♦ Former world billiards champion Manoj Kothari died at the age of 67 in Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu on 5 January 2026. He had won the world billiards championship title back in 1990. He also secured the State Champion title a total of 16 times during his career. 

♦ In 2005, he was conferred with the Dhyan Chand Award, India’s highest award for lifetime achievement in sports and games. He was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Billiards and Snooker Federation of India in 2025.