Watching the World Cup and hearing the music in the stadium may have left you wondering - how is that chosen? Is it just coincidence that "Wonderwall" plays after England matches? Are "Freed from Desire" or "Livin' on a Prayer" always played? And why?
After living in India's most palatial residence for 12 years, India's first President Dr Rajendra Prasad returned to his simple hut on the banks of the Ganga. He never owned a house of his lifetime.
Who are the special fathers of these famous Indians? The paternal figures responsible for putting them on the right path and helping them find greatness.
It took years and years to bump into a green banana and learn how to eat it.
'Gandhi was Thakur and Gabbar was Jinnah.'
It was a mere formality for the general assembly of 74 members to put a seal of approval on India's bid after Ahmedabad was recommended as the proposed host of the centenary edition by the Commonwealth Sport's Executive Board last month. India last hosted the CWG in 2010 in Delhi.
India's 2030 Commonwealth Games bid is set to be formally approved on Wednesday at the Commonwealth Sport's general assembly in Glasgow.
On November 18, 1962, 114 soldiers of the 13th Kumaon fought till the last man, and last bullet, in sub-zero temperatures, to beat back the huge Chinese army. We salute the Heroes of Rezang La.
Sharma was the president of the conference, the first since the Paris Agreement of COP21 that expected parties to make enhanced commitments towards mitigating climate change.
In cricket, we have something that we can share with our families, neighbours and indeed, the whole country. It is colour-blind, language-neutral, truly secular and transcends all regions, from Kashmir to Kerala and Mizoram to Maharashtra, explains Shreekant Sambrani.
He was colourful. He was dramatic. He was The Master of His Craft. There never will be an editor as versatile as Pritish Nandy, notes Nikhil Lakshman.
'Rishi is brought up with Indian values -- Indian qualities like respect our parents, respect our uncles -- but he is more British.'
'Having dedicated my life towards improving breast healthcare in my motherland. I shall continue to work with rock-solid determination following this "chosen" path.'
'The sudden arrests and detentions of all Working Committee members led to mass satyagraha.' 'I found myself helpless as the source of my income, from which I sent a portion to my parents in the village, had suddenly stopped.'
This versatile Thai red curry takes any kind of vegetable or protein in it and is served with steamed rice and garnish.
Tony Lewis, the former university lecturer better known for one of the most complex rules of cricket -- the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method which is used in rain-affected matches, died at the age of 78.
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The 33-year-old has vast experience of playing in the United Kingdom, United States and the Gulf.
'Evidently, something has gone terribly wrong in the state of the Indian Union.' 'The rulers seem nervous that the pandemic is spinning out of control,' notes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
'I will miss you calling me and saying "I am Shashi Kapoor" even when you were at the height of your stardom.' Gitanjali Gurbaxani remembers a dear friend.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
Summary of World Cup qualifiers played across the world on Thursday
Bharati Dutt witnessed life-changing events that shaped India on the threshold of freedom. Her memories are an account of how ordinary Indians saw India change.
Monday was the first day of the hearing, which will conclude on Wednesday.
Get your low-down on what's happening in the world of Bollywood, right here!
The Alams saw the magical spot while on a drive to the hills. A few years later they set up home and a small hand woven shawl business, hiring local weavers, using local wool and natural colours made of root, stem and flower.
Indians at large harbour a notion that their country is cherrypicking out of the American basket of goodies, but the policymakers in Delhi and the political leadership are well aware that it can only be a pipe dream since a military alliance with a superpower is a profound irrevocable commitment, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Millions of people worldwide are having to embrace life under lockdown -- confined to their own four walls or neighbourhoods for weeks on end as countries battle to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.
'Can he remain ignorant by saying he was 13 years old?' 'That means Rahul Gandhi must not talk on any subject in this country that precedes his adulthood.' 'He should remain unaware of history and knowledge of anything that has happened.'
'The Thai junta, who immediately took control of the operations in a military manner, took the decision to involve the best world professionals for the rescue.' 'This made a huge difference.' 'It is highly probable that in India, the authorities would have said, "We have the expertise, we don't need foreign aid",' says Claude Arpi.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Saturday.
Annabel Mehta, Sachin Tendulkar's mother-in-law, has dedicated her life to working with the Beautiful People of the other half of Mumbai without whom the city would neither exist nor thrive. Vaihayasi Pande Daniel met the amazing lady who was awarded the Member of the Order of the British Empire for her service to underprivileged communities.
People like Dr Kalam teach us to dream and to chase our dreams. It is their humility that they wore on their sleeves that makes them truly great people. While we weep for a true Ratna that has left us on Monday, let us be happy that we lived in a period when he was alive and with us, says Rediff.com reader M C Sujil Bose.
The year is coming to an end and overall, it's been one hell of a year! We have had our share of ups and downs and we look forward to a better 2020. While we count down the days to the new year, let's also reflect on those who gave us strength to stand up in what we believe, the courageous who didn't bow down and the ones with gumption who inspired us to be better. We, Rediff.com, have selected 26 personalities, who we think are worthy of the title -- HERO OF THE YEAR -- and we want you, dear readers, to choose your hero!
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Thursday
Thirty-four years after he traveled to space, Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma tells Rediff.com's Archana Masih that he looks forward to Gaganyan, India's first manned space mission in 2022.
'His past as a cricketer makes it difficult for the BJP to question his nationalism.' 'He gets away by ridiculing Modi while something similar from most Congress leaders does not resonate as much.'
Retracing the journey that brought coffee from Araku Valley in Andhra Pradesh to an upscale caf in the aristocratic district of Le Marais in Paris.
US Open champion Martin Kaymer sank an eight-foot birdie putt at the first extra hole to beat Bubba Watson in the four-man PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Bermuda on Wednesday.
'The biggest advantage for India was its seasoned and experienced political leadership who had spent decades struggling against the Raj and had spent years behind bars.' 'Not a single prominent leader of the Muslim League spent one day in jail.' 'Gandhiji, Nehru and Sardar Patel were intelligent, shrewd men with their hands on the popular pulse.'
