'The elimination of terrorists does not imply the neutralisation of terrorism. That terrorist ecosystem continues to thrive in Kashmir.'
Lieutenant Colonel C Dwarakesh is the only completely blind officer to continue in the Indian Army after losing his eyesight while in service. In his remarkable journey after disability, he enhanced his education qualification, scaled the Siachen Glacier and found purpose in sport.
'This will be a close election. At least now, it appears that the NDA has an edge.'
'Nor would it have serious implications in India's relations with Saudi Arabia that stand on their own and have improved significantly in recent times, including in defence and strategic affairs.'
'The campaign by the Mahagathbandan has failed to capture the imagination of the electorate given the fatigue factor with the Nitish government.'
'They are saying that there is a pilot shortage which is not correct, but if it was true, did they suddenly come to know this on December 5?' 'If they didn't have crew, why did they seek approval for a winter schedule? To get the approval, the operator has to show crew strength and also a buffer of crew available.' 'If they had a crew crunch, why did they ask for extra flights? Or was it something else that made them so sure that they would get away with this exemption and bans?'
'Removing Nitish Kumar prematurely risks unsettling both the alliance balance and parts of the social coalition that delivered this victory.'
'This election was won because of Nitish Kumar's face and his policies.'
'The strategic difference over technology and territory between India and China remain great and security interests on both sides will likely prevent a short-term rapprochement of any depth.'
'I will continue to donate blood till I am healthy.'
'If the RJD loses it would be out of power for nearly 25 years. Meanwhile, the JD-U will have survival issues if it gets less number of seats.'
A great admirer of Raj Kapoor's film songs, senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai says his all-time Raj Kapoor favourite song is the magical duet Pyar Hua Iqrar Hua.
'In times of adversity, families unite, but the reverse is happening in the Lalu family.'
Dr Saket Badola, Director, Corbett Tiger Reserve, remembers his meeting with Dr Jane Goodall, the legendary conservationist and renowned chimpanzee expert, who passed into the ages this week.
'You cannot 'clear' your way to peace.' 'You need intelligence, calibrated force, impartial law enforcement, political neutrality, humanitarian returns and a sustained reconciliation plan.'
'I need 3-4 lakhs for the wedding. All prospective grooms demand a motorcycle which costs 1 to 1.5 lakhs, then you have to also give a bed, cupboard, utensils, fridge,' says Kamala, her wrinkled forehead furrowing with despair.
'The question for the TMC is not whether it can hold its bastions, but whether it can expand effectively into regions where the BJP already possesses a good ecosystem.'
Nowhere are the stories of the coming election better told than on the roads of Bihar.
Lal Chowk in the heart of Srinagar was Kashmir's leading venue for protests where fortified defences had been set up by security forces. Today a group of youngsters dances at the Chowk and makes reels.
'Political protection allow groups to recruit, rearm and operate with reduced operational pressure. That increases their bargaining power and their ability to destabilise.'
'Pakistan has found itself in a favourable position after Operation Sindoor by appreciating the mediation as claimed by Trump and recommending him for the Nobel Peace Prize.'
'Bihar's voters' electoral memory is long, and their evaluations are relational; who came to the village, who followed up, who resolved a problem.'
'Abhaya Di was one of the best seniors we could have.' 'She secured a seat in chest medicine which is huge in India, where only 10-20 seats are available for the general category.' 'Such a talent was destroyed ruthlessly.'
Subhas Chandra Bose was under house arrest, yet he pulled out a daring escape from his Elgin Road residence in Calcutta to Germany via Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia...
Nitish thought that his stakes as chief minister were far greater than his stakes in protecting one of his party MLAs. He could not allow his rule-of-law train to be derailed by a small rock on the track. On the contrary, if he removed it to keep the train moving at a steady speed he would gain strong public admiration and sympathy that would help him take the masses along in carrying out other tasks. A fascinating excerpt from Arun Sinha's Nitish Kumar And The Rise Of Bihar.
'Due to orographic rainfall, localised areas are experiencing intense downpours.' 'In a very heavy downpour, the burst of water has to find its way and therefore whatever comes in its path gets washed away.'
'It is a crisis of BJP's own doing. This is an in-house fire.'
'If the NDA returns with the BJP substantially ahead of the JD-U, a BJP CM bid becomes plausible; if the gap is narrow or JD-U holds pivotal seats, continuity with Nitish is the lower-risk option.'
'They are totally disconnected with farm activities which their families have been involved in for years.'
The cultural richness that began from a narrow bank of the Yamuna has continued for over 7 centuries. And you literally go underground for as little at Rs 50 to see it!
'If China shows greater concerns for Indian interests, ties could improve. Otherwise, the thaw could be short-lived.'
'This revolution has sparked an awakening. Gen Z realises the power it holds.'
'As one former Indian diplomat put it to me, Delhi has access to the White House, but Islamabad has access to Mar-a-Lago.'
'If the BJP had its way, it would sideline him in favour of someone else. But that's not feasible. There is no vote catcher in Bihar for the BJP.'
'College-going Gen Z students are devastated by the killings and destruction.' 'These are not the kind of people who would burn somebody's home or beat up political leaders or set fire to people and snatch guns from the policemen.' 'So obviously a huge infiltration has happened.'
'Saudi-Pak defence pact is to anchor the defence and security of Saudi Arabia and not Pakistan, per se, with Islamabad being the junior partner.'
'People are enjoying freedom in everyday life because of their sacrifice.'
'They mean business, but business as usual is unacceptable to them'
'This was textbook emergency response under stress.'
'What we are witnessing is not a freak incidence or a freak occurrence, but a new climate reality where warming oceans, monsoon variability and local geography are combining to produce extreme events.'
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