'If the situation deteriorates and there is further escalation, the USA is in preparedness.'

Flight Lieutenant Adivitiya Bal was killed in the line of duty along with Wing Commander Mohit Rana in last week's MiG-21 crash in Barmer. His school in Nagrota, Jammu, gave a final salute to a worthy ex-student.

The Ashokan Pillar in Kolhua, Bihar, is one of India's best maintained historical sites.

Hriiyio was only 6 months old when his father, a soldier in the 1 Naga Battalion met a warrior's death in Drass.

'...Cliffy with utter disregard to his personal safety, charged through the fire zone, closed in on the enemy, threw hand grenades inside their bunkers and killed six enemy soldiers!' '...He was hit by a volley of bullets. Even before breathing his last, Cliffy killed a Pakistani soldier in hand-to-hand combat...' Captain Keishing Clifford Nongrum, who was just 24, received the Mahavir Chakra posthumously for his superhuman act of valour in the Kargil War just 18 months after he joined the Indian Army. Archana Masih/Rediff.com remembers one of India's Bravest Of The Brave as the nation salutes the 527 soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice for the Motherland on Vijay Diwas.

'If Ranil Wickremesinghe starts repressing and suppressing the protesters who represent the people, that will pose a danger for him to continue in office.'

'While parliament has elected him, the people are demanding that he goes home.'

'We don't have a plan for the crisis at all. The uncertainty will continue.'

'No one in Sri Lanka could afford to stay at home, everyone came onto the street.'

'A fragile Sri Lanka will have a serious impact on the security of India.'

'This is a historical moment in the political history of Sri Lanka.' 'You can see the amount of pressure that is coming from the people because nobody addressed the policy blunders, multiple corruption charges and huge scandals.'

'The worry among many international actors is whether there will be stability to provide assistance to the government because the political developments in the last few months are a real concern.'

'The fact that he hasn't resigned so far shows that he is going to do everything to hold onto power.'

'There is fear that the president and prime minister are dragging their feet and won't resign.'

'Sepoy K Ashuli displayed nerves of steel, exemplary courage, fearlessness under enemy fire, unparalleled devotion to duty and camaraderie of the highest order in keeping with the finest traditions of the Indian Army.'

'It will be wrong to raise the expectations of tribals because of a tribal President. 'Tribal issues have not been resolved for 150 years.'

'But will there be matching action as far as tribals are concerned on the ground?'

Two women candidates; Lok Sabha Speakers; Chief Justices; A Chief Election Commissioner; drafters of the Constitution; the RBI's first Indian governor; a farm leader who unsuccessfully contested four times; an iconic Bharata Natyam dancer...

When elected on July 18 -- which is almost a certainty, given the NDA's numbers in the electoral college -- Droupadi Murmu will be the first President born after Independence.

'Individuals who have participated in violence and arson should be identified and not be recruited.'