Here's the full text of President Ram Nath Kovind's address to the nation on the eve of 71st Republic Day.
'Astad had the courage to plough a lonely furrow. He made a life of his own, on his own, and created a path-breaking dance style.' 'Only a few in the performing arts could do what he did.' 'A classical dancer can fall back on tradition, but Astad created something absolutely new.'
'Villages are much better prepared than towns as far as COVID-19 is concerned.'
'Whenever you roll out: effectiveness is important, operational logistics are important, side effects are important and vaccine hesitancy is important.'
'In any business you have to achieve short-term goals.' 'But at the same time you have to keep your broader perspective long term.' 'It is good for business survival.'
Higher education policy may be at the core of the Tamil Nadu assembly polls next May, with a potential to break the ties between the ruling AIADMK in the state and the BJP counterpart at the national level, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
"This government is dedicated to the poor -- Dalits, oppressed and deprived and will attempt to do something for those who have to suffer in life. This government is committed to the welfare of the poor and how their lives can be changed and this government has been making constant efforts in this regard," Modi said.
Santosh Kaveri, a young inventor from Karnataka, is a sterling example of the 'Made In India' initiative. Find out why his dreams of being an innovator-enterpreneur shattered.
Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi has initiated a move to develop his village Mahakar in Gaya district on lines of Kalyanbigha, the hometown of former CM Nitish Kumar and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad's Phulwaria.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Saturday accused the Narendra Modi government of posing a threat to the Indian ethos of pluralism and trying to wipe out the Nehruvian legacy of tolerance.
She was honoured with the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1991, where the committee had mentioned her work "magnificent epic writing" which had been of "great benefit to humanity."
Few Harvard graduates are changing the way we teach students.
'The majority community needs to accept that the Indian Muslim is peace loving, not communal and treat them accordingly.'
The seventh Tibet Work Forum was held in Beijing on August 28 and 29. Delhi should be deeply concerned, at a time India faces a precarious situation in Ladakh, because the TWF also defines China's western border policies, observes Claude Arpi.
'Gandhi turned his life into a counter-intuitive experiment in old ideas like non-violence and swadeshi.' 'He offered numerous universal ideas that talk to the human condition.' 'His ability to take risks was outstanding,' says Sopan Joshi, explaining why the Mahatma's ideas are as relevant as ever.
Iqbal Ansari, one of the main plaintiffs who fought for the right of the community over the disputed land, says Muslims in Ayodhya won't be satisfied if the Sunni Waqf Board accepts the five acres in Dhannipur.
Shah Rukh Khan said all individuals are 'incomplete' in their own way despite any amount of 'power and stardom' as he wished the Indian Paralympic Contingent for the Asian Para Games 2018 at their send-off ceremony.
Angelique Kerber climaxed a dream season at the US Open on Saturday, performing as the champion she has become through hard work, patience and a love of the game.
'You can have a bath in just one bucket of water.' 'When you are brushing your teeth, remember to turn off the tap.' 'You don't have to wash your car every day.'
The prime minister will be visiting an education city, aimed at providing education to under-privileged children living in the area
The Bahujan Samaj Party has resisted giving up the bungalow on 13-A, Mall Avenue, saying that it had been converted into a memorial to Kanshi Ram in 2011, and the BSP leader occupied just a small portion of it.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Sunday
According to the 2011 census, 67 per cent of rural households and 13 per cent of urban households defecate in the open.
Following in the footsteps of elder brother Sarfaraz Khan, who was a big hit during the eighth edition of the Indian Premier League earlier this year, Mumbai youngster Musheer will also have the opportunity to hone his skills in England next month.
The 'Shatrughan Sinha of the South' plunges into politics.
'Prevention plus vaccination is what is going to take us into better territory by September or October.'
Our busy schedules, our living conditions where sunlight is often a luxury, pollution as also social mores that frown upon exposure are collectively responsible.
'These days, you could give the money to your maid or the person who comes to collect your garbage or your watchman; they are struggling to make ends meet.' 'You could help a friend whose business is at risk due to the lockdown and the struggling economy.' 'Even if you lend money to someone in this crisis, it will be more useful to the economy than parking your money in some government fund,' says Praful Nikam.
Given the depth of his descent into a dark, cavernous hole that has swallowed so many child stars, Tiger's greatest victory was not in golf but rather in his journey back into the light. An exclusive excerpt from the fascinating new book, Tiger Woods.
The West has built a culture of art philanthropy.
'Restrict the amount of time you spend on social media.' 'We have people who are glued to it from morning to night, which is certainly not what we recommend.' 'And do not take the stuff that you read on WhatsApp as sacrosanct.' 'A lot of it is absolutely nonsense.'
Maya Vishwakarma gave up her job as a scientist in California to make 'No Tension' sanitary pads for tribal women who have never used one before.
Kalpana Ghodawat, a brave acid attack survivor, runs a beauty parlour. She has undergone at least 100 surgeries, but feels one must always love life. Her favourite place in the world is her beauty parlour where she loves making women look more beautiful. We salute her courage!
Enabling the online booking and payment for Indian Railway tickets is one such case. Amitabh Pandey's book is about how he went about enthusing teams inside the Indian Railways and facilitating online reservations, says Ajit Balakrishnan.
The first lady of China, Peng Liyuan on Thursday visited TagoreInternationalSchool , here in Vasant Vihar and witnessed various cultural programmes performed by the school students.
The quitline number -- 1800-11-2356 -- is a dedicated toll-free number to help tobacco users receive free support and guidance to subdue their addiction.
'Learning to learn should be given more importance than what is actually being learnt,' recommends Zaki Ansari.
Rediff.com has this and a whole lot more exciting action from the week gone by, encapsulated in this photo feature.
'99 per cent of Indians who go to the US for their advanced studies they stay back there, which is a huge loss for India.
The Centre's move to celebrate Teachers' Day as 'Guru Utsav' and the planned interaction of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi with school children on that day have kicked up a controversy with opposition Congress and others, including Bharatiya Janata Party allies Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Pattali Makkal Katchi, slamming the government.
