Director’s Blog

How can we use communications to impact on the big global problems – like polio. We have the medicine to eradicate polio – it has disappeared from many countries. But ignorance, crowded modern cities, and a lack of infrastructure can make it difficult getting the message out about the cure. In this guest blog, Esha Chhabra writes about her experience in India where people, not technology, were used to beat the obstacle of ignorance.

The Power Of The Crowd by Esha Chhabra 

Maybe it’s the water. Maybe it’s the sanitation. Maybe it’s the thousands of people living a crowded, urban life. Maybe it’s the indifferent politicians. Maybe it’s sheer fatigue of doing this for two decades and counting.

Maybe.

But those are just excuses. (more…)

In the lastest POLIS guest blog, journalist Akash Soni reports from India where he’s been working on a  BBC Roadshow touring the lesser known parts of this booming nation.

“India. The Bombay stock exchange indicator - the Sensex crossing the 14,000 mark, touching an all time high. Shining India? India, the toast of every major diplomatic party at Capitol Hill. That’s what we see and hear from the world capitals from London to Dubai, Moscow to Cape Town. Oh! What a pleasure to be an Indian in this brave new world! But working on the recent BBC Roadshow from Banaras to Ranchi via the interiors of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand was more than an eye opener to me. In the hinterland of India our team heard how aluminium plants, chemical companies and illegal cement units are polluting the environment. In one village we saw purple water coming in water taps. (more…)

I’m still in Delhi for the LSE Asia Forum and I’m still enjoying a rich diet of Indian news. Three fascinating stories this morning, all of which remind you that there is a darker side to modern India. The first is a blow against Indian male pride. Scientists have been measuring male members across the nation to see if the standard size condoms actually fit the average Indian penis. This matters because India has a serious AIDS problem and a 20% condom failure rate. The explanation appears to be that the condoms are 5cm bigger that Indian willies – so they keep falling off…. (more…)

I’m in Delhi as part of the LSE’s Asia Forum which heard from the distinguished economist Dr Manmohan Singh, who also happens to be the Prime Minister. He pointed out that India is now post-post-colonial and will soon become an economic power to balance the mighty nations of the West. But as he stressed, Chindia, as they call the two emerging superpowers of the East, must develop in a different way to Europe and America. (more…)

We had our first POLIS international event this morning. About a dozen of India’s leading journalists joined me for a roundtable chat at the Taj Hotel, Delhi. Having Indian food for breakfast is not my usual routine and a power cut half way through added to the exotic flavour. (more…)

Just six hours in to my stay in Delhi and what a news country this is! On the trivial side a great tale about the sacred cow catchers of Delhi. On the global side, an NDTV Exclusive interview with President Musharraf of Pakistan saying he is prepared to ‘give up’ Kashmir. But best of all is a cracking breaking story that mixes murder and politics. (more…)

Is India a news paradise? This is one of the few countries where newspapers sales are soaring. 250 million people read papers and there’s another 350 million who can read but don’t yet buy a daily. Lot’s of profit potential there.
It’s a country where there used to be one TV station and now there are 350. No wonder so many British media groups have bought a stake in the Indian news market. (more…)