India-D Digest [I] - Mar 21
Uma Ramamurthy
Today's Topics:
Economics/Development::
ISO 9000 (Part 1/2)
Reg. India's first hardware training school
Reg. Info' about getting started (Part 2/2)
FYI::
Call for Papers: Fifth International Conf on Applied Demography
Concert Announcement
Great travel agent
Response to Sanjay Sharma - Info on various Indian States
Spic-Macay Annual Convention
V.S. Naipaul Archive
Immigration::
F-2 visa
Info/advice regarding H-1 visa
Passport New/Renewal Forms Availability
Visa and travel info
Visa Info
Income Tax::
Reg. Tax clarifications requested
Info. Wanted::
NRI status
Parcels to India
Miscellaneous::
Contents of postings on religions
Punjabi "kudi" [girl] did it!
Reg. Contribution to India L/D-- Kohli's Idea is great
___________________________________________________________________________
To subscribe:
Bitnet users: send a mail message to LISTSERV@UTARLVM1
Internet users: send a mail message to LIST...@UTARLVM1.UTA.EDU
In the mail msg, leave the subject line blank. The first line of the mail
msg should be: { Here, Personal name should be a 2-part name }
SUBSCRIBE INDIA-D Personal Name { To subscribe to Discussion and News }
SUBSCRIBE INDIA-L Personal Name { To subscribe to News Digest alone }
To unsubscribe:
Follow the above procedure, but the first line of the mail msg should be:
SIGNOFF INDIA-D (GLOBAL
SIGNOFF INDIA-L (GLOBAL
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Discussion Digest contributions : edi...@andy.bgsu.edu
News Digest contributions : india...@andy.bgsu.edu
Looking for requests : loo...@andy.bgsu.edu
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
India-D is an OPEN and FREE forum for discussion of issues related to
India and the Indian community. Dr K V Rao is the co-ordinator of the
Network. Editors: for the Discussion & News Digests, Ms U Ramamurthy;
for the News Headlines, Mr M G Balakrishna Rao.
(1) No personal attacks and insults will be allowed on the Digest.
(2) Please include your full name in the header or as a signature.
(3) Postings should be kept to a max. of 40 lines. Articles longer than
this limit will be sent back to be condensed. Longer articles may be
submitted in no more than 2 parts.
(4) No more than one posting per person will be accepted in a 24-hr period.
Editors/Owner of India-D are not responsible for any copyright violations
by members who send copyrighted-material to India-D. No article(s) or
portion(s) of article(s) from India-D may be reproduced without the written
consent of the original author(s).
___________________________________________________________________________
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Economics/Development
=====================
Date: Fri, 18 Mar 1994 17:02:08 -0800 (PST)
From: vi...@aspectdv.com (Vinay Ambekar)
Subject: ISO 9000 (Part 1/2)
Most of the netters have highlighted the need for documentation to achieve ISO
9000 certification. However, this does not mean that each dept. in an
organisation just write their procedures and go in for a certification. The
starting point is the "QUALITY STATEMENT" issued by the head of the dept/unit/
company aspiring for ISO 9000. The rest of the documentation stems from this
and its accompanying "QUALITY MANUAL". The auditor should be able to check
that as per the documented process the organization can achieve its published
quality. ISO 9000 cert. does not guarantee that a particular product is the
best. It only guarantees consistent quality as per the company's specs. e.g.
Two software companies, one assuring that its products will have no more than
5 bugs when shipped and another assuring no more than 50 bugs, can theoreti
-cally get ISO 9000 cert. (Software is covered by ISO 9000-3 series and not
ISO 9000) Most companies do make meaningful quality statements and the auditors
also insist on an achievable, documentable and provable statement.
Though ISO 9000 cannot improve the quality of the product, it can generally
ensure consistency. So if you test a sample and find it acceptable you can be
very sure that in your order for a 1000 units all of them will be acceptable.
Certain methods ushered in by ISO 9000 certification processes have also helped
companies improve the quality of their products & cut costs. The process should
ensure traceability. Hence, ISO 9000 also helps a company to correct a mistake
at the root and not where it surfaced.
Documenting processes has identified numerous anamolies and redundancies in
companies. It definitely has helped many Indian companies to eliminate
unwanted bureacracy.
Most of the medium and large companies have put in 2-3 years of work before
getting ISO 9000 certification. In most cases, it is only some of the units or
departments/functions having this certfication. The ads are just a gimmick and
usually do not clearly highlight that the whole company does not have ISO 9000
certification.
(To be continued)
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 1994 15:29:00 +0000 (GMT)
From: Sharath K S <sh...@mt747.att.com>
Subject: Reg. India's first hardware training school
Ashish Chand writes...
>DCM Dataproducts and ISCT Information Technology have opened India's first
>hardware training school.
But I thought `COMPUTER GARAGE' was the first hardware school in India. Besides
it is been in business for couple of years now.
Sharath K S
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 17 Mar 1994 14:21:07 -0500 (EST)
From: KALA...@pt5000.pto.ford.com
Subject: Reg. Info' about getting started (Part 2/2)
(4) In the mean time it is a good idea to explore the financing aspects. The
major sources are the State Finance Corporations (MSFC for Maharashtra, KSFC
for Karnataka). MSFC gives loans for land and machinery only, that too they
only give about 80%. You have to come up with the rest yourself. The subsidies
I mentioned earlier come into the picture here, subsidies are really money you
don't have to pay back to the lender. So effectively that increases the %age of
financing you get from the SFCc. Furthermore, if you fall in an SC/ST category
you can get a higher %age of financing, it can be as high as 92-93%. The SFCs
disburse money through a bank of your choice and the term loans are for 8 years
or more. I am not too sure about the interest rates charged by the SFCs, but
they are a lot lower than banks. Banks are the other source of finance, but
they have limited funds and generally speaking don't want to put all their eggs
in one basket. If you cannot raise enough personal funds to put in your 20%
worth, there are machinery and equipment dealers who will over-invoice the
equipment so that you don't have to pay as much (I don't recommend going
to these guys as they will try to take advantage of your naivete and it is
illegal to do so!).
(5) If you decide to go the SFC way, a good idea is to find a Chartered
Accountant who is an expert in these matters. There are CAs who specialize
in dealing with the SFCs. They know the people, they know how to make your
project reports acceptable to the right people. They will charge you a higher
fee than any run of the mill CA but it is worth the extra expense. In fact you
could find a CA right at the beginning who can make life a lot easier.
(6) Finally, there are certain agencies that provide seed capital there is
one in Maharashtra called WMDC (Western Maharashtra Development Corporation).
Seed capital can be used to defray your initial expenses for raw material,
labor, etc.
All this takes a lot of time and effort and you need to grease a lot of palms.
But it can be done. My telephone number is (216) 846 0982. Please call me if
you have any more questions.
Rajeev Kalamdani
------------------------------
FYI
===
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 1994 10:41:58 -0500 (EST)
From: Prof. K. V. Rao <kv...@andy.bgsu.edu>
Subject: Call for Papers: Fifth International Conf on Applied Demography
CALL FOR PAPERS - LAST DATE TO RECEIVE ABSTRACTS: MARCH 30, 1994
Fifth International Conference on Applied Demography
September 22 - 24, 1994
Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43403, USA
The Fifth International Conference on Applied Demography is scheduled
to be held from September 22 - 24, 1994, Bowling Green, Ohio. The 1994 conf-
erence would have its main focus on marketing and business applications of
demographics as well as applications in other areas of social sciences. Session
proposals and individual paper abstracts are invited on any applications of
demographic data and methods in other areas and use of non-traditional data
sources. The conference will have a mixture of invited sessions, poster
sessions, and panel discussions. There will be a display area for vendor
displays, book exhibits, software demonstrations etc. We welcome international
scholars participation at the conference.
Please send an abstract describing your session theme and list of
presenters if you are proposing a session, or your proposed presentation
in one of the organized sessions to the following address:
K. V. Rao
Conference Organizer
Department of Sociology
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green, OH 43403
United States of America
E-mail: ADCO...@ANDY.BGSU.EDU
[E-mail and fax submissions are acceptable]
FAX: 419-372 8306
TEL: 419-372-2294
PLEASE NOTE THAT PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONFERENCE WILL BE PUBLISHED SOON
AFTER THE CONFERENCE.
DISPLAY: Limited space is available for displaying software, books, and
other products of interest to applied demographers.
EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE: There will be an employment exchange facility at the
conference. Please contact Organizer for details.
Sponsored by an Academic Challenge Grant from the Ohio Board of Regents
to the Applied Demography Program, Department of Sociology, Bowling Green
State University, State and Local Demography and Business Demography
Section of Population Association of America, and Canadian Population Society
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 1994 01:56:21 -0700 (MST)
From: ra...@sorcerer.eece.unm.edu (Raghu Kopalle)
Subject: Concert Announcement
Society for Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture
Amongst Youth
***********************************************************
(University of New Mexico Chapter)
proudly presents
a concert by
Dr L. SUBRAMANIAM
(the renowned violinist)
with
LAKSHMAN IYER
(on percussion)
on
Friday, March 25th, 1994 at 7.30pm
at
Center for Continuing Education Auditorium
1634 University Blvd., N.E.,
Albuquerque,New Mexico 87131
********************************
ADMISSION TO THE CONCERT IS FREE
********************************
Dr. L. Subramaniam has taken the age old Indian Classical Music to places
where it has never been heard before and also performed at prestigious
venues like the Bolshoi Theater, Lincoln Center, Royal Albert Hall, Champs
Elysees Theater, to name a few. Besides solo and trio performances with his
brothers, he also collaborated with several legendary musicians like
Sir Yehudi Menuhin at the United Nations.
In 1985, at the request of Maestro Zubin Mehta, the Music Director of the
New York Philharmonic, he wrote a major orchestral work entitled,
"Fantasy of Vedic Chants" which he premiered with his orchestra for the
opening of its 1985 season to celebrate the "Festival of India in the U.S"
Only a few of his widely known accomplishments are mentioned
here to save bandwidth. Here is a press quote from the newspaper
Information, Denmark which summarized his allround achievements:
"It is simply incredible what this man can do with a violin...played
with pinpoint precision of intonation, unmatched by any musician"
For more information, contact :
Srikanth Mangalam (505) 265 0623 ko...@hydra.unm.edu
Srikanth Raghavan (505) 255 6199 sri...@hydra.unm.edu
Ashish Malhotra (505) 255 7737 ash...@eece.unm.edu
Raghu Kopalle (505) 268 7921 ra...@eece.unm.edu
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 20 Mar 1994 19:03:38 -0500 (EST)
From: Susan Koshy <S0KO...@ULKYVM.LOUISVILLE.EDU>
Subject: Great travel agent
We got a great deal and excellent service from George & Associates in New
York. The contact person is Thomas K. George and his tel. no. is (718)
777-5278. We got three tickets round-trip from Louisville, KY to Madras via
London on Air-India. They are extremely courteous and efficient.
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 19 Mar 1994 13:52:54 -0500 (EST)
From: kapa...@sjuvm.stjohns.edu
Subject: Response to Sanjay Sharma - Info on various Indian States
This response is regarding Sanjay Sharma's inquiry for information on various s
tates for his project. Although I do not exactly know who to contact in the pas
t for similar projects on other countries, contacting the Embassy/Consulate can
be of help. I have also found that if you can contact the Indian consulate at
the U.N. in New York their commercial department can be of some assistance.
Good Luck
Mihir Kapadia
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 1994 00:58:10 -0500 (EST)
From: Venkateshwarlu Maroju <ven...@mem.odu.edu>
Subject: Spic-Macay Annual Convention
SPIC-MACAY ( O D U - C H A P T E R )
A N N O U N C E M E N T
--------------------------
S P I C - M A C A Y
S E C O N D N O R T H A M E R I C A N A N N U A L C O N V E N T I O N
A T
O L D D O M I N I O N U N I V E R S I T Y,
(NORFOLK, VA)
TO BE HELD ON
THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND ( 28TH & 29TH )
Dear Netters,
The SPIC-MACAY Chapter at Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA proudly
announces the 2nd North American SPIC-MACAY Annual Convention to be held
during the Memorial Day weekend.
The Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture
Amongst Youth ---- better known as S P I C - M A C A Y
is an organisation involved in promoting the classical arts and culture
of India. SPIC-MACAY was set up in India seventeen years ago by a group
of committed students dedicated to the idea of respecting, honoring,
preserving, and sharing "what's beautiful in one's tradition."
SPIC - MACAY began in USA in 1989. Today there are more than 35 chapters
located all over the USA and CANADA. This is the second annual convention.
*************************************************************************
If anybody interested in attending the convention or have any questions,
suggestions, plans, etc...... you may send mail to the following address.
'spi...@cs.odu.edu' or give us a call at the follwing numbers
Venkat 804-423-5721, Raghu 804-489-1320,
Uday, Shubhangi 804-440-1039, Dr.Chaturvedi 804-464-3166
We are inviting articles for the convention magazine.The convention magazine
is an attempt to capture the masterpiece that is Indian art.The articles may be
of any subject ranging from music to dance, from theatre to painting.If you have
any thing to say or ask regarding the magazine please send mail to either the
above address or to Raghu at "gam...@mem.odu.edu"
More details about the program will be announced later.
Thank you.
SPIC-MACAY,ODU,Norfolk
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 20 Mar 1994 17:59:12 -0500 (EST)
From: SID HUTTNER <S...@vax2.utulsa.edu>
Subject: V.S. Naipaul Archive
The archive of writer V.S. Naipaul will be formally opened to
scholars during a ceremony Tuesday evening, March 22, 1994 in
McFarlin Library, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma. The
ceremony, which precedes a formal dinner, will take place between
7 and 7:30 p.m., Central Standard time.
Friends of Mr. Naipaul and of the University are invited to
participate in the ceremony by sending an electronic message to:
Messages which arrive during the half-hour of the ceremony are
particularly welcomed, but the address is open now and will
remain open through March 23. All messages will be shared with
Mr. Naipaul, who is visiting Tulsa to help with the organization
of his papers.
Naipaul was born in Trinidad in 1932 and educated at Oxford
University. The first of his now twenty books was published in
1955. _A House for Mr Biswas_ was his first international
success. He has written on Argentina (_The Return of Eva
Peron_), Africa (_A Bend in the River_), India (_India: A Million
Mutinies Now_), the world of Muslim fundamentalism (_Among the
Believers), and the American south (_A Turn in the South_).
McFarlin Library now houses all Naipaul's surviving manuscripts
and his personal and professional correspondence through 1984.
Naipaul will continue to add materials throughout his life. An
inventory of the current archive will shortly be placed on a
University gopher for anonymous FTP. Readers who wish access
information about this, or who would like to be sent an
electronic copy when it is ready, may mention this in their
message or later contact:
Sidney F. Huttner, Curator of Special Collections
The University of Tulsa Library, 2933 East 6th Street
Tulsa, OK 74104-3133 Internet: S...@Vax2.UTulsa.Edu
------------------------------
Immigration
===========
Date: Sun, 20 Mar 1994 14:25:30 -0600 (CST)
From: Supriyo Roy <a10...@hayek.cob.niu.edu>
Subject: F-2 visa
I was wondering if someone can really help me with some information regarding
F-2 visa for my wife. I would really appreciate if someone share information
or their own experience in obtaining a F-2 visa for their wife.
In my case my wife has been rejected for a F-1 visa four times. She was planning
to come for her M.Arch. Now she planning to apply for F-2 visa. The questions
I have in are :
1. Can she be rejected for a F-2 visa.
2. On what grounds can she be rejected?
3. As I am a doctoral student, and my course gets done not before Aug. 98 can
she be rejected for all this while?
4. Can she get any other visa to come here?
I would really appreciate a response to this information.
------------------------------
Date: Sun, 20 Mar 1994 22:49:11 -0500 (EST)
From: X93CHA...@wmich.edu
Subject: Info/advice regarding H-1 visa
A friend of mine who is currently on an F-1 visa and who will be graduating
soon need some info/advice regarding H-1 visa.
She is presently working part-time for 2 companies (as an intern) and both of
them have expressed their inability to employ her full-time though each of
them is willing to retain her as a part-time employee.
Can she have two employers sponsor her for H-1?
Alternately, can any one of them sponsor her for H-1 while she continues to
work part-time with that company?
Please send your replies to me at the following address:
x93cha...@wmich.edu
Thanks in advance.
Malathy
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 18 Mar 1994 12:07:58 -1000 (HST)
From: ars...@uhics.ics.Hawaii.Edu (Mohammed A Hussain)
Subject: Passport New/Renewal Forms Availability
Hi,
Some readers have had trouble getting passprt forms from San Fransisco.
In Hawaii, there is an Indian Consulate run voluntarily by Watammul
Investment Company. I spoke to them, and they are willing to send the
requested forms by mail, provided the sender includes a self-addressed
stamped envelope along with the letter. No consular teams visit here,
and they only provide the forms. Here's the address
Indian Consulate
2051, Young St.
Honolulu, HI-96826
Phone: (808)-947-2618
PS: The Government of India does not pay them for the services they offering.
Mohammed A. Hussain (Arshad)
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 1994 14:27:40 -0500 (EST)
From: "Shyamsundar, Priya" <Pri...@env.duke.edu>
Subject: Visa and travel info
Dear Netters,
I am sure there have been several queries of a similar nature.
Nonetheless, I would appreciate any information on the following two
very commonly asked questions:
a) I am planning on travelling to India during the summer. Can
anybody suggest a reliable travel agent who might get me a good deal?
b) I have so far been on my practical training permit and plan to get
my H-1 at Madras. If anybody has encountered any problems with
getting their H-1, can you please send me information on the
circumstances under which that happened.
Thank you
Priya
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 1994 12:08 -0500 (EST)
From: SUB...@CLEMSON.CLEMSON.EDU
Subject: Visa Info
Hi Netters,
One of my friends, working for a software firm in India,
is offered a job in California by a firm that has ties with his
firm. He has a dependent mother (his father expired long ago) whom
he wants to bring with him. He will be coming on a H1 visa. He is
wondering whether it is possible to bring his mother along with him
or not. Is it possible? If so, what is the procedure? Any other
suggestions regarding this are very much welcome.
Thanks in advance.
Subbarao V. Vedula
------------------------------
Income Tax
==========
Date: Sat, 19 Mar 1994 14:16:31 -0500
From: Venkataramanan Jayaraman <veja...@uncc.edu>
Subject: Reg. Tax clarifications requested
Dear Netters,
I have couple of questions on tax filing. My visa status is F1 and my wife
(visa status F2) is with me. Please reply/clarify the following.
Q1: During summer of '93, we shifted our residence from N. Carolina to
Indiana for three months on account of summer internship in a company in
Indiana. Can I claim exemptions for to and fro travel expenses? Is there
any other expenses associated with moving the residence which I can claim?
Do I have to have supporting documents?
Q2: My wife is a dependant and she is not working. Should she still file
a return.
Q3: Refer Shvetank Shah's posting on tax return. In my case, he says, I
can claim a spousal exemption as well, if the spouse is a non-resident, has
no income and is not a dependent of another taxpayer. However, someone in
my school pointed out that in that case the standard deduction amount of
$3700 gets reduced to $3185. Is it true?
Thanks in advance,
Venkat
------------------------------
Info. Wanted
============
Date: Fri, 18 Mar 1994 12:44:32 -0600
From: v4...@REV.RE.uokhsc.edu
Subject: NRI status
I am here on an F1 visa . I would like to know what is an NRI status .
Is anyone living outside India an NRI ? What about sending money home
to an account in an Indian bank - does one have to have an NRI account ?
Thanks.
S.Nair
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 21 Mar 1994 13:36:00 -0800 (PST)
From: RPE...@potx05a.seguin.aieg.mot.com
Subject: Parcels to India
Fellow Netters does anyone know the best deal to send a letter to India. Fedex
charges $44.00 (three business days, upto 30 pages) with $2.50 off if you take
the letter to their office. Like wise DHL charges $71.00 upto 1 lb. These
rates are to Bombay. Hope someone out there knows of a better rate. I mean
only courier services not regular mail. The US postal service does not
guarantee timely delivery in India as they hand over the parcel to the Indian
Postal Service once it reaches India.
Raju Pendse
------------------------------
Miscellaneous
=============
Date: Fri, 18 Mar 1994 17:08:22 -0500 (EST)
From: Sarabjit Singh <sars...@mailbox.syr.edu>
Subject: Contents of postings on religions
Dear netters:
I agree with the observation of a fellow netter regarding the vicious
nature of the postings on religions, and the need for restraint.
The Digest goes out to thousands of people across the world, and mirrors
the views and beliefs of Indians. Is it not in order then that we follow
certain norms of civilized and decent behavior, and not shoot-off
irresponsible postings from the top of our heads?
I sincerely request the editors to take a more active role in editing
certain very offensive postings, and enforce a certain decorum on the
Digest network. In view of the increasing role and reach envisioned for the
Digest, it would be only proper to spell out its Mission and Vision for the
benefit of the contributors.
Sincerely,
Sarabjit Singh
[ Editor's Response:
Please read the header of the Digest. The Mission and Vision of this
Digest are spelt out clearly there. Thanks. ]
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 19 Mar 1994 21:54:52 -0500 (EST)
From: Amir Tuteja <mi...@access.digex.net>
Subject: Punjabi "kudi" [girl] did it!
"You seem to be a Punjabi," said a gentleman standing three
steps behind me in the queue at the bus stop. I nodded though did
feel somewhat offended. "That is why you are trying to jump the
queue," the gentleman added, though I was trying to do nothing of
the sort. "Do only the Punjabis jump the queues?' I mused to
myself. I have observed people jumping the queues at Bombay,
Banglore, and Madras, and I am sure, they were not all Punjabis. I
had a mind to point this to the gentleman, but chose to keep mum.
But I didn't like the manner he had "generalized" his observation.
The bus came and, as usual, the queue was nowhere to be seen.
The gentleman was almost the first one to get in. By the time my
turn came all the seats were occupied. I found myself standing near
where the gentleman sat. "You see I did not jump the queue", I said
inviting his attention. He gave me a furious look. "You will agree
with me that all the Punjabis are not the queue jumpers", I added
to make my point. My observation was again met with a furious look
and a glum face. I had by then understood that the gentleman was
certainly "cut up" with the Punjabis, and was not prepared to
listen to anything said by way of an argument to rebut his
observation. This happened a year ago. But during thirty minutes'
journey the gentleman's furious looks and glum face had got
imprinted on my mind.
But recently when I came face to face with the same gentleman
at my friend's son's marriage reception, who introduced him
"Mr. Gopalaswami, my colleague"' I found him an altogether a
changed person. I recognized him and so did he, when he addressed
me in a half-baked Punjabi, "Sunaoji tuhada ki hal hae" [say how
are you], he said and added," I was dumbstruck and could only nod.
" I am really sorry for that day's behavior. In fact I was
upset on that day." "But I didn't mind", I told him. "Rather I was
somewhat amused." "It was really nice of you", he continued in a
tone that was apologetic. "But now my opinion about the Punjabis is
altogether changed. I hold them in high esteem." "How come?" I was
quick to ask him. "Because of my daughter-in-law", he replied. "She
is a Punjabi and a gem of a girl. The Punjabi "kudi" [girl] has
really transformed me. God bless her." There was glow on his face
as he spoke. [Copied from The TRIBUNE, Chandigarh, Feb. 28, 1994]
[Moral: All generalizations are wrong - including the one I
just made. Well, maybe some are correct - say what?]
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 18 Mar 1994 17:20:55 -0500 (EST)
From: Kashi R Bilwakesh <bilw...@ccmail.ae.ge.com>
Subject: Reg. Contribution to India L/D-- Kohli's Idea is great
Vish Kohli's suggestion (IDD of 3/16/94) to levy a small charge for getting on
the network makes a lot of sense. Suppose we charge $10. Assuming that only
5000 subscribers will stay, that will net $50K which should comfortably take
care of all the needs. What are the discussion points ?:
1. We absolutely do not want to become an elitist network where only
people with money can have a say. That totally defeats the purpose. So we
need to keep the fee as low as possible.
2. Many students may decide that it is a luxury that they do not want to
pay for. That is a sad decision that we should not force them to take. So,
perhaps we charge less for students- or even make it free. It will be on an
honor system.
3. Many people signing on from India may have difficulty paying-- partly
from foreign exchange transfer restrictions and partly from the fact that a
dollar is still in the thirty rupee range and that is a lot. So, perhaps we
make it free for people signing on from India.
I can hear a lot of screams that it is discriminatory-- but it is not.
After all this network is primarily for Indians and we do want our network
brothers and sisters in India to understand the simple and complex problems
that confront the average (ok, not average, but many ?) Indian around the
world. We should not block them out by erecting a monetary barrier.
4. There may be some restrictions by the sponsoring universities on
charging for the service. That is for Dr. Rao and Uma to follow up and tell us
the pros and cons.
I want to make it very clear that I am not suggesting that we stop or delay the
ongoing fund-raising effort. A lot of work has obviously gone into reaching the
current status-- and "great suggestions" should not turn out to be stop signs.
Dr. Rao and Ms. Uma Ramamurthy have to weigh the options and take the right
decision. Maybe one option is to try the fee approach for the next year or ask
the indulgence of those who have contributed so far to let their contributions
stay as their fee for this year. They hopefully won't mind the fact that they
may have contributed more than the proposed fee for this year.
Let me conclude by saying this: Dr. Rao, Uma and the rest of the editorial and
support team are doing an outstanding job. Let us keep this discussion at a
level where we focus on how we CAN ACCOMPLISH Dr. Rao's objectives and not on
how and why we cannot get there.
Dr. Rao/ Uma-- do you see any problems ?
------------------------------
End of India Interest Group Digest
**********************************