SAJA

Ali Velshi, chief business correspondent of CNN and one of the most visible commentators on the economic crisis, has a new book out. And its title reflects what a lot of people are thinking these days: "Gimme My Money Back: Your Guide to Beating the Financial Crisis." Velshi says: "I'll show you how to map out an investment strategy that's right for your individual situation: your age, your income level, your family status, your wants and needs. And I'll show you how to modify your investment plan as your needs evolve over time." Talk to him about YOUR money and get solid advice on this episode of BTR. Post your questions at http://snurl.com/ajepf or e-mail saja[at]columbia.edu

To mark Bobby Jindal's first anniversary as governor of Louisiana, SAJA is hosting a nonpartisan call-in webcast to discuss his term so far and possible role in national politics. Joining us will be several Louisiana-based journalists who have covered him for several years, as well as Mike Sager, who

has written the most extensive national profile of Jindal, in the 75th anniversary issue of Esquire, which dubbed him one of six most influential people in the 21st Century (along with Rupert Murdoch, Vladimir Putin, Steve Jobs, LeBron James and director P.T. Anderson) - you can read that piece here:

http://www.sajaforum.org/2008/09/desi-spotting-e.html

Warner Bros is now in the Bollywood business and this action comedy, set in India and China, is their first big film. SAJA interviews the stars, Akshay Kumar and Deepika Padukone, and the director, Nikhil Advani ("Kal Ho Na Ho"). More on the film, including a trailer, at http://bit.ly/cc2c

Join us for a SAJA webcast about the Satyam scandal, which is being compared to the Enron and Madoff scams. Experts and journalists will discuss the scandal and what it means for business in India, US and elsewhere. Wednesday, 11 pm-midnight NY time (thats' Thursday 9:30-10:30 am India time). Background and more at http://www.bit.ly/satyam

On Jan. 2, the Sri Lankan government said it had captured the rebel Tamil Tigers' capital of Kilinochchi. The news has brought renewed attention to the 25-year civil war in Sri Lanka. What's next? What might a political solution mean in light of recent military developments? How do recent events affect the country and its status within the region, as well as with the U.S.? How can journalists cover this evolving story?

Learn about all this and more with a distinguished panel of scholars, experts and journalists. Please post your questions in the comments section below or e-mail saja[at]columbia.edu (subject=webcast)

A distinguished panel of experts and journalists will analyze the results of the Dec. 29 Bangladesh elections and what they mean for Bangladesh, the region and Bangladesh-US relations.

Speakers include:

* Syeed Ahamed, senior research associate, Center for Policy Dialogue, Bangladesh

* Steve Herman, South Asia bureau chief, VOA, who covered the elections

* Sara Hossain, a lawyer in the Supreme Court of Bangladesh, practicing in the areas of public interest and human rights law. she is on the board of ASK, a national human rights organisation

* Prof. Ali Riaz, chair in the Department of Government & Politics at Illinois State University

* Asif Saleh recently retired from his post as vice president at Goldman Sachs in London to be the full-time executive director of Drishtipat, a Bangladesh human rights organization he founded in 2001

Questions/comments: [email protected] (subject=webcast)

On Monday, Jan. 12, 2009, conductor Mathew is organizing his charity concert - "Mahler for the Children of AIDS," at Carnegie Hall. It will raise funds and public awareness for pediatric AIDS and the Prevention-of-Mother-To-Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV worldwide but especially in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. The evening will "serve as a memorial for the millions of mothers and children who have lost their lives, a tribute to the resilience of the survivors, and an urgent call for help to the global community." SAJA presents a webcast with Mathew, two days before Christmas, to talk about the concert; the world of Western classical music; his efforts to raise interest in the form in the US and in India; and to discuss what it is like to be an Indian-American at the highest levels of this kind of music. See more about the concert and how you can support it (along with excerpts from Mahler's Third Symphony, which we will be playing during the webcast): http://bitly.com/mahler

Meet Amitav Ghosh, one of the best-known Indian writers working today. He'll talk about his latest masterful historical epic, "Sea of Poppies," which was a finalist for the 2008 Man Booker Prize. "One leaves this long page turner wishing it could continue...Sea of Poppies is a tremendous novel" - John Thieme, The Literary Review. He'll talk about his work and his career and offer tips for writers. See AmitavGhosh.com Questions to [email protected]

According to The New York Times, "With Sri Lanka's military making its deepest push into rebel territory in a decade, Asia's longest-running civil war appears to be edging closer to a military solution — though one that has already extracted a high cost for the divided country's civilians." Are 25 years of war nearing an end? And at what price?

This is the first in a series of SAJA webcasts.

Featuring: Ahilan Kadirgamar, spokesperson for the Sri Lanka Democracy Forum; Vasuki Nesiah, director of International Affairs and Brown University; Muttukrishna Sarvananthan, Fulbright Visiting Research Scholar at the Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University.

Moderator: V.V. Ganeshananthan, SAJA VP and author of "Love Marriage," a novel set in Sri Lanka and the diaspora. Questions/comments: [email protected] (subject=webcast)

Vikas Swarup is author of the book that became Danny Boyle's "Slumdog Millionaire" (the best-reviewed movie of 2008 and the best-reviewed Indian-themed movie since "Gandhi"). Calling in from South Africa, where he is India's deputy ambassador, Swarup will discuss the movie and his book, "Q&A." Here's just one testimonial from the worldwide acclaim the book has received: "A very clever story told very cleverly and at a relentless pace" - Syndey Morning Herald.