07062023-LSTC-01.qxd 6/6/2023 10:55 PM Page 1 c m y b TRIBUNE Ayushmann Khurrana helps LGBTQIA+ community in Chandigarh to turn entrepreneurs Miss you On the occasion of Sunil Dutt’s 94th birth anniversary, his son and actor Sanjay Dutt penned an emotional note on social media. He wrote, “I love and miss you so much Dad.” ANI CHANDIGARH | WEDNESDAY | 7 JUNE 2023 Match fixing! PHOTOS: ANI & PTI Mona S Pride of Chandigarh Ayushmann Khurrana is empowering the LGBTQIA+ community in Chandigarh by turning them into entrepreneurs in Pride Month. Ayushmann has invested in building food trucks for the community so that they can become self-reliant through food business. The food trucks are being called Sweekar, a relevant take on the importance of acceptance for the community in today’s society. Dhananjay Chauhan, the first transgender student of Panjab University and an active voice for the community in the state, tweeted the pictures of the food truck and wrote, “Thank you so much Ayushmann Khurrana for supporting transgender. Without your An actor help our dream will never fulfill. should have social Chandigarh Administration responsibility. I believe and Panjab University can prothat inclusivity is the vide a space to transgender to primary pillar for start food business.” Ayushmann said, “An actor nation-building. should have a social responsibility. It is the love of the people that put us in a position where we can do our bit to empower people and communities thereby raising awareness on important issues. I have always believed that inclusivity is the primary pillar for nation building. Ayushmann further said, “I’m thrilled that on the occasion of the Pride Month, this is a step to empower members of the transgender community in Chandigarh to become selfreliant by turning them into entrepreneurs. I will always support the LGBTQIA+ community in my own way.” — IANS PTI Swara Bhasker announces pregnancy TAR-STRUCK sports champions often find their soul mates in movie stars. Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma, KL Rahul and Athiya Shetty, and Yuvraj Singh and Hazel Keech are a few names from the rather long list. But then, there are sportspeople, who are finding their better halves on the field. As the rising star of the Chennai Super Kings, Ruturaj Gaikwad, recently tied the knot with fellow cricketer Utkarsha Pawar, here is to sports celebs who found their partners on the play ground! As CSK’s rising star Ruturaj Gaikwad tied the knot with cricketer Utkarsha Pawar, here’s a look at sports couples who are playing a long innings of marital bliss RUTURAJ GAIKWAD WITH UTKARSHA PAWAR PITCH TO THE ALTAR RUTURAJ GAIKWAD & UTKARSHA PAWAR Reportedly, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Utkarsha Pawar both played for the Maharashtra domestic cricket, and have been dating for long. Ruturaj just enjoyed a remarkable IPL season, being the second-highest run-scorer at the champions Chennai Super Kings, and soon after, he shared the happy news by captioning their dreamy photos, “From the pitch to the altar, our journey begins.” BEST MATCH OF LIFE SAINA NEHWAL & PARUPALLI KASHYAP RONAK PANDIT & HEENA SIDHU The love for badminton and mutual admiration brought shuttlers Saina Nehwal and Parupalli Kashyap together. They met during a camp in 1997 and started dating in the early 2000s. Through the ups and downs, they kept motivating each other and became man and wife in 2018. “Best match of my life,” posted Kashyap sharing the good news on social media. Pullela Gopichand and PVV Lakshmi is another famed court couple! LOVE & LOYALTY BAJRANG PUNIA & SANGEETA PHOGAT PARUPALLI KASHYAP & SAINA NEHWAL SANGEETA PHOGAT & BAJRANG PUNIA DEEPIKA PALLIKAL & DINESH KARTHIK INDIA MEETS PAK SANIA MIRZA & SHOAIB MALIK The winsome wrestlers from Haryana came close during 2017 Prowrestling League. Their matches were scheduled together, and then they started training together. He is in love with her cheerfulness and she values his loyalty. They got married in 2020. The couple has stood together in protest against the sexual exploitation of women wrestlers. In fact, another famous Phogat wrestler, Geeta, found her lover in wrestler Pawan Kumar! She a tennis ace, he a former Pakistan national cricket team captain; she India’s pride and he Pakistan’s joy – when the duo got hitched in 2010 many feathers were ruffled. The duo welcoming a son in 2018. The couple’s happy union has been under the shadow of divorce. However, their cryptic notes could be for the promotions of The Mirza Malik Show. THE BULL’S EYE HEENA SIDHU & RONAK PANDIT Ace shooters and Arjuna awardee, Meet Prateik Patil Babbar The actor pays tribute to his mom by adding Patil to his name Good news Swara Bhasker on Tuesday announced that she and her politician husband Fahad Ahmad are all set to welcome their first bundle of joy with a string on pictures. She took to Twitter posting a picture with her husband and announced the news to her followers. She also shared a glimpse of her blooming baby bump. “Sometimes all your prayers are answered all together! Blessed, grateful, excited (and clueless!) as we step into a whole new world! @FahadZirarAhmad #comingsoon #Family #Newarrival #gratitude #OctoberBaby,” she tweeted. Swara and Fahad got married in February in court under the Special Marriage Act. —IANS Prateik Babbar, who is known for his work in films like Mulk, Chhichhore, India Lockdown and several others, has changed his name to Prateik Patil Babbar as a heartfelt homage to his late mother, Smita Patil — one of the finest actresses of Hindi cinema, who was the recipient of two National Awards and a Padma Shri. The late actress was one of the flag-bearers of the New Wave Movement in Hindi cinema. The actor also changed his name on all his social media handles. Prateik’s relationship with his mother has always been one of love and inspiration. He has often spoken about her influential presence and the enduring impact she continues to have on his personal and professional journey. Talking about his decision, Prateik said, “With the blessings of my father and my entire family... my late mater- c m y b nal grandparents & my late mother, I have decided to add my mother’s last name as my middle name, giving birth to my new screen name Prateik Patil Babbar. I want it to be a reminder to myself, the people and the audience, of her extraordinary and remarkable legacy, of my legacy, a reminder of her brilliance and greatness.” He added, “My mother will be a part of each and every endeavour I put my energies into not that she wasn’t a part before but, having her last name as part of my name just solidifies the sentiment. It’ll be 37 years this year since she left us, gone but not forgotten. I will make sure she is never forgotten. Smita Patil will live on through my name quite literally.” —IANS they got married in 2013. The first Indian pistol shooter to be ranked World Number 1, and two-time Olympian Heena’s partnership with her spouse is made special as he is also her coach. They are now raising a daughter they were blessed with in 2021. CROSS OVER DINESH KARTHIK & DEEPIKA PALLIKAL Not always sports folks marry from the same field. Cricketer Dinesh Karthik found his ladylove in ace squash player Deepika Pallikal. Theirs was a Pride and Prejudice story, as our leading lady was ANI Over & out Taylor Swift and Matty Healy have called it quits after fueling romance rumours for about a month. Tayler and Healy have been linked since early May and have been spotted in public together several times. “She had fun with him, but it was always casual,” says a source. “They are no longer romantically involved.” Healy was also seen at all six of Swift’s Eras Tour shows in Nashville and Philadelphia, along with Swift’s father Scott and friends like Blake Lively and Gigi Hadid.—ANI averse to the name and fame cricket enjoys over other games. The duo came together as they were training under the same fitness coach. He proposed to her in London and they got engaged in Chennai in 2013. A Christian wedding and another Hindu-Telugu wedding sealed the deal in 2015. The couple welcomed twins Kabir Pallikal Karthik and Zian Pallikal Karthik in 2021. The list also includes Atanu Das and Deepika Kumari, the famous archers, and Anju Bobby George and Robert Bobby George, the athletes, who found companion on tracks. — Inputs by Rachael Rodrigues Prabhas visits Tirumala Prabhas, who is gearing up for his upcoming mythological drama Adipurush, paid a visit to Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams on Tuesday. Pictures from his visit went viral on social media. In the viral pictures and videos, the actor can be seen in a white kurta-pyjama with a red silk shawl wrapped around him. Helmed by Om Raut, Adipurush is a mythological drama based on the epic Ramayana. The film stars Prabhas as Lord Ram, and Kriti Sanon as Sita. The film will be out in theatres on June 16. —ANI