Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to luminaries including Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru during his speech commemorating Indian Independence Day on August 15. The Prime Minister noted the government's progress in several areas ranging from advancing efficiency and transparency to initiatives focusing on job growth, women's welfare, investment and more.
Expanding its digital presence and public outreach, India's Ministry of External Affairs launched an app bringing together websites and social media handles of more than 170 Indian missions on a common platform. The free app, a "one-stop-shop" developed in cooperation with Facebook, will help people connect with Indian missions abroad and the ministry through a range of social media platforms without having to access individual websites. Simply tap on a specific country in the app, and all of the mission's social media platforms will appear.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the performances of India's female athletes at the 2016 Rio Olympics, praising badminton shuttler P.V. Sindhu, above, and wrestler Sakshi Malik for bringing home medals for the country. Silver medalist Sindhu became the first-ever Indian shuttler to play an Olympic final, while gold medalist Sakshi became the first Indian woman wrestler to win a medal at the Games. He also announced a new task force that will seek to boost India's performance at future Olympic Games.
The Embassy of India in Washington, DC, celebrated India's 70th Independence Day on August 15. Ambassador Arun K. Singh unfurled the national flag and read out the President's Message to the Nation, which was followed by singing of patriotic songs.
The US Postal Service will commemorate the Hindu festival of Diwali by launching on Oct. 5 a Forever stamp featuring a traditional diya oil lamp beautifully lit, sitting on a sparkling gold background.
Hyderabad is fast cementing its reputation as a formidable global tech capital - Amazon, Google and Facebook have set up offices in the south-central Indian city, and a cutting-edge metro system is in the works. But amid this steady march to the future, the city's rich past and regal architectural legacy sometimes fall by the wayside. Fortunately, a recent wave of attempts at preservation is helping to save and restore some of Hyderabad's storied heritage. Try Hyderabad's own take on biryani, a fragrant dish of rice layered with meat, fish or vegetables before making your way to Falaknuma Palace, or explore the Qutub Shahi tombs and shop in the popular boutique Manomay.
