While the world mourns his death, Nelson Mandela will also be celebrated as the man at the heart of South Africa's return to world competition after decades of Apartheid-enforced isolation, using sport as a means of reconciliation between the country's diverse racial groups.
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'Both resisted cruel white rule through non-violence. But Mandela's is a singular story. He never lost faith in his ideals and goal even when he was in prison for many years,' Anant Singh, who produced the Mandela biopic, tells Rediff.com's Arthur J Pais.
South Africans joined the world in celebrating Nelson Mandela as he turned 94 on Wednesday, by participating in good deeds nationwide to honour his legacy, while nearly 14 million children sang 'happy birthday' for their anti-apartheid icon.
The Turkish Football Federation has summoned Ivorian internationals Didier Drogba and Emmanuel Eboue for paying homage to Nelson Mandela after a league game.
The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said if indeed she was lodged in jail, the entire 'Bahujan Samaj' would fill the prisons of the country in protest.
India's two-day practice match against South Africa Invitational XI has been advanced by a day since the date clashed with Nelson Mandela's funeral on December 15.
President Pranab Mukherjee will be among over 90 heads of state and government who will attend an emotional memorial service in South Africa on Tuesday for anti-apartheid legend Nelson Mandela, making it one of the largest such gatherings in generations.
Compromise, constitutionality, pragmatism and self-respect. These were Mandela's leadership virtues. For countries such as India and South Africa, these are the qualities leaders must have, says Mihir S Sharma
On the overcast morning of Tuesday, March 10, a massive stadium may not be enough to hold the hundreds of thousands of people who will turn up to pay their homage to Nelson Mandela one last time.
How newspapers around the world reported Mandela's demise
The government on Friday announced a five-day state mourning as a mark of respect to Nelson Mandela.
They would take part in a special match between a World X1 and African X1 in Cape Town, the proceeds of which will go to charity.
Nelson Mandela spent a fourth day in intensive care and continued to be in a "serious but stable" condition, as security was beefed up today at the hospital where the 94-year-old anti-apartheid icon is battling a recurrent lung infection.
Madiba has been played both by the veteran American actor as well as the exciting British actor of Ghanaian-Nigerian descent.
Asking people to pray for the 94-year-old anti-apartheid hero, the Presidency said Mandela was admitted to the hospital just before midnight on Wednesday, for the third time in four months, where doctors are "ensuring that he has the best possible expert medical treatment and comfort."
Former South African President Nelson Mandela is "fine" and his condition is improving, his wife said, a week after the anti-apartheid icon was admitted in a hospital for pneumonia.
African XI drew 3-3 with a Rest of the World team.
Indian vice-captain Virat Kohli, on behalf of the entire team, paid tribute to the late former president Nelson Mandela on Saturday.
Nelson Mandela, the prisoner-turned-president who reconciled South Africa after the end of apartheid, died on Thursday, December 5. Rediff.com looks at the life and times of one of world's greatest heroes.
Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo and coach Carlos Queiroz visited former South African president Nelson Mandela and offered him a team shirt with his name on the back, the Portuguese Football Federation said on Thursday.
As the world prayed for the speedy recovery of ailing peace icon Nelson Mandela, his former wife said that it was extremely painful to see the anti-apartheid leader's present state of health but it was "God's wish".
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Cricket South Africa (CSA) have announced that all future bilateral series between the two nations will be named 'The Mahatma Gandhi-Nelson Mandela Series '.
Former South African President Nelson Mandela's 13-year-old great granddaughter was killed in a car crash on Friday after leaving a concert ahead of the World Cup kick off, the Nelson Mandela Foundation said.
South Africans have been holding an all-night prayer vigil for anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela, outside his former home in Soweto.
Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's principle of ahimsa, especially his campaign in South Africa itself during his days as a lawyer, Mandela also preached against violence though the struggle against the apartheid regime was marked by violent incidents
Nelson Mandela, the iconic South African anti-apartheid icon who spent 27 years in prison, died early on Friday morning IST. He was 95.
His other big achievement -- of avoiding a partition of South Africa against a determined bid by Zulu chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi has not received much attention. He was thus a Mahatma Gandhi and Abraham Lincoln rolled into one. Preserving a united South Africa against western intrigues was indeed a signal achievement, says Colonel (retd) Anil Athale.
In an exclusive interview with CNN international anchor and correspondent Robyn Curnow, Nelson Mandela's daughter Makaziwe tells of her family's prayers for her critically ill father
Rediff.com brings you some pictures from the public life of this legend.
World soccer body FIFA ordered flags to be flown at half mast and a minute's silence to be held before the next round of international matches after the death of Nelson Mandela on Thursday.
South Africa's anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela is suffering from recurring lung infection, but is responding to treatment, the presidential office announced on Tuesday, as his wife Graca Machel said "it's heartsore seeing the sparkle dimming".
A day after Nelson Mandela's daughter lashed out at the "crass" media frenzy around her ailing father, the South African police on Friday asked journalists to leave the road outside the entrance to the Pretoria hospital, where the global peace icon remains on life support.
Some complained of being beaten up as they tried to join the fleeing crowds, purely because of their skin colour.
A special meeting of the United Nations General Assembly will mark Nelson Mandela International Day on July 18, honouring the South African anti-apartheid leader's contributions to democracy, racial justice and reconciliation.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) and the BCCI are in talks to finalise details of a proposed Gandhi-Mandela series, to be played in both countries within the next two years.
Drummers and dancers wowed fans at South Africa's Soccer City stadium in a glittering prelude to Friday's World Cup kickoff, but Nelson Mandela's absence after a family tragedy cast a cloud over the party.
Nelson Mandela, 91-year-old former South African president, firmly intends to make a brief appearance at Friday's World Cup opening match, organisers and his family said on Thursday. But World Cup chief Danny Jordaan told reporters the decision on whether Mandela will appear at Soccer City for South Africa's encounter with Mexico would be determined on the day.
India had invited United States President Joe Biden to grace the occasion but he expressed inability to travel to New Delhi in January.
The South African Cricket team that is locked in the on-going ODI series against India, was quick to put out statements to give tribute to South Africa's favourite son Nelson Mandela.
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