Rites

RITES Limited {राइट्स लिमिटेड} (earlier known as Rail India Technical and Economic Service) is an engineering consultancy company, specializing in the field of transport infrastructure. Established in 1974 by the Government of India, the company's initial charter was to provide consultancy services in rail transport management to operators in India and abroad. RITES has since diversified into planning and consulting services for other infrastructure, including airports, ports, highways and urban planning. Recently on-shore WDS6 Diesel Loco Leasing service has been introduced. It has been awarded the status of MINIRATNA in 2002.

A rite or ritual is an established, ceremonial, usually religious, act. Rites in this sense fall into three major categories:

• rites of passage, generally changing an individual's social status, such as marriage, adoption, baptism, coming of age, graduation, or inauguration;
• communal rites, whether of worship, where a community comes together to worship, such as Jewish synagogue or Mass, or of another character, such as fertility rites and certain non-religious festivals;
• rites of personal devotion, where an individual worships, including prayer and pilgrimages such as the Muslim Hajj, pledges of allegiance, or promises to wed someone.