SAJA

SAJA presents an online panel discussion among some of the best-known names in the South Asian blogosphere. They will discuss the state of the blogosphere (South Asian and otherwise) and how it is affecting how news and information about South Asia and the diaspora is gathered and

shared. Sabahat Ashraf of iFaqeer; Anil Dash of AnilDash.com; Karthik of Uberdesi.com; Maria Giovanna of Filmiholic.com; Arun Venugopal of SAJAforum.org

A terrific group of journalists and experts talk about various aspects of the turmoil in the current U.S. economy. Speakers: Vikas Bajaj, business reporter, The New York Times; Anirvan Banerji, co-director of research at the Economic Cycle Research Institute; John Laxmi, co-founder of a New York-based private equity firm with $4 billion under management (and SAJA treasurer); Sudeep Reddy, economics reporter and "Real Time Economics" blogger, The Wall Street Journal. See more info: http://www.sajaforum.org/2008/09/webcast-the-us.html

Join SAJA.org and SAJAforum.org for a discussion about India's economy with Prof. Arvind Panagariya of Columbia University. He's the author of "India: The Emerging Giant," a book that has received rave reviews. He'll discuss his book and, given all the news about the Indian economy, what the outlook is for India to survive the turmoil in the US and world economy. More on Panagariya: http://www.sajaforum.org/2008/09/books-aravind-p.html

Several South Asian journalists covered Hurricane Gustav as it bore down on the U.S. last week (and some are covering Ike this week). Listen to a conversation among five of those who were at the hurricane frontlines.

CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta & Ali Velshi; CBS's Priya David & Hari Sreenivasan; WDSU's (New Orleans NBC affiliate) Roop Raj will be talking about their

experiences. See photos, read about all of them and their hurricane experience, and post your questions at http://www.sajaforum.org/2008/09/webcast-dr-sanj.html or e-mail saja[at]columbia.edu

Join SAJA for for a live discussion and chatroom with acclaimed author Salman Rushdie. He'll discuss his latest novel, "The Enchantress of Florence." He will be live with us via phone for 30 minutes for a discussion with arts writer Vibhuti Patel. For the remaining part of the hour, Vibhuti will discuss Rushdie's work and his place in world literature. Post your questions in advance at http://www.sajaforum.org/2008/06/books-salman-ru.html

Join us for a live discussion and chatroom with ARAVIND ADIGA, author of "The White Tiger." His debut novel has gotten exceptionally excellent

reviews: From USA Today - "The White Tiger is one of the most powerful books I’ve read in decades. No hyperbole. This debut novel... hit me like a

kick to the head — the same effect Richard Wright’s Native Son and Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man had.... This is an amazing and angry novel about injustice and power."

Join SAMMA and SAJA for a conversation with Manu Narayan, who's starring in "The Love Guru" with Mike Myers. He'll answer questions about the movie and life as an actor in films and theater.

Join us for a live discussion and chatroom with Jyoti Thottam, a Time magazine senior editor who is leaving New York shortly to be Time's South Asia bureau chief. We'll discuss South Asia, US relations with the region, her career and the state of journalism. Send your questions to [email protected] (subject=webcast) or call in live.

"My Friend the Fanatic" is a portrait of the world’s most populous Muslim country, Indonesia, a land once synonymous with tolerance that finds itself in the midst of a profound shift toward radical Islam. This portrait is painted through a pair of unlikely protagonists. Sadanand Dhume, the author, is a foreign correspondent, an Indian atheist with a fondness for literary fiction and an interest in economic development. His companion, Herry Nurdi, is a young Islamist who hero worships Osama BL.

Join SAJA for a live discussion with Dileepan Sivapathasundaram, a U.S. democracy worker who was arrested in Zimbabwe in April while helping local groups monitor the elections. We will discuss his detention, how he was freed and his work as a democracy activist. Sivapathasundaram is a Sri Lankan-American who works for the National Democratic Institute ("a non-partisan, non-profit, non-governmental org that aims to support democratic values & practices in more than 60 countries").