'Visiting India is equal to doing a world tour'
'India is a world in itself... 'India's people are its real heroes'
'We have the most fertile land in the world. The Ganga and the Brahmaputra flow through our country. Yet our people starve... This is a criminal neglect of our natural resources... People's entrepreneurial spirit, their innovations... their desire to be better is always refreshing. They have done this inspite of the government,' says legendary journalist Olga Tellis, one of India's finest reporters. 'India's youth hasn't inherited the fear of its previous generation'
This generation has a lot more direction than the previous one because unlike them, the young today do not lack clarity. They dare to think different and operate with a can-do attitude and confidence. Today's youth is charting new territories not being afraid of the storm, choosing rather to ride into it and creating their own path, says MTV Roadies Host Raghu Ram. P V Sindhu: If we work hard, we will be world beaters
'I dream of a corruption-free India. Corruption is a cancer that has eaten up our vitals. Imagine if every paisa meant for development went for development,' says badminton champ P V Sindhu, the first Indian woman to win a bronze medal at the World Championships. India-US Summit Special, Edited by Ambassador Nirupama Rao
For the first time in the 43-year-old India Abroad newspaper's history, a Guest Editor was invited to edit the special magazine issue. 'India is where the heart is'
'Societies have cyclical times and we are in one of those... The most troubling part of India is that it doesn't provide equal opportunities for everybody to get a leg up... Somehow the opportunities are not there for everybody. They are for a select few, and so many of the 1.2 billion people are getting left behind,' says Swati Ramanathan, co-founder, Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy, in a special series where various Indian tell Rediff.com what they love most about India. 'Elite vent their ire on Twitter, FB and think their job is done'
The middle class represents 30 per cent of our population. They are not represented in Parliament or the assemblies as they are just not bothered! They do not vote. They do not take part in any civic, social or political activity. How can they be like this, asks Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Burman, editor-political activist and head of the Tripura royal family. 'Even after repeated assaults, Kashmiri culture stands tall'
'To be an Indian born in Kashmir has been a fantastic thing which god gave me. Kashmir gave me the sensitivity to look at things,' says santoor artist Abhay Rustum Sopori, the ninth generation of a well-known family of artistes who follow the Shaivite Sufi tradition. He recently presented a fusion piece jointly with Zubin Mehta in Srinagar. 'Being Indian is being democratic, loving cinema and cricket'
'If diversity is our strength, it is also our shortcoming, because we live in two separate nations -- urban India and rural India. There should be some semblance between these two Indias,' feels actor Ayushmann Khurana, in our special series where well-known Indians tell Rediff.com what they love most about India. US, India should try to keep Lanka away from China's sway
Since the US and India broadly share similar interests in Sri Lanka, they should coordinate closely to ensure that the country preserves its democratic institutions, says Lisa Curtis The two places all Indians must go to
The Cellular Jail and the Viper Island are two places in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands that should be like a pilgrimage for all Indians, says Bishnu Pada Ray, the two-time BJP MP from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, in our special series where various Indians tell Rediff.com what they love most about India. How Muzaffarnagar riots will impact 2014 elections
Though Muslims have been trusted allies of Jats since the days of former Prime Minister Charan Singh, experts feel the alliance has had its share of strains following his death in 1987 'The unprotected class of workers is the real India'
The real contributors of labour, of skill and even technological input, all come from this (96 per cent) category and I love them. No communal riots, least of caste-ism in these communities. 'India badly needs a modern Gandhi today'
Today the common man is not angry because of the corruption in the country, he is angry because he is a victim of corruption, says filmmaker Prakash Jha, in our special series where well-known Indians tell Rediff.com why they love India 'Nobody gives up in India. Or on India'
'India stands out in the world because of its ability to absorb, survive, bounce back and stay together despite daunting odds. 'No other country fascinates me more than India'
'I am so proud to be born in this country. The emotions that run through the veins of the population keep me alive. I have been to so many countries but nowhere have I come across souls more passionate than Indians, says Filmmaker Shoojit Sircar, in our special series where well-known Indians tell Rediff.com why they love India. Why every Indian must salute this Indian
'It is also very sad that many of us are yet to discover the Northeastern part of India. After having been to every state of India, people often refuse to believe that I am an Indian,' says Armstrong Pame, the admirable IAS officer from Manipur, who built a 100 km long road in a remote part of the hill state without government help. Investigation: Are BJP leaders being targeted in Tamil Nadu?
The Tamil Nadu state unit of the BJP has been alleging that its leaders have been systematically being attacked/murdered in the state. A Ganesh Nadar bring to light five cases where workers of the BJP or its affiliate organisations were attacked to find out if there is any truth in the charges. 'India has given me the wild tiger and my work with it'
'The most special part of India for me is where there is genuine peace Prasoon Joshi: 'The threshold of our patience has been reached'
'Let us acknowledge this and let us lead that change. Even as we change, let us not forget to love the complexity of our country and revel in its multiculturalism. Let us not forget that we've always given space for the smallest voices and the tiniest murmurs and make space for disagreements,' says writer-poet-ad guru Prasoon Joshi. Hoisting the Indian flag where no one else has
I can never forget the day when in a remote corner of the planet that mariners call the Horn, or the Everest of the Seas, I hoisted the Indian flag on my boat and gave a salute to our tricolour. It was the proudest moment of my life, says Indian Navy Lieutenant Commander Abhilash Tomy, the first Indian and second Asian to solo circumnavigate the globe on a sailboat -- nonstop and unassisted. The Great Escape: India's unsung war heroes
Three Indian Air Force officers held as Prisoners of War in a jail in Rawalipindi made a heroic escape. They reached as far as the Pak-Afghan border in Pakistan's Wild West -- within sniffing distance of freedom -- only to realise that they had finally met their match. Or so it seemed. 'The story of India is an incredible story'
I can't survive a week without speaking in Hindi. I start feeling claustrophobic. I start feeling that I need air... An Indian Prisoner of War escape story
Three Indian Air Force officers captured as Prisoners of War by Pakistan during the '71 War made a daring escape from a Rawalpindi jail. M P Anil Kumar recounts that heroic story. Parineeti Chopra: 'India has the perfect balance'
'Most countries are either very modern and detached from their families and their culture, and they are only having fun in life, or they are very family-oriented. I think India has the perfect balance of both, which is amazing,' says actor Parineeti Chopra. 'No athlete can underestimate the prayers of a billion people'
India has celebrated with great vigour the achievement of each and every athlete, as much as its cricket team, says Olympic bronze medalist Gagan Narang, in our special series where well-known Indians tell Rediff.com what they love most about India. All you wanted to know about the food security bill
Sakshi Balani presents an FAQ on the Food Security Bill that was passed by Lok Sabha on Tuesday. 'The most lovable attribute of India is our resilience'
'Our democracy is in form. Our judicial institution is broadly fine. Our parliamentary system is by and large working fine... The only segment I am deeply concerned with are the tribals. They are kept out of the development processes, says Arun Jaitley, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, in our special series where well-known Indians tell Rediff.com why they love India. Ajay Devgn: Today's youth is aggressive because it's concerned about India
Today, people fight for the rights of someone they don't know. They participate in protests to react to something they feel is not right, says actor Ajay Devgn, in our special series where well-known Indians tell Rediff.com what they love most about India. Rashmi Bansal: I grew up believing that India Can!
India can launch a rocket into space, grow its own food and make its own dams. That's something to be proud of, and I certainly am. 'We still have time for each other in India'
Our beloved country although evolving still, retains a precious simplicity. We still have time to visit one another without having to make appointments, says Neil Nongkynrih, founder of the famous Shillong Chamber Choir, as we continue our special series where 66 Indians tell Rediff.com what they love most about India. Ahmed Patel: The common men and women keep India going
'I salute the spirit of the common men and women of India. They are very accommodative. They see beyond politics and strife; they are religious and reasonable, says Congress leader Ahmed Patel in an exclusive feature, celebrating our special series where 66 Indians tell Rediff.com what they love most about India. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: India's 7 great strengths
'Spirituality, without which India would have become like the Balkan States a long time ago,' says Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, continuing our Independence Day special series where 66 well-known Indians tell Rediff.com what they love most about India. 'Gujarat throws many interesting surprises at you'
What is it about India that tugs at the chords of our hearts? India,66: 'India is being built by its people'
What is it about India that tugs at the chords of our hearts? What makes this often beautiful, often frustrating, country the best country in the world for us? Why does it deserve to be celebrated and constantly nurtured? This Independence Day, well-known Indians tell Rediff.com what they love most about India. The story of a weak and crumbling UPA II
From the economy to foreign policy issues, to addressing the serious challenge posed by communal forces which are out to viciously polarise and divide Indian society, the UPA II government has shown a certain pronounced weakness and lack of vision and commitment that could seriously harm India in the long run, notes Sanjay Kapoor. How MPs misuse thier MPLADS funds
Public Money, Private Agenda -- The Use and Abuse of MPLADS by A Surya Prakash provides a comprehensive look at the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme, which was launched 20 years ago in 1993. Excerpts from the book. The misunderstood Nehru
Arun Nehru's image of a political strategist, dealmaker and trouble shooter never allowed him to become a political leader of people, says Sheela Bhatt Stop! Tales of a village telegraphist
P Murugesan has been sending telegrams for 33 years in rural Tamil Nadu. He remembers hectic marriage seasons, many moons ago, when everyone sent telegrams. And days when even 15 Morse machines could not handle the load... The big, deep game being played by Digvijaya Singh
By all accounts Digvijaya Singh is serving Rahul Gandhi's purpose of pushing himself into orbit over Narendra Modi, but he is also pushing his own case by his brazen tweets and bold assertions in the social media and in public acrimonies. But there is a limit to all games, writes Sheela Bhatt. Escaping the Spiti snowstorm
Rediff.com columnist Yoginder Sikand recounts his near-death experience during a recent trip to Tabo, a small town on the banks of the Spiti river in Himachal Pradesh. God forbid if Chidambaram had his way with gas prices today
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Thursday steeply increased the price of gas, hitting the aam-aadmi, also gave a meagre hike to the minimum support price of food-grains, adversely affecting farmers, reports Sheela Bhatt. Nets in the sky and traps on the ground
China has been keeping tabs on the restive Tibet province through a 'grid' system and some 600 'convenience police posts' armed with high-tech equipment that monitor the daily life of the citizens of Lhasa and other Tibetan towns. Worse, 'volunteer security groups' known as 'Red Armband Patrols' are roaming around in order to get more information and 'classify' each and every citizen, says Claude Arpi N India floods: Religious tourism eroding ecological heritage
Disaster in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh can be blamed on myopic industrialisation, urbanisation and tourism policies. Gujarat leaders fight the UP battle for Congress and BJP
The battle for Uttar Pradesh will now be fought by two Gujarat leaders for their respective parties, reports Saroj Nagi Govt rolls out cyber security framework
The framework aims at creating a secure cyber space for users to enjoy confidence in electronic transactions, reports Ajai Shukla Advani's pre-emptive strike to stop Modi as PM candidate
L K Advani had no option but to strike now to ensure that Modi is not announced as the prime ministerial candidate under any circumstances before the general election, says Sheela Bhatt Exclusive! Modi will lead the BJP in Lok Sabha election
Narendra Modi will be the face of the BJP, the symbol of anti-Congress sentiment and the messiah of the Indian middle class in the general election, reports Sheela Bhatt. 'Nitish Kumar is a one-man-show, isn't Gujarat also?'
'We had become buffoons with Lalu. If you were a Bihari you were seen as a buffoon -- that has changed. Now there's a pride in being Bihari.' Archana Masih reports on the changes in Bihar. Everest @ 60: 'Tenzing and Hillary inspire every mountaineer'
In an e-mail interview on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the conquest of Mt Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, Mark Joseph Inglis shares his life, challenges and the delight in climbing the peak A bloodied childhood in war-torn Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan Tamil poet and journalist Theepachelvan Pratheepan shares the experiences during his petrified childhood days spent in the war-torn island nation with Rediff.com's Shobha Warrier. Tracking the betting racket: How the Mumbai police does it
'If the bookie and the gamblers are sitting in the same room and watching TV we will not be able to catch them. Only when there is some communication on the phone or over the internet will we have a chance to find out what is going on.' A Ganesh Nadar gets a top Mumbai cop to spill the beans on how the betting racket functions India-China talks: Read the full joint statement
At the invitation of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, Li Keqiang, Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, is on a state visit to India from May 19 to 22. Asghar Ali Engineer: Simple, fearless, straight from the heart
Renowned Islamic scholar Asghar Ali Engineer, who passed away in Mumbai on Tuesday , was opposed to all forms of religious bigotry including by the clergy of his own faith. For opposing the Syedna, spiritual of Dawoodi Bohras, Engineer faced scorn, boycott and even, sometimes, violence. In February 2000 Dilip D'souza had chronicled in Rediff.com one such assault on Asghar Ali Engineer; we reproduce it here. In Tribute. Congress gameplan behind Digvijaya's dare to SC
His provocative comments are the first political steps taken by the Congress to handle the coal scam and its fall-out, says Sheela Bhatt 'Indian Special Forces are tied up in bureaucratic hierarchy'
Special Forces are a vital element of national power, possessing enormous freedom of action and should be fruitfully employed to successfully meet future challenges, say Lieutenant General P C Katoch and journalist Saikat Dutta. 'How could we get back Sarabjit from a bunch of barbarians?'
A senior government officer, who was dealing with Pakistan on sensitive and strategic issues, tells Sheela Bhatt that Pakistan never wanted Sarabit Singh to return to India and share all that he knew. He says the the killing of the Indian convict in a Lahore jail was a planned murder. Coal-gate: PM briefed by 2 law officers before CBI plea
The prime minister wasn't comfortable with the series of events in the coal block allotment scam probe, including the uncontested detailed letter sent by Additional Solicitor General Harin P Raval (who quit on Tuesday) to Attorney General Goolam E Vahanvati recalling every instance much to the embarrassment of the government, reports Rakesh Bhatnagar Rediff SENTIMETER: Figure out how Karnataka will vote
Welcome to our interactive map showing which way Karnataka will vote in 2013. CBI chief's revelation on coal-gate embarrasses govt
The revelation by CBI director Ranjit Sinha that the law minister and other officials had vetted a status report on coal-gate which was submitted to the SC may result in a severe grilling for Ashwani Kumar when the SC hears the case on April 30. Rakesh Bhatnagar reports. 'India must use special forces better against Pak, China'
Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt talks to Lieutenant General P C Katoch and journalist Saikat Dutta on how India has failed to strategically employ its considerable number of special forces especially in creating deterrence against the asymmetric war unleashed upon us by both Pakistan and China since past several years, and that we need to right this urgently. Mamatadi, this is not the poriborton we sought
We want a change in Bengal again -- but this time a change in the real sense of the term, writes Indrani Roy in an open letter to the West Bengal chief minister Rafale deal on slow track as graft charges worry Antony
Although officially the IAF and MoD continue to maintain that negotiations are on track and should be concluded soon, the reality is that even small acquisitions are on the backburner, says RS Chauhan 'China-India maritime rivalry is NOT inevitable'
A senior government source explains to Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt why India cannot pre-judge a rivalry with China. Shailesh Gandhi and the under-trials in jail
For former central information commissioner Shailesh Gandhi, the RTI Act remains a powerful ally, finds A Ganesh Nadar Why Jayalalitha is happiest at the DMK pullout from UPA
The DMK will not regret parting company with the Congress as Karunanidhi knows that in this era of coalitions, it is impossible for the Congress-led government to seek a third term, given its track of record of scams. Even otherwise, the Congress has no base in Tamil Nadu where it has been out of power since 1967, says S Murari PHOTOS: Inside the ultimate pop-up mega city
Every 12 years comes a mystical, mind-boggling phenomenon. It is the Maha Kumbh Mela. Harvard experts map the exotic and the mundane at the spectacle. Arthur J Pais reports It's a woman's world: Miners, eagle hunter, bomb expert
As our salute to women on their day, we present images from across the world showing how the fairer sex has broken deep-rooted barriers to leave a mark in our male-dominated society. Helicopter deal: India's jinxed Westland saga
India's dealings with Westland Helicopters, before it merged in March 1999 with Italy's Finmeccanica subsidiary to become AgustaWestland, were technically problematical and politically questionable. Cong reflecting on simultaneous state and general polls?
Congress is wary that state elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and New Delhi to be held in December will impact its prospects in the 2014 general elections. Sheela Bhatt reports Copter scam puts defence agents back in spotlight
With the latest AgustaWestland helicopter import scandal, it is time to re-examine the role of the ubiquitous but ostensibly banned defence agents, middlemen, intermediaries, brokers, consultants, weapon merchants or reps as they are variously known, says Rahul Bedi Iftikhar Gilani: The police locked up my children
'Eight policemen were sitting in my drawing room, feeling at home. They had locked up my 13-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son in a room that did not have a toilet.' Onkar Singh reports on Iftikhar Gilani's plight after Afzal Guru's execution. Hope in Kerala's poison fields
After suffering from severe exposure to endosulfan for decades, the villagers of Kasargod are finally moving on. But the scars remain, T E Narasimhan finds out. Timing of execution clearly political
'The hanging has made Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's position very vulnerable. The government has created an issue in Kashmir when there was none.' 'Bold decision and the ends of justice had to be met'
'Where is the question of not hanging Afzal Guru when the case was an open and shut one,' former R&AW chief C D Sahay tells Rediff.com's Vicky Nanjappa. China's dams on Brahmaputra can be dangerous business
India should take up the issue in the strongest way with Beijing. But the solution is definitively not building more dams in Arunachal Pradesh, cautions Claude Arpi. R-day Special: The men who protect India's honour
On Republic Day, nine bravehearts of the Indian Army, who risked -- and in some cases lost -- their lives to defend their nation, will be honoured for their acts of exceptional gallantry. Let us join the rest of the nation in honouring these real-life heroes. R-Day special: Meet India's young bravehearts
Priyanka catches up with India's little champions on the eve of Republic Day as they narrate their stories. The Rafale deal and why it makes China nervous
The People's Daily, the Chinese Communist newspaper, says the sale of the Rafale fighter plane 'encourages, excites and spurs India's appetite and ambition to become a great military power.' Does India have a choice, considering the People's Liberation Army's frantic speed of development, wonders Claude Arpi. Exclusive: Priyanka tweaked Rahul's speech
What most people don't know is that the emotional flourishes and notes, the memories about Rahul's father Rajiv Gandhi and grandmother Indira Gandhi, the point about his mother Sonia coming into his room late on Saturday night and weeping, in the speech were added by his sister Priyanka Gandhi. Rahul: Last night, my mother came to my room and cried
On such a historic day in the 127-year-old Congress party's history, Rahul Gandhi presented himself as a dreamy-eyed idealist who is trying to be a visionary instead of an Indian leader keen to be a man of steel to take on the hard realities of India. Sheela Bhatt assesses Rahul Gandhi's emotional first speech as Congress vice-president. What Rahul Gandhi's elevation means for the Congress
The Congress Working Committee anointed Rahul Gandhi as party vice-president at the party's Chintan Shivir in Jaipur on Saturday. He is now the official number two in the Congress, paving the way for his projection as the party's prime ministerial candidate in the run up to the 2014 general elections. 'We don't want our salaries, we just want to go home'
Despite Union Minister for Overseas Indians Vayalar Ravi's intervention, the fate of 29 Indian fishermen, who have been languishing in Iran since October 10 last year, remains uncertain. Bihar village waits for a special guest of honour
Wajitpura village in Bihar's Patna district is gearing up to welcome a special visitor. The mehman (guest) is the rashtrapati (president) of a country once known as mirich desh by residents of rural Bihar and Uttar Pradesh many decades ago. July - December 2012 | January - June 2012 | January - June 2011 | April - December 2010 | February - March 2010