Mutiny.in September 4, 2007
Posted by Pallav Sharda in : Faves, News , add a commentThe Great Indian Mutiny blog is a collection of thoughts and opinions of a group of independent writers and bloggers. They discuss news, experiences and ideas in an open and candid way, and that’s what sets them apart.
Mutiny.in was started by Jacob Joseph in mid-2004 and has since shown remarkable consistency in keeping a well-coordinated, entertaining and thought-provoking stream of blogposts.
Indibloggies September 4, 2007
Posted by Pallav Sharda in : Faves, Non-Profit, Organizations , add a commentIndibloggies are the unofficial Indian version of the ‘bloggies‘ awards that started around 2001. The intent of rewarding and recognizing the best of blogs remains common to both.
Indibloggies started as a parody on bloggies by one guy in 2003, and grew from formal ‘jury’ in 2004 to official sponsors in 2005. Now they are a platform for showcasing the best of Indian blogs. The procedure for selection isn’t set in stone… its a mix of rating score by online voting and the interesting lineup of jurors. Anybody can submit nominations.
Like the redundancy of everything else in the internet-world, there are multiple of such ‘awards’ and organizations existing today. In case you are interested, valleywag has an interesting comparison of them here.
Friends2Support.org May 31, 2007
Posted by Pallav Sharda in : Faves, Non-Profit , 2commentsFriends2Support is a NGO based in Hyderabad that focuses on blood donation. It started a couple of years ago as a modest effort as a community of about 200 donors, and currently has over 15,000 donors registered in different Indian states.
It’s an interesting concept- anyone can log on or call the hot-line to find out the list of donors in their geographical area. I’d imagine that this really facilitates blood donation and provides a useful ‘donor database’ for those in need. They also provide other services like education, request-for-blood postings, event coordination and escort.
Another useful application of the web for a greater cause. Check it out and if possible, register with them if you are in India.
BWplanet January 11, 2007
Posted by Pallav Sharda in : Faves, Media Streaming , add a commentThis site streams DVD-quality Indian flicks over the web. It’s subscription-based
, but the price and collection are both decent, with movies updated regularly. There are some convenient subscription models (besides $11.99 monthlyor $29.99 quarterly ones) like pay-per-movie or 3-day unlimited access for $3.99 (my personal favorite). BWplanet is a site that I feel comfortable vouching for; I’ve been using it for over an year now.
Yes, they were buggy and unpredictable in the beginning, just like all startups. But they’ve improved significantly over time- now the quality is really DVD-comparable, almost flawless. I hook my laptop up to my 32″ LCD TV with a S-video cable (got it at RadioShack for about 6$) and the laptop headphone jack. Streaming movies is a smooth experience- you got to try it to believe it. Definitely worth checking out if you watch Indian movies regularly.
June 2007 Update: I’ve been using BWplanet (now BWCinema) off and on for past 6 months, and it’s quality has only improved. There is practically no freeze-ups or streaming problems and the video quality is excellent (almost indistinguishable from DVD on my 32-inch LCD). It’s good to know that at least one subscription-based Indian streaming site is putting their money to good use.
Association for India’s Development (AID) January 6, 2007
Posted by Pallav Sharda in : Faves, Non-Profit , add a commentAssociation for India’s Development (AID) is a great volunteer organization. It supports grassroots organizations in India and initiates efforts in various interconnected spheres such as education, livelihoods, natural resources, health, women’s empowerment and social justice.
I’ve been a part of AID myself and it’s a great organization to work with. They have active chapters in major indian and US cities. Check them out.[Link]