We asked colleagues, present and past, to reflect on a man who has made such a difference to their lives and careers. Here it is then, a rich collection of memories that offer enchanting glimpses of the enigmatic Ajit Balakrishnan.

'The greatness of India can be experienced by meeting Indians on the frontiers of India.' 'Every citizen on the border is a soldier'

Anish's emergence comes as India witnesses an exciting era in chess, with young talents like Erigaisi, R Praggnanandhaa, and D Gukesh shine internationally.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the cricket icon, celebrated Diwali amidst the excitement of his IPL 2025 retention.

'Our greatest enemies lie within us Kama -- selfish desires; krodha -- anger; moha -- attachment; lobha -- greed; madha -- pride and matsarya -- envy. Life is a constant battle against these dark forces. An enlightening excerpt from Priya Arora's book, Rama: A Man of Dharma.

Ananya Panday celebrated her birthday with family and the media, but she really wasn't done yet.

Late-stage diagnosis is a major issue, with over 75 per cent of cases being detected at advanced stages (50 per cent at Stage 3 and 25 per cent at Stage 4). This significantly reduces survival rates.

'Only 20 per cent of families in India buy cheese twice once a year.'

Ma Durga might be the city's most celebrated annual visitor, but Kali is the resident Goddess, notes Sandip Roy.

Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar took to X to extend his heartfelt wishes, emphasising the significance of togetherness and spreading happiness during this festive season.

Film folk are celebrating Diwali with a lot of light and love on social media.

Manu Bhaker chose to illuminate her home with traditional clay diyas, supporting local vendors and promoting the 'Vocal for Local' initiative.

Vidhya Pant remembers the Diwalis celebrated in her home in Shillong in the 1960s.

Ananya Panday had a special birthday on October 30, as she celebrated it with family and the media.

Showing total disregard for the US constitution, Trump has said that this could be the last election to be held in the country. A Trump presidency could lead to mass deportation of undocumented migrants and harsh family separation, warns Aseem Chhabra.

In a video message shared from the International Space Station, the Indian-origin astronaut said that this year she had the unique opportunity to observe Diwali from 260 miles above Earth and reminisced about her father's efforts to keep their cultural roots alive by teaching her and her family about Diwali and other Indian festivals.

A flavourful twist on traditional Indian kheer!

These quick exercises are easy to sneak into your day, offering a moment to reconnect with yourself, says Vishwa Dhiren Shah, wellness expert at One Health Assist.

Take cues from the actor who has a handy guidebook on how to look as dazzling as a firecracker this Diwali.

Shiv Sena's sitting MLA from Palghar, Shrinivas Vanga, who was upset after being denied ticket by his party for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly polls, has been untraceable, as per his family members.

How are you celebrating the Festival of Lights? Send us your reels/photographs/videos and we'll publish them right here on Rediff.com. Mail us at getahead@rediff.co.in (My Diwali celebration) along with your name and where you stay.

Kriti Kharbanda celebrates her 34th birthday on October 29, and her husband Pulkit Samrat showers her with love.

'In the current world of action cinema, where everything is high-tech and glossy, what if we go back in time and take out all the gadgets?'

If you're hosting a Diwali party, you need a chartbuster playlist to make it a night to remember.

Amitabh Bachchan felicitated Chiranjeevi with the ANR National Award in Hyderabad, celebrating the 100th birth anniversary of Akkineni Nageswara Rao.

This year, the genre has done especially well, with films like Stree 2 and Munjya. Will Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 keep up the momentum?

'If you look at the average age of all our candidates, you will notice that their average age is between 35 and 40. It is a kind of revolution that the MNS is bringing in Maharashtra.'

Christina Rindiki's all-women team on the India-Myanmar border in Champhai, Mizoram, delivers 300 plus Amazon packets daily. The women handle all aspects of the operation and made around 450 deliveries per day this month alone. This is their story.

Jayanti Soni and her family return each year to Bhinmal, when they can, to celebrate Diwali in her family home.

If the BJP has to work as a junior partner of Vijay's TVK, then either the party will have to change the state leader, or the latter should change himself. Incidentally, ever since Vijay started talking politics and elections, the pro-BJP/Hindutva social media had stopped dragging his name into any non-existing issue.' In particular, they have stopped referring to him by his Christian name, 'Joseph Vijay', observes N Sathiya Moorthy.

Ratan Tata: A Life, the much awaited biography, reveals that after a year of 'parallel running', Tata began having second thoughts about Cyrus Mistry's 'suitability'. 'Mistry targeted Ratan, the man who had elevated him from virtual oblivion into the mainstream of the Tatas...'

There were certainly qualities adhering to the Tata Group, which emanated from the persona of Ratan Tata. Most notable of these would be the low profile he maintained, which sharply contrasted the in-your-face celebrity status, celebration of wealth and pursuit of importance many of liberalised India's rich, love, notes Shyam G Menon.

Her father Major Bhupendra Singh's statue was unveiled in Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, on his 72nd birth anniversary on October 25.

Now, you can visit Alia's shop... Tara is festive-ready... Kangana is on holiday...

Using credit or debit cards abroad can prove costly.

'After meeting him, I learned what brother from another mother actually meant,' Suriya said, looking fondly at Bobby.

From the looks of it, she's a chota packet bada dhamaka!

'Vidyaji jokes around and her laughter is infectious. 'Madhuri ma'am is a legend. To get the opportunity to work with her was a big deal for me.'

'We have loved Braveheart, Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones and Apocalypto.' 'The thought was 'When are we going to do such films?''

'He was a practical person who ensured that he thought about the common man, animals, the fact that they have a life and they have to be respected.'