From the dusty lanes of Mirati, life took the scholar politician to the imposing Rashtrapati Bhavan through a warren of powerful offices he held, but the village stuck, the bond only grew stronger.
India is going into the longest lockdown in the world, with the least amount of notice given to its people and the least preparation by its government.
As we head into the final year of US President Barack Obama's term, here's a look back at the great images taken by the official White House photographers in 2015.
'This speech is going to be more of a punishment. I spoke too much this afternoon' A tireless Prime Minister Narendra Modi left over 700 notable luminaries in peals of laughter with his quick wit and sense of humour during a dinner and reception hosted by Indian Ambassador Subrahmanyam Jaishankar at the Taj-owned, The Pierre Hotel. In the presence of the who's who of desi Americans and US lawmakers, Modi once again thanked the Indian-Americans for their contributions and discussed his plans of developing India and the ties he hopes to nurture with America. Aziz Haniffa/Rediff.com presents a sneak-peak into the festive, grand dinner.
I kept insisting that Rs 100 notes were in short supply and there was an urgent need to augment the supply of 100 rupee notes while also rapidly bringing into circulation the proposed new Rs 500 notes. But this was easier said than done because all the note printing machines of the RBI were programmed for printing Rs 2,000 notes and required at least three weeks before the machines could print the new Rs 500 currency notes. The availability of currency paper posed another major bottleneck, and it had to be imported. It was decided to immediately start printing the Rs 500 notes. It was only when the supply of the new Rs 500 notes started improving and the process of change of cassettes at the ATMs gathered momentum that the situation began limping back to normal. A fascinating excerpt from former SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar's The Custodian of Trust: A Banker's Memoir, five years after demonetisation, November 8.
In her weekly QnA with Rediff readers, life coach and mental health guru Anu Krishna addresses issues relating to mental health and offers solutions.
'What matters is that India's perspective on global issues -- climate change, intellectual property, free trade, trade routes being kept free, digital technology -- are listened to with respect,' says Ambassador B S Prakash.
Aziz Haniffa watches celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor charm Indian food lovers across cultures and has him discuss how to cook Indian cuisine.
'There is now a new paradigm and that is also somewhat begrudgingly recognised by China. They are not all that thrilled that we have come to all these agreements.'
In this weekly self-help series, mental health and life coach Anu Krishna tells you how to take control of your life.
Reader Ranjan Banerjee, 62 from Baripada, Orissa takes us back in time.
US President Donald Trump praised the wrestlers as "great athletes".
But there have been no visual cuts in this very violent film.
'Dr Singh, visibly relieved, said, 'Yesterday night I couldn't sleep. I stayed awake, praying throughout. You have saved the country'.' A fascinating excerpt from former atomic energy chief Dr Anil Kakodkar's memoir Fire And Fury: Transforming India's Strategic Identity.
'Although the Congress party ethos resembles a court with courtiers, Sonia Gandhi's style was to be consensual.'
With last year's French Open, her first Grand Slam title, under her belt, Simona Halep decided that 2019 would be "a chill year". Then, on Saturday, she stepped on to Wimbledon's Centre Court and obliterated the great Serena Williams 6-2, 6-2 in 56 minutes to win the final.
'He is not the leader of the party in the Rajya Sabha or the Lok Sabha. He is just an MP.' 'In the order of precedence of the Republic of India, Rahul Gandhi is at 21st position,' says Sudhir Bisht.
The canteens would provide breakfast at Rs 5 and lunch and dinner at a cost of Rs 10.
'Embracing comes naturally to us; we embrace everything and everyone, but it takes a master to extend it to a firm hand-shaker like Trump, and to literally bend him to your method.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday held talks with United States President Barack Obama on "substantive" bilateral, regional and international issues including defence, security, trade and situation in West Asia in view of threat by Islamic State militants.
Two constables, Prashant Chowdhury and Sandeep Kumar, were arrested after an FIR was lodged on basis of a complaint by Tiwari's colleague Sana Khan, who was travelling with him.
Prime Minister Modi made a strategic blunder of Nehruvian proportions -- presuming no war can happen now, and the Chinese won't be a military threat and risk their economic interests, observes Shekhar Gupta.
While Ramdev claimed that Ayurved-based 'Coronil and Swasari' medicine have shown 100 per cent favourable results during clinical trials on COVID-19 infected patients except those on a life support system, the Ayush Ministry sought from the company detailed report on composition, testing and other data of the drugs.
On July 1, 2021, Britain's Princess Diana would have turned 60 and two decades after her tragic death in a car accident near the end of summer 1997, she still holds an exalted place on the altar of the most admired people in the world, her status secure as a style icon -- as is her legacy of having forever changed the British monarchy.
'KRN's journey from a humble cottage in Uzhavoor to Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi was no less spectacular than that of Abraham Lincoln from the log cabin to the White House'.
Kim said that his meeting with Moon would serve as a "historic chance" for the Korean people, who want to see the strengthening of inter-Korean relations.
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Chennai to a grand welcome on Friday, a visit that comes soon after the recent episode of turbulence in bilateral ties over India's decision to withdraw Jammu and Kashmir's special status and reorganise the state into two union territories.
Trump had a hastily-arranged bilateral meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani
A lot is riding on the Rajya sabha polls that are scheduled for Saturday. Major parties are whisking away candidates of other parties, while protecting their own, MLAs are being sent to 'camps' in the final countdown to the polls for 57 seats. Here is a state-by-state look:
Diwali celebrations also did not take place last year though the monument was lit with multi-coloured LED bulbs.
A senior Congress leader said the Opposition's presidential pick Meira Kumar might also pay a visit to Lucknow to seek votes from the electoral college as the party "will not leave any stone unturned" for the election.
The focus of the talks will be to ensure mutual development and expanding overall ties, diplomatic sources said.
'Everybody knows that any solution would upstage and expose official bungling.' 'That is something Mrs Sitharaman's masters will not allow.' 'No matter how high the cost in human misery, they will squander a fortune on the unnecessary Central Vista extravaganza,' notes Sunanda K Datta-Ray.
Clinton and Trump came face-to-face at a white-tie charity dinner at the Waldorf Astoria, barely 24 hours after they clashed with each other at the third and final vitriolic presidential debate in Las Vegas.
South Korean President's office says Kim promised to close N Korea's nuclear test site next month.
Sonia was all smiles as the PM appeared to be raising a toast.
Modi hopes to attract funds and skills from U.S. innovators to help India's burgeoning startup scene grow.
Singh was among the many MPs who attended a breakfast meeting hosted by President Ram Nath Kovind on March 18 as well as a Parliamentary panel meeting on transport, tourism and culture attended by around 20 MPs on Wednesday. Trinamool Congress MP Derek O'Brien said in a tweet, 'This government is putting us all at risk. The PM says self-isolate yourself but Parliament is on.'
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Janata Dal-United's Sharad Yadav, Samajwadi Party's Ramgopal Yadav and Aam Aadmi Party's Arvind Kejriwal will meet at Sharad Pawar's residence on Wednesday.
Besides late Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray and former prime minister Indira Gandhi, NCP president Sharad Pawar also figured in the posters.
