Cup of HOPE Hockey legend Ajit Pal Singh, who led India to its solitary World Cup triumph in 1975, recalls the historic victory and looks at India’s prospects in the tournament beginning in Monchengladbach, Germany, on September 6 The memory of our World Cup triumph is so fresh in my mind that it seems as if it happened recently. Though over 31 years have elapsed since that epochal feat on March 15, 1975, at the Merdeka Stadium in Kuala Lumpur, people till today fondly recall that victory as a shining achievement of Indian hockey. MEMORABLE MOMENT: Ajit Pal lifts the 1975 World Cup trophy in Kuala Lumpur.

Uphill task Playing hockey on Astro-turf is not like playing hockey on grass. Skill has given way to speed, technique, tactics and fitness. The European teams invented scoops, sweeps and drag-flicks to suit hockey on Astro-turf. The idea is to get goals without much exertion as maintaining the same tempo on Astro-turf, from start to finish, is a taxing job.

Hear’s a new novel
Arifa Akbar
The modern novel has often clashed with literary tradition but never before has it eschewed the written word altogether. Audible. co.uk, an Internet supplier, has launched the world’s first audio-only novel, Sex on Legs, by Brian Luff, in the hope that it could herald a new path for fiction and the publishing industry.

Rambo a possessive dad
Guys would have to think twice before hitting on action man Sylvester Stallone’s daughters, as the actor has confessed that he is very possessive about them. In fact when it comes to his three daughters Sophia, 10, Sistine, eight, and four-year-old Scarlett, the muscle flexing macho man turns as soft as Bambi.

Elton John to go hip-hop
Sir Elton John’s fans, who are more used to ballads like the record-breaking Candle in the Wind which he sang at Princess Diana’s funeral and Sacrifice, will now be offered some change, as the veteran singer is now planning to record a hip-hop album.

Pink Floyd’s Comfortably Numb voted best
Pink Floyd guitarist Dave Gilmour’s solo on their track Comfortably Numb has been voted the greatest of all time. It was chosen ahead of the opening riff from Sweet Child O’ Mine by Guns’N’Roses in a poll by viewers of TV music channel Planet Rock.