I am taking some time off for the next few days and will be back after the break.

Thanks for your support and help and do check back again.

I just found that the Kamla Bhatt Show got the best design award for the online radio category in the PC World Web Award 2008. Here is a list of the jury members.

This comes as a pleasant surprise since I was not really aware of these awards and have no idea how I made it or who nominated the website. So, who ever thought of the show thank you. A few weeks go somebody from PC world contacted me and then they disappeared without a word. I let it pass and did not think of it at since I am constantly hunkered down trying to get my work done and am strapped for time. Everybody is so I am no exception.

Here is how PC World Web appears to define Online Radio. “Online radio is an exciting concept as it means that you can get access to free music irrespective of your location.” My website is not a music channel. It is an online radio show fashioned in a magazine style where we have conversation and I am glad they chose to include me despite that. Five online radio show made it to the final cut: Raaga, Music India Online, Radio Guide, SmashHits and mine. Unlike others I don’t have a deep pocket, the marketing budget or a team that keeps me going day after day.

Now here is something that was quite surprising what the jury said: “The site’s focus was found to be a bit lacking and the jury felt that the site’s serious nature meant that its target audience was very limited.” I agree and that is the point – the show is by nature eclectic, catering to a fairly limited but self selected eclectic audience of trendsetters, opinion makers, movers and shakers, who are defining a truly global Indian culture, a collective subconscious if you will for the new Indian century. But then perhaps I need to do a better job of describing you and me and this dialog you allow me to share.

But you know what in the end what matters is this -  if you  love what I am doing and I love what I am doing  then that is all there is to it.  I look forward to doing my work every hour of the dayand that is all that matters. It is the sheer passion and joy that keeps me going and that passion I think cannot be bought or created…you simply need to have it within you.

Thank you for your continued support.

Technorati Tags: pc world web award 2008,online radio,kamla show,india,technology,life,people,ideas

Later this evening Jet Airway’s maiden flight from San Francisco to Mumbai via Shanghai will take off. At 6 pm this evening Jet Airways has a little do to celebrate this event at the San Francisco Airport. I hope to be there and write a post about it and hopefully take some pictures.  Like I mentioned in an earlier post Jet Airways is the first India-based airlines to fly out of San Francisco International Airport and this is a big milestone considering that the Bay area has a huge Indian-American community and are in dire need of more flights to India. Getting a ticket from San Francisco to India is like standing at an overcrowded bus-stand and trying to get in line to get your tickets!

Like many I was shocked to read the sudden passing of veteran journalist Tim Russert of NBC. The 58 year old TV reporter and NBC’s Chief of Washington Bureau died of a heart attack while at work. We will miss seeing his familiar face on the Sunday morning “Meet The Press,” show. Here is a link to some of Mr. Russert’s memorable moments on TV.

Thank you Mr. Russert for keeping us updated on the Washington scene. You will be missed.

Technorati Tags: Tim Russert,NBC,people

Distracted: The Erosion of Attention And The Coming of Dark Age is the name of a new book written by Maggie Johnson of Boston Globe. The title of the book sounds rather bleak and foreboding and is telling  us what we might already know - we need to slow down and perhaps lead a gentler life?

As Maggie puts it the book essentially looks at our lives and the cost we pay for being constantly distracted via new technological developments. We all know what that means…checking on that twitter feed, or compulsively checking your emails on your BlackBerry or laptop, texting, SMSing…you name it. There is no dearth in the arsenal of distraction.

Read the rest of this entry »

Japanese pharmaceutical company Daiichi Sankyo has acquired a majority stake in Ranbaxy, India’s largest drug making firm.  Under the agreement Daiichi will acquire the Singh family’s 34.8% stake at 737 rupees ($17.19) each writes The Wall Street Journal.

About 90 percent of Ranbaxy’s sales come from its generic drugs and Daiichi is looking to expand its presence in the generic drug space and catapult the combined entity of Daiichi and Ranbaxy to the 15th place in the world writes The Hindustan Times.

Read the rest of this entry »