How India overcame umpteen odds to reintroduce the cheetah on its territory after the handsome cat became extinct in the country decades earlier.
The champion athlete took to Twitter to give out a simple, yet special message on the eve of India's 71st year of Independence.
The escalating crisis in West Asia and its impact on the global energy supply chain are expected to dominate deliberations at a two-day meeting of BRICS foreign ministers to be hosted by India.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for gifting 'Melody' toffees to Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, calling it a 'gimmick' while India faces an 'economic storm'. He accused Modi of prioritising public relations over addressing the struggles of farmers, labourers, and youth, a sentiment echoed by other Congress leaders.
'You sat for the exam. You experienced the environment -- the pressure, the time constraints, the pattern of questions, where you were strong, where you struggled. That experience is invaluable. No amount of coaching can replicate that.'
What is it about India that tugs at the chords of our hearts? What makes this often beautiful, often frustrating, country the best country in the world for us? Why does it deserve to be celebrated and constantly nurtured? This Independence Day, well-known Indians tell Rediff.com what they love most about India.
Local body elections in Haryana, including municipal corporations of Ambala, Panchkula, and Sonipat, saw a 54.5 per cent voter turnout. Polling was held for mayor and ward councillor posts, with key contestants from BJP and Congress. The votes will be counted on May 13.
The CBI has registered an FIR in the alleged murder of Chandranath Rath, an aide to West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, taking over the investigation from the state police following a request from the state government.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi has urged India to take the lead in bringing peace to West Asia, highlighting the UAE's role in stalling BRICS consensus on the conflict. Gharibabadi also discussed a new framework with Oman for merchant vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
A special PMLA court in Gurugram has remanded Punjab Industries Minister Sanjeev Arora in Enforcement Directorate's custody for a week in an alleged Rs 100-crore GST fraud-linked money laundering case.
'He worked over time to become the natural claimant,' a senior UDF leader observed. 'Others had organisational stature, but Satheesan had momentum.' For the Congress, it may signal the beginning of a new leadership template -- one where performance, communication and grassroots credibility increasingly outweigh inherited power structures in deciding who leads the party into its next phase.
The Indian government and opposition parties are set for a showdown in Parliament over a Constitution amendment bill concerning the implementation of the women's quota law and the delimitation exercise. The Opposition is concerned about the potential impact of delimitation on the political representation of southern states.
'22 students are fighting over 35,000 seats. In that situation, when someone tells a desperate parent there is a shortcut, and the shortcut costs Rs 3 to Rs 5 lakh versus Rs 1.5 crore -- the maths is seductive.'
Several opposition parties on Wednesday decided to jointly oppose the delimitation provisions in the Constitution amendment bill in Parliament, even as they reiterated support for women's reservation, with Mallikarjun Kharge alleging the move is politically motivated.
'Once the currency goes out of the hand, then possibly your major challenge is that it will not come back.'
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer contacted US President Donald Trump to express his relief following a shooting incident near the White House Correspondents Dinner. The leaders also discussed the need to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Supreme Court has deferred the hearing on a PIL alleging large-scale banking fraud involving the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group and its firms to May 8.
'...especially pressure on the rupee, the current account deficit, and foreign exchange outflows.' 'The key question over the next several months is whether the government can prevent external turbulence from feeding into domestic economic pessimism.'
The campaign for the current election cycle ended on Monday as canvassing for the final phase in West Bengal concluded with a bitter war of words between rival parties over cross-border infiltration, corruption, unemployment and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Bollywood celebrated 70 years of Independence by telling us what it means to them, and posting interesting pictures on social media.
West Bengal and Tamil Nadu on Thursday saw a massive voter participation during the ongoing assembly elections, with turnout reaching 89.93 per cent and 82.24 per cent respectively by 5 pm, according to the Election Commission of India.
The United States Special Forces have rescued the second F-15 crew member alive, who went missing after Iran downed the jet amid the West Asia conflict, President Donald Trump has confirmed.
Stunning moments from across India as it celebrates its 69th Independence Day
Opposition parties have submitted a fresh notice in the Rajya Sabha seeking a motion for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, citing concerns over the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct.
Voting has commenced in 142 constituencies for the second and final phase of the West Bengal assembly elections, with significant security measures in place. The outcome will determine whether the TMC maintains its dominance or if the BJP can gain ground in the state.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini emphasised the importance of Sikh Gurus' teachings at the Baisakhi Mahotsav in Kurukshetra, highlighting the government's efforts to promote these values and support the Sikh community.
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India has not only been decked in tricolour hues in the lead up to the 76th Independence Day celebrations, but also put under a heavy security blanket, right from Delhi, the epicentre of the mega celebrations, to Jammu and Kashmir.
'You left young at heart, still eager to sing with the new generation entering the musical duniya.'
A leading British law firm has challenged the fairness and legality of the trial and death sentence handed down to deposed Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, citing violations of international law and a politically hostile environment.
Rediff.com brings how the sportsmen celebrated India's 69th Independence Day.
The investigation into Sheena Bora's murder, and, later, the case, leans heavily on the half-burnt body found in rural Maharashtra in 2012. Therefore, the very strange and notable differences -- like the Case Of The Rising Skeleton -- between both postmortems/their reports done on it have a critical bearing.
The Congress party has accused the BJP government of disrespecting opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge by seating them in the third row during the Republic Day parade. BJP leaders have responded by questioning Rahul Gandhi's attendance at other important events.
>Last year too, the PM invited people to share their ideas and inputs to be included in his Independence Day address.
Eighty-five village sarpanchs from across India have been invited as special guests to witness the Independence Day celebrations at Red Fort, in recognition of their contributions to rural transformation.
Karex, the Malaysian company that makes roughly one in five of the world's condoms -- about five billion a year, supplying Durex and Trojan among others -- announced this week that it is raising prices by up to 30 percent. The reason is the Strait of Hormuz.
...reopen for up to six months. Until then, the Strait stays nearly closed. The world pays. And no one, including the man who started this, can say when it ends, notes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the Iran War.
A special NIA court in Mumbai has denied poet-activist Varavara Rao's request to permanently relocate to Hyderabad, citing a lack of authority to modify bail conditions set by the Supreme Court in the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed poll rallies in West Bengal, attacking Mamata Banerjee's TMC and promising development if the BJP wins the state elections. He accused Banerjee of appeasement politics and vowed to prevent the construction of a Babri Masjid-like structure in Bengal.
The 'rescue' operation occurred within kilometres of Iran's underground tunnel complex at Isfahan, assessed by the IAEA and US intelligence as holding a substantial portion of the country's 60 per cent enriched uranium stockpile. Retired senior US military officers have highlighted that the mission's footprint -- hundreds of special operators, multiple heavy-lift aircraft deep inside Iran -- appears outsized for recovering a single airman. Prem Panicker continues his must read blog on the Iran War.
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