Kamla Bhatt
Stories
April 11th, 2008
India: Tibet, the Olympic Torch and the Dalai Lama
· 14:02 · East Asia , South AsiaIn this week's roundup of virtual India we look at Tibet in India. Next week the Olympic torch arrives in India. First, Indian footballer Bhaichung Bhutia pulled out, and now Supercop Kiran Bedi has pulled out. However, well-known Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar will be carrying the Olympic torch writes enga. area and adds:
“Sachin actually volunteered himself to carry the torch.Sachin called Indian Olympic Association President Suresh Kalmadi and expressed his wish to join the other sportsmen who are selected to participate in the Olympic torch relay.”
Tendulkar's decision to carry the Olympic torch was greeted with mixed reactions. Kartikeya of Desicritics writes:
“A great sportsman like Tendulkar should know better than to carry the Olympic torch when others like Kiran Bedi have refused to do so. We can blame the politics of it all, but the simple point is, that it is our Government, and it is our character which is revealed. We ought not to sacrifice it at the altar of “interest”.
While quite a few well-known Indian celebrities have pulled away from participating in the Olympic torch rally it looks like the Left Parties in India have remained consistent in their stand in supporting China or the People's Republic of China (PRC). Jokes From Indian Left writes in his post titled Hypocrisy of the Indian Left Parties:
“Concerned that Tibetan protesters may succeed, CPM politburo member Sitaram Yechury called upon the government on Wednesday to see that there were no disruptions. Mr Yethury, It so sounds like you are more worried that Fire may get Hurt when a person attempts self-immolation bids.”
Prem Panickar underscores the dichotomy in Comrade Prakash Karat's stand vis-a-vis China and the USA. Karat is a well-known communist leader and is the General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). Panickar writes:
“The Prakash Karats of this world, who spout reams about “national sovereignty’ when it comes to discussing the India-US civilian nuclear cooperation agreement, seem to be totally a-okay with this—a Chinese team on India soil to take over security responsibilities of a public event that should be the internal concern of India’s police and security apparatus alone…”
Well-known travel writer Pico Iyer's new book about the Dalai Lama is a timely one and has once again drawn the world's attention to Tibet. Iyer's new book: The Open Road: The Global Journey of the Fourteenth Dalai Lama has received some wonderful reviews and Abhi of Sepia Mutiny writes:
“Instead of treating him merely as a figure to be awed, Iyer describes him as “Forrest Gumpish,” simple yet revolutionary. He is a religious leader who is actively attempting to weaken the dogma of his own religion.”
Read the rest of the post and also discover what novelist Pankaj Mishra has to say about Iyer's book.
I wrote a post summing up the various interviews and review of Pico Iyer, Dalai Lama and Tibet:
“What runs as a red skein in the various reviews and interviews with Iyer about Dalai Lama is the non-violent way in which the Tibetan leader seeks to resolve a long-standing issue over the autonomy of Tibet with the People’s Republic of China (PRC). It is close to 50 years since the Dalai Lama fled Tibet and settled in India.”
What about the Tibetans, who live in India? What do they think of their homeland and going back there? Outside of Tibet, the most number of Tibetans live in India. They live in different parts of India in states like Himachal Pradesh (where Dharamsala is located) to Uttaranchal, Karnataka and New Delhi. What goes through the minds of the young Tibetans, who live in India? Mayank Sufi Austen talks to a young Tibetan who went back to Lhasa and says;
70 comments · »»“I was a foreigner in my homeland. I didn't know Chinese and it was everywhere. In restaurants, menus would be written in Chinese and I would ask stewards what was what. I would pass by the city's only theater that screened Hollywood films, dubbed only in Chinese. It was difficult to make out things. I was lost.”
April 5th, 2008
India: The Olympic Torch and Tibet
· 08:25 · South AsiaIt seems like Tibet refuses to go away from people's mind. Tibet continues to be the dominant topic of conversation and is clearly gathering a lot of public support, especially in virtual India. Baichung Bhutia, India's well-known football player has refused to carry the Olympic torch when it comes to India in mid-April. Bhutia is a Buddhist from the Indian state of Sikkim. Bhutia told the Indian media that this was his way of standing up for the people of Tibet, and clearly Bhutia's stance has resonated with many Indian bloggers.
Sushbh of Insanity Rediscovered writes that he is very pround of Bhutia's stance on Tibet and not carrying the Olympic torch, while Sudharshan writes that he does not care if the Indian football team makes it the world cup final, and is very proud of Bhutia's decision. Patrix writes that finally we have an Indian celebrity who can stand up to China.
However Avinash differs and writes that Tibet should be discussed but now now since the Olympics is a global event. What Avinash is pointing out in his blog is that Tibet and Beijing Olympics issues need to be de-coupled.
While Bhutia has decided not to carry the torch, Bollywood actor Aamir Khan announced that he will be part of the Olympic torch. To say that Aamir Khan's decision to carry the Olympic torch has created a buzz would be a bit of an understatement. Khan,(probably the only Bollywood actor with a blog) writes about his decision to carry the Olympic torch:
“I categorically state that I am absolutely against any form of violence, and certainly I am deeply upset whenever the basic rights of human beings are violated anywhere in the world.”
He adds:
“I request those of you who have asked me to stay away from the Olympic Torch Relay to understand that when I do run with the torch on the 17th of April it is not in support of China. In fact it will be with a prayer in my heart for the people of Tibet, and indeed for all people across the world who are victims of human rights violations.”
Khan's blog post has created quite a bit of reaction from the bloggers. Raman's Strategic Analysis in his open letter to Aamir Khan writes:
“You have millions of admirers as an artist all over the world. You will continue to have millions of admirers what ever be your final decision. But many of them will have feelings of vacuum in their hearts over your failure to distinguish between the right and the wrong.”
Prasanna Vishwanathan of Benched@Bangalored finds Khan's explanation “convoluted” and writes:
9 comments · »»“(Khan) he cannot camouflage the fact that commercial consideration motivates his decisions rather than any lofty intentions .Or it could well be that oppression in Iraq or Afghanistan by US could or NBA agitatation against Modi government is what strikes emotional chord in Aamir Khan's heart.The selective heart-bledding has been consistent hallmark of left liberal intelligenstia.”
March 26th, 2008
India: Tata, Jaguar and Rover.
· 20:33 · South AsiaEarlier today it was announced that Tata Motors of India is acquiring Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford Motors, which was once one of three automotive giants of Michigan. Tata’s acquisition of these two high-end automobile brands is one of the central topics of conversation in global mainstream media and blogs.
Within a short span of three months Tata Motors has creates quite a bit of ripple in the global automotive industry. In early January Ratan Tata unveiled its people car “Nano” aptly dubbed as the “people’s car” in New Delhi. What caught many people by surprise, especially from the automotive world, is the price point of the Nano: $2500. That makes Nano the cheapest car in the world. Earlier today Tata Motors created yet another major ripple when it announced that it is acquiring Jaguar and Land Rover, two well-known auto brands from the struggling US auto giant Ford Motors. Tata Motors will pay $2.3 billion to acquire Jaguar and Land Rover. Mark Silva captures the sale of Jaguar and Land Rover by tracing back the British roots of these two automobile companies and in a way points out the irony of the sale.He writes:
The empire was turned on its head today: With Ford Motor Co.'s announced sale of Jaguar and Land Rover to India's Tata Motors, the ownership of two of Great Britain's legendary motor marques will pass this year from one former British colony to another.
This isn't so much a story of globalization as it is a tale of the globe turned on its axis…Today, in the history of an upended world economy, India's Tata bought two of the proud motor marques of England, Jaguar and Land Rover.
John Elliot of Riding the Elephant wonders if Ratan Tata can break a cycle of decline of these two high-end automobile brands? Elliot thinks that Ratan Tata has a chance of pulling it off, but wonders about who will step into Tata’s (70 years old) shoes once he retires:
It is Tata who has provided the personal drive and leadership to turn Tata Motors into a business that can produce the Nano and buy two world famous brands - in the same year. There’s a big job waiting for someone – and Tata is not yet saying who.”
Truemors, a Silicon Valley blog takes a friendly and humorous dig at Tata's acquisition of Jaguar and Land Rover. Jaguar is expected to become affectionately known as the “left Tata”, while the slightly larger Land Rover will take the role of “right Tata”.
Krishna Raj of My Capital Market Weblog sums up the key points of the deal in his blog post.
Ford will also supply power trains, stamping, and other components. Along with that, it will provide engineering support, including research and development. Ford Motor Credit will provide financing to JLR dealers for 12 months. There will be no change in the terms of employment for JLR employees. Ford added that the deal comprises of brands, manufacturing plants, and IPR. The deal will be closed by the end of the next quarter.”
Gaurav Shukla of brandfaqs writes that the Tata Group has almost 98 companies in its fold and provides a nice overview of some of the major companies.
AutoPandit points out that Tata Motors is now the maker of low-end as well as high-end luxury cars. Nishant Kaushik points out that 10 years ago such a thing as an Indian company buying a well-known company was unheard of. His blog post underscores how far India has changes since then.
5 comments · »»March 22nd, 2008
India: Between Tibet and China
· 08:33 · South AsiaOver the past few day the focus of the international community is on Tibet and Chinese Government's handling of the uprising, but over in India there has been quite a bit of debate over China's actions in Tibet and the role of Tibet in India-China relationship. What should India's stand be on the issue of Tibet? The Tibetan Government in Exile headed by the Dalai Lama is in “Little Lhasa” or Dharamsala in India. The Dalai Lama fled from Tibet to India in 1959 and has continued to live there since then. Additionally, there is a sizable population of Tibetans who have continued to live in India since the 1950s.
Raman's Strategic Analysis draws our attention to the role of the Tibetan Youth Congress in the current uprising and writes:
It has made the Tibetan people in Tibet and Sichuan rid themselves their fear complex and assert their rights in their homeland. ‘Tibet for the Tibetans” is its policy…It (Tibetan Youth Congress) differs from His Holiness' policy of genuine autonomy and calls for total independence. It is not against the Beijing Olympics.
A quick survey of Indian blogs shows that quite a few of them have questioned India's stand on Tibet and wonder if India needs to take a stronger position vis-a-vis China. Acorn; draws our attention to Tibetan leader Tenzin Tsundue's attempt to lead a peaceful march from India to Tibet and writes:
The only reason for this was to save the Chinese government from the embarrassment of having to deal with the situation (most likely, having to turn them back).
Sudharshans argues in his blog that India needs to take a stronger position. He writes:
Come on, India. We need to support the Tibetans in their quest for freedom. The easiest thing India can do is make a statement by boycotting the Olympics…I do not understand why we are trying to tango with China. Are we worried because our kids cannot play with cheap toxic toys? I would not be surprised if the Govt. is pissing in the pants that the politburo would withdraw its support to the center for acting against their comrades in China.
Brahma Chellaney, a security analyst has a pretty incisive article about Tibet and its role in the India-China relationship and points out that India cannot afford to overlook what happens to Tibet because it has strategic long-term implications for India. Chellaney argues that the time has come for the Indian government to evaluate its policy.He points out:
They cannot grasp the simple fact that between appeasement and confrontation lie a hundred different options. A false choice — pay obeisance to Beijing or brace up for confrontation — has been used to block any legitimate debate on policy options.
Chellaney outlines three things that India needs to do with reference to Tibet one of them being that India should stop referring to Tibet as part of China. He quite correctly points out a major change in the tone of the relationship during the recent visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to China. He writes:
17 comments · »»Last January, Manmohan Singh became the first PM to return from Beijing without making any unwarranted reference to Tibet to please his hosts. The ‘T’ word is conspicuously missing from the joint communiqué — a key point the media failed to catch.
December 27th, 2007
RIP: Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan
· 15:16 · South AsiaPakistan's Benazir Bhutto (54) was assassinated in Rawalpindi earlier today at a political rally. Ironically according to media reports Rawalpindi is one of the most secure cities in Pakistan and teeming with security folks. In another irony according to a report on the BBC Benazir was assassinated in almost the same place as Pakistan's first Prime Minister.
Her assassination puts the future of Pakistan's political future in turmoil and there are questions being raised if Pakistan will plunge into a civil war.
Benazir was the first woman to be elected twice as Prime Minister of Pakistan.
What a tragic end for a leader, who was fighting for democracy in Pakistan. Her return to Pakistan earlier this year started off on a wrong foot when an attempt was made to bomb her cavalcade that was traveling from the airport to her ancestral home. With this sudden death the political future of Pakistan is once again on an uncertain footing. The question is whether elections will be held next month.
A controversial leader, Benazir's political views were shaped by her father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, a former Prime Minister of Pakistan. A seasoned orator and writer Benazir studied in UK and the USA before returning to Pakistan and joining her father's political party Pakistan's People's Party (PPP) and was was the Prime Minister of Pakistan. At Metroblogging Lahore, a blogger states that despite not supporting Bhutto's politics, the sudden death of the political leader is a tragic event.
4 comments · »»I personally have never supported Ms Benazir and her party (the PPP). But this, by all means, goes beyond the immediate politics of pretty much everything. It goes without saying that no one, and I mean no one — even for a moment — deserves to go this way, to die in such an unnatural manner and for such obnoxiously stupid reasons. Fate, as we already should know, is not without a sense of irony; Benazir has died (primarily) due to gunfire wounds while leaving a political gathering at Liaquat Gardens; Liaquat Gardens is not only named after, but is also the same place where the first Prime Minister of Pakistan, Khan Liaquat Ali Khan was murdered with a bullet.
December 10th, 2007
India: Bengalooru Bangalored!
· 12:55 · South AsiaWith due apologies to Prof. TT Ram Mohan who came up with this creative title for his post, and which I have happily borrowed from him.
The emergence of Bangalore from a laid-back garden city to a city of steel and glass buildings and and a major IT hub in India is a source of fascination for journalists, bloggers and others. Over the weekend Outlook, a well-known national magazine in English ran its cover story on Bangalore, the capital of the southern state of Karnataka that has made into the IT lexicon of many languages. The cover story had an attention grabbing headline: Why Bangalore Hates The IT Culture. Predictably, the story has created quite a bit of buzz in the online world.
Prof TT Ram Mohan writes his post Bengalooru Bangalore-d:
“What precisely are the grievances that people in Bangalore have against IT folk? The litany of complaints includes: rising property prices thanks to the IT employees' purchasing power, grabbing of prime land by IT companies, the bar and disco culture and IT employees being preferred in the bridal market.”
Clearly, there is some kind of rift within Bengalooru and Prof Ram Mohan wonders aloud about an effective solution for the city. He writes:
“So, what do we do? Throw IT out? Not at all. Can greater philanthropy help? To some extent, maybe- for instance, a classy university run at affordable prices on IT endowments might help assuage popular sentiment.
But the biggest corrective, I reckon, will come from the very economic environment that created IT's prosperity- no more concessional land, a decline in profitability from a rising rupee and its attendant costs (including layoffs in the IT sector) and a greater focus on the domestic economy on the part of IT firms in the face of a rising rupee.”
Over at Churumuri there is a heated debate about the Outlook article and Why Bangalore Hates The English Culture? Point your mouse to the post to find out what the denizens of Bangalore have to say about their city and what the article failed to cover.
But, should the IT sector be blamed for the state of Bengalooru? Abi of Nanopolitan writes:
“While reading it, it appears to me that people — even those who should know better — are attributing to the IT sector what should really be placed at the doorsteps of governance.”
It is just not the Outlook article that has folks talking about Bangalore, it is the local politics and the general state of affairs of the state that has folks in far off cities talking about Bangalore as bad business. Jaideep VG, a journalist and media consultant, who lives in Bengalooru writes in his blog Out of India:
“Last week, during lunch with a Dutch businessman who has lived and worked in India for 12 years and a young professor at the prestigious Indian School of Business in Hyderabad, the topic of Bangalore as a feasible base for business came up. The Dutch entrepreneur, who has spent a significant amount of time in this city working with the preserved foods industry began with a long rant against former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and his son, the former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy. “I've been around, doing business during the SM Krishna administration and also during this mockery of a coalition government. How these people (Gowda and Kumaraswamy) have treated businesses and businessmen disgusts me,” he said. “I visit Bangalore often (he lives and works in Dindigul) and frequently speak to businessmen and entrepreneurs about the costs of doing business in Bangalore, and off late, have been hearing the same thing: it just doesn't make sense for people to set up new businesses in this city. In fact, Hyderabad and Chennai are talked about as preferred destinations,” he added.
On a personl note and as a resident of Bangalore I was not a happy camper after I read the article. Like many others I kept thinking what about the role of the Government in Karnataka and Bengalooru?
0 comments · »»November 3rd, 2007
State of Emergency in Pakistan
· 18:37 · South AsiaEarlier today President Musharaff of Pakistan declared a state of emergency and bloggers have been busy trying to get a handle of the latest political developments in Pakistan. Benazir Bhutto, who left for Dubai is reportedly back in Pakistan. President Musharraf is expected to address the nation sometime soon. (It is 11.44 pm on Saturday at the time of writing this post.)
Manan Ahmed of Informed Comment, Global Affairs writes:
The move is hardly surprising considering the chaos engulfing Pakistan at the moment - from political (Supreme Court deliberations on the fate of the “election”) to military (the tribal/militant conflict has spread to Swat and Peshawar) to ideological (Baluchistan) to international (Rice has decided she wants democracy).
According to the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) declaring emergency, the steps were taken because of the recent terrorist attacks, the release of terror-suspects by the judiciary, the lack of oversight of the judiciary and the low morale of police and army in the nation. See the text here [pdf].
Free Pakistan blogspot has video clips about the current situation in Pakistan and here is a link about the army's invasion of Pakistan's supreme court.
Metroblogging Karachi has an account of how and when emergency was declared in Pakistan.
After binary-zero's instant reporting on private TV channels being taken off-air around the country amid speculations of emergency rule in the country, the rumour has been confirmed as true.
Even, the state media including Pakistan Television Network (PTV) has confirmed the news and has announced that General Musharraf will be adressing the nation sometime tonight.
Media and judiciary have been the first targets under emergency-rule as almost all major private channels still remain off-air and according to one TV channel, the army has entered the Supreme Court building.
14 comments · »»November 2nd, 2007
India: Bangalore - Infrastructure and Barcamps
· 18:56 · South AsiaBangalore is the focus of this post. Bangalore is the capital of the southern state of Karnataka and and is often referred to as the Silicon Valley of India. Once known as the “garden city” of India, the city has morphed into a sprawling metropolis with poor infrastructure and a government that seems to change every few months. A few weeks ago the current state government was dismissed and President's rule was imposed. Churumuri has an excellent post outlining the current political status of the state:
The yo-yo, on-off-on politics in Karnataka would defy Mr Ripley, if he hasn’t given up already. But the key question after Saturday’s developments—when the JDS and BJP once again seemingly came together—is how long will the second honeymoon last? Will it last the full course of 19 months? Will it last less than a year? Will it last between three and six months? Or will it tumble within the first three months?
Alok Mittal, who is into venture capital, shares his experience in VentureWoods on what it is like to make a flying visit to the city.
I was in Bangalore on wednesday for BangaloreIT.in event, and it took 4 hours to go and come back due to traffic and demonstrations. At the evening, it took more than an hour and a half in the security queue at the airport!
It is not surprising that technology and IT tend to be a dominant theme of bloggers from Bangalore. The city probably leads other Indian cities when it comes to hosting Barcamps, the unconference phenomenon that started a few years ago. The next barcamp is slated to be held in mid-November. Rajiv Poddar of Wireless Utopia writes that he has lost interest in barcamp and probably will skip the next one. He writes:
To my mind, BCB3 was the peak and the decline has started. One of the most attractive aspects of Barcamp was its simplicity. It was easy to find who was attending and who was talking about what. With each Barcamp it got progressively difficult to do so. With BCB4 it was impossible to get a quick snapshot and I dont expect BCB5 to be any different.
Jace wonders about Rajiv's line of thinking about barcamps and writes:
That focused events are reducing Barcamp’s significance is indeed true. What Rajiv appears to have missed, though, is that as these communities gain traction and find their focus, they will want to move on and manage themselves, leaving Barcamp to newer communities seeking similar exposure. The collective format is designed around encouraging this.
Bangalore is also home to quite a few major IT companies and their research labs. I recently interviewed Jonathan Donner of Microsoft Research India about the missed call phenomenon around the world. You can listen to Jonathan talk about missed calls in India, Rwanda, Kenya, Jamaica, Philippines and other places.
From technology we move to wine. John and Don of Bangalore Monkey have been reviewing various Indian wines in their blog posts. For instance here is what they have to say about Seagrams Nine Hills Chenin Blanc:
1 comment · »»Actually, we think its sweetness might not even work for many appetizers — this would probably be nicest as a dessert wine, or something to sip with a biscuit. It would be a good wine to drink on most occasions when you'd be drinking champagne.
September 27th, 2007
Chak De India - Go For It India
· 08:25 · South Asia
Chak De India (Go For it India) is a Bollywood film that was released last month, and what an impact the film has on the pysche of Indians. In India Chak De India has become a magic mantra of sorts and Indian business schools are thinking of including the film in their curriculum. The film is about the vision and determination of a hockey coach, who molds the team's spirit and thinking and helps them win the world cup.
In general, Indians are not known for their prowess in the sports field, except for cricket. Yes, in the world of cricket, Indian cricket players play a fairly decent game and have won quite a few matches. However, at the recently concluded Twenty20 World Cup in Johannesburg, the Indian cricket team led by Mahindra Singh Dhoni did an outstanding job and won the World Cup after a gap of 23 years.
Many bloggers wonder if the Chak De India effect is responsible for the string of wins by India in cricket, football and hockey?
Sanjay Goel's post captures the feelings of many bloggers in this sentencee:
“Somehow the release of Shahrukh Khan starrer Chak De India has coincided with one of the best time for Indian Sports”
Karteek of K World pursues a similar train of though and wonders if the film Chak De India's responsible for India's wins in the world of sports. He writes:
Wondering whether a movie can bring Good Luck to a nation ? A definite logical answer to the question is “No”. Not Just “No”, but it's “NO!!!”
But, let's trace through this time line
You will have to read Karteek's blog to find out about his analysis and the co-relation between a Bollywood film and the Indian sports team.
Mutterings That Matter writes in his post Chak De India:
“This win has eclipsed both of them as I have been waiting for 22 frickin years to be so happy.
Congratulations Team India - T20 Champions…Chak De India….”
Anand Krishnan's Musings writes:
“But the icing on the cake is that in the past couple of months, Indian tennis, badminton, field hockey and soccer have all taken India to levels that were associated with non-Indian nations. It is this “broad based rally” in Indian sport that makes me want to say, “chak de India”!”
The Chake De India effect is not lost on Dave of Dave's Travel blog. A baseball fan, Dave thinks he is on his way to becoming a cricket fan. In his blog post titled Chak De India he captures the mood of the nation during the final match between India and Pakistan at Johannesburg.
“Luckily for me, the match started late and I arrived in time to witness a furious Pakistani comeback. They were on the verge of victory, and nationwide depression was beginning to take hold, until India salvaged a miraculous win! No sooner was the final ball caught than the firecrackers began exploding all over Mumbai.”
And, when the winning Indian cricket team landed in Mumbai yesterday they got a heroes welcome and the city came to a standstill. Guess what song was playing in the background as the team made their way through the city? Chak De India.
6 comments · »»August 22nd, 2007
India: Orkut and the death of a teenager
· 17:03 · South AsiaThe online Indian community is rattled by the recent death of 16-year old Adnan Patrawala of Mumbai. Apparently Adnan was lured by his friends on Orkut and was later found murdered. Is Orkut responsible for the murder of this young teenager? Orkut has millions of users in India. Police investigations reveal that the plot to kill Adnan was planned on Orkut and mainstream media is pointing fingers at Orkut and holding the social site somehow responsible for this unfortunate murder of Adnan.
Tapan Shah in his post Orkut and Media, points out that technology cannot be held responsible for the death of Adnan. He writes:
Other media, it seems fails to accept Internet as a legitimate media. I see this mentality time and again displayed by the mainstream media (television and newspapers -vernacular as well as english both) to either raise an issue or just blame the technology, whenever something wrong happens in the society?…For god sake, Internet is just a medium, it is no killer.”
Vivek of The Red Pencil writes:
This incident sure to cause a reverberation in the online community. As teachers and educators we have a responsibility to help protect our students again such act. The correct response would be a blanket ban on sites like Orkut and Facebook in schools, I can see this as a very likely knee-jerk response to this event.
A better approach would be continuing education about the possible consequences of undiscretionary online behaviour, much like the talk students get (or should get) today about sex education. Students have to be told, with examples like this unfortunate incident involving Adnan, that dangers exist and like one would not share personal information with a stranger or accept food from someone you didn’t know similar behaviours were inappropriate even when the other were a virtual entity at a computer screen miles from home.
Vani of A Whimsical Mind wonders about the unfortunate murder of Adnan and writes:
3 comments · »»What is it that lures a youngster to meet strangers over the internet ? its possibly the fast life that they love to lead or probably the sudden adrenalin rush on meeting strangers ? Well whom do we blame ? is it the advanced technology we blame , easy money ? , the website for no regulations or is it the parents who have no clue what their children are upto.
About Kamla Bhatt
After spending 10 years working in various IT companies in Silicon Valley, California, Kamla Bhatt turned to her true passion: radio. She started podcasting in 2005 and became India's first podcaster with her News About India and Talk News India shows. In March 2006 she launched her new Internet radio show called Kamla Bhatt Show , where she talks about life, people and ideas.
The Kamla Bhatt Show is also featured inPodtech, where she interviews the movers and shakers from the IT and technology sectors.
She also maintains her own blogand a travel blogand contributes to Global Voices and Desicritics.
Kamla is a freelance writer whose work has been published in India and the USA. She currently writes a bi-monthly column for the Sunday edition of Financial Express, an Indian business newspaper.
She holds an MA and MPhil degree in International Relations.
Kamla divides her time between USA and India. Other GV sites
GV Projects
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