Stories about India from July, 2006
Power of Blogs
Desipundit on the global impact of the Indian blogosphere: "while it is true that it’s only a small part of Indian population that is online, and even smaller number accesses blogs, when it comes to the online world, Indian blogs are windows, potholes and doors into India."
India: First a blackboard, then the laptop
Atanu Dey on why One Laptop Per Child isn't the right solution to India's education issues. “Attention and funds need to be directed to those issues first before one starts buying laptops by the millions. Fact is that we need basic education (literacy, numeracy, etc) and secondary education.”
India: At the Haji Ali Dargah
Ultrabrown has a wonderful photo-post on one of the landmarks in Mumbai, the Haji Ali Dargah.
India: The terrorists within
Gaurav comments on one of the sentiments in the Indian blogosphere which appears to celebrate Israel's hardline approach in Lebanon. He reminds us that the terrorism within the country is of far more importance. “But until that day, make your peace with the fact that on an average, the most...
India: The hundred dollar laptop
The Nanopolitan comments on the government deciding not to go ahead with the hundred dollar laptop.
India: A brief history of censorship
Mitesh Vasa compiles information on what got censored in India over the last fifteen years. “Nonetheless, what I present is a compilation of raw facts about the history of State-ordered bans by India. And do let me know if you know any event that I missed here. “
India: Open source and the Allahabad High Court
Thejesh links to High Court Allahabad's website, which comes across as rather user friendly and promotes the use of open-source, and reflects on open standards and the public sector.
India: Ismat Chugtai
Amardeep Singh profiles Ismat Chugtai, a female writer who broke many rules and challenged boundaries. “The anecdotes she tells and her style of telling them reinforces the sense one has of Chughtai as someone with a quick wit with an extraordinary ability to use humor to point out the truth...
India: Bhopal Tragedy
Bhopal Blog posts on a victory for those who have been campaigning on the issue of the Bhopal tragedy. “You: the unyielding anger of compassionate people the world over, burying the government in protest, scorn and shame.”
India: The Corporation
Dispatches from Zembla reviews a Canadian documentary, The Corporation – reflecting on trends in business, the market and everything else.
India: Puri, Orissa
Trivial Matters has breathtaking photographs from Orissa. “Puri was once the weekend resort of maharajahs and wealthy Bengalis from Calcutta. When the British came to the coast to bathe away some of the dust, they built or rented large beach villas; many retained them after independence some well into the...
India: Naxals in Central India
The terror of Naxal forces in Central IndiaI at Indian Muslims. “Vast areas of Chhattisgarh are now controlled by Naxals (termed Naxal because of Naxalbari village in West Bengal where the armed revolution started in the 60s) but the BJP state government that had come to power on the plank...
Bloggers on Virtual India
Virtual India is a different place, when compared to the real India. Bloggers cut through geographnical and physical barriers and come together and this week's blog ban highlighted this virtual India, and how different it is....
India: Censorship and the Government
Aishwarya outlines the fundamental problem with the government blocking any site. “What matters is that our government believe they have a right/duty to protect us all from anti-national activities, and “anti-national” covers a wide range of activities and includes both terrorism and whatever offends us.”
Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador: Indian Interest
Massimiliano Cali is surprised to read that, shortly after the nationalization of the natural gas sector, “the Bolivian government is set to approve a US$ 2.3bn bid by two Indian companies to extract of one of the world's largest untapped iron ore deposits.” Meanwhile, Boz notes that India also began...
India: Podcast on the block
Kamla Bhatt does a podcast on the block on accessing blogspot in India. She interviews four people and gets information on the timeline, events and work arounds.
Pakistan: Get by with a little help from my friends
The ban on accessing blogspot blogs seems to have brought Pakistani and Indian bloggers a little closer. Help-Pakistan.com says “In light of the recent blogspot ban in India, the blogging community in Pakistan would like to present as a gift to the Indian blogging community a small script that can...
India: Naxal Violence
Terrorism from within at A Muslim Indian's Speak – on Naxal violence and more. “Thousands of tribals are living in camps in Southern Chhattisgarh in India's centre just because the state has failed to protect them. A government-sponsored army of poor tribal villagers (known as Salwa Judum movement) who have...
India: Text on your phone
The Indian Government appears to be using mobile texting in innovative ways. Weather alerts on the phone at Ultrabrown.
India: Blocking access to Blogs on Blogspot and Typepad in India
I have been exercising considerable restraint before posting on the issue of blocking of Blogspot.com, Typepad.com and Geocities.com in India. It all started around the 13th of July, when some people complained that they weren't able to access their blogspot blogs. Since the service is known to have been down...
Singapore: India Travel Tips
Singapore's intrepid traveller gets the better of Indian custom officials on her recent visit to the country. The post has couple of tips for travellers going to India. “I was told by someone that in order to fend for myself as a woman, and as a foreign woman, in India,...
