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‘Our success in vaccination is thanks to India being Atmanirbhar.’ 'Our Government has worked tirelessly for the small farmers.’ ‘My innermost instinct has always been to do something for others. Wherever I am, whatever I am doing, there is a desire to do something or the other for people.’ From his political success to the coronavirus vaccination drive in India to his attitude to critics and the farmers protest, no topic was taboo when Prime Minister Narendra Modi stand down for an interview with Open magazine . In the interview, he discusses his style of governance to him being considered a risk-taker. Here are excerpts from the interview published in Open Magazine . Vaccination drive in India Speaking on India's "stunning success in vaccinating its people", the Prime Minister credits it to the country being atmanirbhar or self-reliant. "Imagine if our country had not come up with a vaccine. What would be the situation? We know that a large population o

On the occasion 152nd birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched the Jal Jeevan Mission App and interacted with Gram Panchayats and village water and sanitation committees (VWSC) Since the launch of the Jal Jeevan Mission in 2019, five crore households have got water connection and now tap water is reaching every household in about 1.25 lakh villages, Modi said on Saturday, asserting that today's India has done more work in just two years than what was done in seven decades. Interacting with Gram Panchayats and Pani Samitis across India. https://t.co/Mp3HemaAZD — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 2, 2021 Speaking after interacting with gram panchayats and pani samitis/village water and sanitation committees (VWSC) on the Jal Jeevan Mission, Modi said the mission is not just about bringing water to people but it is also a decentralisation movement that is village and women-driven. "From the time of Independence till 2019,

The whole nation will celebrate the birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, fondly called Bapu, on Saturday, 2 October. The occasion is known as Gandhi Jayanti and this year marks Mahatma Gandhi's 152nd birth anniversary. While the day is marked as a National holiday in India, Gandhi Jayanti is also observed in foreign countries. Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated on 2 October to honour the Father of the Nation on his birthday and pay tribute to him for his valuable teachings. His contribution to India's development and freedom struggle remains paramount and his teachings have led the country towards betterment. As we celebrate Gandhi Jayanti, we bring to you some of Mahatma Gandhi's most inspirational quotes that will help in bringing positivity and hope to your life. Take a look: “I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet.” “Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes.” “To call woman the weaker sex is a

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Saturday kicked off tiger rallies in 18 tiger range states across 51 reserves in the country as part of ''Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav'' and Wildlife Week celebrations. The rallies will cover a distance of over 7,500 km in seven days (2 October to 8 October) traversing the diverse and picturesque landscapes spanning across India Tiger is not only a charismatic species, its presence is vital to regulating & perpetuating ecological processes. On #GandhiJayanti flagged off 'India for Tigers - A rally on wheels' in which all 51 tiger reserves will be participating at landscape level. #AzadiKaAmritMahotsav pic.twitter.com/0Ntp1NdAqW — Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) October 2, 2021 The minister kicked off the rally virtually in three tiger reserves — Biligiri Ranganathaswamy Temple (BRT) Tiger Reserve in Karnataka, Navegaon Nagzira Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra and Sanjay Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh — by waving a

Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs & Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri felicitated Safai Mitras and frontline workers on Saturday on the occasion of Swachhta Divas. The minister tweeted that “thousands of millions of Safaimitras of the country, associated with the immense success of Swachh Bharat Mission, deserve real praise and gratitude. Today, in a special program organised by NDMC, I respected and respected all my Swachhatamitra sisters and brothers”. स्वच्छ भारत मिशन की अपार सफलता से जुड़े देश के हज़ारों लाखों सफ़ाइमित्र असली प्रशंसा और आभार का पात्र हैं। आज NDMC द्वारा आयोजित एक विशेष कार्यक्रम में मैंने अपने सभी स्वच्छतामित्र बहनों भाइयों का सम्मान एवं सरकार किया। @M_Lekhi @mp_kaushal @upadhyaysbjp @MoHUA_India @MaVeWriter pic.twitter.com/Mhvc14y47c — Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) October 2, 2021 The function took place at 9 am at Central Park, Connaught Place, New Delhi in the presence of Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today paid floral tribute to Bharat Ratna and former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on his 117th birth anniversary at Vijay Ghat. Lal Bahadur Shastri shares his birthday with Mahatma Gandhi. "Tributes to former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri ji on his birth anniversary. His life based on values and principles will always remain a source of inspiration for the countrymen," tweeted Prime Minister Modi. Delhi | PM Narendra Modi pays tribute to former PM Lal Bahadur Shastri at Vijay Ghat on his birth anniversary pic.twitter.com/Izl0U3ppt7 — ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2021 Shastri was born on 2 October, 1904 in Mughalsarai district of Uttar Pradesh. He entered politics at a young age as a satyagrahi in the Indian National Movement.On August 15, 1947, he became the Minister of Police and Transport in independent India. Shastri became the Prime Minister of India in 1964 and led the country during the India-Pakistan war in 1965. He coined the

India unfurled the world's largest ‘Khadi national flag’ on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti . The flag, measuring a length and width of 225 feet and 150 feet respectively, and weighing 1,000 kilogram, was unfurled in Leh. #WATCH World's largest Khadi national flag installed in Leh town, inaugurated by Ladakh Lieutenant Governor RK Mathur Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane also present pic.twitter.com/6lNxp0lM0n — ANI (@ANI) October 2, 2021 Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, R K Mathur, on Saturday inaugurated the Tiranga made of Khadi on Saturday. The unveiling of the flag coincided with the birth anniversary of the 'Father of the Nation,' Mahatma Gandhi, with whom Khadi is synonymous. लद्दाख के उपराज्यपाल आर के माथुर ने लेह में दुनिया के सबसे बड़े राष्ट्रीय ध्वज का अनावरण किया. इस अवसर पर सेना प्रमुख एम एम नरवणे भी रहे मौजूद #GandhiJayanti pic.twitter.com/GwVu5Q9KtI — प्रसार भारती न्यूज सर्विसेज (@PBNS_Hindi) October 2, 2021 Army Chief General M M N

By the time Goa goes to polls in 2022, the electronic voting machine might well resemble the spread in typical fish thali served in seafood restaurants in the beach state; a plate with varied compartments packed with rice, varieties of curries and savoury fish bites. However, the addition of two resurgent political parties, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC), to Goa’s colourful electoral ensemble may end up queering the pitch and the political palate of the average Goan. Neither AAP nor the TMC are new fish in Goa’s murky political pond. AAP had flattered to deceive in the 2017 Assembly polls, with the party losing all seats it contested in—Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had predicted a victory in 35 out of the 40 Assembly seats—while the TMC performed miserably in both its previous outings, the Assembly polls in 2012 and the Lok Sabha elections in 2014. This time round, however, both the political outfits, boosted by their convincing electoral successe

In my book,  The Death and Afterlife of Mahatma Gandhi  (2015), I had observed, “Mahatma Gandhi is a man we love to hate and hate to love.” Nowhere is this more evident than on his birthday, 2 nd  October. The United Nations General Assembly in its resolution of 15 June 2007 undertook to dedicate this day to “disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness”, reaffirming “the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence” and its commitment “to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence”. The resolution, moved by then external affairs minister Anand Sharma, was supported by 140 co-sponsoring countries in addition to India, reflecting the widespread respect for the Mahatma. Repeating Gandhi’s words, “Non-violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man,” the resolution upheld Gandhi’s most cherished belief in its pow

India has logged 24,354 new COVID-19 cases, taking the tally to 3,37,91,061, while the active cases have declined to 2,73,889, according to the Union health ministry's data, updated on Saturday. With the administration of 69,33,838 vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India’s COVID-19 vaccination coverage has also exceeded 89.74Cr (89,74,81,554) as per provisional reports till 7am today. This has been achieved through 87,06,441sessions. The death toll has climbed to 4,48,573 with 234 fresh fatalities, reported PTI. The active cases comprise 0.81 percent of the total infections, the lowest since March 2020, while the national COVID-19 recovery rate was recorded at 97.86 percent, the highest since March 2020, the ministry said. A decrease of 1,335 Covid cases has been recorded in the total number of active cases in a span of 24 hours. The testing capacity across the country continues to be expanded. The last 24 hours saw a total of 14,29,258tests being conducted. India has so far

Petrol and diesel prices went up on Saturday across the country. In Delhi, petrol costs Rs 102.14 a litre, a hike by 25 paise while the rate of diesel was Rs 90.47 per litre, a hike by 30 paise. In Mumbai, petrol can be bought at Rs 108.19 per litre, which is costlier by 24 paise and diesel costs Rs 98.16 for one litre, an increase by 32 paise. In Chennai, a litre of petrol is priced at Rs 99.80, which is an increase of 22 paise. On Saturday, the price of a litre of diesel was Rs 95.02 per litre, a rise of 28 paise. Petrol in Kolkata costs Rs 102.77 per litre, which is costlier by 30 paise while diesel costs Rs 93.57 a litre, which is expensive by 30 paise. While petrol can be bought at Rs 110.63, hiked by 26 paise in Bhopal, and diesel costs Rs 99.41 per litre, raised by 32 paise. Petrol and diesel prices  are revised by the oil marketing companies including Bharat Petroleum, Indian Oil and Hindustan Petroleum. The new prices are implemented at 6 am every day. States and cities h

Love him or hate him, but it’s difficult to corner Chetan Bhagat. This has been the case since the time he authored his first novel, Five Point Someone , in 2004. The so-called literati class called him names, questioned his literary credentials, but if there is one writer who truly took English novels to all corners of the country, who made it fashionable for millennials to fashionably hold a book in their hands, and who inspired confidence among the students of the Hindi heartland that they too can read English novels, it was Chetan Bhagat. He is the big elephant in the literary room which our self-proclaimed liberals often wished away, but he only grew stronger. “I threaten their elitist existence and ecosystem,” he says. And as Chetan Bhagat comes up with his new novel, 400 Days , he talks to Firstpost about his journey so far. Please tell us about 400 Days and how did the idea to write this book come to you? 400 Days is about a missing child in the backdrop of a love story

After his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Punjab chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi , during his first visit to the National Capital after taking oath, was slated to meet senior Congress leaders amid the ongoing crisis in the party's Punjab unit. He, however, went directly to the airport from his "very positive" meeting at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg in Delhi. Channi was also supposed to meet the Gandhi's, sources said. According to top sources in the party, the Congress high command has now told Chaani "to sort it out at the state level". Additionally, Punjab Congress in-charge Harish Rawat is also being sent to Chandigarh before the Cabinet meeting on Monday, they said. Channi rushed to Delhi a day after he held hectic parleys with a disgruntled Navjot Singh Sidhu who finally relented and reportedly agreed to continue as the Punjab Congress chief after he was assured that a coordination panel, comprising both him and Channi will be set up to overs

Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated on 2 October every year to mark the birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi — popularly called Mahatma Gandhi — and regarded as the Father of the Nation. To mark this special occasion, President Ram Nath Kovind asked the nation to take a pledge that “we will continue to strive for making India a country of Gandhiji's dreams while adhering to his teachings, ideals and values.” Homage to Bapu on #GandhiJayanti . It is a special day for all Indians to remember Gandhiji's struggles and sacrifice. Let us take a pledge that we will continue to strive for making India a country of Gandhiji's dreams while adhering to his teachings, ideals and values. — President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) October 2, 2021 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on his 152nd birth anniversary, saying his life and ideas will inspire every generation to walk the path of their duties. "I bow to respected Bapu on Gandhi

Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated annually on 2 October all over the country and this year marks Mahatma Gandhi’s 152nd birth anniversary. The day is also celebrated across the world as International Day of Non-Violence (ahimsa), as Gandhi led the nation to freedom through his non-violent civil disobedience movements. Gandhi’s leadership has inspired many people across generations as he was the pivotal force behind giving Independence to India from 200 years of oppressive British colonial rule. Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated on 30 January, 1948, a year after India gained Independence. The day of Gandhi’s assassination is observed as the National Martyr’s day in India. On his birthday, we bring to you 10 unknown facts about Mahatma Gandhi: Mahatma Gandhi was nominated five times for the Nobel Peace Prize — 1937, 1938, 1939, 1947 and in 1948, a few days before he was assassinated, but was never bestowed with the honour. Poet Rabindranath Tagore gave the title of Mahatma to Gandhiji. Ta

The votes are in and the wait is over: Fumio Kishida will be anointed Prime Minister of Japan . His victory, just a year after an ignominious defeat at the hands of outgoing premier Yoshihide Suga, comes at a time of churn and crisis. Kishida will have his hands full from Day 1: the COVID-19 pandemic still rages, Japan’s economic recovery and an ambitious China knocking on Japan’s doorstep. How did we get here? Just over a year ago, former Foreign and Defence Minister Kishida found himself on the other side of the political equation. As Shinzo Abe demitted office, Kishida ran to replace him and lost handily to Abe’s right-hand man Yoshihide Suga, who went on to take the top job. Many felt that the 62-year old Kishida, who represents Hiroshima in the House of Representatives, had his chance and squandered it. Luckily for Kishida, Suga did not prove nearly as adept at being prime minister as he had at being Shinzo Abe’s political fixer. His administration was widely seen to have mishan

This year the country will celebrate the 152nd birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi on 2 October. Fondly remembered as Mahatma Gandhi or Bapu, the day is marked to remember one of the most prominent leaders of India's independence movement. Every year people across the country celebrate Gandhi Jayanti to honour the legendary leader without whom India would not have got independence from the Britishers. On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, below are famous quotes from the Father of the nation which we can put as WhatsApp or Facebook status: "Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes" "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever" "The greatness of humanity is not in being human, but in being humane" "An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind" "Nobody can hurt me without my permission" "Change yourself - you are in control" &quo

Narendra Modi, in his video message to a gathering at the India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai on Friday, hailed India as one of the most open countries which offers maximum growth and invited investors to invest. Watch the video of Narendra Modi's address below: India Pavilion at the #Expo2020 is themed on ‘Openness, Opportunity, Growth.’ Do visit the Pavilion to get a flavour of India... https://t.co/mWAC8Zz726 — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 1, 2021 Modi said India is a powerhouse of talent and is making many advances in the world of technology, research and innovation. "Our economic growth is powered by a combination of legacy industries and start-ups," he said. Referring to the theme of India's pavilion — ''Openness, Opportunity and Growth'' — he stressed that today's India is one of the most open countries in the world, open to learning, open to perspectives, open to innovation, open to investment. "India also offers you m

The whole nation will pay homage to the 'Father of the Nation' Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi on Saturday, 2 October, on the occasion of his 152 birth anniversary. The day is marked as Gandhi Jayanti across the country. Along with India, other nations too observe this occasion as Gandhi's method of non-violence inspired various civil rights movements all over the world. Every year, the United Nations (UN) celebrates this day as ‘International Day of Non-Violence’. This year, amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, Gandhi Jayanti is coinciding with the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated this event on 12 March, the 91st anniversary of the Dandi March, an important event in Gandhi's life. On the special occasion, take a look at the timeline of key events of Mahatma Gandhi's life from birth to death below: Early life and education: Gandhi, who shares his birth date with former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, was born on 2 October, 1869, in G

Every year, Gandhi Jayanti is marked and celebrated on 2 October to commemorate the birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. He was popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi and Father of the Nation. Usually, on this day, the nation observes a national holiday. Meanwhile, the entire world observes this day as Gandhi Jayanti. Among the many leaders who fought for India's independence, Gandhi is known to be one of the most prominent figures for his ideologies, philosophies, struggles, and determination that drove India to its independence. He was also the man behind non-violent civil disobedience. Gandhi played a significant role in India's freedom movement. His method of non-violence encouraged and inspired several civil rights movements across the world where he fought to bring noteworthy changes in society. Amid the ongoing pandemic, the country will mark the 152nd birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi this year. Along with India, the United Nations (UN) every year also obser

Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated on 2 October annually to mark the birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, popularly called Mahatma Gandhi and regarded as the Father of the Nation. This year marks the 152nd birth anniversary of Gandhi, who was born in Porbandar, Gujarat on 2 October 1869. His contribution to the Indian freedom struggle is unparalleled, with Gandhi being the architect of several mass movements such as the Non-Cooperation Movement and the Civil Disobedience Movement. Every year, his birth anniversary is celebrated across the globe. In India, the President and Prime Minister of India pay tribute to Gandhi by visiting his memorial at New Delhi’s Raj Ghat. This year, Gandhi Jayanti coincides with the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, an initiative by the Indian government to celebrate 75 years of the country’s independence from British rule. The Mahotsav, which was launched on 12 March on the 91st anniversary of the Dandi March, will go on till 15 August 2023, the 77th Inde

The name Sonja Schlesin does not ring a bell. But, her accomplishment, if we can call it that, was something of a first. Moscow-born Schlesin, whose family migrated to South Africa when she was about four, was Gandhi's first secretary. In 1903, MK Gandhi (and that was how we was referred to then) enrolled as an attorney in the Supreme Court of the Transvaal in South Africa. He opened an office in Johannesburg and asked around for a clerical assistant. His architect friend, Herman Kallenbach, referred him to a young Jewish woman, Sonja Schlesin who had matriculated at the University of the Cape of Good Hope in 1903 at the age of 15. Gandhi was prepared to pay her up to £20 for her clerical work, but Schlesin was perfectly satisfied with £6. Her response to Gandhi's offer of more than £6 was, "I am not here to draw a salary from you. I am here because I like to work with you and I like your ideals." Schlesin worked with Gandhi for the rest of his South African stint