Kasane (Botswana), Jan 11 : If Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari has his way, Indian filmmakers will have another exotic film destination - Botswana.

Enraptured by the beautiful and wild environs of the Chobe National Park, Ansari told his host, Botswana Vice President Momfati Merafhe, Sunday night that he will certainly lobby for the southern African country with his domestic film industry.

"India boasts the largest film production in the world, which specialises in the most beautiful of locations.

Gaborone (Botswana), Jan. 9 : Vice-President Mohammmad Hamid Ansari arrived in Botswana capital Gaborone this afternoon on a three-day official visit.

Botswana Vice-President Mompati Merafhe and his wife received Vice-President Ansari alongwith other dignitaries at the Sir Sereste Khama International Airport here.

The visiting Indian delegation was accorded a traditional Botswanian welcome with tribal dancers putting up a performance on the airport tarmac. The Vice-President and Mrs. Ansari were introduced to key

ministers and officials before departing from the airport. Vice-President Ansari and his entourage headed straight for the Hotel Walmont Ambassador soon after arrival, and will be briefed by High

Gaborone, Jan 9 : On the last leg of his three-nation African tour, Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari arrived in Botswana Saturday, hoping to increase direct access to the country's famed uncut diamonds for the Indian diamond industry.

The vice president's special aircraft landed at Seretse Khama airport in the Botswana capital Gaborone at about 11.45 a. m. He had started on his trip Jan 5 in Zambia, before reaching Malawi Jan 7.

He was received at the airport by Vice President Mompati Merafhe and a group of tribal dancers in their traditional finery. The vice president and his wife Salma Ansari were quite taken in with the dancers, as they watched them perform nimbly near the tarmac.

Lusaka, Jan 5 : Botswana's diamonds are of "direct interest" to India, Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari said as he began his three-nation Africa tour Tuesday.

"Botswana is the world's first or second largest diamond producer. This is of direct interest to us, as we have a large and prosperous diamond cutting industry in Gujarat," Ansari told reporters onboard the Special Aircraft from New Delhi to Lusaka.

New Delhi, Jan 4 : Vice-President Hamid Ansari will embark on a three-nation official visit to Africa from Tuesday.

During the week-long trip the Vice-President along with Union Minster of State for Labour and Employment Harish Rawat and his delegation will visit Zambia, Malawi and Botswana.

New Delhi, Jan 4: Vice President Hamid Ansari on Monday said that the potential of India as a global power, its vision of inclusive growth and optimal utilization of the human potential of all its citizens, cannot be realized without encouraging greater participation in quality higher education and scientific research.

New Delhi, Jan 1 : President Pratibha Patil was greeted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Vice President Hamid Ansari and a group of specially-abled children on the occasion of the New Year at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday.

The President was also greeted by Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar.

Prime Minister Singh accompanied by his wife Gursharan Kaur presented a bouquet to President Patil.

Amidst all these exchange of pleasantries, President Patil met a group of specially-abled children who visited the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

New Delhi, Dec 31 : Several agreements are expected to be signed during Vice-President Hamid Ansari's three-nation visit to Africa Jan 5-12.

Ansari will travel to Zambia, Malawi and Botswana in south-eastern Africa and a number of agreements will be inked during the visit, officials said Thursday.

India has several business interests in Zambia, especially in the mining sector. There had been substantial Indian investment in the African country, which amounts to over $2 billion.

New Delhi, Dec 31 : Vice President Hamid Ansari on Thursday greeted all citizens on the occasion of the New Year 2010.

Ansari said, "I greet all citizens on the happy occasion of New Year 2010."

He further said in his message that like every year, this New Year also brings renewed hopes and expectations along with more challenges, which can only be fulfilled by working unitedly with greater resolve and dedication.

Gandhinagar, Dec 26 : Vice-President Hamid Ansari will inaugurate the 17th National Children's Science Congress (NCSC), one of the country's premier academic events, in Ahmedabad Sunday.

The opening function will be presided over by Gujarat Governor Kamla Beniwal with Chief Minister Narendra Modi as the chief guest.

Yash Pal, President of National Council for Science & Technology Communication (NCSTC) network, will be present at the function as the guest of honour.

New Delhi, Dec 17 : Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari Thursday accepted a petition by 75 members to impeach Karnataka High Court Chief Justice P. D. Dinakaran for alleged irregularities in land deals, official sources said.

"The chairman has accepted the petition. It will now be discussed in the house," the source said.

The 75 members, led by the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), submitted the petition to Hamid Ansari on Monday.(IANS)

New Delhi, Dec 14 : Vice President Hamid Ansari will today meet MPs to receive the impeachment document against Chief Justice P D Dinakaran, whose elevation as a judge to the Supreme court has been delayed due to charges of land grabbing.

Cutting across party lines, more than 50 members of the Rajya Sabha belonging to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Left parties and Samajwadi Party had signed a letter to initiate the process of impeachment against him last week.

New Delhi, Nov 21 : Active partnership between New Delhi and Beijing and mutual sensitivity to each others' concerns is necessary for stability, security and prosperity in the shared spaces in their near and distant neighbourhood, Vice President Hamid Ansari said here Saturday.

Speaking at a conference 'Emerging China: Prospects for Partnership in Asia' at Sapru House here, organised by the Indian Council for World Affairs (ICWA) and Association for Asia Scholars (AAS), he said Indian and Chinese interests intersect over a wide arc extending from West Asia through Central Asia to South and Southeast Asia to East Asia.

A day before the winter session of Parliament starts, Vice-President Hamid Ansari said members should be allowed to express their views without fear of violating party discipline.

“We need political consensus so that room for political and policy expression in Parliament for a member is expanded,” he said on Thursday. “A whip could be limited to Bills that could threaten the survival of a government, such as money Bills and no-confidence motions.”

Gangtok, Oct 29 : Vice President Hamid Ansari inaugurated the Regional Conference on "Right to Education with Special Reference to Sikkim and its impact on Legal Awareness Campaign" here today.

The conference was organized as part of the on-going Golden Jubilee celebrations of the High Court of Sikkim.

Gangtok, Oct 29 : Vice President Hamid Ansari inaugurated the Regional Conference on "Right to Education with Special Reference to Sikkim and its impact on Legal Awareness Campaign" here today.

The conference was organized as part of the on-going Golden Jubilee celebrations of the High Court of Sikkim.

Gangtok, Oct 29 : Vice President Hamid Ansari inaugurated the Regional Conference on "Right to Education with Special Reference to Sikkim and its impact on Legal Awareness Campaign" here today.

The conference was organized as part of the on-going Golden Jubilee celebrations of the High Court of Sikkim.

Gangtok, Oct 29 : Vice President Hamid Ansari inaugurated the Regional Conference on "Right to Education with Special Reference to Sikkim and its impact on Legal Awareness Campaign" here today.

The conference was organized as part of the on-going Golden Jubilee celebrations of the High Court of Sikkim.

New Delhi, Oct 27 : No religion condones terrorism and those attempting to attribute its origin to Islam display "downright prejudice", Vice President Hamid Ansari said Tuesday.

Terrorism is not of "recent origin but globalization and technology have now made it trans-national in reach and devastating in its impact", he said.    

Ansari was speaking after inaugurating the second international conference on terrorism organised by the Jama Masjid United Forum here, attended by leaders and Islamic scholars from many countries like Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Turkey, Morocco and Sudan.

New Delhi, Oct 23 :Vice President Hamid Ansari conferred the "National Safety Awards (Mines)" here today.

The function was organised by the Directorate General of Mines Safety (DGMS) under the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Addressing on the occasion, Ansari said that while the Indian mining industry has achieved phenomenal progress in production and productivity, accidents in the mining sector are also, sadly, a fact of life.

"While the risk of hazard cannot be eliminated from mining activity, the consistent efforts since Independence has been to ensure the safety, welfare and the health of workers of mines by minimizing the hazards through all available technological means," he said.