A blind child dressed as Santa Claus distributes candies during Christmas celebrations at the Devnar School for the Blind in Hyderabad on Wednesday - AP
BJP activists burn an American flag in protest over the ill-treatment meted out by the American officials to Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade, in Kochi on Wednesday - DC/Sunoj Ninan Mathew
People greet Oommen Chandy as he arrives for the foundation stone laying ceremony of Kerala State Youth Welfare Board held at Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. Agriculture Minister K.P. Mohanan, Welfare of Backward Communities Minister P.K.
Kerala CM Oommen Chandy shakes hand with Chairman of Fourteenth Finance Commission Dr Y.V. Reddy at a meeting held at the government Guest House in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday - DC/A.V. Muzafar
A walkathon in support of organ donation organised by the students of Indian Institute of management in Kochi on Wednesday - DC/Arunchandra Bose
Activists in Thiruvananthapuram called for public attention on age old trees at Palayam in the Kerala capital on Wednesday. They garlanded this century-old Rain tree and held a poster exhibition. They also found out that the tree has been pierced
Another picture of the dance that takes place as part of the 'Thiruvathira' rituals in the Malayalam month of Dhanu - DC/Venugopal
'Narikkali' dancers perform in Kozhikode while visiting houses as part of the 'Thiruvathira' celebrations in Kozhikode on Wednesday - DC/Venugopal
Cakes in the shape of a teddy bear, barbie doll and a tree are lined up at a bakery in Kozhikode on Wednesday. Cakes based on innovative themes are adorning the bakeries in the city as Christmas is nearing - DC/Venugopal
About 150 tiny tots in Santa attire lined up to form a human star during Christmas celebrations at the Lulu mall in Kochi on Wednesday - DC/Sunoj Ninan Mathew
Todas celebrating a tribal festival in Ooty on Wednesday - PTI
Bank strike (file pic) PTI
Actor Sudeep arrives in auto for the launch of Sugama Savari, a safe auto campaign, organised by Bamgalore City Traffic Police at Cubbon Park in Bangalore on Wednesday - KPN
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah with Biocon CMD Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw at a meeting in Bengaluru on Wednesday - PTI
A crying mother Bhagyaman shifting her daughter Sreelakashmi, a college student, who was beaten up by a group led by son of MP Sanna Pakirappa from Kaul Bazar Police station in Bellary on Wednesday. The girl collapsed at police station as she filed
A trailer truck got itself stuck on a narrow lane in the Defence Colony in Sainikpuri, Hyderabad on Wednesday after the driver tried to turn it around - DC/S.Surender Reddy
BJP state President G. Kishan Reddy addressing new office bearers at party's office in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
Seven persons, arrested in a murder case, are being produced before the media by the West Zone police in Hyderabad on Wednesday - DC/Gandhi
Participants at an interactive session during the TIE Summit in Hyderabad on Wedneday - DC/Deepak Deshpande
Delegates interacting with each other at the TIE Summit in Hyderabad on Wedneday - DC/Deepak Deshpande
Nadendla Bhaskara Rao, former Andhra Pradesh CM and father of AP Assembly Speaker Nadendla Manohar, addresses media over Telangana Bill in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
Left party activists burn an effigy of the U.S. to protest against the alleged mistreatment of New York based Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade, in Hyderabad on Wednesday - AP
Youth Congress members offer sweets to each other celebrating the passage of Lokpal Bill in Hyderabad - DC/Gandhi
Youth Congress members celebrate in Hyderabad congratulating Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi after the Lokpal Bill was passed by the Parliament on Wednesday - DC/Gandhi
Seemandhra employees working in AP Secretariat stage a protest against the bifurcation of the state on Wednesday - DC/Gandhi
Union Minister S. Jaipal Reddy (right) held discussions over Telangana with TRS Secretary General K. Keshava Rao on Wednesday.
CPI MLA Chandravathi carried her newborn to the Assembly on Wednesday - DC/Gandhi
YSR Congress MLAs arrived at the Assembly on Wednesday carrying cartoons against AP CM N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu.
Police personnel on duty taking a break in the Assembly premises.
Para-military officials were deployed in large numbers in front of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday too.
A general view of the HITEC City in Hyderabad on Wednesday - DC/Deepak Deshpande
Tennis star Sania Mirza and DGP Prasada Rao stand near to a miniature model of a police check post during the event - DC/Deepak Deshpande
Women techies passing by the IT coridor patrol vehicles parked at the venue before they were flaged off at the event in the IT park on Wedneday - DC/Deepak Deshpande
Sania Mirza
Syeda Falak poses with her trophies.
Another picture from the demonstration by the talented girl who is an expert in karate.
Syeda Falak, student of Villa Marie Degree College for Women, Hyderabad, demonstrates her martial arts skills during the College Sports Day on Wednesday as other students look on with bated breath.
Tollywood actor Manchu Vishnu takes part in a cake-mixing ceremony at a hospital ahead of the Christmas festivities in Hyderabad on Wednesday - PTI
Blind children wearing festive hats wait to perform during Christmas celebrations at the Devnar School for the Blind in Hyderabad. Christmas is a national holiday celebrated with much fanfare in India - AP
Blind children wearing special costumes wait to perform during Christmas celebrations at the Devnar School for the Blind in Hyderabad on Wednesday - AP
Andhra Pradesh and South India in pictures: December 18