Posts Tagged ‘India’

Bloggerati of the Fortnight: Sanjeev Sabhlok

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012

sanjeevCurrent Position and Organisation:
Honorary Member at Freedom Team of India;  Executive Director (Honorary) at India Policy Institute; Senior Manager, Better Regulation Unit at Department of Treasury and Finance, Government of Victoria (Australia)
Areas of Expertise:
Economic Policy, Project Management
Educational Background:
Graduate Diploma from Melbourne Business School; PhD in Economics from University of South Carolina (USC); Double Masters in Economics from USC & Panjab University; Bachelor of Science with honours in Mathematics from Guru Nanak Dev University
Blog Name: Sabhlokcity

Sanjeev’s blog is a repository of opinions pertaining to governance at most levels. His experience at various government offices, handling crucial policies and matters related to family, education, planning and development, art and culture, housing et al has earned him a place in two of the most libertarian policy organizations that he is currently engaged with.

Despite being settled in Melbourne, Australia, Sanjeev has kept the flame of revolution alive and is constantly working in close quarters to bring about a change in the Indian way of governance. His blog often reflects his strong and almost judgmental stands against various socio-political happenings. A look at few of his posts gives clear cut signs of an upheaval in an attempt to question several controversial findings and practices. The blog entries often shout out loud with an extensive use of highlights in yellow, key points marked in red and sections that demand special attention. His tonality in most posts is definitive (primarily based on strong logic), often borderline sarcastic and doubtful followed soon after by a close-ended solution to a stalemate situation.

Not just that, there are also dedicated tabs covering and addressing issues across varied topics such as climate, racism, god to ‘What would I do as Prime Minister’ and ‘Leaders, Fools and Knaves’ etc.

In a manner of speaking, his ability to blog about issues that speaks of a common man’s woes and being a voice of a nation that needs remedial actions at every step, entitles Sanjeev to be our Bloggerati of the Fortnight.

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Bloggerati of the Fortnight: Rhea Purnita Paine

Monday, January 16th, 2012

clip_image002There are bloggers who try to do too many things and destroy their blog. Then there are bloggers who are so specific and niche that until they talk about matters you follow closely, you wouldn’t want to return to them. A good blog is one that can balance the need to be refreshing without doing too much. One such blog, Rheality Rings by Rhea Purnita Paine, is a classic example of a blog that reinvents itself with every post without losing its character.

Part rebel, part child, Rhea is a brilliant writer, photographer, doodler, sketcher and dreamer at large. Her interests are simply stated as ‘Living’ and live she does. It is for this reason that her blog also comes across alive. While you go through her pages, you feel a sense of life in each post. Be it the photo tour of India in ‘India on the move’ or the sketches in her ‘Arty Farty’ section, they all breath and come across with their individual stories.

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It makes for a compelling reading. What it also does is makes you want to experience the thing you read about, yourself. And that is the true sign of a great blog. While you see the pictures from the gallery simply stated as ‘On way from the airport to Nandi Hills on a bike’ you would actually want to take that journey. The photographs are so alluring, it is impossible to escape the desire to experience the ride yourself.

Empty Ness
Vanessa do you know
they sold you an empty glass for a muse
An ashtray full of ruse
A pipe gone obtuse
Thought you’d be amused.
Instead you ended up used.
I knew her once
My Empty Ness of dreams
I knew her once
My Empty Ness in screams
I knew her once
My Empty Ness it seems

Even her writing is exemplary. The poems Rhea has penned are absolutely gripping. ‘Empty Ness’ is amongst one of her best written pieces. It tells a story that many would relate to, yet it brings out her experience in the simplest manner without losing the depth of the matter. Her command over the words make it that much more binding, compelling you to finish what you start reading. And that compels us to bestow the ‘Bloggerati of the Fortnight‘ title on her.

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Bloggeratis of the Fortnight: Savita Pillai & Madhu Nair

Friday, July 15th, 2011

“In 2009, my wife and I decided to go off on an extended trip with no definite end date. We are into our second year and not sure when we would like to stop,” says Madhu Nair, co author of the blog 10 Year Itch. Madhu and his wife, Savita Pillai, wanted to try out something they had been dreaming of for a long time, a multiyear trip through India.

So on the occasion of their tenth anniversary, Savita and Madhu quit their jobs, sold everything back in the US, and flew down to India on 14th Oct 2009 with their 4-year-old golden retriever Shayna. They wanted to experience life to the fullest and build memories that would last a lifetime. And their journey has proved to be just that.

“I’m not sure how often I will write in this blog but hope to update it with details of every little step we take towards the trip. And then once it truly happens, I hope to blog daily… hope! hope! hope!” wrote Savita in her first post.

10YearItch is a chronicle of their journey through India as they explore, dream, and (re)discover themselves. Over the years, they have visited 20 states of India. From Tamil Nadu in south to Jammu and Kashmir in north. From Meghalaya and Assam in the east to Gujarat and Rajasthan in the west, Madhu and Savita have been across this huge land.

They have fond memories from as varied locations as world heritage sites such as Taj Mahal, Humayun’s Tomb, Churches from across Goa, Caves in Maharashtra to national parks like Kaziranga, Sunderbans, Gir and Bandhavgarh.

               India

Savita at India Gate, New Delhi

Their journey and the posts on each place they visit is now a ready reckoner for a lot of people who want to plan their visits to these places. In fact, this has helped them spin of a blog based travelers’ support group where they custom design tour itineraries based on travelers’ interests, needs and budgets.

That also means that their recommendation of places where they have stayed makes a great impact to people who take their help for planning their own journey. From guest houses in Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh to National Park stays in camps and resorts, Savita and Madhu have shared their experience with smallest of details including address, contacts and a personal rating on a scale of 1 to 10.

                   Ratings

Another awesome feature about this blog is the photo journey that Savita and Madhu take us from time to time. Many would agree that a photo can say a thousand words, and many places can only be seen to experience the beauty of the place. Our travelers have tried capturing such places through the magic of photography. In fact, some of the photos can almost transport you to the location.

                Leh 1

Leh

Not many people have the courage to chase their dreams. Fewer still are willing to share their experiences of following their dreams and inviting others to experience it themselves. It takes a real desire to rediscover themselves as well as the land they are travelling that can result in something like the 10YearItch project. For showing this courage and the desire to live the life to fullest, Savita Pillai and Madhu Nair are our Bloggeratis of the Fortnight.

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Bloggerati of the Fortnight: Kamla Bhatt

Friday, July 1st, 2011

kamla“People and Ideas is what interest me and that is what I talk and write about.” No wonder, our Bloggerati of the Fortnight, Kamla Bhatt, herself is such an interesting person. A freelance writer, researcher and podcaster, Kamla is the host and producer of The Kamla Show, an internet radio show where listeners can find stories about the new and emerging India and the global Indian community. She is acclaimed to be India’s first podcaster.

Her show always has the Indian aspect to every global trend coming out of the country. Her podcast subjects have been members of the Indian Diaspora from various countries, including Indian actor Kanwaljit Singh, Shabana Azmi, Indian businessman Azim Premji, Indian movie directors Mira Nair, Shyam Benegal, Govind Nihalani musicians Vijay Iyer and Rudresh Mahanthappa, theatre actress and celebrity chef Madhur Jaffrey, writer Gita Mehta and upcoming music director A R Rehana (sister of A R Rahman), among others.

Kamla started her first show ‘News about India,” followed by “TalkNewsIndia” in 2005. In 2006 she premiered her new show: “The Kamla Bhatt Show: Life, People and Ideas.” In 2008 the name of the show was changed to “The Kamla Show.” The focus of The Kamla Show is to present consistently good conversations that can enrich you. When listening to these conversations the goal is to help you find “the elation that comes of swift contact with the tingling currents of thoughts.”

Kamla has an undergraduate degree in History and Economics from Women’s Christian College, Chennai, India; a Masters in International Relations and Political Economy from Marquette University, Milwaukee, USA and an MPhil in International Relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.

She worked for over a decade in sales in Silicon Valley, while regularly contributing to various Indian publications in the US and in India. Her writings have been published on various platforms across the globe. Today, she shuttles between USA and India, doing what she loves doing, “telling stories about heroes and role models that are relevant to the new and emerging globalized world and getting them heard,” and that is why, Kamla Bhatt is a role model herself and our Bloggerati 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.”

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Statistics on Indian Social Media Landscape – Part 2

Friday, January 2nd, 2009

This is the second section of the research that we have carried out on social media with respect to India. Do read the first section.

Part 2 – To map out the current usage pattern of social media of Indians

Q5) How much time do you spend everyday on blogs, social networking and uploading photos and videos?

© Windchimes Communications Pvt Ltd

© Windchimes Communications Pvt Ltd

It is really surprising to note that more than 1/3rd of the respondents spend more than 30 minutes everyday on social media sites.

Q6) What do you do when you are online?

© Windchimes Communications Pvt Ltd

© Windchimes Communications Pvt Ltd

Distinctly, people have started engaging in active forms of engagement. From reading and commenting on blogs, to creating profiles, to uploading photos and videos – all signs of people moving away from passive to active forms of engagement. There is a need to involve them if brands want to retain their attention.

Q7) What do you write about in the communities and groups?

© Windchimes Communications Pvt Ltd
© Windchimes Communications Pvt Ltd

When it came to participating in conversation and discussions online, majority preferred associating with a cause or cause led approach by a brand. Next in line were the celebrities or movies that people preferred commenting and talking about.

Part 3 – To study the impact it has in our purchase behaviour

Q8 Do the comments left on blogs and in communities influence your purchase decision?

© Windchimes Communications Pvt Ltd

© Windchimes Communications Pvt Ltd

Q9) For which categories will you online reviews before doing actual purchase?

© Windchimes Communications Pvt Ltd

© Windchimes Communications Pvt Ltd

The replies for Q8 and Q9 clearly highlight that people are more prone to reading reviews online before carrying out actual purchase. They would carry out the first leve of research – fact finding and opinion seeking – on social media platforms to narrow down their choice.

The categories most influences by this behaviour are:

1. Travel

2. Consumer Durables (I am including Cell Phones in this category too)

3. Automobiles – Both cars and bikes

To Summarize the survey:

1. Surfing Internet scored as the 2nd most medium to be used in spare time overtaking reading newspapers or listening to music.

2. Internet and social media sites are the first places to seek news, products and services related information and to find out about latest trends. In that sense, instead of being afraid of social media, marketers must embrace it.

3. Social media is becoming a part of daily lives. Even if it means just updating profile on social networking site or reading blogs. It is more involving and will eat into the time that was earlier being spent on other entertainment mediums. There are already youtube meet ups being organized where in group of people play their favourite online videos.

4.  There is a distinct preference over getting associated with a cause when online. Possibly another reason why online activism is becoming so apparent in modern times. Besides that its entertainment and brands that take the next two slots. The important thing to notice is that if brands or companies adopt the role of thought leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) approach, then they are much more likely to succeed.

5. The most critical aspect of the survey is the impact of social media in our purchase behaviour. It is clearly evident that comments left on the blogs, review sites and discussion forums impact the manner of purchase. Lot of brands are make it in the consideration set of the consumers while others are dropped out on the basis of those reviews. It is important for brands to reach out to those users – be present where they are. They will have to build a dialogue with them in those forums and get them to review their product or service.

6. Another fallout for the companies is to track what people are talking about them. They will have to maintain their reputation online. It will be important to listen to what people have to say and act accordingly. That will start by first tracking the social media platforms and then analyzing the information to take strategic decisions.

The objective of this research was to give a peek inside the Indian users understanding and usage of social media. The role it plays in his life and how it will impact companies who want to reach out to them

You can download this research paper by clicking on to Scribd link given below

[scribd id=9690008 key=key-w7frnk7p3pzjlfjbxxv]

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Posted in Essential Series, Social Media, Social Media Research | 14 Comments »