'India is the most depressed country in the world at the moment and women have twice as much of the likelihood to be depressed.'
'If it doesn't happen, we may be in for a difficult time.' 'Our biggest problem is our population and the fact we are a very social people.' 'However, I would say two months is more than enough time for things to settle down.'
'Even though we have around 156 patients, we don't have anyone who requires ventilatory support or the ICU facility.'
Journalist Anita Saluja was one of the last persons to meet Sushma Swaraj on August 6. She spent nearly an hour chatting with the late leader, which is why her sudden death later in the evening came as an unexpected shock for her. She talks to Savera R Someshwar/Rediff.com about her association with Sushma Swaraj over the last few decades.
The long-term plans for Varanasi will take time to materialise but what has changed is the mood, says Aditi Phadnis
'Those who were not co-operating are co-operating now.' 'Now, our facilities are fit, our doctors are fit and we have a better protocol of how to do isolation, how to do the collection.'
'Ultimately if your aim is that you need to be able to deal with a security situation, you need to deal with a black money situation, you need to deal with a counterfeiting situation then, to that extent, I think everyone will need to able to tolerate a little bit of inconvenience.'
'Though she was deeply religious, she was against communalism. Whenever she got the chance, she did speak out against the communalisation of society.'
Juhi Chawla steals Madhuri Dixit's thunder in Gulaab Gang, feels Savera R Someshwar.
'I believe that to be a successful leader, you need to develop fly vision.'
'Prime Minister Modi is from Gujarat and so does not understand the importance of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre to Punjabis,' says the British MP fighting for an apology for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
'Will it lead to a full-scale war? I doubt it.' 'But I do think there will be some kind of limited conflict.'
Much to his surprise, Peter finds Sanjeev indicating he should sit in the middle, next to Indrani. This spot is normally occupied by Sanjeev, Indrani's former husband, who has probably found himself a willy-nilly barrier between the warring couple. The Mukerjeas, clearly, had matters to discuss.
'Amit Shah and Modi have a disciple and guru relationship. But Modi and Jaitley's relationship was based on friendship. That's the difference.'
'If this is the India you're talking about, where there is no space for minorities, where you have hate, where people can enter universities and beat students up, let me be anti-national.' 'I'll carry that as a badge of honour.'
'These protests are not just about the CAA. It is against allowing fascism and religious discrimination to creep into our legal system.'
'You must remember that a career is something you can craft for yourself.' 'But if you want to be a successful leader, you need the organisation and your team to support you.' 'In order to make it all work, you need to be cognisant of the team.' 'You can't be a prima donna. These days, people don't accept that.' 'You can't ride roughshod over people.'
"A writer must be like a sponge. I absorb everything from different parts of life."
Sangeeta Talwar, one of India's first women bosses, tells women how they can succeed in the cut-throat word of business.
'Whichever way you look at it, it is a blow to the JeM and to the Pakistani army in general; the attack has taken place in mainland Pakistan and not in PoK.'
'People feel concerned about the future, whether it is the land or the jobs.' 'The BJP came to power in Assam with promises of maati, bheti (home, hearth and identity), land, jobs and culture.' 'Are these going to taken care of? I think those are real concerns.' 'The Assam chief minister (Sarbananda Sonowal) was one of the leaders of the All Assam Students Union which fought for and is one of the signatories to the Assam Accord.' 'Today, his comrade-in-arms (Samujjal Bhattacharya, chief advisor, AASU) is leading the opposition in the streets.'
Amsterdam-based artists Jorge Maes Rubio and Amanda Pinatih attempt to give traditional products created in Dharavi a design spin.
'If someone leaves you with a feeling of being diminished, it means he is a small man. 'It's only a big man who makes you feel big. He gives you what he has -- his greatness. 'It's like the light that falls evenly on the dog and the king. Nelson Mandela made everybody in the room feel wonderful.' Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt recalls his meeting with South Africa's apostle of non-violence.
An international television series is on the anvil says Anand Neelkantan as he shares the challenges of penning The Rise Of Sivagami.
'President Kalam would always say -- this was one of his pet sentences -- that "If you don't do anything, there will be no difficulties but if you do things, there will be difficulties. You have to overcome them. Don't be afraid of difficulties".'
Shobha Deepak Singh, whose association with the legendary Kishori Amonkar, spanned 35 years, shares her memories of the musical genius.
'If, in the first 48 to 72 hours, they are just on a wild goose chase, then Gauri Lankesh's murder will not get solved.'
'My God, what do I say? It's shocking!' 'They had 27 MLAs in 2012. And now they have just seven.' 'My party (the Apna Dal-S) contested 11 seats and won in nine.'
'Salman has changed a lot in the past few years. He was totally different when I shot with him for Jai Ho. He has mellowed down, but I don't like him like this.'
To think that in this day and age, there can be a man like Dr Kalam reinforces your strength in humanity and all that is good in it, says Meera Johri.
Putting together a play about the Father of the Nation is no easy task. But when that play is a musical, the challenges increase.
If an FIR had been registered by the Pen police -- instead of a mere entry in the station diary -- an investigation could have taken place and the body might have been identified as Sheena's, leading to the case being cracked much earlier.
As Indrani, Sanjeev Khanna and Peter pass cupboard no 6 -- where the skull is stored -- what thoughts pass through their mind?
'This wipes out the entire black money in the nation in one stroke. Ninety per cent plus of the black money is kept in Rs 500, Rs 1,000 notes. What they have done is a brilliant move.'
Miffed that Narendra Modi's presence has been limited in Varanasi city on Thursday, BJP leader Arun Jaitley slammed the returning officer for denying permission to the party's Bharat Vijay rallies and the Ganga aarti scheduled in the city.
Because we mirror his beliefs, says Savera R Someshwar.
'In my personal life, I honestly find it very difficult to express my anger.' 'And then, when you are a public figure, you feel watched that much more and then you are all the more careful.' 'Begum Jaan, therefore, was the answer to my angst.'
Priyanka Chopra's mother Madhu opens up about her famous daughter.
'Acting is a very crazy profession to be in. Mentally and emotionally we have to go into a particular zone and come out of it and keep on doing it. I am sure acting takes a toll on everyone and maybe that's why logon ko actors pagal lagte hai.' In the second part of a fun conversation, Tabu shares some beautiful nuggets with Rediff.com's Savera R Someshwar and Sonil Dedhia.
Sudha Murty has various roles -- philanthropist, author, teacher, wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt -- and she revels in each one of them, discovers Savera R Someshwar.
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