NEWS
Indian Airlines, Modern Foods privatisation decision draws plaudits
The government has decided to privatise state-run domestic carrier Indian Airlines by divesting 51 per cent of its stake.

NEWS
Delhi is a fortress on R-Day eve
All high-rise buildings in and around Rajpath and Connaught Place have been sealed. The police have mounted anti-aircraft guns above most such buildings to provide air defence for the capital.

NEWS
Govt moots 'hot pursuit' to end militancy
The government intends to follow up its tough words on Kashmir with matching action.

NEWS
SEBI okays Internet trading of Indian shares
The market regulator decided that Internet trading could take place in the existing legal framework through the use of order-routing systems.

THE REPUBLIC, 50 YEARS ON
Celebrating 50 Years of the Indian Republic

'Before he fell he told his men: Don't leave them'
Param Vir Chakra winner Captain Manoj Pandey's father and commanding officer pay tribute to the brave soldier.

'Vikram wanted to do something that would bring fame to his country'
Param Vir Chakra winner Captain Vikram Batra's parents remember their gallant son.

'We were able to silence their guns and kill all of them one by one'
Param Vir Chakra winner Rifleman Sanjay Kumar recounts the battle for Point 4875 in the Mushkoh Valley.

50 years of solitude -- II
'At fifty years of age, we are in a strange era, where every decision of the government, its agencies, has been thrown open to judicial scrutiny... A judge today is expected to be an expert on anything and everything,' says Saisuresh Sivaswamy.

50 years is no cause for celebration
'Power for its own sake or for personal ends has become the supreme value. Those in government remain so occupied in the struggle for sheer survival that they have little time for serving the people,' says Arvind Lavakare.

BUSINESS
Pocketful of business
New markets beckon grass-mats of Tamil Nadu.

SPECIAL
The Kathmandu connection
'Much of the money-laundering, drug-running, gold smuggling, counterfeit currency and small-arms businesses there are controlled by the ISI. The agency has established field bases in the Terai on the Indo-Nepal border,' says Major General (retd) Ashok K Mehta.

MONEY
Saying goodbye to your fund
Dhirendra Kumar explains when and why you should get out of a mutual fund.

MONEY
How to harvest a tax-free crop
Murali Iyer gives some tips to make the best use of sops for agriculture.

SPORTS
Ganguly ton powers India to first win
An immaculately paced innings from the Indian vice-captain, and a welcome spell of good bowling by Anil Kumble, combined to give India a 48-run win over Pakistan. More to the point, with its first points in the triseries, India kept its hopes alive, marginally, of making it to the final.

SPORTS
India enter u-19 cricket World Cup final
Powered by fine knocks from Ravneet Ricky, Manish Sharma, Mohammad Kaif and Yuvraj Singh, India scored 284 for 6; in reply Australia caved in for 114 in 34.5 overs.

SLIDESHOW
At last!
Images from the one-day match between India and Pakistan at the Adelaide Oval.

SLIDESHOW
The Quarters
Images from the Australian Open.

MOVIES INTERVIEW
'This is the person I want to spend rest of my life with'
Madhuri lets her guard down.

MOVIES
...Phir bhi opening hai thandi
Shah Rukh-Juhi's dream film fails to live up to the hype.

MOVIES
Jaanwar, Kaho Naa... going strong
Bulandi sinks to the bottom.

MUSIC
'I want to be like Will Smith'
Shiamak Davar talks about his dream to go international.

BOOKS
'Poets like Gulzar and Atal Bihari Vajpayee get nominated for best lyrics'
'Would singers be singing Vajpayee's lyrics if he were not prime minister? His poems have been around for years, but no one has ever sung them. It is only now that he has been rediscovered!' Kaifi Azmi, in a blistering interview.

COLUMNS
Human rights violations in Kashmir
'Young girls are kidnapped, inhumanly raped by several militants for days at a stretch, made to work as agents and conduits for various terrorist groups and exploited in every possible manner before being finally discarded,' says Varsha Bhosle.

Consumers, arise!
Sucheta Dalal advises consumers to become a strong and vocal lobby capable of embarrassing the political establishment.

MacGill makes the most of opportunity
On current form he looks more threatening than Warne, says Wasim Akram.

Weather talk
Baichung Bhutia on the pleasures and pains of playing football in winter.