BUDGET BLUES

Caption: Men cook flatbread as an international flight passes overhead near the airport in Mumbai, India, on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2008.

India awaits the new federal budget for 2008, supposed to be an election friendly one, but I am sure I am going to be taxed even further, India's GDP is down by 1 %, lets see where we go,

INDIA's NEXT LEAP

For the last few days I am on a whirlwind tour of meeting billionaire CEO's in India and there is an interview before I take pictures. I cant yet name any as the story hasn't been run yet. But everyone of their talk had one common point.

The question in all the cases was, where do you see India going?

The answer commonly proposed was, India neesd to transform itself into an innovative hot bed. A land where people can innovate and where the next IPOD,s and Nano's come from. I can see us taking the innovative steak across the world but not in our own homeland. There are a million reasons for it and I am not the best person to comment on that. They say we missed out the first industrial revolution 300 years ago. Can we as a country start a new one..... It just sets me thinking...

INDIA GROWTH

The Indian story of growth has been on the media scanner for over a few years now. The economy opening up, high performance, infrastructure growth, salaries on the rise increasing the disposable income, there are new malls and shopping culture setting in, families with high value for money attitude are changing their outlook. It looks like the best of times.

I was in a a shopping complex yesterday and was seeing signs everywhere, end of season sale buy 2 get 2 free, 50% off flat, etc etc etc. So tempted I walked in and saw a shirt and really liked it, The price tag said INR700 and it had me thinking, what percentage of Indian population can actually spend this kind of money on one shirt... and to say the least, is it a reflection of the developing only for a few, is the 12% growth much talked about actually tickling down???

I have my doubts...


8 year old boys play in a garbage dump, they are paid Rs10 and a meal for collecting scraps for Rs100. exploitation at every level...

WORLD PRESS AWARDS!!!

The most prestigious awards of the Photojournalistic world is released tonight and I hate it. The single picture that should be the picture of the year is not iconic at all. The pic is about a war which only concerns one country, USA and another land called Afghan. The rest of 148 odd countries care two hoots about the war there. Even if it lasts forever it is just a money making arms deal for the United States. Why should World Press go to a pic of a Soldier sitting there. How is it of any global consequence anyway. I have been extremely disappointed. By the way all the pics are out of focus... is this world press arty photography awards... can anyone justify the World Press Photo of the year for me????

www.worldpressphoto.org

Some Great Work

I came across the work of Stephanie Sinclair in the Vii network through a friends recommendations. Loved her work. Please go through the same.

Click on the link below and search for her name and bingo!! her photographs appear... (kidding)

http://viiphoto.com/vii_network.html

Also please look at Benjamin Lowy and his work India work...

http://prashanthpix.com

Restarting My Blog

Hi All here I am restarting my blog for pictures that are lost from public view as they are deemed super arty shots and not meant for news...so enjoy the frames...

Starting with this one...