Mohammed Hussain, who taught her the details of ghazal singing.

Ustad Ahmed Hussain and Mohammad Hussain, the Gurus of Vandana Vishwas

From 1987 to 1992, Vandana pursued a B. Arch at the National Institute of Technology, Raipur, India and served as an architect under different organisations in Dubai and then in Canada. After 22 years of career as an architect, she got back to singing.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 4″

Weight (approx.): 60kg

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Black

Family

Parents & Siblings

Vandana Vishwas’ father is Krishna Tripathi and her mother is Madhuri Tripathi. She has a brother named Nitin Tripathi who is fond of playing tabla.

Vandana Vishwas with her mother

Vandana Vishwas with her father

Husband & Children

Vandana Vishwas is married to Vishwas Thoke, the architect turned music co-producer, who hails from Bangalore. He gives the guitar music to all the songs of Vandana. The couple has no children.

Vandana Vishwas with her husband, Vishwas Thoke

Relationship/Affair

Vandana Vishwas was in a relationship with her collegemate, Vishwas Thoke, whom she married in 1994.

Vandana and Vishwas, singing a duet on their friend’s personal event during college days

Religion/Religious Views

Vandana Vishwas follows Hinduism. ^[1]Instagram post ^[2]Instagram post

Career

Singer

Vandana Vishwas’ singing got noticed while she was a college student and worked for All India Radio as a part-time singer. In 1993, just after finishing her architecture degree, she was invited by the Indian National TV Channel, Doordarshan to perform.

She also got the opportunity to perform at the well-known stage of the Acharya Brihaspati Sammelan conducted by Sur Singar Samsad, Mumbai. Even though many Bollywood music directors approached Vandana after this performance, she chose an architecture career over singing due to her physical limitations and moved to Dubai. After a full-fledged 22-year career in architecture, Vandana declared her comeback as a singer with her debut album ‘Meera, the Lover’ in 2009. The songs are based on the story of the 16th-century Indian queen, Meera Bai’s unconditional love for Krishna.

The cover of Meera, the Lover was self-designed by Vandana and her husband, Vishwas. The instruments, ektara and flute represent Meera and Krishna and the words printed are from the poetry of Meerabai

In an interview, she expressed her return to singing and said,

I feel very, very happy when I sing. I feel very content. It is only me and music. I love music, it gives me happiness.”

Her other albums are:

• Monologues (2013) – A collaboration with different genres where Vandana blended South Asian melodies with Jazz and Rock. This got her huge acclaim. In India, it was released by Suresh Wadkar.
  

  Vandana Vishwas with legendary Bollywood playback singer, Suresh Wadkar, who released her album ‘Monologues’

• Samarsiddha (2014) – It is a single that is sung in Raag Ahir Bhairav and was released as a promotional track for the debut novel ‘Samarsiddha’ by Sandeep Nayyar.

• Parallels (2016) – It is an album that has a fusion of South Indian melodies with Westernised styles like Flamenco, Country, New-Age, Rock, African, and Ballad. Vandana debuted as a lyricist with this album. The song ‘Mai Beqaid (Flamenco)’ received popularity. It is inspired by the Sufi poem of revolutionary philosopher Baba Bulleh Shah.

• Nav Varsh Mangalkamna Geet (2021) – A Sanskrit hymn released on the New Year during the Covid pandemic.

• Kabeera-The Thinker (2023) – Influenced by the 15th-century Indian philosopher and poet, Kabir’s bhajan.

Since 2009, Vandana Vishwas has been performing live at different concerts and events like the Latin-Afro-South Asian Cultural Concert and the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE). Her unique style of fusing Indian and Western music like collaborating rock and pop with ghazals, nazms, thumri, and geet has captured the attention of Canadians, Americans, and Indians.

Awards & Honours

• Toronto Best World CD for ‘Meera the Lover’ (2010)

• Vox-Pop for Best Traditional World Song for ‘Badara Re’ song by U. S. Independent Music Awards (2011)

• Marty Awards for established performing arts by the Mississauga Arts Council, Canada (2010, 2011)

• Women Hero Award for Performing Arts by ICACI (Indo-Canadian Arts & Culture Initiative (2015)
  

  Vandana Vishwas while receiving the Woman Hero Award by ICACI

• Best World Music award by Toronto Independent Music Awards for album ‘Parallels’ (2016)
  

  Vandana Vishwas holding the Best World Music Award

• Silver medal by Global Music Awards in Best World Music and Female Vocalist for flamenco-based song ‘Mai Beqaid’ (2016)
  

  Silver medal awarded to Vandana Vishwas in two categories

• Akademia Awards in Best World Beat Album (for Parallel) & Best World Music Video (for ‘Mai Beqaid’) (2017)

Achievements

• Listed rank # 1 on Reverbnation World charts for Canada (2014)

• She has been featured by the leading Indian, US, and Canadian newspapers, magazines, radio, and TV stations without the help of any artist manager or booking agent.

• ‘Parallels’ topped the RMR (Root Music Report) World charts and stayed there for four weeks in a row.

• The album ‘Parallels’ topped the Earshot National International charts in Canada.

Favourites

• Food: Indian, and Ethiopian cuisines

• Singer: Lata Mangeshkar, Jagjit Singh

Facts/Trivia

• Vandana Vishwas’ name before marriage was Vandana Tripathi.

• Vandana Vishwas is suffering from lifelong partial immobility in her left leg and septic arthritis that was caused when she was just 2 days old. A nurse mistakenly injected an unsterilized syringe into her left hip, damaging it with a septic infection that causes her 24/7 chronic and acute pains.

• She likes coffee and her favourite coffee place is Tim Horton’s.
  

  Vandana Vishwas’ Instagram post about Tim Horton’s

• When she was 8 years old she was not allowed to sing because of the serious disease of tonsillitis, which was beginning to damage her vocal cords. Vandana did not sing for 4 years and got a homoeopathic treatment until she resumed her singing training from Mrs Vimal Soni.

• As a schoolgirl, Vandana participated in many local and regional singing competitions and also won many.

• She is a foodie and loves to try authentic food from different places. Her social media is full of pictures of drinks, snacks, and food. She relishes Indian snacks and sweets.
  

  Vandana Vishwas’ Instagram post about her love for food

• Vandana was given the ‘Sangeet Virashad’ degree as an exception case by the ABGMM institute because she was underage (16 years old) to receive it.

• She was mentored by Mr. D.K. Gandhe, who composed music for her during her All India Radio days.

• She is a nature lover who believes that spending time with nature is the best therapy.
  

  Vandana Vishwas’ Instagram post about her love for nature

• Vandana Vishwas has also been trained by the legendary South Asian composer Sohail Rana who is known for songs like ‘Aaj Jaane ki zid na karo’ and ‘Mujhe tum nazar se gira to rahe ho.

• She has been a principal and teacher at Vandana’s School of Indian Music, Mississauga, Canada since 2007.

• Vandana often consumes alcoholic drinks like beer, scotch, and cocktails. She is very fond of homemade wines.
  

  Vandana Vishwas’ Instagram post about her fondness for spiced tea wine

• Vandana Vishwas is associated with the art project Our Temple Of Madness: The Summoning in Nelson, BC, Canada, where she lends her voice to different music directors.

• She enjoys reading, solving sudoku, and travelling.

• Her admirers compare her voice with the voices of Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle.

Manvir Singh is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a centre-forward for the Indian National Football Team and the Indian Super League club Mohun Bagan SG.

Wiki/Biography

Manvir Singh was born on Monday, 6 November 1995 (age 28 years; as of 2023) in Duhre village, Jalandhar district, Punjab. His zodiac sign is Scorpio. He studied at Khalsa College and later joined the Minerva Academy (Now Punjab FC) in Chandigarh. He represented Minerva Academy and Mohammedan SC in the 2nd division of the I League between 2015 and 2017. In the 2017 Santosh Trophy Final, Manvir scored the winning goal for West Bengal against Goa, which ended 1-0 to West Bengal.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 6′ 2″

Weight (approx.): 80 kg

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Black

Family

Parents & Siblings

Manvir’s father Kuldip Singh was a professional football player and has represented Punjab in the Santosh Trophy. He has played for JCT Mills FC (now Jagatjit Cotton & Textile Football Club) and Punjab State Electricity Board. His father met with an accident at work in 2014 and became handicapped.

Manvir Singh’s photo with his parents

He has a brother named Harkamal Singh.

A photo of Manvir Singh with his brother (right)

Wife & Children

His marital status is not known.

Fiancée

Manvir Singh got engaged to Asmi Sheikh on 17 April 2021.

Manvir Singh with his fiance Asmi Sheikh at their engagement ceremony

Religion

He follows Sikhism.

Manvir Singh at a Gurudwara in Australia, along with his friends

Career

International Career

Manvir represented India U23 in the 2018 AFC U-23 Championship qualifiers in which he played against Syria, Qatar, and Turkmenistan. He scored his debut goal for India U23 against Turkmenistan on 23 July 2017. Following this, he got his senior national team call by coach Stephen Constantine to play in the 2017 Hero Tri-Nation Series. Manvir made his debut for the senior national team on 19 August 2017 against Mauritius, which ended 2-1 for India. His debut goal for the national team came in the match against Maldives on 9 September 2018 in the 2018 SAFF Championship, the match ended 2-0 for India with Manvir scoring the second goal in the match.

Manvir Singh with the SAFF Championship 2021 trophy

He then scored a brace against arch-rivals Pakistan in the competition’s semifinals, which India won 3-1. On 16 November 2023, India registered a historic victory against the host Kuwait in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, when he scored the only goal of the match which ended 1-0 for India.

Club Career

FC Goa 2017-2020

Manvir joined FC Goa on 28 July 2017. He made his debut for the club against Chennaiyin FC on 19 November 2017 in the Indian Super League 2017-18. His debut goal for the club came in the 2018-19 season of the Indian Super League on 11 November 2019 against Kerela Blasters FC. Manvir won his first silverware with the club in the 2019-20 season which included the ISL League Winners Shield and the 2019 Indian Super Cup.

A photo of Manvir Singh with League title 2019-2020

Mohun Bagan: 2020-present 

Manvir signed a 3-year contract with the club ATK Mohun Bagan on 25 August 2020 for a record transfer fee. He debuted for the club in a match against Kerala Blasters on 20 November 2020, the match was won 1-0 by ATK Mohun Bagan. On 27 November, Manvir scored his debut goal for the club against ‘SC East Bengal,’ and guided his team to a 2-0 victory.

Manvir Singh during a match for ATK Mohun Bagan

Manvir helped his team to reach the finals of the 2020-21 ISL season by scoring in the second leg of the semifinal against NorthEast United FC, the tie ended 3-2 in favour of ATK Mohun Bagan. Manvir’s contributions helped his team to win the 2022-23 Indian Super League title and the Durand Cup in 2023.

Car Collection

Manvir Singh owns a BMW and an Audi car.

A photo of Manvir Singh with his Audi car

Tattoo(s)

Manvir Singh has a tattoo on his left hand.

A photo of Manvir Singh’s tattoo on his hand

Salary/Income

Manvir received Rs 1 Crore in 2023 for playing for ATK Mohun Bagan.

Favourites

• Food: Sarson Ka Saag

• Actor: Akshay Kumar

• Travel Destination: Canada

Facts/Trivia

• Manvir’s inspiration for football came from his father who himself was a professional football player.

• Manvir endorses brands like Optimum Nutrition and GNC India, as seen in his Instagram pictures.
  

  A photo of Manvir Singh endorsing a product of an associated brand on Social Media

Maadhavi Latha is an Indian actress and politician. She is known for working in Telugu Cinema. In 2018, she became a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Wiki/Biography

Maadhavi Latha was born on Sunday, 2 October 1988 (age 35 years; as of 2023) in Hubli, Karnataka. Her zodiac sign is Libra.

Maadhavi Latha’s picture from her school days

She pursued her graduation at Gulbarga University, Karnataka and later pursued her post-graduation at Mysore University.

Maadhavi Latha with her friends during college

In 2009, she moved to the United Kingdom to pursue a master’s degree in Fashion design at the Coventry University in Coventry, England. She spent a year in England before moving back to Hyderabad in India.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 6″

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Black

Family

Maadhavi Latha belongs to a Telugu family in Hubli, Karnataka which originally belonged to Coastal Andhra.

Parents & Siblings

Maadhavi Latha’s father, Lakshimaiah Naidu, worked with the Indian Railways and her mother, Nageswari Devi, is a philanthropist. She has two siblings.

Maadhavi Latha with her mother

Husband

Maadhavi Latha is unmarried.

Religion/Religious Views

Maadhavi Latha follows Hinduism. She is an ardent follower of Lord Krishna.

Maadhavi Latha performing a pooja at her home

Address

D.NO. 25-2-66, 4/2, Chandramouli Nagali, Guntur 522007

Signature/Autograph

Madhavi Latha’s signature

Career

Films

In 2008, Maadhavi made her film debut with the Telugu film Nachavule (2008). In the film, she played the role of Anu.

Madhavi Latha in a still from the film Nacchavule (2008)

Her second film Snehituda along with Telugu actor Nani released in 2009. In the film, she plays the role of Savitri, a young girl who has run away from her home and falls in love with an orphan.

Madhavi Latha in a still from the film Snehituda (2009)

Her film received many negative reviews and did badly at the Box office, due to which she moved to the United Kingdom. In 2013, she made a comeback with the Telegu film Aravind 2. In the film, she played the role of Priya.

Madhavi Latha in a still from the Telugu film Aravind 2 (2013)

Later, Maadhavi Latha appeared in many films including Aambala (2015), Lady (2020), and Madurai Manikuravar (2021).

Politics

In 2018, Maadhavi Latha joined Bharatiya Janata Party.  In 2019, she contested in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly election from the Guntur West constituency in Andhra Pradesh. however, she lost the election.

Tattoos

• Maadhavi Latha has an L inked along with a heartbeat on her left hand.
  

  Maadhavi Latha’s hand tattoo

• Maadhavi Latha has half sun, flute,  and peacock feathers tattooed together on her back.
  

  Maadhavi Latha’s back tattoo

Facts/Trivia

• Maadhavi Latha is a cate lover and often posts pictures of her pet cat on her Instagram account.
  

  Maadhavi Latha with her pet cat

• Maadhavi Latha is very active on her Instagram account and often posts videos discussing social topics like feminism and politics.

• Maadhavi Latha’s full name is Pasupuleti Maadhavi Latha.

• Maadhavi Latha’s favourite food is fish.

Vipul Deshpande is an Indian actor who predominantly works in Hindi films and television.

Wiki/Biography

Vipul Deshpande was born as ‘Vipul Nanda Anant Deshpande’ ^[1]Vipul Nanda Anant Deshpande – Facebook on 14 March in Nagpur, Maharashtra. His zodiac sign is Pisces.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 10″

Weight (approx.): 80 kg

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Dark Brown

Family

Parents & Siblings

Vipul Deshpande’s father is a retired banker and a sportsman, and Vipul’s mother is a retired lecturer.

Vipul Deshpande with his parents

He has a younger sister named Nidhi Deshpande who is a standup comedian.

Vipul Deshpande with his sister Nidhi Deshpande

Wife & Children

Vipul Deshpande is married and has a son named Vihaan.

Vipul Deshpande (bottom) with his wife (top right), mother (top centre), and son Vihaan (top left)

Religion

Vipul Deshpande follows Hinduism.

Vipul Deshpande’s Instagram post in which he wrote a Lord Shiva’s mantra as the caption

Career

Film

In 2019, Vipul Deshpande was cast in the Hindi romantic drama film titled ‘Kabir Singh’ which was the remake of the Telugu film titled ‘Arjun Reddy’ (2017). Vipul played the character of the hospital director in the film.

Vipul Deshpande (wearing white) in a still from the Hindi film titled ‘Kabir Singh’ (2019)

In 2020, he was cast in the Hindi action thriller film titled ‘Baaghi 3’ which was the first instalment of the Bhaaghi series.

Vipul Deshpande (right) in a still from the Hindi film titled ‘Baaghi 3’ (2020)

In the same year, he was cast in the Hindi black comedy thriller film titled ‘AK vs AK’ in which he played the character of a police inspector.

Vipul Deshpande (extreme right) in a still from the Hindi film titled ‘AK vs AK’ (2020)

In 2022, Vipul Deshpande was cast in the Hindi supernatural comedy film titled ‘Phone Bhoot’ in which he played the character of Mr. Kulkarni.

The poster of the Hindi film titled ‘Phone Bhoot’ (2022)

In 2023, Vipul Deshpande was cast in the Hindi history film titled ‘Gandhi Godse – Ek Yudh’ in which he played the character of DSP Rana.

Vipul Deshpande on the sets of the Hindi film titled ‘Gandhi Godse – Ek Yudh’ (2023)

Television

In 2016, Vipul Deshpande was cast in season 4 of the real-life crime cases-based TV series titled ‘Crime Patrol’ in which he played the character of Inspector Dharam Raghuwansi in episode 705 and Inspector Shankar Balan in episode 736.

Vipul Deshpande (dressed as a police inspector) in a still from the TV serial titled ‘Crime Patrol’ (2016)

In 2020, he was cast in the Marathi Hindu mythological serial titled ‘Jai Deva Shree Ganesha’ which was aired on Star Pravah.

Vipul Deshpande in a still from the Marathi TV serial titled ‘Jai Deva Shree Ganesha’ (2020)

In 2023, Vipul was cast in the romantic drama television series titled ‘Barsatein – Mausam Pyaar Ka’ which was aired on the Sony Entertainment Television channel. He played the character of Dr Harsh Sahni- Bhakti’s husband, Jagruti’s father, and Aradhana’s adoptive father.

Vipul Deshpande in a still from the Hindi TV series titled ‘Barsatein – Mausam Pyaar Ka’ (2023)

In the same year, Vipul Deshpande was cast in the Hindi sitcom television series titled ‘Wagle Ki Duniya – Nayi Peedhi Naye Kissey’ which was aired on Sony SAB channel. He played the character of Manoj Wagle in the serial.

Vipul Deshpande (right) in a still from the Hindi TV serial titled ‘Wagle Ki Duniya – Nayi Peedhi Naye Kissey’ (2023)

Web Series

In 2020, Vipul Deshpande was cast in the Hindi action thriller web series titled ‘State of Siege: 26/11’ which is based on journalist Sandip Unnithan’s book Black Tornado: The Three Sieges of Mumbai 26/11 about the military’s Operation Black Tornado during the 26/11 terrorist attacks. The series premiered on ZEE5 and he played the character of DCP SooryaVardhan.

Vipul Deshpande in a still from the Hindi web series titled ‘State of Siege- 26:11’ (2020)

In 2022, he was cast in the Hindi psychological crime thriller television series titled ‘Rudra: The Edge of Darkness’ which was aired on Disney+ Hotstar. Vipul played the character of Inspector at Rajiv’s house.

The poster of the Hindi web series titled ‘Rudra- The Edge of Darkness’ (2022)

In 2023, Vipul was cast in the Hindi crime thriller web series titled ‘The Night Manager’ which was aired on Disney+ Hotstar. He played the character of Bangladesh Police Officer in the series.

Vipul Deshpande during the shoot of the Hindi web series titled ‘The Night Manager’ (2023)

In 2024, Vipul Deshpande was cast in the Hindi action thriller web series titled ‘Indian Police Force’ which premiered on Amazon Prime Video. He played the character of Amar Singh.

The poster of the Hindi web series titled ‘Indian Police Force’ (2024)

Bike Collection

Vipul Deshpande owns a Royal Enfield Bullet.

Vipul Deshpande and his son Vihaan posing on his bike

Favourites

• Food: Poha

• Film Director(s): Rohit Shetty, Vikas Bahl

Facts/Trivia

• During his teenage years, Vipul Deshpande used to be part of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) camps.
  

  Vipul Deshpande in the NCC camp

• Vipul Deshpande is a fitness freak, and he shares photos and videos of his workout session on social media.
  

  Vipul Deshpande during his workout session

• In 2018, Vipul started an insight workshop business named ‘StruggleSMART’ for aspiring actors who want to enter the TV and film industry.
  

  Vipul Deshpande’s insight workshop named ‘StruggleSMART’

Muhammad Waseem is a Pakistani-born cricketer who plays for the United Arab Emirates national cricket team.

Wiki/Biography

Muhammad Waseem was born on Saturday, 12 February 1994 (age 30 years; as of 2024) in Mian Channu, Punjab province of Pakistan. His zodiac sign is Aquarius. Waseem started playing cricket in 2010 when he was 16. He played tape-ball cricket before joining Sakhi Shabaz Club in 2012. In the same year, he was selected for the Rashid Latif Cricket Academy in Burewala. In 2017, while playing in Lahore, he was offered a UAE residency visa by Mudassir Ali to join Versatile Deployment Solutions as a full-time member of their cricket team. After that, he worked as a sales executive while also playing club cricket.

An early adulthood picture of Muhammad Waseem

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 10″

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Black

Family & Caste

He belongs to a Muslim Rajput family. ^[1]Shahraj Waseem – Instagram ^[2]Muhammad Waseem – Facebook

Parents & Siblings

Not much is known about his parents and siblings.

Muhammad Waseem’s father

Muhammad Waseem’s mother

Wife & Children

In 2022, he got married to Sana Waseem. He has a son named Shahraj Waseem.

Muhammad Waseem’s wife, Sana Waseem

Muhammad Waseem playing with his son, Shahraj Waseem

Religion

He follows Islam. ^[3]Muhammad Waseem – Facebook

Career

United Arab Emirates National Cricket Team

Muhammad Waseem became eligible to play for the UAE in April 2021 after meeting the ICC’s three-year residency rule. In October 2021, Waseem was selected to play for the UAE in the 2021 Summer T20 Bash tournament. On 5 October 2021, he made his T20I debut against Namibia at ICC Academy, Dubai. Five days later, in a match against Ireland, Waseem scored his first century in T20I cricket, making 107 not out from 62 balls.

Muhammad Waseem playing for the UAE

In November 2021, he was chosen to play for the UAE in the 2021 Namibia Tri-Nation Series One Day International (ODI) tournament. In February 2022, he was also selected for the UAE’s ODI squad for their series against Oman. On 5 February 2022, Waseem made his ODI debut against Oman at Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Muscat, Oman. In March 2023, Waseem was made captain of the UAE, replacing CP Rizwan for the final match of the 2023 United Arab Emirates Tri-Nation Series. In August 2023, Muhammad Waseem became the T20I captain for the first time in a three-match series against New Zealand.

Muhammad Waseem (right) as the captain of the three-match T20I series against New Zealand in 2023

His first full series as captain was the Nepal Tri-Nation Series, which was the UAE’s final series of the 2019–2023 ICC Cricket World Cup League 2. On 31 December 2023, he led UAE to an 11-run victory over Afghanistan in Sharjah during the T20I series. During the match, Waseem became the first player ever to hit 100 sixes in International cricket in a calendar year. On 15 March 2023, Waseem scored his first ODI century against Papua New Guinea in the Nepal series, scoring 119 runs from 76 balls, including twelve sixes.

Franchise Cricket

Abu Dhabi T10

He was a part of the Northern Warriors in the 2021 Abu Dhabi T10. On 3 February 2021, he came into the spotlight with an unbeaten 56 from 13 balls in a match against Pune Devils, leading Northern Warriors to an eight-wicket victory. He hit seven of those 13 balls for six and three more for four. With the feat, Waseem equalled Chris Gayle’s record for the Fastest T10 Fifty in 12 balls in a T10 cricket match.

Northern Warriors’ Waseem Muhammad (left) plays a shot against Team Abu Dhabi during their Abu Dhabi T10 League match

On 6 February 2021, Northern Warriors went on to become the champions of 2021 Abu Dhabi T10, defeating Delhi Bulls in the final. In the 2021–22 Abu Dhabi T10, he played for Chennai Braves. He represented the New York Strikers in the 2022 and 2023 Abu Dhabi T10. In 2022, Deccan Gladiators defeated New York Strikers by 37 runs in the final. In 2023, New York Strikers became champions of the league, defeating Deccan Gladiators by 7 wickets in the final.

Bukhatir Premier League

Under his captainship, InterGlobe Marine (IGM) won the 2021 46th Bukhatir Premier League.

Muhammad Waseem (captain of team InterGlobe Marine (IGM)) receiving the trophy after winning the 2021 46th Bukhatir Premier League

Emirates D20

He represented Fujairah in Dream 11 Emirates D20, 2020/21. Waseem finished the tournament with the most runs (534), the highest average (53.40), and the most 50-plus scores. He scored four half-centuries and an unbeaten 101 runs off 60 balls. However, his team lost to Sharjah by two wickets in the final. Under his captainship, Fujairah won the 2022 Emirates D20.

Muhammad Waseem (as the captain of Fujairah) posing with the trophy after his side won the 2022 Emirates D20

International League T20

He played for MI Emirates in the 2023 and 2024 International League T20. He won the title of Best UAE Player in both seasons.

Muhammad Waseem posing with his Blue Belt after becoming the Best UAE Player in the 2024 International League T20

On 28 January 2024, Muhammad Waseem’s impressive score of 89 (62) in the match against Abu Dhabi Knight Riders led him to become the Player of the Match. He scored a total of 321 runs from 12 matches in the ILT20 2024. In the 2024 final, MI Emirates defeated Dubai Capitals by 45 runs to win the title.

Muhammad Waseem (on knees in the front row- third from left) with his team MI Emirates posing as Champions of 2024 International League T20

Pakistan Super League (PSL)

He joined the Multan Sultans team as a replacement player for the 2021 Pakistan Super League (PSL). On 24 June 2021, Multan Sultans defeated Peshawar Zalmi by 47 runs in the final to win their first title.

Muhammad Waseem (rightmost) posing with his team Multan Sultans after winning the 2021 Pakistan Super League (PSL)

Facts/Trivia

• His nickname is Babba. ^[4]Muhammad Waseem – Instagram

• He is a right-hand batter and right-arm medium-pace bowler.

• His jersey number for the UAE is #10.

• His maiden ODI century came from 61 balls and set a new UAE record for the fastest ODI century, but this record was broken the following day by Asif Khan, who scored a century in 41 balls.

• He was signed by Islamabad United for the 2024 PSL. However, he had to pull out of the league because the dates of UAE’s Cricket World Cup League 2 campaign clashed with PSL. Martin Guptill replaced him in the team.

• His favourite cricket ground is Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Wiki/Biography

Leslee Lewis was born on Monday, 20 June 1960 (age 63 years; as of 2023) in Mumbai, India. His zodiac sign is Gemini. He grew up in a creative environment, watching his father, P.L. Raj, playing the tabla and choreographing the most popular dance songs for Indian cinema of the 60s and 70s. He pursued his schooling at St. Mary’s High School, Mt. Abu in Rajasthan. At school, Leslee was influenced by The Beatles, ABBA, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton. Seeing them, he started playing guitar.

Childhood picture of Leslee Lewis (centre) with his sisters

After completing it, Leslee joined a local fishermen’s band called the Blue Diamond Orchestra in Bombay City and played guitar on the streets and railway stations of Bombay. He joined Catherine College in Bombay to pursue a B.Com degree and at the same time, played at the nightclub. He had failed in B.Com as his interest was solely in music. Later, Leslee played at Cafe Royal, gradually shiting to music studios for playing the guitar for jingles.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 6″

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Black

Family

Leslee Lewis is half South Indian and half Hindu Goan. His father hails from South India.

Parents & Siblings

Leslee Lewis’ father, P. L. Raj (deceased), was a famous Bollywood film choreographer.

Leslee Lewis’ father, P. L. Raj, sitting beside Amitabh Bachchan on the sets of the movie Don

His mother, Devyani is a dancer.

Leslee Lewis with his mother

Leslee Lewis has two sisters, Greta Lewis and Eliza Lewis.

(Left-Right) Greta Lewis, Eliza Lewis, and Leslee Lewis

Wife & Children

Leslee Lewis is married to Lolette and has 2 children. His son Dev was born in 1991 and his daughter Divya Lewis was born in 1996. Divya is an aspiring singer.

Religion

Leslee Lewis is a Christian and follows Christianity. ^[1]Instagram post ^[2]Instagram post

Career

Jingle Composer

In the late nineties, Leslee founded a music company and became a popular advertisement jingle composer. He composed jingles like Amul Doodh, Thumbs Up Taste the Thunder, Mango Frooti Fresh and Juicy, etc. He was awarded for his jingle-ad compositions by the Indian Academy of Advertising Film Art (IAAFA) in 1989.

Music Composer & Producer

After creating a name in the jingles, Leslee started composing mainstream music and became a popular music producer by producing new artists for the music industry. Leslee Lewis is known as one of the pioneers who introduced ‘rock and pop’ music to the Indian industry. His music style combines Indian voices with Western musical beats like foot tapping and EDM. He composed and produced ‘Paree Hoon Main’ (1991) with singer Suneeta Rao. He also composed music for Sonu Nigam’s song ‘Kal Hi Ki Baat Hai’ from the album ‘Bombay Girl’ (1994).

Leslee Lewis with Sonu Nigam during the music composition of the album Bombay Girl

Leslee revived the voice of Asha Bhosle for the millennial generation by starting the trend of her remixes like ‘Piya Tu Ab To Aaja’ and ‘O Mere Sona Re’ in the album ‘Rahul & I’ (1996).

Leslee Lewis’ Instagram post about the popularity of Asha Bhosle’s album of remixes ‘Rahul & I’

He also produced an album with her titled ‘Janam Samjha Karo’ (1997), making ‘Raat Shabnami’ and ‘Janam Samjha Karo’ the hit pop-Hindi songs. Leslee Lewis also produced the celebrated Indian playback singer KK‘s first solo album ‘Pal’ in 1999, who gave him his demo tape in 1994, extending his wish to work with him. Its hit songs ‘Yaaron Dosti’ and ‘Pal’ have continued to be evergreen anthems on friendship and farewell in India.

Leslee Lewis’ Instagram post about K. K.

Leslee made his Hollywood debut song with ‘Entourage’ in 2021 for the film Trap City. It is a collaboration with rapper-singer Omar Gooding. He released an album in 2023 titled ‘The White Album.’

Colonial Cousins

Leslee reached the peak of his fame in 1996 when he formed a duo band named ‘Colonial Cousins,’ with Hariharan whom he first met in 1992 for a jingle project.

Leslee Lewis with Hariharan

This was the first Indian band featured on the original MTV Unplugged in London. He came as a singer and live performer for the first time with this album’s release. In an interview, Leslee Lewis said,

I became an artist with ‘Colonial Cousins.’

The Classic cassette of ‘Colonial Cousins’

The famous albums of this duo band are ‘ Colonial Cousins’ (1996), The Way We Do It (1998), Aatma (2001), and ‘Once More’ (2012). The song ‘Krishna’ from ‘Colonial Cousins’ became a peace march song of the late 90s for its message amid war and terrorism in Sri Lanka. Its other famous song was ‘Sa Ni Dha Pa.’

The ‘Colonial Cousins duo is still in demand for musical tours and got them the MTV Viewers’ Choice Award and U. S. Billboards Viewers’ Award in 1996.

Coke Studio

In 2011, Leslee Lewis introduced the idea of Coke Studio in India. It was a collaboration between MTV India with Coca-Cola India. Leslee produced the entire music of its first season.

Leslee Lewis with Shaan on the Coke Studio

Performer

Leslee Lewis is a live performer and tours with his band to different countries for corporate gigs, music festivals and events like weddings and birthday parties. Singer Kavya Jones is part of his band.

Leslee Lewis with his band. Kavya Jones standing 2nd from right

Awards & Achievements

• MTV Asia Viewers’ Choice Award for ‘Colonial Cousins’ (1996)

• U.S. Billboard’s Viewers’ Award for ‘Colonial Cousins’ (1996)

• Awarded Doctorate in Music from the National Institute of Education Research (NIER) and the National American University (NAU) (2019)

• Awarded Wow Iconic Personality – Iconic Musician par Excellence by Wow Awards (2019)

• Global Music Icon Award (2021)
  

  Leslee Lewis while receiving the Global Music Icon Award

• Legendary Singer-Composer-Performer by SOS Nightlife (2022)

• Iconic Personality of the Year by Wow Corp (2022)

• Awarded Artist of the Month by Radio City Freedom (2022)

• Awarded ‘Maestro Award’ by Whistling Woods International (2023)
  

  Leslee Lewis receiving the Maestro Award from Whistling Woods

Honours

• He is honoured as the mascot for IIMUN (India’s International Movement to Unite Nations since 2011.

• Leslee is honoured by the World Peace Summit as the ‘Godfather of Independent Music’

Favourites

• Desserts: Ice Cream, Cakes

• Artist: Palash Sen

• Actor: Madhubala, Helen

• Song: Boogie Nights

• Songwriter: Rod Temperton

• Guitarists: Derek Julian, Jimi Hendrix

Facts/Trivia

• Formerly Leslee Lewis was spelled as Leslie and Lesle.

• He has also created soundtracks for Tamil films Modhi Vilayadu (2009) and Chikku Bukku (2010).

•  In an interview, Leslee said that the boldest thing he has done is to do 51 songs in 40 days for the Coke Studio’s debut season. During these days, he used to sleep for just 2 hours i.e. 5.30 a.m. to 7.30 a.m. and had 2 such days, when he slept for just 45 minutes!

• Leslee Lewis is a foodie and enjoys cooking. He shares many images of his self-cooked meals on social media handles.

When it comes to #RajmaChawal .. nothing beats home cooked with SeasonallyFresh OffThePod RajmaBeans..Food & Music .. What a great combination for those who want a quick trip to heaven! ????!! Rock & Roll .. #KhudBanaoKhudKhao #MakeAndEat #shureindia #homechef #gourmet #finedining pic.twitter.com/InA5fRZf09

— Leslee Lewis (@LesleLewis) September 1, 2019

• Leslee Lewis is a non-vegetarian and posts many pictures of his non-vegetarian cuisine on Instagram.
  

  Leslee Lewis’ Instagram post about non-veg food

• He has been a jury member of many talent hunt music competitions in India.

•  Leslee Lewis often consumes alcohol.
  

  Leslee Lewis celebrating his friend’s birthday with liquor

• He has created and composed the music anthem for India’s first F1 Race. KK, Daler Mehndi, and Lucky Ali were his co-singers in this anthem.
  

  Leslee Lewis’s Instagram post about composing the first Indian F1 Race anthem

• In 2018, he composed and sang a short anthem for the Indian Air Force that was featured on National Geographic and when former defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman took a Sukoi flight.

• He directed the music of the first musical in India ‘ Beauty & the Beast’ by Walt Disney.
  

  Leslee Lewis’ Instagram post about his musical composition for Walt Disney

• He considers the Indian dancer and actress Helen as her godmother.

• His guitar gurus are Louiz Banks, Gussy Rikh, and Gorakh Sharma.
  

  Leslee Lewis’ Instagram post about his guitar Gurus, Gussy Rikh and Gorakh Sharma

  

  Leslee Lewis’s Instagram post about his guitar mentor, Louiz Banks

• In 2022, Leslee recreated KK’s song ‘Yaaron’ with his children Nakul and Taamara.

• One of his icons is the American record producer Quincy Jones.
  

  Leslee Lewis’ Instagram post about Quincy Jones

• Leslee’s favourite song from ‘Colonial Cousins’ is ‘Indian Rain.’

• During the Covid pandemic, he started a Facebook live series titled ‘Life of Leslee,’ where he talked about his life as a music artist.
  

  Instagram post of Leslee Lewis about his Live series ‘Life of Leslee’

Varun Mitra is an Indian actor, model, and anchor. He is known for his work in the Hindi films and web series.

Wiki/Biography

Varun Mitra was born on Saturday, 20 October 1990 (age 33 years; as of 2023) in Delhi. His zodiac sign is Libra.

A childhood image of Varun Mitra

He did his schooling at The Shri Ram School, Moulsari, Gurugram. He pursued B.Com (Hons) at Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, University of Delhi. ^[1]Facebook – Varun Mitra ^[2]Hindustan Times

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 9″

Weight (approx.): 70 kg

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Black

Body Measurements (approx.): Chest: 38″, Waist: 32″, Biceps: 14″

Family

Parents & Siblings

His father’s name is Pradip Mitra.

Varun Mitra with his father

Wife

He is unmarried.

Career

Host

Varun Mitra started his career in the entertainment industry as a host for the travel TV show ‘2 For The Road’ (2012), which was broadcast on NDTV GoodTimes. In 2013, he appeared as a host for NDTV GoodTimes’s another travel TV show named ‘Good Drives,’ sponsored by Tata Safari.

Varun Mitra in a still from the TV show ‘Good Drives’

In 2020, he was featured in the Discovery Channel TV show ‘Emission Impossible,’ sponsored by Hyundai Kona Electric. In the show, he travelled to Mt Everest base camp.

Varun Mitra (left) in a still from the TV show ‘Emission Impossible’

He has anchored a few more travel TV shows such as ‘Imagine Your Korea’ (2014) on NDTV GoodTimes, ‘Go North East’ (2017) on Discovery Channel, and ‘Go Odisha’ (2018) on Discovery Channel.

Model

Television Commercial

Varun Mitra gained immense popularity after he was featured in a television commercial for Amazon Kindle Paperwhite in 2014.

In 2015, he appeared in the short film ‘Rangeen’ for an advertisement for a clothing brand named ‘Free People.’ He appeared alongside Katrina Kaif in a television commercial for Titan Raga watches. He has also been featured in the television commercials for several brands including Pepsi, Bajaj Insurance, Hero Passion Bike, Nissan Sunny Car, and Amazon Prime Video.

Varun Mitra in a still from an advertisement for Pepsi

Fashion Shows

Varun Mitra has walked ramp for the first time at Wills India Men’s Fashion Week, where he presented the designs of Gaurav Gupta.

Varun Mitra at Wills India Men’s Fashion Week

Actor

Film

Varun Mitra made his acting debut with the Hindi film ‘Kaash’ (2015) in which he played the role of Adil. The film was premiered at the 2014 Tokyo film festival. He played the role of Dev Mathur in the film ‘Jalebi’ (2016), starring Rhea Chakraborty.

Varun Mitra in a still from the film ‘Jalebi’

In 2023, he was featured opposite Kangana Ranaut in the film ‘Tejas.’ He essayed the role of Ekveer in the film.

Web Series

In 2019, he played the role of Badol in the web series ‘Bombers,’ which premiered on the OTT platform ZEE5. He received immense appreciation for his performance as Deepak Rana in the web series ‘Guilty Minds’ (2022), which was streamed on Amazon Prime Video.

Varun Mitra in a still from the web series ‘Guilty Minds’

He appeared alongside Dimple Kapadia in the web series ‘Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo’ (2023) in which he played the role of Kapil. The web series was streamed on Disney+ Hotstar. He played the role of Lt. Triveni Singh in Season 1 of the web series ‘Rakshak: India’s Braves’ (2023), which premiered on  Amazon miniTV.

Varun Mitra as Lt. Triveni Singh in a still from the web series ‘Rakshak: India’s Braves’

Favourites

• Place to hangout: The Qutab Institutional Area

• Street food: Keema Parantha

• Monument: Qutab Minar

Facts/Trivia

• He has learned Vipassana meditation.

• He quit his export house job to pursue a career in acting.

• In 2012, he went on a two week trip to Mumbai, and gave a few auditions there. Later, he was signed by a talent management agency named ‘Kwan.’

• In 2014, he travelled to Sri Lanka to shoot a TV commercial for Amazon Kindle Paperwhite for which he had to work with native children. During the shooting, the children formed a close relationship with him despite having the language barrier. They developed such a strong attachment to him that they created handcrafted greeting cards to give him on his birthday, which coincidentally fell on the last day of the shoot.
  

  Varun Mitra with Sri Lankan kids on his birthday

• His hobbies include travelling and swimming.

• He is dog lover.
  

  Varun Mitra playing with dogs

Sandeep is an Indian gangster from Haryana and a close associate of Lawrence Bishnoi. He has been convicted under various criminal cases including murder, robbery, land extortion, and dacoity. In 2021, the Delhi police launched an operation titled ‘Op D-24’ to catch him and successfully captured him in July 2021.

Wiki/Biography

Sandeep was born in 1984 (age 40 years; as of 2024) in Jatheri, Sonipat, Haryana. He pursued no formal education after class 12.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 5′ 8″

Weight (approx.): 65 kg

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Black

Family

Parents & Siblings

There is not much information about his parents. He has two younger brothers.

Wife & Children

On 12 March 2024, Sandeep got married to lady don Anuradha Chaudhary in Dwarka, Delhi, under tight security. The Delhi court allowed the time from 10 am to 4 pm for the wedding to Kala Jathedi, who was lodged in Tihar Jail.

Relationships/Affairs

In March 2020, Sandeep met Anuradha Chaudhary, a gangster popularly known as Madam Minz, at Garhwal Valley of Flowers in Chamoli, Uttarakhand. The couple fell in love while they were on a run together from the police.

Anuradha Chaudhary

Controversy

Dispute with Sushil Kumar

Kala Jathedi was a close friend of the national wrestler Sushil Kumar. However, Sushil Kumar was named as one of the 12 people accused in the murder case of a junior wrestler Sagar Dhankar. On 4 May 2021, Sonu Mahal who is Kala Jathedi’s nephew was also beaten up by Sushil Kumar during the murder of Sagar Dhankar at the Chhatrasal Stadium. After the assault of his nephew, Kala Jathedi constantly gave death threats to Sushil Kumar due to which the Delhi police shifted Sushil Kumar from Mandoli Jail to Tihar Jail.

Facts/Trivia

• Sandeep began working as a cable operator in Sonipat, Haryana after passing out from school.

• Sandeep is popularly known as Kala Jathedi which means a gangster from Jatheri village of Sonipat, Haryana.

• In June 2009, he committed a murder for the first time during a bank robbery in Rohtak following which he kept getting involved in more and more criminal cases.

• He has been associated with various criminal gangs from time to time.

• He is known to be Lawrence Bishnoi’s right-hand man and operates his gangs. Together, they partnered up with Gurugram-based gangster Sube Gujjar, Jitender Gogi, and Rajasthan-based gangster Anandpal Singh to expand their area of control.

• In 2016, the district court of Sonipat convicted him for a murder he committed in 2010 with life imprisonment.
  

  Sandeep being taken into custody

• In February 2020, he escaped police custody from Faridabad. It was reported that he moved to Dubai for some time and carried out his operations from there.

• In 2021, he was named as one of the most wanted criminals by 5 states, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Uttrakhand in more than 40 cases of dacoity, robbery, extortion, and attempt to murder. The police had announced a cash reward of Rs. 7 lakh for any person who’d help the police in his arrest.

• On 25 March 2021, he along with associates helped Kuldeep Fajja, a gangster, to escape from police custody while he was admitted at GTB Hospital.

• In July 2021, he was arrested by the Delhi police’s special cell under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh.

• Along with Kala Jathedi, his girlfriend, Anuradha, was caught and taken into police custody.
  

  Sandeep arrested along with Anuradha Chaudhary

• Kala Jathedi and his gang members used code words to address each other, and Kala Jathedi was named ‘Alpha.’

• On 4 March 2024, Kala Jathedi was granted custody parole for 6 hours by the Delhi Dwarka court to get married on 12 March 2024 and for the Grih Pravesh ceremony on 13 March 2024.

Shahrukh Khan is an Indian cricketer from Tamil Nadu. He is an all-rounder, primarily a batsman who also bowls off-spin.

Wiki/Biography

Masood Shahrukh Khan ^[1]The Hindu was born on Saturday, 27 May 1995 (age 28 years; as of 2023) in Chennai. His zodiac sign is Gemini. While growing up in Velachery, Chennai, Shahrukh attended Don Bosco School. He finished his schooling at St. Bede’s following which he attended Guru Nanak College. While studying in school, he developed an interest in cricket.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 6′ 2″

Weight (approx.): 85 kg

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Hazel Brown

Body Measurements (approx.): Chest: 44″, Waist: 34″, Biceps: 14″

Family

Parents & Siblings

Shahrukh Khan’s father, Masood Khan, is a former club cricketer who played in Chennai’s second division league. His mother, Lubina Khan, is a boutique owner. He has a younger brother named Akram Khan, a cricketer who plays in the fourth division.

Wife

Shahrukh Khan is unmarried.

Career

School/Age-group Cricket

After receiving his initial lessons at the SDAT Academy and Kedar CA in Chennai, Shahrukh Khan represented Tamil Nadu in age-group cricket. by the time he turned 13, he had begun playing league cricket. He performed well in the Under-19 Cooch Behar Trophy by scoring 624 runs and taking 18 wickets. His performance earned him the best all-rounder award in the first edition of the Junior Chennai Super Kings tournament.

Shahrukh Khan receiving an award during an age group cricket tournament in 2012

First Class and List A

In 2011-12, he was signed by UFCC (T. Nagar) in the first division, and in 2012-13, he played for Indian Bank. On 27 February 2014, Shahrukh made his List A debut for Tamil Nadu in the 2013–14 Vijay Hazare Trophy. On 6 December 2018, he made his first-class debut for Tamil Nadu in the 2018–19 Ranji Trophy.

Shahrukh Khan playing in a domestic match

While talking about Shahrukh’s First Class debut, former Tamil Nadu selector Sharath T N once said,

We picked him purely on his natural ability in the 2014-15 season. Back then, the TN team was filled with superstars in their prime — Dinesh Karthik, Murali Vijay, Abhinav Mukund, Subramanian Badrinath. So, he didn’t have a ready-made spot open. He was in the reserves for four years before he finally made his debut in 2018.”

He was part of the Tamil Nadu team that won the 2021 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

Shahrukh Khan (extreme right) with the Tamil Nadu team that won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy trophy in 2021

T20 Franchise

In 2014, he made his T20 debut in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy where he scored 21 in just 8 balls. He was later picked by the Trichy franchise in the Tamil Nadu T20 League. In the 2018 edition of the state T20 league, he scored 325 runs in 9 games for the Kovai franchise. In 2019, he captained Hindustan College at Red Bull Campus Cricket, where he was awarded ‘Player of the Tournament.’ In 2021, he was appointed captain of the Lyca Kovai Kings for the 2021 Tamil Nadu Premier League.

Shahrukh Khan playing for the Lyca Kovai Kings in the Tamil Nadu Premier League

Indian Premier League (IPL)

Shahrukh Khan didn’t impress any franchise teams in the 2020 IPL auction and didn’t get picked. He even tried out for Mumbai Indians but couldn’t make it because of his injured finger. He made his IPl debut for Punjab Kings in the 2021 edition of the tournament; the Punjab franchise bought him for a sum of Rs. 5.25 crore. While talking about his IPL price tag, Shahrukh once said,

The chance to play under K L Rahul and coach Anil Kumble and getting an opportunity to play a tournament like the IPL is something that excites me. Money is secondary.”

In the 2022 edition of the game, the Punjab franchise bought him for Rs. 9 crore. He was retained by the Punjab Kings for the 2023 season.

Shahrukh Khan was bought by Punjab Kings for Rs. 5.25 crore in 2021

In the 2024 IPL auction, he was bought by Gujarat Titans for Rs. 7.4 crore, becoming the ninth most valuable player in the auction. ^[2]Sportstar

Shahrukh Khan was bought by Gujarat Titans for Rs. 7.40 crore in the 2024 IPL auction

T20I

In January 2022, Shahrukh Khan was among the two players who were named as standby players in India’s Twenty20 International (T20I) squad for their home series against the West Indies.

Awards

In 2023, he was awarded the “Cricketer of the Year” award by Tamil Nadu Cricket.

Shahrukh Khan receiving the Cricketer of the Year award given by Tamil Nadu Cricket

Car Collection

He owns a Classic Kingsway car.

Shahrukh Khan’s Instagram post about his Classic Kingsway car

Salary

In the 2024 IPL auction, he was bought by Gujarat Titans for Rs. 7.4 crore. ^[3]Sportstar

Favourites

• Batter: Joe Root

• Bowler: Brett Lee

• Actor: Rajinikanth

Facts/Trivia

• He was named after a celebrated Bollywood star, Shah Rukh Khan, as his mother’s cousins were huge fans of the star. Shahrukh says,
  

  My mother’s cousins were huge fans and they practically forced my parents to name me after him.” ^[4]The Hindu

• According to Shahrukh, he developed an interest in cricket when he turned 11 before which he was a passionate swimmer. ^[5]The Hindu

• Shahrukh gives credit to his parents, personal coach L. Venkatanarayanan, trainer Azhariah Prabhakar, S. Sharath, and R.I. Palani for his rise in cricket.

• Even after performing well in the Under-19 Cooch Behar Trophy, he was not selected for the 2014 Under-19 Cricket World Cup. In an interview, he recalled his disappointment in not getting selected for the U-19 World Cup. He said,
  

  When I failed to make the U-19 World Cup squad, it shattered my confidence.”

• When Shahrukh was playing at Red Bull Campus Cricket in 2019, was spotted by scouts of Rajasthan Royals who selected him for a trial with the team in Nagpur; however, he was later picked by KL Rahul’s Punjab team.

• After he was picked by the Punjab Kings in the 2021 IPl auction, Punjab Kings owner Preity Zinta looked at the Kolkata Knight Riders table and shouted,
  

  We’ve got Shahrukh.”

  

  Shahrukh Khan with Preity Zinta

  The incident went viral on the internet, and netizens called it ‘Bollywood meets cricket’ and ‘Veer meets Zara.’

• His maiden IPl cap was handed over to him by Chris Gayle.

• He is known for his power-hitting ability against pace and is considered a quality finisher. Virendra Sehwag once said,
  

  He reminds us of a young Pollard, when he had just come into the IPL. Everyone was running after him, because he could just stand and hit sixes off bowlers. Shahrukh has the same quality. Although he has played those little innings and hasn’t played a big knock. But the lower you bat in the line-up, there’s only so much he can do.”

• He often shares his workout pictures on social media.
  

  Shahrukh Khan doing the workout in a gym

• As a kid, he would often play tennis ball cricket.

• Shahrukh Khan studied at St. Bede’s school which has produced cricketers like Dinesh Karthik, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Krishnamachari Srikkanth.

• He plays with jersey number 35 in the IPL.
  

  Shahrukh Khan’s IPL jersey number

• In his leisure time, he loves swimming, travelling, and listening to music.

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu is an Indian professional footballer, who plays for the Indian national football team and the Indian Super League club, Bengaluru, as a goalkeeper. He is the first Indian player to play for a top-division European team.

Wiki/Biography

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu was born on Monday, 3 February 1992 (age 32 years; as of 2024) in Chamkaur Sahib, Punjab ^[1]The Times of India. His zodiac sign is Aquarius.

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu’s childhood photo

He joined the St Stephen’s Academy at 8 and was later selected for the U16 Punjab youth football team. He made his debut for Punjab in 2006 in Haldwani. He joined the I-League club East Bengal FC as a youth player in 2009.

Physical Appearance

Height (approx.): 6′ 5″

Weight (approx.): 95 kg

Hair Colour: Black

Eye Colour: Black

Family & Caste

He belongs to a Jatt Sikh family.

Parents & Siblings

Gurpreet’s parents serve in the Punjab police, his father Tejinder Singh Sandhu is an SP (Superintendent of police) in the Punjab police and his mother, Harjit Kaur, is a DSP (Deputy superintendent of police). His sister Aman Sandhu is a makeup artist. ^[2]The Times of India

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu’s family picture, starting from the left: Gurpreet’s brother-in-law, Sister, Father, Grandfather (sitting), Mother, Gurpreet’s wife, Gurpreet (himself)

Wife & Children

Gurpreet got married to Devenish Singh in July 2022. Devenish is a resident of Sydney, Australia, and runs a YouTube channel.

Signed the most important contract of my life. Our lives, now. The thought of spending the rest of our days together ends up making everyday after this one, the happiest of our lives.
This is what we dreamed of. It's happened. Let's live it now, Devenish. pic.twitter.com/vekbbQcZdH

— Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (@GurpreetGK) July 8, 2022

Relationships/Affairs

Before getting married, both Gurpreet and Devenish dated each other for some time.

A photo of Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and Devenish Singh in a cafe

Signature/Autograph

Career

Club Career

East Bengal 2000-2014

Gurpreet signed a professional contract with East Bengal Football Club in 2010. He only made five appearances in the 2009-10 season and was later loaned out to Indian Arrows FC (now Pailan Arrows) for the 2010-11 season, due to insufficient game time. He returned to East Bengal FC in 2011 and began to play regularly as the first-choice goalkeeper after the 2011 Federation Cup. His first start for the East Bengal FC in the 2011-12 season resulted in a 0-1 loss to Churchill Brothers FC. His debut for AFC Cup came on 6 March 2012 against Al-Oruba, which resulted in a 0-1 loss for East Bengal FC. His last league match for East Bengal FC came on 28 April 2014 against United SC, which resulted in a 0-3 victory for East Bengal FC.

Stabæk FC 2014-2017

Gurpreet signed a 3 years contract with the Norwegian club Stabæk on 15 August 2014 ^[3]The Times of India. He made his senior debut for the club in a friendly match against a second-tier club Follo in a 4–1 win, on 18th January 2015. He made his league debut against IK Start FC in May 2016, which resulted in a 5-0 victory.

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu at Stabaek FC’s stadium

His Europa League debut came in the first leg of the qualifying round tie against ‘Connah’s Quay Nomads FC’ at Belle Vue in Rhyl, Wales.

India's number one goalkeeper, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, starts for Stabaek tonight. pic.twitter.com/oz714HPayM

— Connah's Quay Nomads FC (@the_nomads) June 30, 2016

On 3 June 2017, Gurpreet played his last match for Stabæk against Lillestrøm SK FC, which resulted in a 2-4 loss.

Bengaluru FC 2017-

Gurpreet joined Bengaluru FC in August 2017. His debut for the club came in a knockout stage match of the AFC Cup against April 25 FC. His league debut started with a clean sheet against Mumbai City FC. Gurpreet recorded seven clean sheets in his first season and helped his team to reach the finals of the Indian Super League 2017-18 edition, which they lost 3-2 to Chennaiyin FC. He signed a 5 years contract with the club, extending his tenure until May 2023. In the 2018-19 season, Gurpreet kept seven clean sheets and helped his team win the 2018-19 edition of the Indian Super League trophy.

Bengaluru FC celebrations after winning the Indian Super League title 2018-19

In the 2019-20 season, Gurpreet topped the chart with 11 clean sheets and won the Golden Glove award. He was appointed the team’s vice-captain in the 2021-22 season, after the departure of Dimas Delgado by the end of the 2020-21 season. In Feb 2023, he signed a 5-year extension with the club stretching his contract till 2028.

What’s a second five year stint with the same football club in India? Unthinkable? Unprecedented? Unorthodox? Unreal? Then again, when have we been fans of the ordinary? #2028 #GSS1 pic.twitter.com/8o5ElAkqeP

— Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (@GurpreetGK) February 3, 2023

International Career

Gurpreet’s debut for the India U19s came on 5 November 2009 against Iraq U19s in the 2010 AFC U-19 Championship qualification. His senior Indian football team’s debut match was against Turkmenistan in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, ending in a 1-1 draw. Gurpreet’s first clean sheet came against Guam on 12 November 2015 with the score ending 1-0 on India’s side. Gurpreet was included in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier squad against Nepal but remained on the bench in both legs. He captained the Indian national team for the match against Puerto Rico in 2016. He led the Indian football team in a group stage match of the 2022 World Cup Qualifiers against Qatar, the match ended 0-0, with Gurpreet saving 11 shots on target.

Gurpreet’s photo from the World Cup Qualifiers match against Qatar

Controversies

Gurpreet was once accused of making derogatory gestures towards the supporters of his team East Bengal FC at Kalyani Stadium during a match. In response, Gurpreet was temporarily suspended from the team and faced criticism from the home fans. However, the shot-stopper publicly apologized later for his actions on social media. ^[4]The Times of India

Awards

• Arjuna Award (2019)

• Indian Super League Golden Glove (2018–19, 2019–20)

• Tri-Nation Series Golden Glove (2023)

Car Collection

The first car Gurpreet purchased was a Mahindra XUV 500. Later, his parents sold the car when Gurpreet moved to Norway. Now he owns two Lexus LX470s, out of which one is a six-cylinder diesel car and the latter is a V8 petrol.

Net Worth

His net worth is around Rs 30 crores as of 2024.

Favourites

• Food: Aloo Paratha

• Footballer(s): Edwin van der Sar, Subrata Pal

• Destination(s): Japan, Hawaii, Egypt

Facts/Trivia

• Gurpreet declined the offer by the Norwegian club Stabaek in 2023 for a second stint at the club as he wanted to continue with Bengaluru FC in the Indian Super League.

• Gurpreet wanted to be a cricketer when he was young, he even joined the Punjab Cricket Association Academy in Mohali but later dropped the idea of pursuing cricket further despite his father’s insistence.
  

  Gurpreet Singh Sandhu’s childhood photo while going to cricket practice

• Gurpreet endorses multiple brands like Puma, Red Bull, and MuscleBlaze.
  

  A picture of Gurpreet Singh Sandhu drinking Redbull, a brand he endorses

• Gurpreet likes to go on cycling regularly.
  

  A photo of Gurpreet Singh Sandhu while cycling