India has been a tea sipping society. But the aromatic wave of coffee culture is wafting across it.
We asked colleagues, present and past, to reflect on a man who has made such a difference to their lives and careers. Here it is then, a rich collection of memories that offer enchanting glimpses of the enigmatic Ajit Balakrishnan.
A case has been registered against temple authorities as permission for firecrackers was denied.
'We humans may not have not created natural disasters, but we have definitely amplified their impact.'
Shaking Delhi's spirit and soul, an unimaginable tragedy is unfolding at New Delhi's crematoriums struggling to cope with the deluge of the dead arriving at frightening pace.
The incident that claimed 43 live and left 16 injured brought back tragic memories of the Uphaar cinema hall blaze in 1997.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders on Sunday paid homage to those who lost their lives during the Partition as the Congress accused the ruling party of using the traumatic events as a 'fodder' for its political battles.
The fire department said the four-storey building, which did not have a fire safety certificate, had a single entry and exit point.
A Delhi court on Tuesday ordered the release of real estate tycoons Sushil and Gopal Ansal against the jail term already undergone by them in a case of tampering with evidence in the case related to the 1997 Uphaar cinema fire, which had claimed 59 lives.
Animal's violence isn't for the fainted-hearted unless you have an appetite for Korean style mayhem, like Sukanya Verma.
"Earlier, governments were busy in vote bank appeasement but we are busy satisfying people," the prime minister said.
'The buildings all around had caved in or were damaged. The trees were all uprooted. Things were very scary.'
What works for Trial By Fire is Rajshri Deshpande's and Abhay Deol's portrayal of the distraught parents who struggled and toiled for justice for over two decades, observes Utkarsh Mishra.
...the BJP's template of operation was different or if the Centre and the state were ruled by dissimilar parties? asks Shyam G Menon.
'To match his passion for his craft is impossible.' 'I don't know of any Kathak dancer who can equal his passion.'
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Tuesday
A Delhi court on Friday convicted real estate barons Sushil and Gopal Ansal for tampering with evidence in the 1997 case of Uphaar Cinema fire which claimed 59 lives.
In Delhi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah assessed the situation in Joshimath and steps taken to ameliorate people's hardship at a meeting attended by Union ministers Nitin Gadkari, R K Singh, Bhupendra Yadav and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and top officials.
'The State uses identity politics as part of divide and rule; the militant groups too use identity politics and civil society groups are also divided along ethnic groups.'
'The central government can stop further destruction... if they have the political will to do so.'
Describing Kothiyal as a true soldier, Kejriwal said the former Army officer is affectionately called 'Bhole Ka Fauji' by the locals in recognition of his work during the 2013 floods in Kedarnath.
'The unfolding events indicate a dangerous internal security situation in Manipur and the region. It can have external ramifications also.'
The BJP and the AIADMK are unable to sort out ideological differences, observes N Sathiya Moorthy.
'The BJP while being in government in Gujarat continues to campaign like an Opposition party whereas the Opposition does the opposite.'
'...through the will of the people and commitment of leaders.' 'It may not happen today or tomorrow, but it will happen.'
The Hussains, hailing from Madhubani district of Bihar, had planned to go shopping on Sunday, but fate willed otherwise.
At a time when Manipur is burning, voices like Colonel Sapam's serve as a healing balm. 'These are voices that need to heard and their stories of peace and reconciliation must be retold -- over and over again.
The incident turned out to be the biggest fire tragedy in the national capital since the Uphaar Cinema blaze in 1997, when 59 people died.
No lives were lost after cyclone Biparjoy made landfall. Preparations for Biparjoy were not only extensive, they were also telecast far and wide. Ahead of the cyclone's landfall, Shyam G Menon observes there was considerable publicity on how much the government was geared up to face the storm and its aftermath.
Deepa Gahlot picks the top 10 Karan Johar films -- some that he directed and others that he produced or co-produced -- that you can watch on steaming platforms.
During the 30-minute-long meeting, the delegation also urged the chief minister to make stringent law for punishment in man-made disasters.
A lesson we have not learnt from China is the urgent need to knit the vast country together to keep it from falling apart at the seams. While there is considerable dent in poverty, sadly, the North East remains as distant today as it always was, points out Shreekant Sambrani.
Excerpts from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech at the Combined Commanders Conference on board the INS Vikramaditya at sea, off the coast of Kochi.
'The right wing has worked for 70-80 years at the grass roots before it burst onto social media.' 'Social media is an extension of its formidable work in society.' 'If you think you can fight them on social media, forget it. You can't.'
The media wittingly or otherwise has been a key player in stymying the AAP. It is not so much the rivals, but the media, mostly the television and from its cues, large sections of the print segment, who got the trophy. The political parties, especially BJP and Congress, can now laugh in their sleeves, says Mahesh Vijapurkar.
'The National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party, as recent events suggest, are quite content as New Delhi's collaborators rather than trying to be true representatives of the Kashmiri people,' says Athar Parvaiz.
With time on his side, that Hardik Patel will one day occupy the top spot in Gujarat is a no-brainer. But the BJP doesn't like rabble-rousers.
'The IPL was a big learning for me that whatever you do at this level, you should be confident about yourself.'
'We completed Rs 17 trillion worth of projects in the first term and currently Rs 9 trillion worth of contracts are under construction.'
