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Bloggerati of the Fortnight: Janaka Dharmasena

Friday, April 15th, 2011

clip_image002There are blogs that keep you hooked because of the complex ideas that they talk about, and then there are blogs that keep you hooked because of their simplicity in explaining complex subjects. Seven’ by 3′ is one such blog. Janaka Dharmasena, the man behind the blog, is an architect working and teaching in Colombo. His blog is a photographic encyclopedia of the amazing architecture seen in the island nation.

Ranging from structures to films, Janaka talks about how architecture lends a touch of fantasy and in some case authenticity to a setup. This is depicted in his posts about films and the structures seen in these films. One such example is the post about Alfred Hitchcock’s film North By Northwest and The Vandamm House shown in it.

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His insights on the matter of Sustainable Construction and Architecture are very interesting. Topics range from subjects like saving Venice from sinking to how to utilize natural light better through improvised architecture. He also gives a handy insight on how normal buildings can be green and it need not be expensive and planned effort to have a green building.

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Also, his pictures showcase the futuristic projects that the country has invested in and his blogs is helping in inspiring a new generation of Sri Lankan’s to appreciate their country’s beauty and heritage. Not only that, his page is also a place to find a lot of award winning designs and architecture from around the world.

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Although he jokingly admits that he is a not a great writer but it is not just about writing. His blog is more about understanding a very complex discipline of architecture through visual interaction. It is this effort of his that makes, Janaka Dharmasena, our Bloggerati of the Fortnight.

 

Read about our previous “Blogger of the Fortnight.”

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Bloggerati of the Fortnight: Pushpa Moorjani

Friday, April 1st, 2011

pushpa-moorjani“Every piece of art attracts my attention and I stand glaring, studying every detail seeing the perfection of design and form. I am inspired to replicate one more of my own…..” writes Pushpa Moorjani. Well, her words are inspiring enough for us to sit up and take a notice.

Managing seven blogs and contributing to a quarterly magazine called ‘Beyond Sindh’, she also dedicates her time to the cause of mentally challenged through her work with Swami Brahmanand Pratishthan, centre for mentally challenged in Navi Mumbai.

A lot of Pushpa’s writing come from her personal experience. It is her own pain, joy, sorrow that makes her connect with what is happening around her or what someone else may have experienced. The fact that she relates her experience with others makes her words more effective and more powerful. Her concern for the people of Japan post the Tsunami is narrated like this:

“The fear was instilled in me when an earthquake happened during my school days. The earth shook slightly, all children ran down the stair, shouting, screaming, rushing and pushing past me. I had missed my step and had fallen down on my knees, nobody cared nor saw me curled up on floor, they just ran amok in all directions, few children had walked over me, their shoes piercing through my ribs, the pain was intense at that time, my body ached, but I was too proud to cry.”

Another of her impressive abilities is to post and talk via photos. Her Wordless Wednesdays are a perfect example of how she manages to talk even without writing. This also shows her remarkable photography skills. A simple snap of kids playing carom, a photograph at a traffic signal or a burnt out lamp talks a lot more than a whole article on the same.

Funny, witty and definitely very very bold, Pushpa Moorjani is a blogger who has definitely crafted many pieces of art which can inspire a lot of ideas. It definitely inspired us to make her our “Bloggerati of the Fortnight.”

Read about our previous “Blogger of the Fortnight.”

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Bloggerati of the Fortnight: Anu Vakkalanka

Tuesday, March 15th, 2011

Vakkalanka_AnuWhen you work as a communications specialist for the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, you are bound to be cramped for time for your daily activities, let alone blogging. But that is exactly what Anu Vakkalanka, lady who is of Indian descent, has Dutch roots and is advising the United States very own epicenter does.

While studying for a master’s degree in International Relations at George Washington University, Anu turned her hobby into a profession with her blog Indian Makeup Diva. Today she has become one of the most celebrated makeup advisors on the social media circuit. And, Anu has also been selected amongst 10 most beautiful people in, yes, the Capitol Hill.

Anu is a mixture of professionalism, ardent sports regimen and … girlishness. Her two loves, or true love if you want to say, are nail polish and climbing! In her own words, she loves make-up because it makes the world “a better place, because it’s pretty, and it makes you look pretty in a moment”.

Staying in the western world has not made her grow unaware of what’s happening in her native country, India. A lot of her posts are about the makeup that the leading Indian actresses wear. Also, she has done quite a few round ups of new beauty products that hit the market every now and then.

What is really interesting about her blog post is that quite frequently, she comes up with video posts of her showing people how to get a particular look. One such video blog is a three part series on how to achieve the look that Mallika Arora Khan wore in song for the movie Dabangg.

Quoting her “I’m Indian; I came out of the womb wearing eyeliner,” says Anu. And it is this confidence and her enigmatic charm that makes Anu Vakkalanka, our “Bloggerati of the Fortnight.”

Click here to read more of our Blogger of the Fortnight series.

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Bloggerati of the Fortnight: Malini Agarwal

Tuesday, March 1st, 2011

Miss-Malini1Celebrity blogging might have started with the Khans and the  Bachchans of the film industry, but one blog which even these celebrities love to be on is that of MissMalini!!! Suggested as the Indian blog equivalent of Perez Hilton and Pop Sugar, MissMalini is the place to catch up on the most happening events, parties and everything glamorous in India and in Mumbai specifically.

Malini Agarwal, the author of the blog, is a talent pool by herself. She started off her career as a dancer and today she is one of the most popular RJ’s in India. She fondly calls herself Mumbai’s gossip girl. She is also the founder of ‘Friday Club’ which has over 200 members in Mumbai, Bangalore, Hong Kong, Toronto, London, and New York.

In her own words, she tends to write the way she think so it’s mostly a random stream of consciousness… this helps her “keep it real.” But what is the best aspect about her blog is that it features news and information that normal people would never get their hands on but would love to know about.

“Abhay Deol turned up in his yellow jeep and a naughty grin to match! In fact I got him and Dino Morea to pose together for a double eye-candy shot :)”

Capturing the world through her LPC (Little Pink Camera) at page 3 parties and while traveling, her blog is also visual treat with some awesome photographs of exotic locations and celebrities caught having a blast.

“The first thing that strikes you is just how peaceful and scenic it is there… Like walking into a postcard (kid you not, one of the few places I’ve been to that looks exactly like its website photos)
There’s a spotless pool in the middle of four villas”

What more, in true sense of a social blogging, Miss Malini has evolved from being one person writing, to a lot of people contributing towards making this blog a page where every bit of news and information about the glam world is captured. Right across the globe.

And with the true ethos of a blog that talks about the high drama that is played out in the upper echelons of the glamour universe, the page too reflects it through the dramatic writing of Malini Agarwal. A fresh take on every report, makes the blog so much entertaining and fun to be on.

“Tall Dude: Hi, what’s your name? Me: Malini! Tall Dude: No, your last name. Me: *always skeptical about why people ask that question* Agarwal… Tall Dude: Are you Punjabi? Me: No, Marwari! Tall Dude: *high fives me* Me too yaar! Me: *lol* oh cool! Tall Dude: *slightly cheekily* So how come you’re not married? Me: *hold up my ring* I’m engaged! Tall Dude: Oh. *walks away silently*”

It is this light hearted approach towards life and also towards her writing that hooks a reader to the page. In fact, so much so, that if a high profile event was not featured on this page, well, then it was not high profile enough. It is a pleasure for us to announce Malini Agarwal as our “Bloggerati of the Fortnight.”

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Bloggerati of the Fortnight: Anuradha Shankar

Tuesday, February 15th, 2011

Anuradha STravel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind, which can ignite a creative spark in an individual to share their travel stories with the world. It can also give you an alternative path to venture while you wonder what life has in stored for you. One such traveler is Anuradha Shankar.

With a Masters degree in Physics and enrolled for a PhD, Anuradha was all set to become a scientist. But her life had a different path set for her. An avid traveler, she found her calling in sharing her stories with the world. Today she writes on a whole lot of stuff, but mainly on her journeys. Her writing has also fetched a nomination at the Best of Indian Blogosphere 2010 polls.

Humorous and simple, Anuradha’s writing comes across as refreshing and entertaining. It also shows an energetic buoyancy that a travel blog should have.

““Amma, there’s a frog on the toilet seat!!” That was Samhith, shouting loud enough for all the birds in the region to fly away in alarm. The cause of the ruckus turned out to be a tiny fellow sitting calmly on the toilet bowl, seemingly unaware of all the chaos he was causing.”

She has the uncanny knack of infusing a sense of hope in everything she describes. This not only helps to keep the reader glued but also builds up a positive tone. More importantly, it adds a touch of beauty to the entire setting.

“Our journey began on a promising note, as we woke up the first morning in the train, to a sun screened by the mist, and dew covered spider webs all along the track.”

Not the one to miss the irony of the situation, Anuradha is true to her emotions. This is also reflected in her writing, giving the work a much more complete feeling. Also, it works towards compelling the reader to think.

“As time passed and the bears disappeared again, the crowd of kids left, the natural calmness of the jungle returned. Just Samhith and another kid remained, clambering over the rocks like the bear cubs, talking nonsense, and providing entertainment for the others while the bears were away”

But the best part of Anuradha’s writing is the aplomb with which she writes. Every word that she pens down seems to be well thought and well placed. Just like a perfect sunrise with the right amount of light and darkness giving it its mystic charisma and drawing the readers closer to the words they are reading.

“As the sun set over the rocks, even the kids seemed to calm down, and the bears returned,
coming down as far as the road.”

Like every new journey, Anuradha Shankar takes us on a new voyage with every blog post that she writes. Each post composed of its own magic and hidden treasures waiting to be discovered by the readers. And for this, we crown her our “Bloggerati of the Fortnight.”

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Bloggerati of the Fortnight: Abhijit Bhaduri

Wednesday, February 2nd, 2011

Blogging is something which anyone can take up. It is not limited to people who are very articulate or very    influential. Although, if you have a knack of using the right words, you will make a better connection with your readers and one such person is, Abhijit Bhaduri.

Mr. Bhaduri works as the Chief Learning Officer for the Wipro group. This Economics graduate from SRCC, New Delhi also has a degree in law and has done Post Graduation in Human Resources from Xavier Labour Relations Institute, Jamshedpur. A theater lover and an actor himself, Abhijit has written several books, hosted a radio show in US and is on the Advisory Board of Wharton’s prestigious program for Chief Learning Officers that is run by the University of Pennsylvania. He is also an advisor on Social Media usage for SHRM in India.

With a career that has seen him work with corporate giants such as Microsoft, PepsiCo, Colgate and Tata Steel, his writing is as distinct from corporate language as day is to night. His writing comes across as simple, elegant and nostalgic. Of course it helps that Abhijit is an accomplished cartoonist. His writing almost always paints the exact picture that you would associate with the words you are reading.

“When you have a snow storm brewing outside, being indoors next to the
fireside is the closest to Heaven one can get.”

So complete is his word illustration that it drives you to think what the result or the outcome of such an event would be. More importantly, it makes you want to experience the words in real life, experience the eventuality of the words.

“Raga Bhatiyar is a raga you listen to as you are still in bed,
in that half asleep half awake state. Almost like what the first day of the calendar feels like.
A little hazy as you still dwell on the last year gone by before you wonder what
lies ahead as the year unfolds.”

His writing is simple. His reactions even simpler. Not the one to shy away from calling a spade a spade, he can drive home the point in a manner most of us will struggle to explain. A classic technique of writing   for the man on the road works brilliantly.

“When he turned director in 2007 with Tare Zameen Par, he made the nation’s parents
feel guilty about living their dreams through their children.”

What works best with Abhijit’s writing is his ability to break complex things down to simplest communication blocks. Blocks which are easy to understand but very difficult to forget. It is this ability of the writer that leaves a lasting impression on his readers mind.

“We are continuously making choices and living with the consequences of making those choices. There are moments when we make a choice and a moment later wish that we could start again.”

The magic with Abhijit Bhaduri’s writing lies in his desire to live an experience and share it with others in the same way as he felt it. And that also makes him our first Bloggerati of the Fortnight.

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