His nomination was announced by the outgoing President, Anthony Wreford, at the MCC Annual General Meeting at Lord's in May this year.

Shivade: "You didn't find any brain inside the brain cavity?" Dr Thakur nodded. The judge shocked: "Huh?!"

'They are innovating and a new Dalit leadership could be seen at the horizon'

Her great grandfather began sugar co-operatives in Maharashtra. Her grandfather was an eight time MP. Her uncle is currently leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra assembly. Her cousin joined the BJP on Tuesday, March 12. Nila Vikhe Patil, who could one day become prime minister of Sweden, unravels her India connections in an e-mail interaction with Rediff.com's Vaihayasi Pande Daniel.

Maruti Warke's basic understanding illustrated how far outside the system most less privileged Indians are -- simple, innocent people barely but admirably eking out an existence, with almost no knowledge of their surroundings or owning even the basic smarts to go about life. The same people who instinctively and often astutely vote governments into and out of office in New Delhi without knowing the entire reality of this country. The folks who are actually the essence of India.

At the synagogue, the US President met with Rabbi Myers. While inside the synagogue, the first couple lit candles in honour of each of those killed.

'The Opposition has no option but to make it an 'All versus One' fight to even think about winning.'

'The Thai junta, who immediately took control of the operations in a military manner, took the decision to involve the best world professionals for the rescue.' 'This made a huge difference.' 'It is highly probable that in India, the authorities would have said, "We have the expertise, we don't need foreign aid",' says Claude Arpi.

'Hindu voters in coastal Karnataka lean more towards Hindutva than Hinduism which explains why the Siddaramaiah government's perception as anti-Hindu worked wonders for the BJP in coastal Karnataka.'

The incredible Usha Silai project.

You could be forgiven for thinking that Auto Expo was only about powerful cars and humongous bikes. There was so much else that was happening too, says Rajesh Karkera.

'He cooked chicken curry and so because of him, curries entered the British royal kitchens.' 'Eventually, he became a political advisor to the queen.' 'This guy was disrupting the royal household. It sent shockwaves...' Ali Fazal on his character Abdul Karim and working with acting legend Judi Dench.

'I don't give a f****. I am old enough now.' 'You just have to white-knuckle it and ride through it.' 'But really, who cares?' 'At the end of the day, just get on, feel the pain, embrace the suck.'

'I'm very, very happy.' Winners react after the 64th National awards announcement.

Kansas Governor San Brownback has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing "profound regret" at the terrible act of violence against the Indian nationals last month and said that acts of hate and intolerance have no place in his state.

DMK Working President MK Stalin is worried about divisions in the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam after the death of Jayalalithaa and keen that it should not affect the functioning of the administration.

Fascinating insights about PeeCee from her mom, Dr Madhu Chopra.

Brigadier Gagneja (retd) was attacked by bike-borne assailants on August 6 in Jalandhar.

'These inhuman people will never find a place in Jammu & Kashmir or hold in any sway over the youth here.'

The museum has the former President's belongings including clothes, books, souvenirs and citations presented to him by various institutions and organisations.

'I will say all this happened because of ignorance coupled with arrogance,' says G Madhavan Nair.

Stepping up his offensive against the Congress, he asked the party to "repent" for what it has not done in the last 60 years.

Culinary legend Satish Arora hangs up his apron after almost 5 decades of service at the Taj group of hotels.

Judge Srikanth 'Sri' Srinivasan is the front-runner to replace the late Justice Anthony Scalia on the US Supreme Court.

'If all goes well, Modi will visit the Maldives later this year. But two Indian concerns remain unaddressed: President Yameen's intentions about Mohammad Nasheed and China,' says Rajeev Sharma.

'I have never seen anybody disliked more as prime minister than Modi.' 'What is interesting is in his prime ministership, no matter whatever happens in any corner of India, Modi is blamed for it.' 'Modi has not suspended any Constitutional liberties. No Opposition leader has been put in jail... Modi is not Hitler.'

Young, city-bred, successful, enthusiastic Indians are ditching their cars and cycling to work.

The resurgence that Congressmen feel is in fact more sentimental than substantive. The substantive reality is that the Congress is a party in terminal decline since 1989, says Shekhar Gupta.

Even as plans to redevelop Dharavi continue to gather dust in government files, its young residents have chalked their own course and chosen to fly high. Hepzi Anthony recounts a few inspiring tales.

What is Change really like in Bihar? Once seen as India's basket-case, what is its turnaround story like?

'We don't have to be the world's policeman. We don't have to impose our values. But we need to lead and when we pull back as we've done, you begin to see exactly what happens -- the voids are filled by threats of terror that countries have to suffer with, including India.'

'There is too much news about film stars. There is too much fawning over wealth and power. There is a grey area between seriousness and triviality in news reporting now.' 'Mumbai is still a magnet. All the politicians have property in Mumbai. Politicians are the biggest racketeers here.' Olga Tellis, the legendary reporter who completed 50 years in journalism, tells A Ganesh Nadar/Rediff.com about her life and experiences.

'Asked which Dilip Kumar films were among her favourites, she said she had seen not a single movie of his until that time. This became a sensational issue. She did not mean to offend Dilip Kumar. There was not a bone of diplomacy in her and she never acquired that calculating attitude even at the cost of some of the roles that she would eventually lose.'

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh interacts with readers on Rediff Chat as he discusses the period that changed India's history, forever.

In a spontaneous outpouring of grief, thousands of people bid an emotional farewell to former President APJ Abdul Kalam who was on Thursday laid to rest with full state honours in his home town here amid chants of "Bharat Mata Ki Jai".

'For showing us a shining vision of how even a ceremonial role can be infused with life by a patriot, a scientist and a humble man of the people, representing the best of India's pluralist ethos, we will remember Dr Kalam.'

Staff working at the Rashtrapati Bhavan recount how the 11th president lived a simple lifestyle and always cared for them.

Kalam, who received seveeral prestigious awards including Bharat Ratna, played a crucial role when India tested its nuclear weapons at Pokhran in 1998 when the Vajpayee government was in power.

Son of a Madurai farmer, Dr Vijayaragavan Vishwanathan has built a unique device for agriculture that can save water as well as electricity. Ironically, Vijay got support for his project from different international bodies but is still looking to get support from Indian government organisations when the product was specifically made for India.

Following Satnam's historic draft into the Dallas Mavericks for the 2015 NBA season, the mystery of Satnam will hopefully be unravelled in the upcoming season.