'If you look around the world at people of colour, religion, caste, sexuality or any of the marginalised communities, we are always talking in numbers.' 'We are always assigning them a statistic.' 'That is an easy way to assuage your urban guilt. Because you hide your apathy with hollow sympathy.' 'We are, in a way, making them invisible.'
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday urged the party to be a party of hope, not resentment, a party of the future not just of the past, and a party with a positive narrative and not just criticism. He also slammed the BJP for trying to divide North from South, emphasizing the need for inclusivity and national harmony. Tharoor highlighted the importance of economic growth and equitable distribution of its benefits, calling for the Congress to remain the voice of the voiceless.
Digital literacy is emerging as the professional language of 2024. It is the ability to process complex data sets, deploy critical communication technologies appropriately and validate your importance at your workplace, explains Jagdeep Kochar, managing director, Baker & Taylor India.
India has successfully evacuated all of its citizens who wished to return home from Syria following the overthrow of President Bashar Assad's government by rebel forces. The evacuation process, which began on Tuesday, saw 77 Indian nationals brought back to safety. The Indian Embassy in Syria continues to function and is monitoring the situation closely, advocating for a peaceful and inclusive political solution.
As the Centre announced the inclusion of caste enumeration in the next census on Wednesday, opposition parties said it is a victory for their long-standing demand and sought time-bound implementation.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, speaking at the University of Oxford, stressed the importance of inclusive development and stated that division in society is counterproductive. She emphasized that her governance model prioritizes the welfare of all sections of society and does not allow discrimination, highlighting the state's diverse population and the need for a human-centric approach.
'We will work together for the mutual benefit of the people of our two countries and shape a better future for the world.'
RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das on Thursday said financial inclusion will continue to be a "policy priority" for the central bank to make the post-pandemic recovery more equitable and sustainable. The Reserve Bank of India will very soon be coming out with the first financial inclusion index, which will assess progress in terms of access, usage and quality, Das said, while speaking at the Economic Times Financial Inclusion Summit. It is the responsibility of all stakeholders to ensure that the financial ecosystem (including the digital medium) is inclusive and capable of effectively addressing risks like mis-selling, cybersecurity, data privacy and promoting trust in the financial system through appropriate financial education and awareness, he added.
After being sidelined with an injury since the Paris Games, accomplished boxer Nikhat Zareen is now determined to make a strong comeback and aims to be competition-ready by May.
Acutely conscious that he's left with less than four years to create his legacy, Trump is undoubtedly a man in a hurry, observes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
'We believe cricket would be a great addition to the Olympic Games, but we know it won't be easy to secure our inclusion as there are so many other great sports out there wanting to do the same. But we feel now is the time to put our best foot forward and show what a great partnership cricket and the Olympics are.'
All India Football Federation president Kalyan Chaubey said the governing body has been actively working on policies to integrate Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) players into the national team setup.
Delhi gal Mouli Arya -- this is only her second outing at a fashion week -- handles quick questions from Rediff.com's Rajesh Karkera with cool ease.
Dr Shakeeb Ahmed Khan, a physiotherapist who works with specially abled children and adults, debunks the myths and helps us understand how to deal with and support individuals with autism.
Asim Munir and his brand of short-sighted army officers give no inkling of paying heed, changing course or learning lessons from the past, observes Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at RA&W.
'With a very stable technology with limited functionalities, a large network has spanned out.'
Only Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani are ahead of her.
Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha assured the newly elected legislative assembly on Monday that the Omar Abdullah government will make all efforts for the restoration of full statehood and constitutional guarantees available to the state.
England skipper Jos Buttler expressed delight in Ben Duckett's record-breaking knock even as he hailed Australia for chasing down a massive total of 352 runs in the ICC Champions Trophy Group B match in Lahore on Saturday.
In-form Karun Nair's career could see a resurrection.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said the government will arrange identity cards and registration on the e-Shram portal to assist 1 crore gig workers. Presenting the Union Budget 2025-26, the finance minister also said a scheme for the socio-economic upliftment of urban workers will be implemented.
'The way our President was greeted, that itself shows how far India has come.' 'People were aware of who she is, people know who our prime minister is.' 'Everybody knows India now and everybody respects India.'
The visit to Dhaka by the Pakistani military officials came after a delegation of Bangladeshi military officials toured Pakistan and held meetings with the three service chiefs.
'I've got a few plans against those (Indian) bowlers. Feeling like I'm moving really nice and hopefully I get that opportunity.'
'The angry reactions are understandable but I can tell you with some degree of certainty that the reason behind Sarfaraz getting ignored time and again is not just cricketing one. There are multiple reasons for which he hasn't been considered.'
Donald Trump is catering to the basest fears and prejudice of unenlightened Americans -- yes, there are those too, in sizeable enough numbers to elect one of their own as president. That would most certainly not Make America Great Again, asserts Shreekant Sambrani.
India registered its protest at the board of IMF, which met on Friday to review the EFF lending programme for Pakistan.
'It's always the men who are going crazy, barbaad. They never show a woman going crazy like that.' 'A woman has to be very proper, sitting on a swing, crying.'
Shami has been steadily rebuilding his form through domestic cricket. Making his Ranji Trophy return last November, he guided Bengal to a season-opening victory with a match haul of seven wickets.
We must bring a laser focus on our own interests, and define our friends and foes more clearly instead of trying to live by somebody else's rules. We must grow up, think for ourselves, think India First, asserts R Jagannathan.
'Unless banks focus on the Rs 10-15 lakh loan segment, growing affordable housing will remain a challenge.'
With their respective leaders switching camps and squads undergoing major overhauls, both Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants, under new captains, will be eager to make a strong start to their IPL campaign when they face off in Visakhapatnam on Monday.
It was a surreal feeling for Nehal Wadhera when he found out that Virat Kohli knew him by his first name.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi advocated for a global framework for artificial intelligence (AI) based on open source, emphasizing the need for trust, transparency, and the elimination of biases. Co-chairing the AI Action Summit with French President Emmanuel Macron, Modi highlighted the transformative potential of AI across various domains, including politics, economics, security, and society. He stressed the importance of democratizing technology, addressing concerns about cyber security and disinformation, and developing quality data sets free from biases. Modi also acknowledged the need for open-source AI ecosystems to foster trust and transparency, while emphasizing the importance of localized technology for effectiveness and usefulness. Recognizing the potential of AI to improve health, education, and agriculture, Modi proposed pooling resources and talent to leverage the technology for sustainable development goals. Addressing concerns about job displacement, he emphasized that while the nature of work may evolve, technology creates new opportunities. Modi highlighted India's leadership in AI adoption and data privacy solutions, emphasizing the nation's readiness to share its expertise and contribute to an AI future that benefits all.
While data can empower communities, it reinforces identities, making local politics more caste-centric, with decisions increasingly contested on the grounds of representation.
Such dynamics could lead to shifting alliances and, in the worst case, local governance getting paralysed as each group demands proportional power-sharing, explain Amitabh Kundu and Mehebub Rahaman.
Jay Shah expressed his vision to grow the global reach of the sport with a particular focus on the opportunity of the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028.
In a continued push to spiritual tourism, there will be a focus on destinations related to the life and times of Lord Buddha.
Fashion is often seen as a world of effortless glamour but, watching from the inside at Lakme Fashion Week, I saw how illusory that perception could be.
The inclusion of a "no-contest" clause in Ratan Tata's will has caught the attention of India Inc, prompting a wave of interest among promoters of listed companies and business families. Legal advisors and estate planners are seeing a noticeable uptick in queries, as wealthy individuals look for ways to shield their legacies from courtroom battles.
All eyes will be on Captain Shubman Gill and Coach Gautam Gambhir to lead the Indian Test team into a bold new era.
