Asian Lite News Archive

Category: INDIAN NEWS

  • INTERVIEW: Amish Tripathi

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    By Shilpa Raina  Controversies in India are given greater prominence than pressing issues like the oppression of women that need to be brought out in public, says best-selling author Amish Tripathi, who “approaches the subject with a heart” to avoid unnecessary trouble while writing on religion. “Please don’t misunderstand me… but I fear that we…

  • BJP’s Mission in Bihar a day dream: Congress

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    The Congress  termed the BJP’s mission in Bihar to win 185 seats in the assembly polls later this year as “Mungeri Lal Ke Haseen Sapne” (day dreaming). Congress in-charge of Bihar C.P. Joshi said the BJP has been day dreaming by publicly announcing its target of winning 185 seats in the 243-member assembly. “It is…

  • A defining partnership of the century: Obama

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      US President Barack Obama said  the India-US relationship could potentially emerge as the defining partnership of the century. “I believe that the relationship between India and the US can become the defining partnership of the century,” Obama said in a town-hall style lecture at the Sri Fort Auditorium here. The US president said he…

  • Proud to be India’s partner: Obama

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    “Sisters and brothers of India”, is how US President Barack Obama addressed a town hall style gathering here, stressing that the ties between the two countries can be the “defining partnership of the century”. In his speech at the Siri Fort Auditorium before a gathering largely comprising young people, students, NGOs and diplomats, Obama said:…

  • Why vote for Conservatives?

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    Within 100 days, Britain is going to elect the next government. It will be a tough fight in between Conservatives, Labour and other national parties. There are many issues at stake. Who is best for the Asian community? Who is sharing and respecting our values? The Conservative Government led by Prime Minister David Cameron, and…

  • US media makes a splash of Obama visit

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    By Arun Kumar President Barack Obama’s historic visit to India received prominent coverage in US media with major newspapers focusing on the breakthrough on the nuclear deal and splashing pictures of the pomp and pageantry. The influential New York Times carried on top of the front page a four-column picture of Obama reviewing the guard…

  • Women’s power, pomp, Obama and R-Day parade

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    By Vishnu Makhijani If the annual Republic Day parade is known for its pomp and splendour, the 66th edition will remain etched in the memory for two other factors – the women’s power showcased during the two-hour event and the presence of US President Barack Obama as the chief guest on the occasion. Quite appropriately,…

  • R.K.Laxman 1921- 2015

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    By Shudip Talukdar  R.K. Laxman, considered by many as one of the world’s greatest cartoonists, was an institution unto himself, indisputably the uncrowned conscience keeper of the nation. No politician or minister, however high or mighty, escaped his pointed satire, conveyed through a few deft strokes of his brush, especially if they committed an act…

  • Delhi turned into a fortress for R-Day

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    Delhi celebrated the 66th Republic Day with a heavy deployment of policemen on the roads and at Rajpath where President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi watched the parade with chief guest US President Barack Obama. At least 45,000 policemen, including over 1,000 NSG (National Security Guard) snipers and paramilitary personnel guarded the venue…

  • ‘Modi’, ‘Barack’ chatted like old friends

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    By Ranjana Narayan  The friendly warmth and camaraderie between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama was on full display as the two chatted and laughed like old friends over a two-hour period while watching India’s Republic Day parade and pageantry. A day after the two leaders – one the prime minister…

  • Ashoka Chakra for two fallen bravehearts

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    Major Mukund Varadarajan and Naik Neeraj Kumar Singh were posthumously awarded the nation’s highest peacetime gallantry award, the Ashoka Chakra, at the Republic Day parade. Both of them laid down their lives while fighting heavily-armed terrorists in separate gun-battles in Jammu and Kashmir last year. Their widows received the award from President Pranab Mukherjee. Varadarajan,…

  • India display military, cultural power at R-Day parade

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    Military precision blended seamlessly with cultural diversity at India’s 66th Republic Day parade where US President Barack Obama was the chief guest. Heavy armour, marching contingents of the armed forces and the paramilitary and police forces interspersed with brass and pipe bands – tableaux depicting the multifarious heritage of this vast land and schoolchildren dancing…

  • With Modi occupied, his lookalike campaigns in Delhi

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    By Rahul Vaishnavi   His striking resemblance to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, augmented by a close-cropped grey beard, rimless spectacles and a trademark half-sleeved kurta and Nehru jacket, leaves many Delhiites bewildered as whenever he ventures out a crowd gathers around him requesting for autographs and selfies – while some are left wondering. Fifty-two-year-old Abhinandan Pathak,…

  • Moving towards commercial nuclear cooperation: Modi

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    Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India and the US are moving towards commercial cooperation of the Indo-US civil nuclear deal. “Civil nuclear deal was the centerpiece of our transformed relationships which demonstrated new trust. It also created new economic opportunities and expanded our options for clean energy,” Modi said, addressing a joint press conference with…

  • It’s ‘chai pe charcha’ at Hyderabad House

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    Prime Minister Narendra Modi took his “chai pe charcha” concept to commanding heights here, serving up the brew to visiting US President Barack Obama from a silver teapot on the verdant green lawns of Hyderabad House. The two leaders stepped out into the garden of the state guest house after a working lunch and leisurely…

  • Obama pays tribute to Gandhi

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      US President Barack Obama, who is the chief guest at India’s 66th Republic Day parade, laid a wreath at Mahatma Gandhi’s memorial at Rajghat and planted a sapling in the complex on the bank of the Yamuna river. Accompanied by Minister in Waiting Piyush Goyal and Rajghat officials, Obama placed the wreath and paid…

  • Obama begins India visit with a bear hug

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      US President Barack Obama, accompanied by his wife Michelle, arrived here on a three-day India visit – his second in four years – during which he will be the chief guest at the Republic Day parade Jan 26. Breaking with protocol, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received him at the VVIP terminal of the Indira…

  • Obama accorded ceremonial welcome

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    US President Barack Obama, who was accorded a ceremonial red carpet welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan , said it’s “a great honour” to be back in India. “It’s a great honour to be back in India. I am grateful for the extraordinary hospitality,” Obama told reporters in the forecourt of the magnificent presidential palace where he…

  • Maharashtra to buy Ambedkar’s London home

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    Maharashtra is to buy the residential property in London where Dr B R Ambedkar lived while studying at the London School of Economics in 1921-22. The Maharashtra government has written to the Centre expressing its wish to acquire a residential property at 10 King Henry Road, Chalk Farm, London. The Maharashtra government has decided to buy…

  • Cameron see India on par with Britain

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    By Anasudhin Azeez  British Prime Minister David Cameron has congratulated India on its 66th Republic Day and said the “rising power” was on par with its erstwhile colonial master Britain speaking to Asian Lite exclusively. “I send my warmest wishes to everyone in India, the UK and around the world celebrating the 65th anniversary of…

  • Obama’s Taj visit is now off

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    By Mohit Dubey  The much anticipated visit of US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle to Agra has been cancelled, Uttar Pradesh government officials said Saturday. A government spokesman said that the presidential visit “for all practical purposes was over”. However, no official word with regard to this has been passed on to authorities in…

  • Obama, Modi to talk militant ‘safe havens’ in Pakistan

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    By Arun Kumar  With US concerned about ‘safe havens’ in some area of Pakistan where extremists operate in virtual impunity, counterterrorism coordination would be a key topic of discussions between President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Certainly the United States values the counterterrorism coordination relationship that we have with India. And we certainly…

  • Mobiles will go off in Taj city during Obama visit

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    People in Agra would not be able to use their mobile phones for three hours  when US President Barack Obama comes calling. The Uttar Pradesh government has worked out a security plan for the visit and sent its top officials to the city to work along with US security officials to oversee arrangements and plug…

  • India condole King Abdullah’s death

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        Indian leaders, led by President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, condoled the death of Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, saying he was a “guiding force” and a “close friend” of India. In a condolence message, Mukherjee said: “My heartfelt condolences to the government, royal family and people…

  • The Beast is back in Delhi

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      The Beast is back in Delhi for the second time in five years – but there’s nothing to panic about. That’s the moniker of the armoured limousine US President Barack Obama will travel in during his visit here Jan 25-27. “Obama’s vehicle has arrived to Delhi and has been parked at the Indira Gandhi…

  • Nalini Singh questioned in Pushkar murder

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    Senior journalist Nalini Singh was questioned here in connection with the murder case of Sunanda Pushkar, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor’s wife, police said . Singh was called by the probe team led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Prem Nath at Sarojini Nagar police station, where she was questioned for over an hour. Singh said: “I…

  • Obama warns Pakistan over terror havens

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    Sending a clear message to Pakistan, US President Barack Obama has said “safe havens” of terrorism within that country were not acceptable and described India as a “true global” partner. Obama also called for those behind the Mumbai terror attacks to be brought to justice. “I have made it clear that even as the US…

  • Defining partnership of 21st century: Obama

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      Terming India-US relations as one of the “defining” partnerships of the 21st century, US President Barack Obama Friday said forging closer ties between the two countries has been a key part of his foreign policy. “Forging deeper ties between our two nations has been a key part of my foreign policy since I took…

  • FDI liberalisation sought in e-commerce

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    By Arun Kumar   Ahead of President Barack Obama’s trip to India, two US lawmakers have asked him to request Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to liberalise foreign direct investment (FDI) restrictions on e-commerce sector. “Such a move would benefit the economies of both India and the United States,” wrote senators Mark R. Warner and John…

  • Obama arrives Jan 25

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    Barack Obama accompanied by his wife Michelle Obama will touch down in the Indian capital on the morning of Jan 25 on a three-day state visit that, besides the symbolism of being the first time a US president would be chief guest at the Republic Day parade, is expected to see “substantive outcomes” from talks…

  • Pakistan freezes bank accounts of Hafiz Mohammad

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      In an apparent move towards swift implementation of anti-terror acts, Pakistan Thursday froze the bank accounts of now banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), and restricted its leader Hafiz Mohammad Saeed from foreign travel. “Pakistan took this decision under the UN obligation and not under pressure from any other quarter, including John Kerry,” Pakistan foreign spokesperson Tasneem…

  • India’s growth potential is above 9%: Jaitley

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    Asserting that India’s economic growth will be significantly better next year, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley  said the real economic growth potential of the country was over 9 percent. “We have a roadmap to bring down fiscal deficit below three percent in a few years. Elimination of subsidies in India is not desirable. We need to…

  • SC bars Srinivasan from contesting

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    The Supreme Court  said sidelined BCCI president N. Srinivasan cannot contest election for the Indian cricket board’s governing body presidency as long as he is involved in a “conflict of interest” situation as an owner of IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings (CSK). The apex court said this while striking down an amendment to the BCCI…

  • Indian security agencies face heat over Obama visit

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    By Rajnish Singh  An advance team of US Secret Service agents who are in the capital to ensure the security of President Barack Obama during his three-day India visit are reportedly “bullying” their Indian counterparts on every aspect of the security. Well-informed sources said that around 25 Secret Service agents arrived in the capital Jan…

  • Kejriwal explains money for vote comment

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    AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, seeking to defend his comment asking Delhi voters to accept money from political parties but not to vote for them, said it would ultimately lead to cleansing politics. “The biggest problem is that these parties use black money to give bribe, distribute alcohol, and buy tickets. I am saying take money…

  • From Raj Ghat to Taj Mahal

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    By Arun Kumar   Reflecting the economic focus of President Barack Obama’s trip to India as guest of honour at its Republic Day, top commerce officials, members of Congress and top American business leaders will accompany him. First Lady Michelle Obama will be with the president on the trip but their daughters Malia and Sasha are…

  • CBI trying to fix me : Dayanidhi Maran

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    DMK leader and former telecom minister Dayanidhi Maran  alleged that the CBI is trying to fix him in a false case and torturing his aides. He also alleged that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is trying to satisfy the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) by implicating him. According to him, if at all there is…

  • The invite that took Obama by surprise

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    By Arun Kumar   Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invitation to President Barack Obama to be the first American leader to be the chief guest at India’s Republic day took him by “some surprise” but he felt “personally honoured” to accept. Given the “complicated history” between the two countries, “I think it took us by some surprise,”…

  • US keen to implement n-deal

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    As an India-US nuclear contact group met for the third time to try and resolve the contentious nuclear liability issue, ahead of US President Barack Obama’s India visit, the US said it will continue to work with India towards implementing the stalled deal. A contact group comprising diplomats and officials associated with nuclear energy from…

  • Kejriwal, Bedi, Maken file nominations

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    The main contenders for the post of Delhi chief minister – Kiran Bedi, Arvind Kejriwal and Ajay Maken  filed their nomination papers in the riveting political battle for the Feb 7 assembly polls. The three leaders entered the fray on the last day of filing nominations and made claims about good performance of their parties.…

  • Delhi ready to receive Obama

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      The national capital was fully prepared to receive US President Barack Obama, who lands here Sunday for a three-day visit. Home Minister Rajnath Singh Wednesday said security has been tightened and there will be no problems. “All security arrangements are in place. There will be no problem anywhere,” he told reporters. An unprecedented security…

  • A Hindu widow saves 10 Muslims in Bihar riots

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    By Imran Khan   A Hindu woman who saved lives of 10 Muslims in this village in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district during the recent clashes in which five people died is being hailed as a hero, officials said. Shail Devi, a frail widow in her early 50s, risking her own life, gave shelter to her Muslim neighbours…

  • Obama visit reflects sea change in ties

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    By Arun Kumar  Besides its powerful symbolism and optics, President Barack Obama’s presence as the guest of honour at India’s Republic Day reflects the big change in India-US relations since Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power. He even advanced the State of the Union address to a joint session of the US Congress traditionally…

  • McDonald’s made to serve street kids in Pune

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    By Quaid Najmi   When the pompous staff at a McDonald’s in Pune evicted an eight-year-old street boy from its premises recently, they may not have anticipated the fallout. It was a Mumbai-based businesswoman, Shaheena Attarwala, and some friends who took the young Akash Pawar to the outlet when he begged for food to eat. But…

  • US looking forward to Obama visit

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    US corporate honchos are looking forward to President Barack Obama’s visit to India to understand market accessibility after the BJP-led government came to power, an Assocham CEOs’ survey in India and the US, released here, said. The industry chamber said the survey was done between Jan 6 and Jan 16 among major Indian corporates and…

  • ‘PK’ makers face plagiarism charge

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    The Delhi High Court  issued notice to the makers of Aamir Khan-starrer film “PK” on a plea of novelist Kapil Isapuri accusing them of plagiarism. The Rajkumar Hirani-directorial, which raises questions about religion and people’s blind faith in godmen, has been co-produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Hirani. The movie also stars Anushka Sharma and…

  • Kejriwal files nomination

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    AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal  filed his nomination from New Delhi assembly constituency for the Feb 7 polls. The former Delhi chief minister met with protests by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers as he reached the district magistrate office on Shahjahan Road at 11.20 a.m. The BJP workers standing outside the district magistrate office shouted anti-Kejriwal…

  • Sanjiv Chadha to lead SBI UK

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    State Bank of India (SBI) has announced the appointment of Mr. Sanjiv Chadha as Regional Head for the UK, taking over from Mr. Mrutyunjay Mahapatra in overseeing all activities of the bank in the UK. Mr. Mahapatra returns to India to take up a new role. Mr. Chadha takes up the Regional Head role with…

  • Amit Shah blames Mamata for Burdwan blast

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      BJP president Amit Shah launched a scathing attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and asked people to uproot the Trinamool Congress government for jeopardising national security for the sake of vote bank. Addressing a Bharatiya Janata Party rally in Burdwan where an explosion killed two Bangladeshi militants in October last year, Shah…

  • Is BJP, PDP back to dating in Kashmir?

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      There was intense speculation  about an imminent alliance between the BJP and the PDP before Feb 7 when elections for four Rajya Sabha seats are to be held in Jammu and Kashmir. Leaders admitted to informal talks on government formation. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief spokesperson Naeem Akhtar said in Jammu city: “Formal talks are…