“If we do nothing, it will take 75 years or maybe 100 before women can expect to be paid the same as men for the same work. 15.5 million girls will be married in the next 16 years as children. And at current rates, it won’t be until 2086 before all rural African girls can have a secondary education. I invite you to step forward, to be seen and ask yourself: if not me, who? If not now, when?”
Emma Watson, actress and UN Women Goodwill ambassador, addressing the United Nations’ general assembly on gender equality (September 21)
“The past 60 years of experience shows that Indian labour laws and interventions have gone too far even by the standards of democracies. Today Indian corporates avoid labour-intensive industries such as apparel like the bubonic plague.”
Arvind Panagriya, well-known economist, on reforming Indian labour laws (The Times of India, September 25)
“Our distorted relationship with the US results from two factors. Ninety percent of our civil servants, academics, politicians and industrialists ensure their children are educated in the US and imbibe American values, chiefly individualism.”
Vinod Mehta, well-known journalist, on why Indians love the US (The Economic Times, September 26)
“I am happy England gave us the game of cricket, which they can’t play very well, and the English language which I can’t speak very well.”
Kapil Dev, former Indian cricketer, after receiving a lifetime achievement award at the House of Lords (September 26)
“A one-km auto rickshaw ride in Ahmedabad takes Rs.10 and India reached Mars at Rs.10 per km which is really amazing. Everything about Mangalyaan is indigenous. We reached Mars on a smaller budget than a Hollywood movie.”
Prime minister Narendra Modi speaking of India’s successful mission to Mars at Madison Square, New York (September 28)