Upasna Pandey, For Rediff.Com

Stories by Upasna Pandey, For Rediff.Com

'AAP has failed to bring gender perspective in the party'

'AAP has failed to bring gender perspective in the party'

Rediff.com   14 Apr 2015

Aam Aadmi Party's eminent women supporters are backing the 'Swaraj Samwad' with a focus on women participation in politics. They also haven't given up on dreams of a united AAP. Upasna Pandey reports

People are not interested in 'political humdrum', says AAP leader

People are not interested in 'political humdrum', says AAP leader

Rediff.com   6 Apr 2015

As the Aam Aadmi Party goes through an internal power struggle, senior leader H S Phoolka dismisses the goings-on as normal birth pangs of a political party. Upasna Pandey reports for Rediff.com

'Kejriwal has become larger than the party now, but it won't last'

'Kejriwal has become larger than the party now, but it won't last'

Rediff.com   1 Apr 2015

'I think the AAP is still in transition from being a movement to a political party so there is a mix of people who form the party. So there is somewhat of a overlapping and commonality of purpose.' 'Look at the way the government and party is functioning, not a single woman minister in the cabinet, or no woman member in the political affairs committee, it is all very tactical now.' 'After the 'sting' I decided to step back. I realised that my moral basis has been questioned by Kejriwal, it is truly despicable. He is around 15 years younger to me, I was aghast by his words.' AAP 'rebel' Prof Anand Kumar speaks of what went wrong with the party in the last few days in this interview with Upasna Pandey.

Shocking! What some doctors will do for money!

Shocking! What some doctors will do for money!

Rediff.com   31 Mar 2015

'Can we forgive the pathologist who wrongly labelled a healthy person as a diabetic patient for receiving the favour of the referring physician and possibly for a few thousand rupees?' 'The delinquent homeopath who caused a cataract in a child by giving terribly wrong drug must go to jail.' 'How can we permit a gynaecologist to practice her/his specialty if s/he tinkers with the faith of the patient in an abhorrent way?' 'Paying money does not guarantee good healthcare. The private healthcare system largely treats patients as revenue generators,' crusading doctor Dr Arun Gadre tells Dr K S Parthasarathy.

We Indians changed our colours, just for the day!

We Indians changed our colours, just for the day!

Rediff.com   30 Mar 2015

'Amazingly, along with the yellow army, there was still a huge number of desis, who had flown in from various parts of the world. No, we didn't sell our tickets -- we just changed our colours, for the day,' says Swapna Mitter, who was at the World Cup Final.

Prem Panicker: The boys in black have a bit of growing up to do, yet

Prem Panicker: The boys in black have a bit of growing up to do, yet

Rediff.com   29 Mar 2015

'That was the key to a game where, on paper, there is nothing to separate the two sides: Intensity. From the first ball of the innings to the run out of Southee, the Australian bowlers and fielders buzzed around like predatory yellow-jacketed wasps.' 'Adding teeth to the bowling and relentless fielding is the captaincy of Michael Clarke, leading in his last one day international. His body may require an entire college of medical specialists to maintain, but his mind is scalpel-sharp, cutting through the complexities of the game to hit on simple solutions.'

Maxwell best bet to finish MVP No 2

Maxwell best bet to finish MVP No 2

Rediff.com   27 Mar 2015

A B de Villiers still heads Rediff.com's Most Valuable Players ratings for the World Cup.

What it was like at the Sydney Cricket Ground

What it was like at the Sydney Cricket Ground

Rediff.com   27 Mar 2015

Swapna Mitter, who travelled from Singapore to watch the semi-final, says many hearts were still bleeding blue after the loss in Sydney.

Prem Panicker: At the end, you felt for Dhoni

Prem Panicker: At the end, you felt for Dhoni

Rediff.com   26 Mar 2015

'The man who never knows when he is beaten deserved, on the day he played what will be his last World Cup game, mates who were not beaten in the mind before they were beaten on the field.' Prem Panicker salutes 'India's best one day captain by a long margin who led superbly throughout the tournament.'

Delhi street play row: 'Banning things has become popular'

Delhi street play row: 'Banning things has become popular'

Rediff.com   26 Mar 2015

A Delhi University college play on religious intolerance is caught up in controversy as the ABVP-run students' union runs pillar-to-post to get it banned for reported 'anti-Hindu' content. Watch it once at least before forming an opinion -- that's all that play director Guneet Singh has to say.

Despite semis loss, De Villiers still the Most Valuable Player

Despite semis loss, De Villiers still the Most Valuable Player

Rediff.com   26 Mar 2015

A B de Villiers may have made some big mistakes in the semi-final: Choosing to bat first in spite of the rain threat, batting too low at No 5, not hogging the strike after David Miller departed, fielding badly, asking Dale Steyn to bowl the last over ... but he is still best placed to be adjudged the most valuable player of the 2015 World Cup.

Vidhu Vinod Chopra: 'James Cameron raved about my film'

Vidhu Vinod Chopra: 'James Cameron raved about my film'

Rediff.com   25 Mar 2015

Vidhu Vinod Chopra takes stock of his Bollywood career and explains why he thought of foraying into Hollywood.

'It's ok lah, Lee Kuan Yew sleeping now!'

'It's ok lah, Lee Kuan Yew sleeping now!'

Rediff.com   25 Mar 2015

'The question now is how long the exercise in perfection he created will last once his influence isn't there any longer,' says Sunanda K Datta-Ray.

Mufti's statements make Pandits wary of returning to the valley

Mufti's statements make Pandits wary of returning to the valley

Rediff.com   25 Mar 2015

'It is a matter of regret that the BJP and PDP refused to take the Pandits aboard in this government.' 'The present government is following a policy of soft secessionism.'

Meet the litigant whose PIL struck down Sec 66A

Meet the litigant whose PIL struck down Sec 66A

Rediff.com   24 Mar 2015

'I am ecstatic as I believe this is not my victory but it is a win for the people of the country who have a right to freely express themselves. It is the victory for everyone who uses the internet and social media.' 'I think the internet is all about self regulation, and as long it is about people expressing themselves and not causing any criminal harm to anyone, it should be allowed.' Shreya Singhal, whose PIL resulted in Section 66A of the IT Act being struck down by the Supreme Court, speaks to Upasna Pandey.

Prem Panicker: Fortune's Fools Fail Again

Prem Panicker: Fortune's Fools Fail Again

Rediff.com   24 Mar 2015

'This was not the cleanest game of cricket you've ever seen -- there were too many flubs and fumbles for that. But it was certainly the semi-final this mostly blah tournament has needed -- two tough, well-rounded teams, toe to toe, slugging it out, bleeding and drawing blood until there was only one left standing.'

Guptill jumps 43 places to third in MVP!

Guptill jumps 43 places to third in MVP!

Rediff.com   23 Mar 2015

Although A B de Villiers is still the front-runner for the MVP crown of the 2015 World Cup, a new and serious challenger has suddenly appeared out of the blue -- New Zealand opener Martin Guptill.

Jnanpith winner: 'Right-wing groups have brought shame to India'

Jnanpith winner: 'Right-wing groups have brought shame to India'

Rediff.com   20 Mar 2015

'I stand by what I said. It is understandable that Rushdie got angry and called me names. But it also means it hurt him because there was some truth in what I said.'

De Villiers maintains big lead, Shami rises to 7th in MVP table

De Villiers maintains big lead, Shami rises to 7th in MVP table

Rediff.com   20 Mar 2015

It looks highly unlikely if anyone will catch the South African captain in Rediff.com's Most Valuable Players ratings for the World Cup.

Prem Panicker: MS smiled, for the second time today...

Prem Panicker: MS smiled, for the second time today...

Rediff.com   19 Mar 2015

'Probably because he was aware that this was his 100th ODI. Or probably because, in the first of its knock-out games, his team had produced the sort of all-round display that induces smiles.'