Chidambaram said that Operation Black Thunder was the right way to retrieve the Golden Temple, by keeping the Army out of the Sikh worship place.
Mrs Gandhi's power ebbed and peaked with the times. Mr Modi's has almost been constant, barring the few months of hard dip after the 240 seats of 2024, points out Shekhar Gupta.
The government has criticized Sonia Gandhi for holding '51 cartons of Jawaharlal Nehru papers' and has requested their return to the Prime Ministers' Museum and Library (PMML) for public access.
In a culture where children take up the profession of their father, her becoming a politician was seen as natural and acceptable.
Mark Tully, the renowned journalist, author, and Indophile, has passed away at the age of 90. He spent a lifetime in India as a journalist, mingling with its people and telling their stories.
'Some states have become more populous, while others have become less populous. Those who became less populous became economically strong. Those where population increased, they became economically weak
'Mrs Gandhi had nothing to do in the day-to-day working of Dr Singh's government.' 'People say Mrs Gandhi's office used to give orders, which is nonsense.'
He chose what was best for India, not for himself. Few can deny that when god took Shastri away so soon, they did India an injustice, points out Harishchandra.
The Congress leadership is reportedly upset with former Home Minister P Chidambaram for his remarks on 'Operation Blue Star'. Party sources indicate that senior leaders should be cautious about making public statements that could embarrass the party.
Sonia Gandhi, her son, her daughter, son-in-law, granddaughter and a relative relished Chole Bhature during a family lunch at the Kwality restaurant in New Delhi on Sunday, December 22, 2024.
The ED also told the special court that Christian Michel had spoken about 'the son of the Italian lady' and how he is going to become the 'next prime minister of the country'.
Today, says Twinkle Khanna, motherhood is very different. "You're like a psychologist, you're their trainer, you're the nutritionist, you're seeing how many carbs they're eating, how many vitamins they're having, you're their chef, you're an educator and you are also their screen monitor. And you still have to make the hair along with that."
While some of them were excellent, most were passable. But many were far superior to the theatrical releases.
'The preparedness of our defence forces and positioning of intelligence assets were very different in 2008, so we had to rebuild our assets and preparedness.'
Film folk have been looking very glamorous in the last two days, thanks to the Bollywood Hungama OTT India Fest.
R K Dhawan was considered Mrs Indira Gandhi's Man Friday, her shadow, and was witness to the highs and lows in her life. Here he gives his ringside view of the events leading up to the Emergency.
What do you feel was Indira's contribution to India? Was she the best prime minister India has ever had, as her admirers -- who are legion -- say?
The actor was to play the late prime minister in a Web series to be produced by Vidya's husband Siddharth Roy Kapur.
'Indira Gandhi was a very weak person,' Kangana claimed. 'She had many crutches around and was constantly seeking validation.'
As with biopics these days, Kangana Ranaut's films may be less about telling the story of a dark chapter of Indian history and more about giving fodder to those who seek to defend or justify government highhandedness today, observes Utkarsh Mishra.
'They want to keep the pot boiling all the time.' 'The BJP wants to set a political narrative that the Gandhis are doing wrong things.'
'Fearlessness, courtesy, humour, wide interests and wisdom, deep commitment to science and technology, passion for the environment, objectivity and the ability to see many things through not only a national but also an international prism -- these were some aspects of her life and personality.' R Rajamani fondly remembers Indira Gandhi on her 25th death anniversary.
Kangana Ranaut's decline as an actor feels complete, observes Utkarsh Mishra.
The actor will soon star in and as Mrs Deshpande, directed by Nagesh Kukunoor.
'Skirmishes with officials in the Press Information Bureau were an everyday affair as the newspapers sought clearances from the media censors for publishing the next day's editions'
The 71st National Awards were presented at the Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi on Tuesday, September 23, 2025.
'Is it right and proper for the US authorities to allow people like Subrahmanya Swamy [sic] go round the country preaching murder, violence, overthrow of the duly elected Government of India?' A fascinating excerpt from Sugata Srinivasaraju's The Conscience Network: A Chronicle of Resistance to a Dictatorship.
'With tears in his eyes, he told me in Gujarati, "What have they done to this country? It has so much potential." That feeling for the country -- it was striking.'
Glimpses from around the world that will make you smile and cry.
'He must have been aware of the consequences, that too against Mrs Indira Gandhi, who at that point in time was all powerful. The easiest way out would have been to dismiss the petition, but he didn't do that'
Former India wicketkeeper Farokh Engineer believes the 1983 World Cup victory must rank among the country's top achievements.
'Please don't worry about casualties. It is a professional hazard beyond our control,' wrote Kargil Hero Major Padmapani Acharya in his last letter from the battlefield.
'Mrs Sonia Gandhi, chairperson, UPA has been admitted to our hospital today. She has been admitted in Department of Chest Medicine under the care of Dr Arup Basu and his team. Mrs Gandhi has been admitted for observation and treatment of a viral respiratory infection,' said Dr Ajay Swaroop, chairman of the hospital's board of management.
Shah Rukh Khan won his first National Film Award for best actor for Jawan, sharing the honour with Vikrant Massey for 12th Fail. Rani Mukerji was named best actress for Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway. 12th Fail was adjudged best feature film.
'We were asked to add a dialogue where the politician says she admires Mrs Gandhi.'
During Emergency Indira Gandhi acquired absolute power. Lakhs of political opponents, students, activists were arrested.
Because of his proximity to Indira Gandhi, he was able to intervene directly at the level of the PMO, which he did in the days leading up to the partition of Pakistan in 1971 when he transferred crucial information about Pakistan's moves via information handed to him by an East Pakistani diplomat in Poland where he was posted.
Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw Field Marshal K M Cariappa Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh The three highest-ranking military heroes of the Indian Armed Forces. They were the rarest of the rare. The bravest of the brave.
They try to hide behind the smokescreen that these are works of fiction inspired by real events. So, you can pick and choose from facts and fictionalise to push the right triggers with your audience or appease the powers that be, observes Shekhar Gupta.
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