My father, a prolific reader of literature about the historical events connecting India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, was a great admirer of Indian writer-columnist Kuldip Nayar. “Don't miss it,” he would tell me, about Nayar's weekly column published by The Daily Star. I often heard my father say that Muhammad Ali Jinnah used to be called an “ambassador of Hindu-Muslim unity”.

Kuldip Nayar belonged to a rare breed of journalists. Fearless and uncompromising, Mr Nayar fought against oppression and social injustice his entire life. He was a true champion of democracy and human rights, who never fumbled or faltered to tell the truth or to speak his mind.

It was literally a magical moment when Kuldip Nayar (Kuldip Ji to all who loved and admired him) first stepped into the newsroom of

Kuldip Nayar, one of the doyens of Indian journalism and renowned author-cum rights activist who fiercely fought for media freedom and civil liberties, dies in a hospital in Delhi. He was 95.

Here were great hopes from the largest ever Indian contingent at the Rio Olympics, but when it came to performance, it fell well short of expectations. India has won only a bronze medal in women's wrestling and a silver in women's badminton.

New Delhi has to appreciate the fact that the Kashmiris' desire to distance themselves from India may not be considered in any meaningful transfer of power from New Delhi to Srinagar. Yet, the impression that the Kashmiris rule themselves has to be sustained.

The past seems to be catching up fast with President Pranab Mukherjee.

New Delhi has set up the Central Water and Power Commission to have a systematic plan to harness not only water but also generate power. This has worked to a large extent, but in certain parts of India, the fallout has led to a series of disputes, which remain unsolved even after decades.

I was present at the function where Aamir Khan, a leading actor, said that his wife had asked him whether they should move to some other country for healthy upbringing of their child.

Leaders of different communities had so much confidence in the fairness of the country, when it won freedom, that none of them wanted reservations.