'An officer had to command the regiment for the Republic Day parade -- and that officer happened to me.' 'It should not be viewed on the basis of gender,' says Captain Preeti Choudhary, the only woman officer to from the Indian Army to be part of a contingent at the Republic Day Parade 2021.
'When you look at the border -- from Ladakh to Arunachal -- which is called the Sino-Indian border, but in effect it is actually the Indo-Tibet border.' 'Since the borders are still not secure, it has resulted in transgressions in Galwan, Dokalam etc.'
'After the Congress's 2014 Lok Sabha debacle, commentators identified three major shortcomings: Leadership, organisation, and ideology.' 'Here we are six years later -- and what are the Congress's major failings? Leadership, organisation, and ideology.' 'The party seems to have learned very little during its six years in the Opposition wilderness.'
'The Afghans used to say that if there is any person whose name should be taken after Allah, it is Hindustani.'
'The BJP and RSS accept that the party is winning election after election because of Modi.' 'If the BJP is winning due to Modi, it will also lose due to Modi.'
'Galwan has turned everything.' 'The casualties on both sides alerted the Chinese to the fact that Indians are not going to take it lying down.'
'We may think that in our border quarrel, the Chinese can give up a bit of territory here or there to satisfy us, but that's not how they see it.' 'Arunachal Pradesh is 90,000 square kilometres and twice the size of Taiwan.' 'The Chinese can't be seen to be asserting their rights to Taiwan and on the other hand, cheaply giving up Arunachal Pradesh.'
'He is not looking at the interest of farmers. He only wants to do the politics of elections.' 'This Budget is for the new super India. It is exploiting the villages of Bharat.'
'Having tied himself in knots, he just might take a decision which is dangerous, one that could take his nation to war.'
'India is not going to accept whatever the Chinese say. That is not going to happen.'
An army of government staff all over India conduct the world's greatest democratic exercise. Archana Masih/Rediff.com glimpses how they do it in the pivotal Saran constituency in North Bihar.
'It was a privilege to work for the country.'
'In normal procedure, policemen wear helmets to protect ourselves from lathi, sticks, poles, bamboos of a rampaging mob - but how do we protect ourselves from bullets?'
'The worst case scenario for Pakistan is a full-scale Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.' 'Pakistani militants would be inspired and emboldened and seek to replicate the Taliban's successes in Pakistan.'
'Raman Singh will certainly be defeated by the alliance we have created," says Chhattisgarh's first chief minister Ajit Jogi.
'We must acknowledge China will use Pakistan against India.' 'We all need to know that these two countries are ready to destabilise India at all times.'
'Mohan Bhagwat is very upfront with his views and arguments.' 'Mohan Bhagwat is competent to deal with Modi's personality cult.'
'Dr Abdullah is fine and in good spirits,' says National Conference Lok Sabha MP Mohammad Akbar Lone.
'I set out really early because it gets very hot.' 'The soles of my feet burn by the time I have finished going house to house on foot.'
'If you behave like a nail, the adversary will behave like a hammer.'
'Safest' looks like a phone booth, but is a state-of-the-art mobile COVID-19 testing lab.
'They are aware that they have been unable to bring about any change in the security situation in Kashmir and have failed to internationalise the Kashmir issue.'
'The government can do many things to improve the situation in Kashmir.'
'Times will be tough, but we will get by and by the grace of Lord Balaji.'
'They will try more rounds of military level talks and move it to the diplomatic and political domain to see if there is a possibility of a solution -- and like the CDS said if that does not happen, we are prepared.'
'I am ashamed we are dealing with such adversaries.'
The Grand Old Lady of Yoga V Nanammal was the oldest recipient of the Padma Shri on Republic Day this year. Archana Masih met the nearly 100 year old yoga guru who does not wear glasses, has never been to a doctor and can do age defying twists, hauls and bends.
'There is a deep stigma or taboo attached to COVID-19 in rural areas.' 'People don't want to test because they fear social exclusion.' 'Even those who test positive may not reveal and not follow the quarantine protocol.'
'You don't want to harm the satellites of other countries, but you also don't want your own satellite to be harmed.'
'The main characteristic of Bihar politics is that it has always affected Delhi.'
'Non-separation of religion from politics is India's most daunting challenge'
'When the Indian Army carries out anti-infiltration ops, the Pakistan army willy-nilly will get involved in some way. So, it is imperative for the Pakistan army to act against militant groups.'
'If one puts the context of what Xi Jinping said at the UN about not wanting a 'hot or cold war with any country', one realises that his speech was quite bizarre.' 'The world does not expect such statements from China, a nation aspiring to be a superpower.
'If there is anyone who is a victim of vendetta politics, it is me.'
'After the water receded, the house was full of mud.' 'The furniture, television, the workshop, car -- everything is destroyed.'
'Both have a very nationalistic view of foreign policy.' 'They think they are shrewd and clever diplomats.'
These inspiring stories of women shattering the glass ceiling will make you believe in a brighter, gender positive future for India.
'One thing we have learnt is that a pandemic can be arrested at any stage.' 'Not suddenly, of course, but slowly with steady unwavering focus.'
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