The PM unveiled the bronze statue of Vivekananda amid cheers from the more than 2,000 Indians, most of them ethnic Indian-Malaysians.
'The Indian version is that the two top diplomats merely exchanged pleasantries, while the Pakistani side characterised the encounter as an 'informal dialogue'.' 'The truth, as always in such piquant situations, is somewhere in between.' 'It stands to reason that ice has been broken,' says Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
On a visit to India in 2013, writer Ved Mehta -- who passed into the ages on Sunday January 10, 2021 - gave Rediff.com's Vaihayasi Pande Daniel a rare glimpse into his state of mind and what he thinks of the changes he encounters in his motherland.
The retired Karnataka high court judge is frail but sharp as a tack is a staunch disbeliever of Aadhaar, saying all it does is replace other forms of identification.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and opposition's vice-presidential nominee Gopalkrishna Gandhi extended their best wishes to Naidu.
Federer, who skipped the French Open this year to give his body time to recover from his incredible exploits in the first half of the season which he began by winning an 18th major at the Australian Open, said he hoped Murray would not live to regret battling through the pain barrier.
The Unnao gold hunt is an exercise in softening Hindu sentiments in the bigger dig for votes in Uttar Pradesh in 2014
Fake news, much like the golden deer in the Ramayana, is leading the world into chaos, says Arundhuti Dasgupta.
We often say, 'I know that.' Instead, a better thing to say it is, 'Why do you feel so? Can you please explain?'
Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com offers a quick checklist of the best of CES's Auto World. The future is here, you will witness self driven cars to flying cars controlled by AI. We bring you the highlight of the CES auto world.
'In the name of cultural nationalism, Modi wants to impose another ideology on Muslims.' 'His agenda, we feel, is saffronisation of Indian culture.'
Scientists believe the unique geological locations where they are situated makes them worthy of veneration.
The Gita teaches you to be truthful, refrain from criticism and manage your emotions wisely.
Modi should bluntly ask Chinese President Xi Jinping why he was willing to put his neck in the Pakistani noose, ignoring all that is known of Pakistan's perfidy, says B S Raghavan.
'When one joins an office most of the initial conversations would always be efforts to identify the new entrant's caste.' 'Once one says that one is a bachelor still, the next thing they would say will be: "We know an educated girl from among our acquaintances, what caste do you belong to?' 'If it is education that is being discussed, they would definitely ask, "Under which quota do you come?",' recalls P Rajeskannan.
'India, he announced, is a "free, open, inclusive region" committed to the "common pursuit of progress and prosperity".' 'Prosperity yes. But free? Open?' 'Ask the Dalit tanner, the Muslim butcher, the Christian priest who writes pastoral letters.' 'Ask cattle traders of any religion or a Delhiwallah who enjoys a juicy steak.' 'Ask a Muslim who falls in love with a Hindu or vice versa,' says Sunanda K Datta-Ray.
'When a soldier becomes a king, he better be a king. He should now just forget the past and move beyond continuity. He should catch the potential of India's moment and play a leader's role,' says Vallabh Bhansali of Enam Group.
'We don't want hardcores like Pramod Muthalik in Goa. We vehemently oppose people who share Muthalik's tendencies. We don't need cultural watchdogs in Goa.' BJP MLA Vishnu Wagh lashes out at Goa's anti-bikini minister Sudin Dhavalikar in this exclusive interview to Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com
Wheeling round, a look of utter shock on its face, a marmot jumps in fright after a young fox sneaks up behind it. The split-second encounter between prey and predator -- called the Moment -- has won the man who captured it the title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year. He was chosen from a longlist of various category winners, all of whom managed to record the oddities, rivalries and beauty of the natural world. Scroll down for some of the winners.
One of the finest minds on foreign exchange management, monetary and fiscal policies, on debt and currency markets, on bank management and governance, and indeed on almost every aspect of modern finance and banking passes into the ages.
The film cannot be taken seriously, says Paresh C Palicha.
What drove Ravana, a good king, and Duryodhana, who could match Bhima on strength and valour to ruin?
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 doesn't always escape the trappings of an obligatory sequel, but the disarming shenanigans of its screwball superheroes coax you to stay hooked on to that feeling, promises Sukanya Verma.
With Tiger Woods hitting golf balls at a juniors clinic in South Carolina earlier this week, media speculation has been mounting that the former world number one could make his PGA Tour return within the next month.
'Insulting the law, instigating violence, living ostentatiously and preaching godliness?' 'This vulgar hypocrisy needs peoples' rejection and a revolt.' 'If people can't speak out, then it will be a hypocrisy that they expect the government to act and speak for them,' says Tarun Vijay.
With the Aam Aadmi Party hinting at a contest between Kumar Vishwas and Rahul Gandhi in 2014 general elections, the AAP leader said it is up to the party and the people of Amethi to take a decision on his candidature from the constituency represented by the Congress vice-president.
'With the appeal of both the Left and the Congress fading, Banerjee fears the saffron brigade's inroads into her citadel,' says Sunanda K Datta-Ray.
Wilson's car careened out of control and into a wall after he was hit by a large piece of debris from the car of Sage Karam on the track in Long Pond, Pennsylvania.
'Oh, this is printed material which is sent to everyone along with the ATM card,' the bank manager told me. 'It won't work because the system has changed.' A Ganesh Nadar encounters the Indian banking system.
Most of the investing risk comes from the amazingly wrong, stupid, egoistic assumptions that we make. Here are four of them...
Purists may balk at this level of public discourse, but no one can deny its ability to marshal opinion.
Fathers and sons have had a vexed relationship throughout myth, says Arundhuti Dasgupta.
Mahesh Sharma Lord Ram looked set to occupy political centre-stage in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh despite the Bharatiya Janata Party's claim of a temple to the deity not being on its agenda
'With changing times, elections no longer are won by giving subsidies, doles and gifts before and after.' 'Entitlements, rightful gains of growth and economic development and the like are becoming important for increasingly conscious and demanding voters, especially younger voters,' points out Bheemaiah Krishnan Ravi.
'In the hands of a majoritarian government, with utter contempt for the cultural plurality and diversity of our great nation, the pipe dream of making Hindi the sole official language takes on nightmarish proportions.'
'Bateshwar is a rare temple where Shiva is depicted in his human form (and not his symbol, the Lingam).'
Maria Sharapova knows the pitfalls of being a prodigy and after easing into the fourth round at Roland Garros the seasoned grand slam champion offered some sage advice to the new generation in women's tennis.
He said that as the home minister of the country, he wanted to make it clear that India is committed to taking along everybody and moving ahead on the path of development.
Generations of Indian Americans have had Arthur first note their feats and recount it to the world. And that is why so many desis across America have been saddened by his passing.
Devdutt Pattanaik, who has simplified the ancient Indian scriptures for millions of readers, highlights what our scriptures have to say about homosexuals and transgenders.
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