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August 28, 2008
Biden for VP: Why India should breathe easy
>"In terms of India, in terms of South Asia, you cannot find a more knowledgeable person than Joe Biden. And indeed, right now, the Biden-Lugar legislation on Pakistan is the most important piece of legislation in terms of foreign policy on the Hill. It's trying to reorient our foreign policy toward that country to make it more comprehensive -- not just one that was individual-based and transactional as it was before."

August 22, 2008
Gujarat cops hope they have an airtight case
So far, conclusive evidence has not been obtained but in any terrorism case the turning points in investigations always come only after the confessional statements of the accused," a senior officer said

Saving a tribal child
Just as Dr Khan was about to put the infant in the incubator, the electricity failed. This is Melghat where 117 children have died of malnutrition this year.

August 20, 2008
'Musharraf's exit is an opportunity for India'
India and Pakistan have a real opportunity to take relations forward after the exit of President Pervez Musharraf, feels Adrian Levy, co-author of Deception: Pakistan, the United States and the Global Nuclear Weapons Conspiracy.

'Indian writers are quite adventurous'
Three Indian authors are on the 2008 Booker Prize long-list. Will any of them win the feted prize?

August 19, 2008
How Modi's police cracked the blasts case
How did the Gujarat police manage what the police in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Jaipur and Bengaluru could not do in the last two years? Sheela Bhatt finds out.

India, 61: The Independence Day Special
The icons that define contemporary India
August 20, 2008

'I cannot imagine an India without Bollywood'
Our unofficial anthem: 'We are like this only'
'He has defined Indian cinema'
Shaan on Lata | Kailash Kher on Asha
Chetan Bhagat on IIMs
'The quality of writing is always better when one writes in the regional language'
'RTI is a powerful tool in the hands of ordinary citizens'
Ayurveda: A National Treasure

August 18, 2008

The reason why Indian democracy has flourished
'They are the fathers of the nation in a new avatar'
'Sholay's effect cannot be explained'
'It will be difficult to match their contribution to India'
The magic of the Indian bazaar

August 15, 2008

L C Jain on the quiet army of political servants of Mother India
Abbas Tyrewala: 'In my country I can be as Muslim as I like, and I'm still welcome to be a Hindu'

August 14, 2008

Exclusive Independence Day Interview/A P J Abdul Kalam
Vande Mataram!: Celebrating the true spirit of India
Claude Arpi: We do not belong to past dawns, but to the noons of the future

August 13, 2008

'For Indians, the flag is life'
'Sania and Leander have done a fantastic job for Indian tennis'
'All these great writers are situated in the Indian bhasha'
'Rajnikanth is Asia's biggest actor'
'Disability is in the mind of society'

August 12, 2008

A P J Abdul Kalam: What India's youth needs to do.
'Farmers are not given adequate recognition'
'We must feel lucky Sachin played for our country'
'In terms of artistic achievement, it stands alone even today'
'The train is a great leveler'

August 11, 2008

Omar Abdullah on the meaning of democracy
Vishy Anand on how India has come of age
'Getting through to the IIT is like a dream'
'Rahman's greatest foray is the patriotic song'
'I hope now the govt will do more for tribals'

August 07, 2008
Remembering diplomat Venkat Rao
August 7 marks a month since the Indian embassy in Kabul was attacked. Aziz Haniffa mourns the death of Venkat Rao, a star of the Indian Foreign Service, in that attack.

July 30, 2008
'Younger Muslims believe they too can join the economic bandwagon'
'The liberalisation of the Indian economy has triggered a growing belief in education, because they believe they can be a part of the economic bandwagon and benefit from it.'

July 29, 2008
The Walk of Life
If you didn't know that Lakshmi once had eight limbs and had a headless conjoined twin, you would disbelieve she was the same child. Unless, of course, you recognised those eyes -- bright enough to light up a million lives.

July 28, 2008
'Terrorists sent a message that the claim of security is hollow'
"The terrorists have served twin goals. By hitting BJP-dominated areas, they have sent the message to the chief minister that his claim of security is hollow. In spite of a red alert in the city, they have shown their capacity to strike at places they want. Second, by hitting hospitals in a cruel and dastardly manner they have caused the maximum damage."

July 23, 2008
Eight and a half lessons from the trust vote
The fear of losing the election is the only thing that motivates our netas. There is no higher, no greater, no nobler objective.

July 22, 2008
'Mayawati is coming'!
'She is a spunky lady. Other leaders would think twice before being projected as prime minister with 17 MPs.' Ajoy Bose, the author of Behenji, a political biography of Mayawati, on the Bahujan Samaj Party leader's gameplan.

July 21, 2008
India Speaks!
What does the man or woman on the street think of the political drama?

July 20, 2008
Speaker episode: Tip of CPI-M iceberg
'The truth is that the India-US nuclear deal has created a churning inside every major party, and not left the Left untouched.'

July 19, 2008
Is Manmohan still the 'weakest PM' since 1947?
Regardless of what happens on Tuesday -- or maybe even Monday -- can anybody ever accuse Manmohan Singh of being "India's weakest PM since independence" again, as L K Advani so effortlessly did eight months ago?

July 18, 2008
What if the parties had not issued a whip?
It's about ego, survival, self-interest and an iota of ideology.

The Real India Shining Story
Nai Disha is one of the many initiatives of Sulabh International, a movement whose goal is to restore the dignity of people who carry human excreta, and bring them into the mainstream.

July 17, 2008
Is an MP's loyalty worth only Rs 25 crore?
The fact that to save both, criminals have had to be hauled out of jails, the sick and ailing have to be brought in on stretchers, that truant film stars have to be dragged away from overseas locations kicking and screaming, and that lawmakers have to be purchased like this, tells its own story.

July 16, 2008
'The Afghans blame Pakistan for all the trouble'
Naeem Sarang, who was held captive in Afghanistan for 27 days, relives his nightmare.

July 14, 2008
'I am Sikkimese but my desh is India'
A teenager on India's eastern frontier, and his dreams.

'India has been transformed'
'The country I go back to is not the same country I left.' Indra Nooyi assesses India's future.

July 10, 2008
Afghans have named their daughters after Tulsi
The Afghan people are not too fond of the Pakistani government as a lot of terrorism is harboured across the border. Astad Deboo, the first dancer to perform in Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban, looks back

July 08, 2008
'It is sad the N-deal is smeared in murky politics'
'If the US withdraws, where do we stand with all the starved costly reactors? We will be left with only the hazardous waste to deal with. The way the terms of the deal are structured, it is clear that we have only the legal right to test which cannot be implemented due to tremendous consequences,' says nuclear scientist A N Prasad, a known critic of the nuclear deal.

July 02, 2008
Why has Tibet been deleted from politicians' memory?
Apart from India's involvement, the only chance to see a decisive progress in the 'talks' would be for the Chinese leaders to accept to meet with the Dalai Lama in person.

How India Lives: Their last nice meal was 5 months ago
They hope for a better life, but find their hopes dry as their land.

'Everybody feels government job is a dole'
Revealed: How the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act works at the ground level.

June 27, 2008
'Here's my pistol, come on shoot me'
'He deserved to be field marshal because he carried the air force and navy with him in '71. Remember we were fighting on two fronts -- east and west. He stood out.'

June 26, 2008
Sonia, Karat ready with exit plan
It is a matter of time before the Left parties severe its ties with the UPA or the UPA gears up for a confrontation with its Left supporters by going ahead with the nuclear deal.

What's the price for the eye of a child?
Sudali has lost vision in an eye, allegedly beause her teacher threw a glass at her. Her parents want money to withdraw their complaint.

June 24, 2008
'India has opportunities; you have to take your chances'
Makrand Maiende may not have flown in an airplane yet, but his dreams are just waiting to take flight.

June 20, 2008
Will Shilpa Shetty's yoga transform your life?
Is this DVD really a showcase for Shilpa or Shilpa's yoga?

Abode of the Gods
If there is one place on this planet where God can be touched and felt, it has to be the Kailas Manasarovar region -- it is indescribable, beyond the power of words to capture; it is perhaps the one experience that defines the state of being.

June 19, 2008
The auto driver whose kids want a life abroad
How India Lives: Meet a school dropout, who wanted his children to do better than him.

'A mullah general can only happen in a Bollywood film'
'Musharraf has never hesitated ordering his F-16s to bomb his own people.' Mohammed Hanif, author of the amazing novel, A Case of Exploding Mangoes, in conversation.

June 16, 2008
Trailing the tiger in Mowgli land
A langur started making calls trying to alert other animals nearby about the tiger's presence.

June 12, 2008
Meet one of the world's great photographers
One of John Isaac's greatest achievements is his ability to take pictures that are revealing without being exploitative.

June 11, 2008
How India Lives: Diary of a successful Indian
Ajay Goel represents India's elite IT workforce, professionals who have built successful lives through merit and hard work.

June 6, 2008
How India Lives: The people's doctor
A doctor who doesn't ask for fees when the sick can't pay.

The day Zia died
An exclusive excerpt from the most exciting novel this year, Mohammed Hanif's A Case of Exploding Mangoes.

June 5, 2008
Revealed: How SIMI works
An IB dossier on the organisation indicates that SIMI split in 2006. The IB says SIMI provides logistical support to the Laskhar-e-Tayiba and Harkat-ul-Jihadi.

DRDO's secret technology wish list
The new outreach from a traditionally inward-focused DRDO is rooted in a realistic assessment that the international sanctions regimes have loosened; global arms majors are eager to provide technologies that can fill in gaps in the DRDO's own technology bank.

June 4, 2008
China diary: A Bangalorean in awe
The Chinese do everything on the grand scale, planning for a hundred years ahead. The new Pudong international airport will be good enough for virtually a century. It is about 40 kilometres from the city and the magnetic levitation train covers the distance in eight minutes. Compare that with Bangalore's agonising access problems over the new airport!

Akbar's Jodha a happy myth: Rushdie
'All the Mughals were alcoholic.'

DRDO's plan for an eye in the sky
The UAV project will be an important test for the DRDO's new thinking, it will, equally be a test for the concept of bringing a private sector company into a major project as the DRDO's industry partner.

The Wound of History
The events at Tiananmen Square 19 years ago this day have an uncanny resemblance to this year's events in Tibet.

June 3, 2008
New DRDO: Technology first, weapons later
The DRDO has clearly decided that developing technologies is at least as important as developing weapons systems. V K Aatre, DRDO chief from 2000-04, had said, "Weapons programmes and technologies have to maintain equal pace." Only now is the DRDO heeding his advice.

June 2, 2008
New DRDO: An engagement with the military
This is the first of a four-part series on the DRDO, which has instituted fundamental changes in the way it will approach equipment development.

May 30, 2008
How India Lives: For the love of Billo
It is summer and the markets of Shimla sell cherries and strawberries, but Sonu says it is wheat and vegetables that are of relevance to him. The prices are too high for him to get by.

The political colours of India
What will India look like if the colours of the parties ruling the various states were to be plotted on a map?

May 29, 2008
Why breaking an 'anti-Dalit' wall is not enough
The rift between the two communities is evident from the fact that they have two separate schools for their children.

May 27, 2008
The waiter who will be an IAS officer
Jayaganesh's story is inspiring because he comes from a very poor background in a village in Tamil Nadu, and though he studied to be an engineer, he worked at odd jobs, even as a waiter for a short while, to realise his dream of becoming an IAS officer.

May 26, 2008
McCain's invitation to Jindal 'strategic'
By fueling speculation that the Louisiana governor could be a candidate for vice-president, John McCain is reaching out to the far right of the Republican party that is enamoured with Jindal.

May 25, 2008
16th loss for Congress since 2004
The defeat in Karnataka is the Congress party's 16th loss in the four years that it returned to power at the Centre. India has seen 24 assembly elections since 2004.

SEC fingers Bush's Indian pa
Dr Zachariah P Zachariah, arguably the most influential Indian- American Republican and a major fund-raiser for the party for more than two decades and a close friend of the Bush family, has been charged with insider trading by the United States's Securities and Exchange Commission.

May 23, 2008
'We have done a lot, but miles to go'
Sheela Bhatt reports on the prime minister's dinner for the UPA's allies, supporters and likely partners.

Why K R Babu is happy with inflation
Wistful about the changing times, he is disappointed with the way Indian family affection is being lost in the hustle and bustle of city life.

May 22, 2008
A date with Jeffrey Archer
The Storyteller delighted his audience with his insight and wit. Plus: Exclusive video

May 21, 2008
The mind of a terrorist
The people who are grooming him psyche him so much continuously till he is fully committed and convinced and says 'Yes I will do it!'

May 20, 2008
Tribute: 'Tendulkar used violence as a metaphor'
'I always maintained that for Vijay Tendulkar violence did not mean merely physical violence or torture. It also meant interpersonal relationship between dominance and violence -- not only male dominance over females but also vice versa. Sometimes it is the powerful vs the weak, sometimes the weak acquires power out of that very same weakness as happens in Sakharam Binder. For him human relationships were power relationships. And power relationships are based on violence.'

May 19, 2008
First Person: A polling officer's tales
How polling officers cope with elections in remote West Bengal villages.

May 16, 2008
No electricity, phone or TV and lions as neighbours
She has not heard of Bachchan or Shah Rukh and does not know anything about films. Or what it means to be Hindustani.

May 14, 2008
Why terrorists attack soft targets
'The ease with which the terrorists have been operating in different parts of the country is also due to deterioration in the quality of policing in the urban as well as rural areas.'

May 13, 2008
A year on, Mayawati bulldozes opponents
The 52-year-old Dalit woman created history by rising to occupy the highest political office of India's most populous state on her own strength. Raised and nurtured by her political mentor and BSP founder -- the late Kanshi Ram, she has created another history of sorts over these 12 months -- of demolitions and constructions.

May 12, 2008
How India Lives
What is the real India? How do ordinary Indians live? Launching a new series.

May 09, 2008
Scoop: What India gets under the IAEA agreement
It is paradoxical that even those members who are most crucial in the decision-making process, leave alone the public, are denied access to scrutinise the full text of the IAEA agreement while many in the international community, particularly those from the NSG countries, must be scanning it with a microscope!

May 08, 2008
Karnataka election: Crorepatis galore!
The assets declared by many candidates have stunned pundits and public alike.

May 05, 2008
In China's wild, wild west
The Uighurs are China's Turkic Muslims in a volatile region where unrest sits on a keg of cultural alienation.

Lunch with India's Tiger Man
'The first tiger crisis was in 1992. 16 years later, we are back where we started. It doesn't give one much hope,' says Valmik Thapar.

Exclusive: Lhasa, A Paradise Lost
The Chinese takeover of Tibet is only superficially about force. Less noticed, Tarun Vijay notes, is the subtle, almost unnoticed cultural makeover that has transformed Lhasa into a shadow of its former spiritual self.

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