celebration

of success
Dear friends,
Launching billion beats, an
e-paper through the website
www.abdulkalam.com is
indeed a beautiful idea. The e-
paper should set a new tradi-
tion. It should celebrate the NOVEMBER 14, 2007 T H E P U L S E O F I N D I A
success of the people wherever
they are. It may be from an Youth below the age of 25 are the most powerful
agriculture village, or fishing resources on the earth, under the earth and above
village, it may be from a the earth. We have to empower them through
diary village, it may be from value-b
based education and leadership.
the industrial or service sector.
In short, billion beats
should capture and spread I want a disciplined Nation
the success and its glad tid-
ings. We have the islands of
success in every field of
I love India, but I am saddened by our lack of disci-
pline and lack of consideration for others. I feel sad
INDIA OF MY DREAMS

that we Indians, who behave so well when we go

activity; we should connect abroad, behave so terribly at home. We push our way
them to make a garland. I around when there is no need to. We jostle and crowd
am confident that billion around counters. We hate to stand in queues. We
beats would create knowl- crowd round the entrances in buses and trains. We show no con-
sideration for children or for the elderly. In the India of my
edge connectivity among the dreams, motorists won't jump the red light just because there is
people. no policeman around. Two-wheelers will not drive on pave-
My greetings and best ments just to race ahead. We won't spit or throw garbage any-
wishes. where we like. We will treat public property with respect. In
short, we will be a disciplined, considerate nation. I hope my
dream comes true before I grow up.
N. Priyanka, 8th Class, Poorna Prajna Education Centre, Bangalore
India of My Dreams is open to schoolchildren. Shoot off your thoughts
COM’ON INDIA along with a passport-size photograph to: billionbeats@gmail.com

Mission 2020
Have a success story to share?
An inspiration that can be
imbibed? We welcome short
contributions from you along
with a passport-size photo,
complete name, mailing address
and phone number. Write in at
billionbeats@gmail.com
Kalam maps profile of a vibrant India
SALAM KALAM By V. Ponraj zA Nation where the
governance uses the

the birth of W hat is the India of Dr Kalam's

dreams? How has he shaped his
beloved country in his mind's eye?
best of technologies to
be responsive, transpar-
Here's the Top-10 from Dr Kalam's ent, fully connected in a

billion beats wish-list for the country he loves:

N ew Dilli was
cocooned in a
fresh coat of mist
when the Corporate
Communications
Team from HAL waited to
meet Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam,
India's Inspiration Machine.
Dr Kalam drove in straight
from a TV interview and took
off in his inimitable style on
media. "Why are we not high-
lighting the success stories of
achievers? Why are we not
bringing unsung heroes to the
forefront? Why an overdose of
politics, murder, caste war?
Why...? Why...?."
We tentatively suggested:
"Can't we start a paper of your
choice?" Dr Kalam grabbed the
idea. "Fantastic! May be a web
paper. Yes, a web paper," he
chuckled, looking at Mr V.
Ponraj, a technology maverick
and his current Advisor.
And this was how the web
paper — billion beats —was
born. To stay connected with
you. Mail your thoughts at:
billionbeats@gmail.com.
Anantha Krishnan M.
National Affairs Editor
zA Nation where the rural and urban
divide has reduced to a thin line.
zA Nation where there is an equitable
distribution of, and access to, energy
and quality water.
zA Nation where agriculture, industry
and service sector work together in
symphony, absorbing technology,
thereby resulting in sustained wealth
generation leading to greater high-
value employment opportunities.
z A Nation where education is not
denied to any meritorious candidate
because of societal or economic dis-
crimination.
zA Nation which is the best destination
for the most talented scholars, scientists
and investors from all over the world.
zA Nation where the best of healthcare
is available to everyone, and communi-
cable diseases like AIDS/TB, water and
vector-borne diseases, cardiac diseases,
cancer and diabetes are brought down.
Kalam has always expressed
his love and affection for the
youth of this country. I am
very confident that billion
beats will play a pivotal role in taking
India forward. I am eagerly waiting to sharing news, views and capabilities. All
see the launch issue. My best wishes.
Anil Kumble, Test Captain, India Harinarayana, Raja Ramanna Fellow
high bandwidth e-gover-
nance grid, easily accessi-
ble and simple in rules, thereby
corruption-free.
zA Nation where poverty has
been totally eradicated, illiteracy
removed and crimes against
women are absent and the socie-
ty feels unalienated.
z A Nation that is prosperous,
healthy, secure, peaceful and happy
and has a sustainable growth path.
zA Nation that is one of the best
places to live in on the earth and
brings smiles to a billion-plus faces.
This is how Dr Kalam has motivat-
ed the entire nation linking his
Vision 2020 with the people, organi-
sations, academic institutions, industry, banking, judiciary and
finally the political system.
But a lot more remains to be done. As Robert Frost wrote: “The
woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep; And miles
to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.”
(The writer is Advisor to Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam)
It’s the most appropriate It’s a great feeling to set
move to start an e-paper. something in motion, let it
India is changing so fast and take a life of its own, watch
I am sure billion beats it grow and become unique.
will help Indians stay connected by I’m sure billion beats will inspire
Indian youth to dream big and help
the best for the team. Dr Kota reach the acme of life. Neeti Sahi,
Mass Media Student, Bangalore

billion beats is designed and uplinked to www.abdulkalam.com from Bangalore and will hit the web every fortnight. THE LAUNCH CREW: National Affairs Editor Anantha Krishnan M,
Content Editor V. Ponraj, Copy Curator Vinaya Hegde, Data Coordinator Neelima V, Design V. Jayaprakash, Stills Robert, INSPIRATION The Bold Billion
 Do your
best today
Friends, I would like to share
with you a great message
given by my teacher from
Kalidasa's Shakuntalam w w w . a b d u l k a l a m . c o m
2000 years ago.
Look to this day!
NOVEMBER 28, 2007 T H E P U L S E O F I N D I A
For it is life, the very life
of life.
In its brief course Climbing to the top demands strength,
Lie all the verities and whether it is to the top of Mount Everest
realities of your existence;
or to the top of your career.
The bliss of growth IT’S POSSIBLE
The glory of action

16,400 LIVES SAVED

Splendor of achievement,
For yesterday is but a
dream
And tomorrow is only a
vision,
But today well lived,
makes every yesterday a
dream of happiness
And tomorrow a vision of
hope.
Look well, therefore to
this day!
Such is the salutation to
the dawn.
Every day is very important
in a student's life. If you do
the best today, you will har-
vest the best.
Next, you should also build
confidence. When I was in
the 5th standard, many of
us used to get less than 40
marks in mathematics. My
maths teacher evolved a
method of teaching and cre-
ation of confidence for the
whole class. He conducted
a class and gave us an exer-
cise of 10 problems. In that
exercise, more than 90% of
the class including me, got
100 out of 100. That day
onwards our mathematics
performance improved.
Only after a few years we
realized that our teacher
injected confidence in us, to
feel that "I can do it".
To succeed in life each of
you has to cultivate the con-
fidence that "I can do it",
then the nation will build
the confidence that "we can
do it".
EMRI becomes a life-line for thousands
By Anantha Krishnan M
W
Well,
hat better human service can
one do than saving lives?
that's exactly what
Hyderabad-based Emergency
Management and Research
Institute (EMRI) has been doing for
the last two years. And, as this
piece goes on to the web, EMRI has
so far saved 16,400 lives and still
counting. Thanks to the vision of
Mr B. Ramalinga Raju, founder and
Chairman of Satyam Computers
and Mr Venkat Changavalli, CEO,
EMRI, today the movement has
become a life-line for thousands of
accident victims.
This Emergency Response
Service operates via a toll-free
number 108. "EMRI is a non-prof-
it organization and has the distinc-
tion of being India's largest
provider of free pre-hospital care
under the public-private partner-
ship mode. We are currently oper-
ating in Andhra Pradesh and
Gujarat and are all set to expand
nationally very soon," Mr Venkat
Changavalli told billion beats.
"The process of Sense, Reach and
Care is a novel approach to rapid-
ly provide pre-hospital care to
those in need. Technology and
empathy form the cornerstone of
the service," Mr Venkat said.
Technology enables the caller to
access the toll-free number unhin-
dered and also provides informa-
tion regarding the location of the
caller and the field ambulance to
Ramalinga Raju Venkat Changavalli
optimize response time. "It is the
empathy that the ambulance crew
and the staff including medical
personnel at the call centre exhibit
that translates into a rush of joy
every day after successful comple-
tion of a call," he added.
HOW IT WORKS?
z Emergency victim/helper dials
108.
z Sense: Communication Officer
(CO) collects facts, Dispatch
Officer (DO) scopes emergency
and assigns strategically located
vehicle (ambulance/police/fire)
z Reach: Vehicle(s) reach the site
within short notice.
JOIN THE PARTY
Have a success story to share?
An inspiration that can be
imbibed? We welcome short
contributions from you along
with a passport-size photo,
complete name, mailing address
and phone number. Write in at
billionbeats@gmail.com
THIS IS A 3-PAGE ISSUE
THE STORY SO FAR
z Saved 16,400 lives
z Received 5,84,000 emergency calls
out of 7.8 million calls
z 95% calls answered in two rings
z Types of emergencies (Medical:
94%, Police: 5%; Fire: 1%)
z Types of Medical emergencies:
Injuries - 34%, Pregnancy - 17%,
Suicide/Poisoning - 6% Cardiac -
4%, Respiratory - 3%, Stroke - 5%,
Animal Bite - 3
z Average time taken to reach hospital
from the time of call - 38 minutes
z Care: Emergency Medical
Technician (EMT) provides pre-
hospital care while transporting
patient/victim to appropriate
hospital for stabilization.
z Emergency Response Centre
Physician (ERCP) supports CO,
DO, EMT, patient and hospital
admission.
EMRI swears by its values which
are: involving people, applying
knowledge and making things
happen.
Its vision: To provide leadership
and to respond to one million calls
a day, and to save one million
lives a year nationally by 2010. All
this, meeting global standards in
Emergency Management and
Research and Training.
Team billion beats will bring
you updates on this noble mission.
Visit http://www.emri.in for more
details.

I want a corruption-free India

ICorruption
INDIA OF MY DREAMS

was shocked to find India ranked 88th in the list of

least corrupt countries (according to the TI 2005
Perceptions Index which surveyed 159
countries published in ManoramaYearbook 2007).
Corruption, which is no less than a social evil like Sati,
has no place in the India of My Dreams. And to make
this dream a reality, corruption has to be removed soon.
Although it looks quite tough, I believe that this can be achieved
with the help of youth.
One important step towards removing corruption is the new
Political Science (Class XI and X) syllabus of NCERT and I am
glad that this will ensure at least a corruption-free future work-
force. Further, corrupt people must be exposed, which has been
done beautifully in the above mentioned textbooks.
Shaumik Daityari, Class 10, Delhi Public School, Duliajan, Assam
Dr Kalam interacts with over a lakh of youngsters during ‘Lead India 2020
Movement’ at Karim Nagar in Andhra Pradesh on November 14. The India of My Dreams is open to schoolchildren. Shoot off your thoughts
new e-paper billion beats was also launched on the occasion. along with a passport-size photograph to: billionbeats@gmail.com
 S U C C E S S U N L I M I T E D NOVEMBER 28, 2007

Spreading Bangalore sunshine in Salzburg

By Vinaya Hegde
M ornings in Bangalore are a lovely mix of
lacy wisps of fog, hot filter coffee and RJ
Vasanthi Hariprakash of Radio City 91.1 FM
wishing you an exuberant Good Morning on
her breakfast show Good Morning, Bangalore.
Bangalore's Sunshine Girl (yes, that's what
she's been dubbed for cheering up the city
every morning) will be spreading some of
this sunshine in Salzburg, Austria in the first
week of December: She is the only Indian
among the 50-odd young achievers chosen
from across the globe for the 'Salzburg
Young Global Leaders’ Summit' which aims
"to envision how the world should look by
2030".
"I am grateful to journalist Sakuntala
Narasimhan for mentoring me for the semi-
nar. I am both humbled and thrilled… I will
hopefully make India proud," says Vasanthi.
Vasanthi, who was a mainstream journalist
(Chief Sub-Editor with the Indian Express
Group, Bangalore) strayed into the world of
radio quite by accident. She walked into the
Radio City studios as a guest: as the
Bangalore co-ordinator of the Network of
Women in Media, India (NWMI), she was
being interviewed on World Press Freedom
Day. Not long after that, she found herself on
the other side of the mike, so to speak, in the
same studios! A short stint at freelance RJ-ing
at AIR helped.
Among her fans is Mr N. R. Narayana
Murthy, Chief Mentor, Infosys. Says Mr
Murthy: "I listen to her shows whenever I
can. I observe that even on a busy primetime
radio show, she has created spaces to intro-
duce topics of relevance such as consumer
issues, women's health issues and social con-
cerns such as opportunities to care for under-
privileged children. I notice that she has a
genuine desire to make a difference to the
D A R L I I N G O N A I R S ET T O S T O R M
Y O U N G G LO B A L L E A D E R S ’ M E ET
Vasanthi, adjudged best english RJ in India, works
for Radio City 91.1 FM.
world around her. She has the power to
mould the opinion of over 2 million listeners
through her radio show. Her unique style of
anchoring has helped her connect one-to-one
with the cosmopolitan crowd of Bangalore
and has lent dignity to the show."
It was therefore no surprise when she won
the latest award for Radio Excellence given
I listen to Vasanthi’s shows whenev-
er I can. I notice that she has a
genuine desire to make a difference
to the world around her. She has
the power to mould the opinion of over
2 million listeners through her radio show.
N.R. Narayana Murthy, Chief Mentor, Infosys
by the India Radio Forum as the best English
RJ in the entire country. She was also among
the four RJs chosen by her organization for a
study tour in London to study best practices
in the UK radio world.
With being constantly told she's the best in
the profession, how does she guard against a
sense of déjà vu, of having been there, done
that, of feeling, 'I've achieved it all… now
what?' Vasanthi quickly waves this thought
away with a "Oh no! I am constantly critical
of myself. And I am constantly competing
against myself since I don't measure myself
against anyone. That way, there is no room
for complacency."
Like her namesake Basanti of Sholay,
Vasanthi is a chatterbox. But is she ever at a
loss for words? "Oh yes," she says. "When
there's admiration on air. When a listener
gushes over you, you really don't know
what to say without sounding conceited or
cold…"
What is the source of her (by now leg-
endary!) energy? "Simple: I love what I do. I
get a thrill out of it every single day."
Considering that a day has only 24 hours,
how does she cope with an early morning
show, home life and a hectic social life? "My
mother Vaidehi, husband Hariprakash and
10-year-old son Aniruddh Kaushik take care
of the home front," she grins. "The rest is
easy. And all the technology around has
made life easier."
Where does she see herself a few years from
now? Vasanthi is philosophic. "I had never
dreamt that I would come this far. And I
don't know where the Power Above will take
me. All I know is that there is Someone up
above there, holding my hand, showing me
the way." Amen.
Vasanthi can be contacted at
vasanthih@myradiocity.com

T he moon has always trig-
gered a feeling of awe and
evoked a sense of curiosity
among people all over the world,
particularly Indians. In April
2008, it will not be the same
moonrise over India. At night,
when the people of this country
look at the sky and observe our
closest satellite, it will be with a
sense of pride; the reason —
India will hopefully be on the
moon joining the US and Russia.
An Indian orbiter will be flying
around the moon at an altitude
of 100 km above the lunar sur-
face, and what more a 29-kg
instrument known as the moon
impact probe — an idea suggest-
ed by former President A.P.J.
Abdul Kalam —would have
landed on the moon.
India's much awaited maiden
voyage to the moon, designated
as 'Chandrayaan-1', was
announced by former Prime
Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee
during his independence day
address from the ramparts of the
Red Fort on August 15 2003, and
was given the green signal by the
government in November 2003.
In Sanskrit 'Chandrayaan' means
moon craft. The man who has
been entrusted with the challeng-
ing task of taking India to the
moon is very humble person,
Mylaswamy Annadurai.
The mission is slated for lift off
either on April 9 or April 23,
2008 from the Satish Dhawan
Space Centre, Sriharikota.
During launch, the distance
between the earth and the moon
will be three lakh km. The flying
MOON WALK
S PA C E TA L K
By Srinivas Laxman
Space Talk will be a regular feature capturing
success stories from the skies. Aimed at creating
awareness on our space programmes amongst
youngsters, you can make this column interactive and
update yourselves on the latest happenings out there.
time between the earth and the the six foreign payloads, two are
moon will be about a fortnight. from NASA, three from the
During take-off the weight of the European Space Agency and one
spacecraft will be 1304 kg and from Bulgaria. The mission will
the rocket will be an upgraded attempt to locate water and iden-
version of the highly-proven tify Helium-3, which if mined
four-stage Polar Satellite Launch and brought to earth, can pro-
Vehicle. vide electricity for several years.
Critics of the prestigious moon The data from the lunar orbiter
mission repeatedly ask why a will be first relayed to the newly-
poor country like India should established Deep Space Network,
go to the moon when Russia, the off the Bangalore-Mysore high-
US and Europe have already way in a tiny village called
landed on the lunar surface. The Byalalu. From here it will be
answer is that 'Chandrayaan-1', transmitted to ISRO's telemetry,
will carry out scientific studies tracking and command centre at
on those areas which have so far Bangalore. The scientific data
not been examined either by the will be given for analysis to the
US or Russia. If it succeeds it is Indian Space Science Data Centre
sure to be rated as one of the which is located at the command
greatest scientific achievements centre.
of India, making every true According to the Indian Space
Indian proud of this nation. Research Organisation, the Rs
The primary role of 386-crore project will provide a
'Chandrayaan-1', is scientific lot of opportunities to the
study of the moon with the help younger generation as it will
of 11 instruments —six from give a strong thrust to basic sci-
abroad and five from India. Of ence and also encourage young-
sters to get involved in funda-
mental research. Those partici-
pating in the moon mission will
find it intellectually rewarding.
In the US, during the Apollo
lunar mission between 1969 and
1972, students' scores in maths
and physics shot up and many
took up science courses. This is
what the government of India
hopes to achieve through the
Indian moon mission.
The Indian lunar programme is
expected to provide an impetus
for more ambitious planetary
explorations. On November 16,
an Indian mission to Mars was
incorporated into ISRO's 11th
plan.
ISRO officials say that India just
cannot afford to lag behind in
the race to the moon, considering
that Japan and China have
already launched lunar missions.
In fact by 2020, both of them
hope to embark on a manned
mission. ISRO Chairman G.
Madhavan Nair, has been quoted
as saying that the space agency
will initiate feasibility about a
human landing on the moon by
India towards the end of 2008.
'Chandrayaan-1' will be followed
by 'Chandrayaan-2', in 2011-2012.
This will carry a rover which is
to be jointly developed by India
and Russia.
The writer is a Special Correspondent
with The Times of India, Mumbai
and is the author of the book Dr
Abdul Kalam: Dreams to Reality.
You can reach him at:
moonmission.srinivas@gmail.com

„ I think Dr Kalam's brain is becoming younger as his body
is getting older! I like his innovative ideas which inspire young
Indians to think and act in positively. I hope billion beats will
imprint the positive image of our great country on young
Indian brains unlike other news papers.
- Dr. K. Prahlad Rao
„ As an idea this epaper is fantastic. In terms of implementa-
tion, I think there is a lot that needs to be done. Internet pene-
tration in our country, especially broadband is very low. So this
epaper is not going to reach millions who should be reading it,
especially if this is to be a vehicle to help bridge the urban-
rural divide. You have to find ways to deliver physical copies to
a majority. Secondly, language is key. Even as an epaper, there
is merit in translating it into other languages. A network (social,
physical, educational) has to be created that will ensure that
this publication reaches the relevant audiences. Sure, all this
will cost and you might have to seek sponsorships.
- Milind
„ I am thoroughly impressed with billion beats. I am a
Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeon. I was the Former Head
and Additional Professor of the Department of Paediatric
Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Institute of Child Health and
Hospital for Children which is the largest children's hospital in
South East Asia. Now I am the Head of the Department of
Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery at K J Hospital Research
and Postgraduate Centre, Chennai. Reading through billion
beats, I was filled with hopes for a better India. My only regret
is that I am not in my schooldays. Yet I have the satisfaction
that I belong to the era of an India soon after its independence,
its great men, its tribulations and sorrows and, its growth in
spite of all. It is intensely gladdening to see that we have a
leader again who can harness the magnificent power of the
youth of India. Do we also have a role in this onward march?
- Dr P S Sreemathi
„ Today's youth spend a lot of their time on social networking
sites. May I suggest that you upgrade your site with blogs,
wikis and chat. This will be a great platform for youth to inter-
act on issues of national importance. Please program your
software to "auto-e-mail" the e-paper to all MPs and MLAs.
- Dr. Shankara Prasad
„ billion beats was the best gift for the young generation on
Nov 14. I wish it would reach each and every youngster, cut-
ting across caste, creed and geographical boundaries. But I
am sorry for those who don't have Net facility.
- Ila Sengupta
„ I suggest you ask school and college principals to make
billion beats a compulsory read in their institutions. Jai Hind.
- Varun Yadav
„ I thought true newspapers are just a mirage of mind. Fake,
impossible and hard to find. But after I read billion beats I tend
to believe that heart exists in real and beats in me. My deep
regards for the one who has given such a noble thought and
evolved India's first youth motivating newspaper.
- Amrita Nawal
„ Awesome e-paper! I hope it expands to more than one
page and a complementary copy is delivered to all our MPs
and MLAs (and it be made sure that they read it!)
- Saurav Ghoshal
„ When Dr Kalam's tenure as President of India came to an
end I was very upset as I felt my connectivity with a great
visionary had come to an end. With billion beats it feels like
the flow of blood which had stopped has started again.
- Rita Som
„ It's a great idea. But please make sure it's circulated to
grass-roots level as well. Let real India read it. It can be a vital
tool for making India a world power by 2020.
- Himanshu Jagga
„ Live for oneself, one's neighbourhood and for the whole
country, and see how we lead the world.
- Archana
„ Schoolkids who are exposed to the internet, should be
guided to acquire useful knowledge instead of simply brows-
ing the Net and playing games. I hope billion beats will help.
- K.Sairam
„ It is indeed great to have a newspaper bereft of any ugly and
unpleasant news. Could you add a 'subscribe' suffix to it so that
the paper automatically lands in the mailbox if we subscribe?
- Prashant Sonwaney
billion beats is designed and uplinked to www.abdulkalam.com from Bangalore every fortnight. Chief Editor Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, National Affairs Editor Anantha Krishnan M,
Content Editor V. Ponraj, Copy Curator Vinaya Hegde, Data Coordinator Neelima V, Creative DesignV. Jayaprakash, Stills Robert, INSPIRATION The Bold Billion
Y O U R P A G E
Billion Beats
A nation of billion brilliance,
Beats in unison for a want.
Desire to guide and be guided,
Desire to flourish, and, be cherished.
“Dream India”, summoned the voice,
“Dare to dream”, is now your choice.
Dreams are latent visions, of today…
Let’s awaken dreams, for tomorrow.
May your dreams be your vision,
May your vision be your mission,
May your mission remain your vision.
May your vision inspire your reason.
Billion beats nurtures the vision,
Annunciating unsung heroes is the mission.
Chronicle to read and comprehend,
Comprehend to inspire and be inspired.
Deepa Govind hails
from Chennai and is
a Virtual Assistant.
„ This will give a proper platform to youth to utilize their tal-
ents as well as to realize dreams. It is good that you have not
given any place for politics, crime and negative stories.
- Hridayananda Gogoi
„ My suggestion is to circulate hard copies of billion beats to
villages in India. India's villages should have a taste of these
success stories and be inspired by them. Then we can see
Vision 2020 very soon.
- Vijay Kumar Duvvada
„ I am a student of BE III year of Instrumentation Engg from
the Institute of Technology & Management, Gwalior. I am very
happy to see such an e-paper in our motherland with so much
of motivation and dedication for us youth. India is country of
vast richness of culture and tradition. We have also produced
so many science wonders as well, for example Eka, the super
computer developed by the Tata group, which is the fastest in
Asia and fourth fastest in the whole world. But India and some
of the parts of India are defamed. This not because of any out-
sider, rather this is due to us only. How can we expect any
outsider to respect our motherland if we do not respect it? No
outsider will make this country developed; it is our pious duty
to make this country developed and prosperous.
- Rishu Anand
This sketch was emailed to us by Vasantha
Hosabettu, a freelance caricaturist. Contributions
from artists on non-political subjects
of national interest are welcome.
NOVEMBER 28, 2007
GREAT RESPONSE TO E-PAPER
Salam India,
we heard your
billion beats...
By Anantha Krishnan M & V. Ponraj
O ne email every minute. Every mail
packed with thoughts on taking India
forward. From the time billion beats went
live on www.abdulkalam.com it has been
an avalanche of email to our ID: billion-
beats@gmail.com.
To be honest to lakhs of our readers
online, we are still struggling to find a
mechanism to sift through all the emails.
So, what did India write? Well, India
wrote with delight, pain, happiness, disap-
pointment and hope. And, we at billion
beats are keen to latch on to your hopes and
take this mission forward.
While we are overwhelmed by the
response that we received in the last two
weeks, it’s also a huge responsibility thrust
upon us. A responsibility to be part of your
dreams. Your voice. Your hope. Finally, we
all head towards the same destination -- a
developed and self-sufficient nation that
celebrates the success of every Indian.
An email urged team billion beats to mail
copies to politicians so that they become
aware of what’s happening in the country.
But then, our aim is not to take on the system
or its administrators. We are and we shall
remain a platform that will portray the bil-
lion faces of India. Their strengths and suc-
cess stories will be the fodder for billion
beats.
Through this initiative we aim to create
networks between people. We will make
people talk and meet. We will make people
react and express. We will make people
contribute tirelessly to make India a power
to reckon with. It’s a huge challenge. But
fear not the challenge, as challenge often
gifts failure and failure often gives birth to
seeds of success. And, success seals
strength. Through strength you grow, and
when you grow the Nation moves.
Ever since billion beats hit the web, a
cross-section of Indians who have excelled
in various fields have got in touch asking us
how they can join this new initiative. It’s
virtually impossible for us to reply to all. At
the same time we are keen to hold the bold
billion together.
It will be a good idea to form network
groups of scientists, students, IT profes-
sionals, engineers, teachers, agriculturists,
musicians, journalists, artists, performing
artistes, sports stars and the like. You can
use billion beats to give shape to this idea.
Once specific network groups are formed,
we could think of Plan-B.
Hope you all have taken note of the catch-
line of billion beats. The catchline is: It’s
Possible.
It’s your paper. And, YOU take the call.
(billionbeats@gmail.com)