Editor's Pick: Etched in silver

Mirabai Chanu opened India’s account at the Tokyo Olympics by winning a silver in the 49 kg weightlifting category on Saturday. Hailing from Manipur, the 26-year-old lifted a total of 202 kg to emerge second behind China’s Hou Zhihui, who won the gold at 210 kg. The Manipuri’s silver made her the second Indian weightlifter, after Karnam Malleswari (bronze) in 2000, to win a medal at the Olympics. “It felt like a dream. I forgot where I was and the fact that I was standing on the Olympics podium. Everything blurred for a bit. I tried really hard for the gold but I am happy with the silver.” All smiles, Mirabai said she had learnt a lot from the failure at the Rio Olympics in 2016, especially “where I have to improve, and that is what got me here.” She called home right after the medal ceremony where her family and supporters had gathered in front of the television to watch her event and erupted in joy after the win. Mirabai’s coach Vijay Sharma said they had chosen to scale down her starting weight and scale it up once the competition cleared up. Mirabai lifted 87 kg in snatch and in the clean and jerk segment, she hoisted 115 kg. Her childhood coach, L. Anita Chanu, hoped this would inspire kids to take up the sport so that there is a bigger pool of talent to choose from. All sections of people of Manipur joined hands with everyone across the country in congratulating Mirabai, who is a Padma Shri, but the refrain across the State is that “she will do better in the next Olympics games.” Mirabai apart, India had a mixed Saturday at the Games: archers Deepika Kumari and Pravin Jadhav crashed out in the quarterfinals; the Indian women’s hockey team lost their first game 1-5 to the Netherlands; the men, however, fought back to beat the Kiwis 3-2; in table tennis, Manika Batra won her singles match, but lost the mixed doubles; and in tennis, Sumit Nagal won his first round match and faces Russia’s Daniil Medvedev next. Mirabai’s gutsy win inspiring India’s quest at the Olympics makes it the top story of the day. The Hindu Explains Pegasus and the laws on surveillance in India Where did the Centre go wrong on cooperatives? Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Head over to our newsletter subscription page to sign up for Editor's Pick and more. Click here Try out The Hindu's daily news quiz Which Act empowers a US President to take action against human rights abuses and corruption? 1. Musgrave Act 2. Kissinger Act 3. Magnitski Act 4. Kominsky Act To find out the answer and play the full quiz, click here [logo] Editor's Pick 25 JULY 2021 [The Hindu logo] In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [Arrow]( [Open in browser]( [Mail icon]( [More newsletters]( Etched in silver [Etched in silver] Mirabai Chanu [opened India’s account at the Tokyo Olympics]( by winning a silver in the 49 kg weightlifting category on Saturday. Hailing from Manipur, the 26-year-old lifted a total of 202 kg to emerge second behind China’s Hou Zhihui, who won the gold at 210 kg. The Manipuri’s silver made her the second Indian weightlifter, after [Karnam Malleswari]( in 2000, to win a medal at the Olympics. “It felt like a dream. I forgot where I was and the fact that I was standing on the Olympics podium. Everything blurred for a bit. I tried really hard for the gold but I am happy with the silver.” All smiles, [Mirabai said]( she had learnt a lot from the failure at the Rio Olympics in 2016, especially “where I have to improve, and that is what got me here.” She called home right after the medal ceremony where her family and supporters had gathered in front of the television to watch her event [and erupted in joy after the win](. Mirabai’s coach Vijay Sharma said they had chosen to scale down her starting weight and scale it up once the competition cleared up.  [Mirabai]( lifted 87 kg in snatch and in the clean and jerk segment, she hoisted 115 kg. Her childhood coach, L. Anita Chanu, hoped this would inspire kids to take up the sport so that there is a bigger pool of talent to choose from. All sections of people of Manipur joined hands with everyone across the country in congratulating Mirabai, who is a Padma Shri, but the refrain across the State is that “she will do better in the next Olympics games.” Mirabai apart, India had a mixed Saturday at the Games: archers Deepika Kumari and Pravin Jadhav crashed out in the quarterfinals; the Indian women’s hockey team lost their first game 1-5 to the Netherlands; the men, however, fought back to beat the Kiwis 3-2; in table tennis, Manika Batra won her singles match, but lost the mixed doubles; and in tennis, Sumit Nagal won his first round match and faces Russia’s Daniil Medvedev next. Mirabai’s gutsy win inspiring[India’s quest at the Olympics]( makes it the top story of the day.  The Hindu Explains [Arrow][Pegasus and the laws on surveillance in India]( [Arrow][Where did the Centre go wrong on cooperatives?](  [underlineimg] Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Head over to our newsletter subscription page to sign up for Editor's Pick and more. [Click here]( [underlineimg] Try out The Hindu's daily news quiz Which Act empowers a US President to take action against human rights abuses and corruption? 1. Musgrave Act 2. Kissinger Act 3. Magnitski Act 4. Kominsky Act To find out the answer and play the full quiz, [click here]( Today's Best Reads [[NSO Group | The spy who came in for the phone] NSO Group | The spy who came in for the phone]( [[As the pandemic makes digital teaching the norm, these initiatives are bringing school to rural children] As the pandemic makes digital teaching the norm, these initiatives are bringing school to rural children]( [[‘On Citizenship’ review: Rights and guarantees] ‘On Citizenship’ review: Rights and guarantees]( [[Gira, on her own terms] Gira, on her own terms]( Copyright @ 2021, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. 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