'If the institutions of democracy are under pressure, it is time for serious thinking by the people and their parties. The correctives must come from within.'

On Kishore Kumar's 86th birthday, we revisit a Rediff.com exclusive special by Pritish Nandy on the late legend.

Deepta Roy Chakraverti talks to Chandrima Pal about her book that chronicles her psychic investigations into what she says are unnatural occurrences in familiar places.

Make it a priority to continue to work hard, attend meetings, and finish projects during your final days at your current company.

Srijan Pal Singh, advisor to President A P J Abdul Kalam, recalls his final journey to IIM-Shillong.

Ira Singhal, the country's first differently-abled UPSC topper shares her secret to success and her big plans for India.

We're behaving like frogs in warm water. We swim around untroubled, cooled by our faith in Indian liberal democracy. We are blind to the bubbles popping around us, the bubbles warning of fundamental changes, says Mihir S Sharma.

Team Menstrupedia is inspiring young girls to break taboos and speak about their problems related to menstruation and instilling confidence in them.

Can you find a world leader who has met generations of Indian politicians, most US Presidents, European head of States, several Popes, celebrated cricketers, Hollywood and Bollywood stars, some of the greatest scientists and many ordinary people, including what he calls, 'Chinese brothers and sisters?'

The Indian cricket team's director says the two players have utmost respect for each other and the Indian team is 'one honest bunch' which believes in playing for each other.

A headline or a tweet or a status update should not, in a civil world, be allowed to contain a spoiler, rants Raja Sen.

Veterans bemoan the 'lack of intention' shown by the Modi sarkar, who seem to have reneged on their poll promise.

For the past, blame the Congress. For the present, blame the Congress. For everything, blame the Congress. But for your future, vote BJP.

In a weekly chat with readers, Rediff.com's Love Guru offers relationship advice.

Have Amethi and Rae Bareli got rough treatment in the last one year? Has Varanasi become cleaner? Business Standard's Manavi Kapur finds out

Narendra Modi is squandering a mandate for change on feeble, unimaginative incrementalism.

How do you balance the demands of an expanding business with the desire to retain the culture that made you successful?

'Your constant reiteration on the lack of religious freedom in India has sown doubts about the kind of information that you are being fed and based on which you seem to be making adverse references to India and its tradition of religious tolerance.'

'America's withdrawal from Vietnam was an inspiring moment for all of us. We believed that it was a glorious victory of ideology and spirit and as historic as the defeat of the Nazis exactly 30 years ago,' remembers Kumar Ketkar 40 years after the end of the Vietnam War.

We trust not because the other person is trust-worthy but because we are trusting by nature, says Love Guru.

'This country has become cynical, the country has lost hope. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is getting back hope in this country.' 'We are deconstructing the past which had corruption, inefficiency, policy paralysis, a tottering economy where investors had lost confidence, and people had become cynical. We are changing that, we are bringing confidence back to the people of India.'

The new tax regime proposed by the Modi government may not have acceptance from all corners.

India Inc is either shutting loss making businesses or is hiving off allied verticals to enhance revenues.

'Probability has increased for India to have improved fundamentals'.

Experts regretted that it has taken too long to deliver justice

Prem Panicker, on the Rediff chat, delves on what went wrong for Team India and what to expect from Sunday's trans-Tasman World Cup final.

Remember that connecting with someone does not guarantee commitment of any kind.

'When you see Modi standing there at the G20, or in New York or at the United Nations, amongst all the leaders, he stands out in the crowd.' 'He looks different, he sounds different, and he has something about his quality of presentation, his oratorical skills, which clearly set him apart from the crowd.' 'The relationship between Modi and the rest of the world and India and the rest of the world has been reset as a result of the election in 2014.'

In the second and final part of this interview, energy and coal industry expert Sunjoy Joshi tells Sheela Bhatt/Rediff.com that we need to take a comprehensive view of the entire energy sector and how piecemeal reform won't take us very far.

L&T chairman AM Naik is worried about few things.

Arjun Mathur recounts his journey as an actor in Bollywood.

'More than anything else, it is pragmatism that is working out in Jammu and Kashmir. It is not a question of convenience, but getting together and understanding that no other better option can work.' 'The very fact that it has taken two months of hard negotiations obviously means that they have taken a very mature approach. This shows the seriousness of intent and statesman-like qualities that they both have displayed.'

Transcript of the Ganesh Natarajan chat on rediff on Friday.

'I would like to request the AERB, UCIL and DAE to introspect. The world is changing, so is India. The wave of development and modernity will not stop for those who continue to live in the past. The future belongs to the youth who believe in the values of honesty, transparency and efficiency.'

Global management recognised India's potential.

'Modi and Obama are transformational leaders. There can't be a better occasion than to see them together, making their own 'firsts' in a festival of the Republic of India,' says Tarun Vijay, MP.

25 winters have passed. More will pass, but the fight will go on. In spite of successive governments' unwillingness to sincerely reverse ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Hindus and provide them justice, they will steadfastly work towards securing their rights and homeland, says Lalit Koul.

Sumit Jain, CEO and co-founder, Commonfloor talks about serendipity and his entrepreneurial destiny.

The Diaspora is no longer a mere remittance economy. It today claims dual loyalty and demands a say in Indian politics, says sociologist Shiv Visvanathan

'Those who have seen the functioning of the Modi government in Gujarat know that the issues related to Hindutva and issues of economy and growth function simultaneously.' 'Modi's politics are based on the understanding of the middle-class consumer society which is in pursuit of material aspirations.' Sheela Bhatt/Rediff.com reveals the Modi government's economic and political plans for the year ahead.