SAJA

The most talked-about wedding since the Royals, Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas' recent nuptials dominated headlines, Tweets and generated several think pieces - but none more controversial than Mariah Smith's take in The Cut. Published this week, the backlash was enough for the online publication to remove the entire article from their website. What's left is a note from The Cut's editor. Join Shefali S. Kulkarni of the Washington Post and former SAJA Vice President, in a conversation with journalists and writers about why Priyanka and Nick's wedding was covered in such a controversial spotlight. Guests include: Aseem Chabra, author of Priyanka Chopra: The Incredible Story of a Global Bollywood StarMallika Rao, a contributor to The AtlanticElizabeth Segran Ph.D., senior staff writer at Fast CompanyAarti Virani, former SAJA VP, arts and culture writer and contributing editor to Vogue India Bring your questions and join us! Note: SAJA invited The Cut to join us in a discussion about Smith's piece, but we did not hear back from the publication's editor-in-chief.  

Join SAJA Vice President Shefali S. Kulkarni of BBC News and other journalists and experts for a conversation about what the US elections and their aftermath mean for the US in general and South Asian Americans.  Guests include:  Sayu Bhojwani, founder of New American Leaders Project, which works to elect first- and second-gen candidates for office (follow her @SayuBhojwani).Manu Raju, Senior Political Reporter for CNN who has been covering the US Election this year (follow him @mkraju).Arun Venugopal, Reporter of United States of Anxiety, WNYC election podcast (follow him @arunNYC).Congressman-elect Raja Krishnamoorthi who just won the 8th Congressional District race in Illinois (follow him @RajaForCongress).And YOU! Bring your questions and join us! 

Join SAJA for a live interview with New York Times reporter Somini Sengupta about her new book THE END OF KARMA: Hope and Fury Among India's Young. Sengupta covers the United Nations and was previously the The Times' bureau chief in Dakar and New Delhi. She was born in Calcutta, emigrated in 1975 and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley. She was the recipient for the George Polk Award for foreign reporting in 2004. In her new book, Sengupta returns to India after leaving 30 years ago to find the country in a crucial transition. She examines India's complicated contemporary society through the stories of its youth's struggles and aspirations. 

Arthur Pais, writer, journalist, foodie, mentor, died in Jan. 2016. This is a call-in show for friends, fans, and others to discuss his incredible work and legacy. You can join us via phone or computer live on Sunday, March 6, 11 am-noon (9:30 pm in India; other world times here:  If you would like to submit a written tribute that we can read on the air and during the in-person service, please send it to sree.sreenivasan1@gmail.com. SUBJECT LINE = ARTHUR PAIS. There are two celebrations of his life: This virtual service, on Sunday, March 6, 11 am-noon (9:30 pm in India, other world times here: (9:30 pm in India; http://timeanddate.com/s/2y7s ): http://bit.ly/arthurpais3 There's an in-person memorial service for Arthur in NYC on Sunday, March 13, 3-5 pm. Details are here: http://bit.ly/arthurpais1    

SAJA and SAMMA are coming together for their annual BlogTalkRadio conversation about the most glamorous night in Hollywood- the Oscars!  At a time when the Oscars have come under fire for being #oscarsowhite, the Academy has honored a number of South Asians for their work. Among the nominees are Sanjay Patel (Sanjay's Super Team); Asif Kapadia (Amy); Oscar-Winner and SAJA member Sharmeen Obaid (A Girl in the River). And presenting this year is Priyanka Chopra (Quantico).  So come join us on SUNDAY at 11 am to 12 pm ET (9:30 pm to 10:30 pm Bollywood time) as we talk all things Hollywood. Listen via phone (1-347-324-5991) or on your computer:  Hosts Rajan Shah (@RajanCShah; SAMMA co-founder);  Sree Sreenivasan (@sree, Chief Digital Officer of @MetMuseum, and SAJA co-founder); Geetika Rudra (@GGGeetika, of breaking news startup Dataminr and SAJA's new SAJA webcasts producer) chat with Gitesh Pandya (CEO and Editor-in-Chief ofboxofficeguru.com); Nimitt Mankad (Producer of Oscar-nominated films); Anisha Jhaveri (@jhavanis, film critic and Sundance Ebert Fellow); and here to talk fashion in film, Noor Brara (@noorbrara, Teen Vogue).  We are also featuring an interview with Oscar-winner Sharmeen Obaid, whose film A Girl In The River is nominated this year for Best Documentary Short. 

SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association, and SAMMA, South Asians in Media, Marketing and Entertainment, present their seventh annual BlogTalkRadio conversation about the biggest day in American sports - from a South Asian perspective. Join us as hosts Vijay Setlur (@VijaySetlur; who teaches sport, tourism and leisure marketing at Schulich School of Business, York University) & Sree Sreenivasan (@sree, Chief Digital Officer of @MetMuseum) chat with ESPN anchors Kevin Negandhi (@knegandhiESPN) & Adnan Virk (@adnanESPN); Priya Desai (@PriyaDesai), reporter/anchor, Sports Illustrated @SI_Wire; Aditi Kinkhabwala (@akinkhabwala), reporter for the NFL Network and Amar Shah (@Amarshahism), features editor, NFL.com - both calling in on game day from Santa Clara. Also participating is SAMMA co-founder Rajan Shah (@rajanCshah), who’s been involved in marketing campaigns with the NFL and Super Bowl over the past decade; Geetika Rudra (@GGGeetika), who works in breaking news at Dataminr and is new SAJA webcasts coordinator; and Neha Contractor (@NehaSoneji), co-creator of South Asians in Sports, @SAinSports.  Call-in live or send your questions: to sree@sree.net or @sree or @sajahq or #sajahq OTHER NFL NOTES: Paraag Marathe is President of the San Francisco 49ers; Sanjay Lal is Wide Receivers Coach of the Buffalo Bills; Megha Parek is Senior VP, General Counsel of the Jacksonville Jaguars. And, of course, the owner of the Jaguars is Shahid Khan [see the glowing "60 Minutes" profile: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50134050n ]

Join us for a conversation with filmmaker Afia Nathaniel, whose feature film, "Dukhtar" was Pakistan’s official submission for Foreign Language Film at the 87th Academy Awards®. In a village in Pakistan, a young mother Allah Rakhi (Samiya Mumtaz) kidnaps her ten-year-old daughter Zainab (Saleha Aref) to save her from a child marriage to a tribal leader. Their daring escape triggers a deadly hunt for them. With the pursuers close behind, the mother strikes an unlikely deal with Sohail (Mohib Mirza) a cynical ex-Mujahid truck driver to take them to Lahore. Carefully dodging the far-reaching influence of the tribal leader, the trio embark on an epic journey through the sweeping landscape of Pakistan where the search for freedom and love comes with a price. After a rousing reception at Toronto International Film Festival 2014 and in over 20 countries since then, the critically acclaimed "Dukhtar" recently screened in New York and Los Angeles from Pakistan for its one-week theatrical release. Team Dukhtar:  Producer: Muhammad Khalid Ali Co-Producers: Cordelia Stephens, Shrihari Sathe, Thea Kerman, Noman Waheed, Carsten Aanonsen *ing Samiya Mumtaz, Mohib Mirza, Saleha Aref FOR EASY SHARING OF THIS EVENT'S INFO, PLEASE VISIT THE FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/events/905010746241453/ www.DukhtarTheFilm.com Hosting the show is SAJA board member Trisha Sakhuja.  Tweet questions for the filmmaker to @SAJAHQ.

SAJA presents a conversation with journalist Nisid Hajari, author of "Midnight's Furies: The Deadly Legacy of India's Partition," the most important book about the Partition of India and Pakistan. Hajari, a longtime SAJA member and former editor of Newsweek, joins us from Singapore, in the anniversary month of the creation of Pakistan and the independence of India from Britain. The book's Amazon description: A  few bloody months in South Asia during the summer of 1947 explain the world that troubles us today. Nobody expected the liberation of India and birth of Pakistan to be so bloody — it was supposed to be an answer to the dreams of Muslims and Hindus who had been ruled by the British for centuries. Jawaharlal Nehru, Gandhi’s protégé and the political leader of India, believed Indians were an inherently nonviolent, peaceful people. Pakistan’s founder, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, was a secular lawyer, not a firebrand.  But in August 1946, exactly a year before Independence, Calcutta erupted in street-gang fighting. A cycle of riots — targeting Hindus, then Muslims, then Sikhs — spiraled out of control. As the summer of 1947 approached, all three groups were heavily armed and on edge, and the British rushed to leave. Hell let loose. Trains carried Muslims west and Hindus east to their slaughter. Some of the most brutal and widespread ethnic cleansing in modern history erupted on both sides of the new border, searing a divide between India and Pakistan that remains a root cause of many evils. From jihadi terrorism to nuclear proliferation, the searing tale told in Midnight’s Furies explains all too many of the headlines we read today. Feel free to send questions in advance to saja@columbia.edu or call in live during the show!

SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association, and SAMMA, the South Asians in Media, Marketing & Entertainment, present the latest in their series of high-profile webcasts - via BlogTalkRadio.com - with leading names in global media, arts, entertainment, politics and much more... Join us for a show with New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) filmmakers Shonali Bose (Margarita, With a Straw) and Vibha Bakshi (Daughters of Mother India) and actor Kalki Koechlin. The festival’s opening night film this year is Bose’s “Margarita, With a Straw.” The film is a poignant portrayal of a rebellious young woman with cerebral palsy, played by Kalki Koechlin, who leaves her home in India to study in New York, unexpectedly falls in love and embarks on an exhilarating journey of self-discovery.  Bakshi’s “Daughters of Mother India” is this year’s National Award winner for Best Film on Social Issues under the Non-Narrative category. The documentary focuses on the aftermath of the 2012 Delhi rape incident and India’s ban on the broadcast of the documentary “India’s Daughter” by British filmmaker Leslee Udwin. The show will feature candid conversations around topics such as the prevalence of women filmmakers today and the role films can play in raising awareness for mental health and women’s safety issues in India. Hosting the show is SAJA board member Divya Singaravelu.  If you have a question you'd like to submit in advance, please email sajanyiff@gmail.com or tweet to @SAJAHQ with the #SAJANYIFF Official site of NYIFF:  http://www.iaac.us/NYIFF2015/ Margarita, With A Straw: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDh7n6bte-c Daughter of Mother India: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=em3cFAJotmY  

SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association, and SAMMA, the South Asians in Media, Marketing & Entertainment, present the latest in their series of high-profile webcasts - via BlogTalkRadio.com - with leading names in global media, arts, entertainment, politics and much more... Join us for a live call-in show all about "The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel," the sequel to the 2012 hit movie. We will be joined by Oscar-nominated director John Madden, who also made "Shakespeare in Love" and "The Debt" and by actress Tina Desai, who reprises her role of Sunaina from the first movie. Hosting the show are entertainment writer Aseem Chhabra and SAMMA cofounder Rajan Shah.  The official movie description is below. If you have a question you'd like to submit in advance, please email saja@columbia.edu.  Following 2012’s global blockbuster comedy hit, the loveable cast reunites for the much-awaited follow-up THE SECOND BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL which releases in North American theaters this Friday, March 6. Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Dev Patel, Tina Desai, and Lillete Dubey are back along with Richard Gere who joins the fun for an all-new adventure set in India. Official site: http://thesecondbestexoticmarigoldhotel.com/ Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNoZcPInPR8 FB: http://www.facebook.com/marigoldhotel Twitter: http://twitter.com/foxsearchlight Hashtag: #LoveBlooms

SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association, and SAMMA, South Asians in Media, Marketing and Entertainment, present their sixth annual BlogTalkRadio conversation about the biggest day in American sports - from a South Asian perspective. Join us as hosts Vijay Setlur (@VijaySetlur; who teaches sport, tourism and leisure marketing at Schulich School of Business, York University) & Sree Sreenivasan (@sree, Chief Digital Officer of @MetMuseum) chat with ESPN anchor Kevin Negandhi (@knegandhiESPN); Aditi Kinkhabwala (@akinkhabwala) a reporter for the NFL Network, calling in on game day from Arizona. Also participating is SAMMA co-founder Rajan Shah, who’s been involved in marketing campaigns with the NFL and Super Bowl over the past decade; and Sharaf Mowjood (@mowjood; producer for NBC News & Brian Williams), the newly-reelected president on SAJA. Call-in live or send your questions: to sree@sree.net or @sree or @sajahq or #sajahq OTHER NFL NOTES: Paraag Marathe is COO of the San Francisco 49ers and has played a pivotal role in the business side of the operations. Shripal Shah rejoined the Washington Redskins as senior VP and chief strategy officer. And, of course, the owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars is Shahid Khan (see the glowing "60 Minutes" profile: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50134050n Call-in live or send your questions: to sree@sree.net or @sree or @sajahq or #sajahq

SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association, and SAMMA, the South Asians in Media, Marketing & Entertainment Association, present the latest in their series of high-profile webcasts - via BlogTalkRadio.com - with leading South Asian names in global media, arts, entertainment, politics and much more...   Join us for an exciting, live global webcast and meet India's top actress and now singer/songwriter and voiceover artist, PRIYANKA CHOPRA. She'll be with us to discuss the worldwide launch of her first-ever single "Exotic," and her first animated film as the character "Ishani" in the Disney feature "Planes," which opened this weekend.   Moderating the conversation are SAJA Board member and arts, entertainment and lifestyle writer/blogger Aarti Virani (@AartiVirani) and SAMMA chair, musician and a Board Member of The Recording Academy, Radha Mehta (@RadhaMehta).      Sample "Exotic" at:https://itunes.apple.com/us/music-video/exotic-feat.-pitbull/id673022175    

SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association, and SAMMA, South Asians in Media, Marketing and Entertainment Association, present the latest in their series of high-profile webcasts - via BlogTalkRadio.com - with some of the leading South Asian names in global media, arts, entertainment, politics and much more... Acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair's newest film THE RELUCTANT FUNDAMENTALIST releases in theaters Friday, April 26 in NY & LA, w/ additional US cities on Friday, May 3. Meet the director who brought you such hits as MISSISSIPPI MASALA, MONSOON WEDDING, NAMESAKE. Based on Mohsin Hamid's novel, THE RELUCTANT FUNDAMENTALIST stars Riz Ahmed, Kate Hudson, Kiefer Sutherland, Liev Schreiber, Om Puri & Shabana Azmi.  Joining us is actor Riz Ahmed - interview by SAJA's Aseem Chhabra, BTR's Chitra Agrawal & others. Send your questions to @sajaHQ or saja@saja.org - or call-in LIVE! Watch the trailer at: http://bit.ly/11ylqon

SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association, representing 1,000+ journalists in the US and Canada, present their latest SAJA Briefing. Join Anup Kaphle, digital foreign editor of the Washington Post and Sree Sreenivasan, Columbia University's Chief Digital Officer as we discuss one of the biggest crises in four decades of Bangladeshi history. Our speakers: Maneeza Hossain, senior fellow at Hudson Institute, specializing in prospects of democracy in South Asia and the Middle East and has written extensively on Bangladesh; and Zain Al-Mahmood, a journalist based in Dhaka, covering Bangladesh for WSJ. His interests are politics, human rights and sustainable development. For the last 4 weeks, Bangladesh has been convulsed by the Shahbagh movement. What started as the protest of bloggers against a back-door deal between the government and the opposition Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami, has mushroomed into continuous street protests against the war criminals of Bangladesh's 1971 liberation war. During the brutal war that gave birth to Bangladesh, the genocidal campaign of the Pakistan army was assisted by local Bengali collaborators, known as "razakars." In 2011, the Awami League government began long-delayed war crimes trials against some of the alleged razakars, most of whom are now top ranking leaders of the country's largest Islamist party, the Jamaat-e-Islami. But the unexpectedly lenient sentencing of Quader Mollah, known as the "Butcher of Mirpur," set off the protests that snowballed into Shahbagh, filling the streets with up to 500,000 protesters, mos

SAJA, South Asian Journalists Assn & SAMMA, South Asians in Media, Marketing & Entertainment, present their annual BlogTalkRadio conversation about the biggest day in films - from a South Asian perspective.   Our experts: Lance Still, EVP, Integrated Marketing & Promotions, The Weinstein Company; Gitesh Pandya, founder Box Office Guru & Raja Sen, Freelance film critic, calling in from Mumbai.   Hosted by Aseem Chhabra of SAJA & Rajan Shah of SAMMA - both film industry insiders themselves, who will moderate this session.   You should also note these South Asian ties to the 2013 Oscars.     Ang Lee's India focused "Life of Pi" is nominated for 11 Oscars, including one for classical singer Bombay Jayashri for the song "Pi's Lullaby"   Kathryn Bigelow's "Zero Dark Thirty" focuses on the hunt and the killing of Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan. A substantial part of the film was shot in India, in and around Chandigarh.   Stephen Spielberg's "Lincoln" was co-financed by India's Reliance (which finances all Dreamworks films).   Anuradha Bhagwati, executive director of Service Women's Action Network and a former U.S. Marine, is featured in "The Invisible War," a nominee for feature-length documentary. It is an expose about the epidemic of rape within the U.S. military.   Tarsem Singh directed "Mirror Mirror," which has been nominated for costume design. (Eiko Ishioka, the designer, died this past year and is nominated posthumously).    Last year, SAJAer Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy won an Oscar for her short documentary "Saving Face."

SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association, and SAMMA, South Asians in Media, Marketing and Entertainment Association, present their fifth annual BlogTalkRadio conversation about the biggest day in American sports - from a South Asian perspective.   Join us as hosts Vijay Setlur (@VijaySetlur), Raakhee Mirchandani (@raakstar) & Sree Sreenivasan (@sree) chat with three ESPN anchors Kevin Negandhi (@knegandhiESPN), Adnan Virk (@adnanESPN) and Zubin Mehenti; Amar Shah (@amarshahism), digital features editor of NFL.com (see the Super Bowl trailer he wrote and produced: http://on.nfl.com/11qSbWA ) as well as filmmaker Evan Rosenfeld (@evansss), whose is directing "Birth of a Sport," about the Elite Football League of India, the first pro American football league in South Asia.   Other South Asian NFL notes: SAJAer Aditi Kinkhabwala - @akinkhabwala is now a reporter for the NFL Network. Paraag Marathe is COO of the San Francisco 49ers and has played a pivotal role in the business side of the operations. This season, Shripal Shah rejoined the Washington Redskins as senior VP and chief strategy officer. And, of course, the new owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars is Shahid Khan (see the glowing "60 Minutes" profile: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50134050n   Call-in live or send your questions: to sree@sree.net or @sree or @sajahq or #sajahq Last year's version: http://b

SAJA continues its in-depth series about Indians in the Caribbean, live on Blogtalkradio.com/saja. This segment explores the impact of the Indo-Caribbean peoples on the American landscape, culture, politics, economics and youth. Featuring Ambassador Dr. Neil Parsan, Ms. Annetta Seecharran and Ms. Pritha Singh. Moderated by Darrel Sukhdeo. Email your questions: saja@saja.org

  SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association, presents a conversation about the plight of blue whales in the waters off Sri Lanka. Join SAJA board member Jigar Mehta (@JigarMehta) for a webcast with 2012 SAJA reporting fellow Erik Olsen (@olsentropy) of the New York Times. In Sri Lanka, ship traffic and a rapid increase in whale watching tourism is putting a little understood population of blue whales at risk. Sri Lankan marine biologist Asha de Vos has committed her life to protecting these magnificent animals. In this video and print work, New York Times Video Journalist Erik Olsen traveled to Sri Lanka to look into this story. Video: http://video.nytimes.com/video/2012/07/02/science/100000001641208/in-the-land-of-blue-whales.html Print article http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/03/science/traffic-in-sri-lankas-waters-threatens-blue-whales.html LEARN HOW YOU CAN APPLY FOR A SAJA REPORTING FELLOWSHIP: http://saja.org/2012srf * Questions to awards@saja.org

  Currying Culture: The impact of South Asian food on the larger cuisine of  the the multi-ethnic Caribbean   In the fabric of culture that is Trinidad, Guyana, Suriname many cultural  strands weave together to form a tapestry of larger ethnicity. Nowhere is  this more apparent than in the multiethnic cuisines of these societies.  But it is the South Asian/East Indian influence on the foodways of the Caribbean that is the gold thread shot through the design, shimmering, constant, and  alluring. In Currying Culture, the third installment of the SAJA  discussion series on Indo Caribbean peoples, moderator Ramin Ganeshram, will lead a panel discussion of chefs, food writers, and food entrepreneurs to discuss the larger social influence of East Indian cookery on the cuisine of the Caribbean.  

SAJA, South Asian Journalists Association, presents the latest in its series of world-class conversations with fascinating speakers from the media, arts, politics and more.  For much of the nearly eight years of its existence, SEPIA MUTINY was a singular phenomenon, tackling just about every South Asian diasporic issue there was, serious or inane. In the process, it established itself as a model of intelligent, interactive blogging, and the voice of a generation.` Those of us who worked elsewhere in the desi media, including at SAJAforum - looked on with a combination of admiration and envy -- How are they so prolific? What makes their readers so damn smart? But we felt nothing but regret when the Mutineers decided to close their doors last month. We know there will be nothing else like it.   But join us Thursday night at 11 pm (Eastern time) for a very special SAJA webcast, as we conduct the SEPIA MUTINY EXIT INTERVIEW.   We'll be joined by Sepia Mutiny founder Abhi Tripathi, blogging hellion Anna John, and the mysterious but always trenchant Ennis. We hope to also have plenty of SM fans participate, too.   Moderating the conversation will be Arun Venugopal (@ArunNYC), WNYC reporter and Prof Sree Sreenivasan (@Sree), Columbia J-School.   [ Want to get an automagic email one hour ahead of every SAJA webcast? Create a free BTR account and hit the "follow" button above. You can also find us on iTunes, free, at http://bit.ly/sajaitunes ]

**POLITICS & PRESS FREEDOM IN TRINIDAD & TOBAGO - The Indian Impact** SPEAKERS : Hon. Basdeo Pandey, Former Prime Minister, Legislator, Lawyer, Labour Leader His Excellency Dr. Neil Parsan, Trinidad & Tobago Amb. to the US and Mexico, and Permanent representative to the OAS (Organization of American States) Davan Maharaj, Editor of the Los Angeles Times Media Group This LIVE webcast will look at the impact of Indians on the politics of Trinidad and Tobago during the 167 years of Indian presence in this oil rich Caribbean nation. This is the second in our 6-part series that will share a deeper understanding of the Indo-Caribbean peoples and provide story ideas and resources. This series is coordinated by SAJAer Darrel Sukhdeo @Darrel3000 * saja@saja.org

Another live webcast brought to you by the SAJA, South Asian Journalists Association. **INDIA IN TRINIDAD / INDIAN IN TRINIDAD** This webcast will look at 167 years of Indians settlement in Trinidad and Tobago, including history, culture, religion, women, education, more, and is in honor of the 50th anniversary of independence of Trinidad and Tobago.This is the first in a 6 part series that will profile and share a deeper understanding of the Indo-Caribbhean peoples.

SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association, and SAMMA, South Asians in Media, Marketing and Entertainment Association, present the latest in their global conversations with some of the biggest names in the arts, business, science, sports, politics and more. This time, a special Valentine's Day show with the editors and contributors to "Love, InshAllah: The Secret Love Lives of American Muslim Women," a new book that has received wide acclaim. Joining us are Nusra Maznavi and Ayesha Mattu, editors and writers. More on the book at http://loveinshallah.com Call-in live, or send your questions in advance via e-mail: saja@columbia.edu or via Twitter - @sajaHQ * follow the - hashtag #sajahq

On Feb. 1, 2003, Kalpana Chawla was one of  seven astronauts killed when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated upon re-entry. Kalpana's career, including her first flight in 1997, captured the imagination of people of Indian descent the world over who were excited to see someone born in a small city outside Delhi go into space. Her name lives on in everyone she inspired as well as in a street in New York's Jackson Heights and even a hill on Mars. To mark the ninth anniversary of her death, SAJA presents an exclusive conversation with her husband, colleagues and friends. Join hosts Sree Sreenivasan (@sree) and Melanie Huff (@MGHuff) of Columbia Journalism School as they talk with Jean-Pierre Harrison, Kaplana's husband and author of "Edge of Time, The Authoritative Biography of Kalpana Chawla"; Steve Morse, Deep Purple guitarist, wrote "Contact Lost" after Columbia accident; Jane Miller, friend. Gaurav Goyal, friend;  Aishwarya Stanley, graduate student who is modelling her career after Kalpana's; Karen McNally, pilot. former NASA  aviation human factors researcher and flight instructor. Call-in live or send your questions or comments via email to sree@sree.net or @sree or @sajahq or #sajahq

SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association, presents a conversation about the ouster of President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives. Join SAJA board members Jigar Mehta (@JigarMehta) and Sree Sreenivasan (@sree) for a webcast with experts and journalists, including: * Bonni Cohen Shenk (@bcactual) a documentary filmmaker, is the producer, with Jon Shenk, of “The Island President,” a forthcoming film about Mohamed Nasheed. See their NYT op-ed today: http://bit.ly/xwmjO6 * Lily Jamali (@lilyjamali), 2011 SAJA Reporting Fellow, reporting on climate change in the Maldives for Public Radio International's "The World". See her work: http://www.lilyjamali.com/the-maldives/ Other speakers being confirmed. Topics we will discuss - we'll be taking your questions, too: * The details of the resignation and current status of ex-President Nasheed * Effect on global climate change initiatives led by the Maldives. And much, much more. Call-in live or send your questions or comments via email to sree@sree.net or @sree or @sajahq or #sajahq  

SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association, and SAMMA, South Asians in Media, Marketing and Entertainment Association, present their annual conversation about the biggest day in American sports - from a South Asian perspective. Join us as hosts Vijay Setlur (@VijaySetlur) & Sree Sreenivasan (@sree) chat with three ESPN anchors Kevin Negandhi (@knegandhiESPN), Adnan Virk (@adnanESPN) and Zubin Mehenti;  and others (we are trying to confirm Aditi Kinkhabwala - @AKinkhabwala - NY Giants reporter for the Wall Street Journal who is covering the Super Bowl). Call in live, or send your questions to saja@columbia.edu. If you're tweeting use @sajahq and #sajahq

SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association, presents the latest in its series of high-profile webcasts - via BlogTalkRadio.com - with some of the leading South Asian names in global media, arts, entertainment, politics, sports and much more (catch the archives below)... Join the conversation with veteran journalist RahulSingh, first editor of the Readers Digest, the only US magazine to come to India in the 1960s. Singh has also been editor of  major Indian newspapers like The Indian Express, The Indian Post and The Sunday Observer, and has contributed occasionally to The New York Times and The International Herald Tribune. Son of the formidable Khushwant Singh, he now works with NGOS on population, literacy and education and is writing a biography of Indira Gandhi for Penguin. Singh will talk with Columbia University Journalism Professor Sree Sreenivasan and former Newsweek International Contributinig Editor Vibhuti Patel who now writes for The Wall St.Journal, along with Aayush Soni, a Delhi journalist now studying at Columbia Journalism School.   Email: saja@columbia.edu or @sajaHQ on Twitter.

Stunning Indian Miniatures with John Guy  SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association presents the latest in its series of high-profile webcasts - via BlogTalkRadio.com -  with some of the leading South Asian names in global media, arts, entertainment, politics, sports and much more. Explore "Wonder of the Age": Master Painters of India, 1100--1900, a spectacular show of 200 Indian miniature paintings currently on view at the Metropolitan Museum (through Jan. 8), with curator John Guy, the Met's own South Asian expert. For the first time, the paintings are chronologically presented by exploding the myth of the anonymity of Indian art: 40 of the greatest Indian painters are named, and their individual styles are identified through their works via new research and scholarship. Join the conversation with Mr. Guy, who will discuss the research, the artists and their works with SAJA's Vibhuti Patel, an arts writer whose work appears in Newsweek and the Wall St. Journal. 

SAJA (@sajaHQ) and CPJ (@PressFreedom) present a conversation about the state of press freedom in Pakistan. Join Umar Cheema, who won this year's International Press Freedom Award from the Committee to Protect Journalists, and Bob Dietz, CPJ's Asia director as they talk about what's happening in Pakistan today. More on Cheema below.  Umar Cheema, a reporter with Islamabad's The News, was abducted in September 2010 by unknown assailants who stripped, beat, and photographed him in humiliating positions. Cheema's unwillingness to stay silent about his abduction and the abuses he suffered has drawn wide attention to the nationwide issue of anti-press violence in Pakistan. Almost immediately after he was released, Cheema went on television to tell the world of the abuses and humiliation he endured at the hands of "men in police commando uniforms." He said his captors asked why he continued with his critical reporting--was he trying to discredit the government and bring back former President Musharraf?  In the months since his kidnapping, Cheema has been harassed and threatened for his coverage of politics, national security, and corruption. In keeping with Pakistan's record of near-perfect impunity in the cases of hundreds of journalists threatened, abducted, and killed, Cheema's case remains unprosecuted and unsolved. But his courage has rallied his colleagues across the nation. An editorial in the English-language daily Dawn said, "No half-hearted police measures or words of consolation from the highest offices in the land will suffice in the aftermath of the brutal treatment meted out to journalist Umar Cheema of The News. This paper's stand is clear: the government and its intelligence agencies will be considered guilty until they can prove their innocence."  

SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association, presents a webcast 12 hours after President Obama announced the death of Osama Bin Laden.  Join SAJA for a conversation with: Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (@sharmeenochinoy), Emmy-winning filmmaker who has worked in AfPak for 10 years ("Children of Taliban" and more) and SAJA member, calling from Karachi. Omar Waraich (@OmarWaraich), Time correspondent in Islamabad.Mansoor Ijaz, former Fox analyst, calling from Geneva. Topics we will discuss - we'll be taking your questions, too:  The details of the US operation, including the reaction in Pakistan and Afghanistan. What's next for US military operations in AfPak? And much more. Call-in live via phone or computer or via email: saja at columbia.edu or via Twitter: @sajaHQ - hashtag #sajaosama Hosts: Prof. Sree Sreenivasan (@sree) of Columbia Journalism School (@columbiajourn) and SAJA co-founderIsmat Mangla (@ismat), writer for Money magazine and SAJA Board member.Annie Khan (@anniealikhan), Pakistani journo at Columbia Umar Muhammad (@umarwrites), Pakistani journo at Columbia

SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association, and SAMMA, South Asians in Media, Marketing and Entertainment Association, present the latest in their series of high-profile webcasts - via BlogTalkRadio.com - with some of the leading South Asian names in global media, arts, entertainment, politics and much more... Join us for a conversation with several South Asians who made waves in reality shows in recent years: Photographer Nigel Barker - "America's Next Top Model" judge * Singer Anoop Desai - "American Idol" contestant - finished in 6th place in 2009 * Chef Maneet Chauhan of Vermilion - "Iron Chef" * send us your questions and comments: saja@columbia.edu * SEE http://bit.ly/sajatv

Meet the stars and executive producer of "Outsourced," a hit comedy on NBC (Thursdays, 10:30 pm ET/PT/MT, 9:30 CT; you can watch all the episodes at NBC.com/outsourced). "Outsourced," a comedy about an American who goes to India to run a call center there, is the first primetime network comedy to be set in India and to feature multiple South Asian actors and actresses. Joining us are Rizwan Manji, who plays "Rajiv" (third from left in the graphic above); Parvesh Cheena, who plays "Gupta" (second from left); Sacha Dhawan, who plays "Manmeet" (fifth from left) and executive producer/show runner Robert Borden (credits include "The Drew Carey Show," "George Lopez"). We'll discuss artistic and business aspects of the show, the actors' career paths; the response of the community and much, much more. As always, we'll take your calls, emails (saja@columbia.edu; subject line = webcast) and tweets (@sajaHQ).

SAJA.org presents a conversation with one of the world's most influential photographers. India's most pre-eminent photographer, whose prolific and internationally acclaimed career has spanned nearly half a century, Raghu Rai (b. 1942) has focused on candid snapshots of India that masterfully capture the country's continuing regional, cultural, and political transformations. Nominated to the world's most prestigious photographers cooperative, Magnum Photos, by the legendary photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson, his work challenges viewers to confront a country where temporalities merge people, objects and animals, and buildings collide in a majestic visual symphony. His classic images are extracted from a complex external reality such that, in Raghu Rai's words, "In the course of my work, I find that I have been moving to focus on the changing equations of our times, trying to record the deeper universal human responses to realities, to energy, to the spirit." In recognition of his lifetime achievements behind the camera, Rai was awarded the Padamshree, one of India's greatest civilian honors, and L'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, France's recognition of significant contributions to the arts. NYC's Aicon Gallery is currently presenting a selection of Raghu Rai's works chronicling a changing India from the 1970's onwards, including his most recent emphasis incorporating staged compositions, all of which culminate in one of the most comprehensive retrospectives of the artist's work held in the United States to date. He'll be interviewed SAJA's Aseem Chhabra and photojournalist Preston Merchant and be joined by Prajit Dutta of Aicon Gallery. Details of the show, which runs through March 19, along with 48 web photos at http://bit.ly/raghurai2

Join SAJA on BlogTalkRadio.com as we present a conversation with distinguished writer JON LEE ANDERSON of THE NEW YORKER, author of "DEATH OF THE TIGER: Sri Lanka’s brutal victory over its Tamil insurgents," from the January 17, 2011, issue. Call in with questions or listen to the archive later. Check out the other Lanka briefings here, too. Moderator: V.V. Ganeshananthan, former SAJA vice president and author of "Love Marriage," a novel set in Sri Lanka and its diaspora. [ Want an automagic email one hour ahead of every SAJA webcast? Create a free account on this page and hit the "fav" on http://blogtalkradio.com/saja ] Questions and comments to saja@columbia.edu

Join SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association (www.saja.org) as we present a conversation with PARAG KHANNA, PhD., one of Esquire's 75 Most Influential People of the 21st Century - and author of "How to Run the World." Call in with questions or email your questions: saja@columbia.edu. ABOUT THE BOOK: The world is entering a perfect storm of calamities: a great game for scarce natural resources, financial instability, environmental stress, and failing states. In some respects, it isn’t far off from that medieval landscape of almost a millennium ago. It is a multi-polar, multi-civilizational world in which every empire, city-state, multi-national corporation or mercenary army is out for itself. Esteemed adventurer-scholar Parag Khanna’s How to Run the World is a bold account of our current global chaos and a road-map for creating a truly resilient and stable world. Some of the early endorsements of the book include: "This book is a fresh, bold, provocative—and most importantly realistic—guide to getting us to the next Renaissance." - Greg Mortenson, author of Three Cups of Tea. “We need to pay attention to Parag’s ideas.” – Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google. “There’s no book like it.” – John G. Ruggie, Professor at Harvard University.Both the Daily Beast and Huffington Post have already dubbed the book one of the most anticipated of 2011. Check out http://www.paragkhanna.com and follow him on Twitter: @paragkhanna

SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association, and SAMMA, South Asians in Media, Marketing and Entertainment Association, present the latest in their series of high-profile webcasts - via BlogTalkRadio - with some of the leading South Asian names in global media, arts, entertainment, politics, sports and much more... Join us for a chat with two South Asians who are nominated for this year's Grammys, will be joining us, both long-time friends of SAJA/SAMMA. Chandrika Tandon, nominated for Best Contemporary World Music Album; and Vijay Iyer, nominated for the Best Jazz Instrumental Album. We'll discuss (and listen to) some of their music and take your questions. Feedback, ideas welcome: saja@columbia.edy * Make sure you hit "favorite" on our SAJA channel so you get automagic email alerts before each of our shows - 2-5 a month.

SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association, and SAMMA, South Asians in Media, Marketing and Entertainment Association, present a conversation about the biggest day in American sports from a South Asian perspective. Join us as host Sree Sreenivasan (@sree) chats with Brandon Chillar, Green Packers linebacker, who's on injured reserve and will be calling in for 15-20 minutes from Dallas; ESPN's Kevin Negandhi (@knegandhiespn), who's co-hosting SportsCenter that night; Anish Shroff (@anishESPN), ESPN anchor-reporter, who covers college footballl; Adnan Virk (@adnanvirkESPN), ESPN anchor; Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala), NY Giants reporter for the Wall Street Journal, who is covering the Super Bowl; and others. Call in live, or send your questions to saja@columbia.edu. This is Chillar's second visit with SAJA; he joined us on Super Bowl Sunday 2009: http://bit.ly/sajachillar

SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association presents a conversation with editors and writers of "One Story, Thirty Stories: An Anthology of Contemporary Afghan American Literature." Since 9/11 there has been a cultural and political blossoming among those of the Afghan diaspora, especially in the United States, revealing a vibrant, active, and intellectual Afghan American community. And the success of Khaled Hosseni’s The Kite Runner, the first work of fiction written by an Afghan American to become a bestseller, has created interest in the works of other Afghan American writers. One Story, Thirty Stories (or “Afsanah, Seesanah,” the Afghan equivalent of “once upon a time”) collects poetry, fiction, essays, and selections from two blogs from thirty-three men and women—poets, fiction writers, journalists, filmmakers and video artists, photographers, community leaders and organizers, and diplomats. SPEAKERS: Zohra Saed, Sahar Muradi, Sedika Mojadidi, Ariana Delawari. Questions to saja@columbia.edu

SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association & BlogTalkRadio present the latest in our series of high-profile conversations (75+) about South Asia and the South Asian diaspora. We will be discussing the assassination of Salmaan Taheer, the governor of Punjab province and what it means for the future of Pakistan, US-Pakistan relations, the war on terror and much more. We'll be joined by veteran Pakistan watchers in the U.S. and Pakistan (as well as those who knew him well) and we'll take your calls live. Feel free to send us questions at saja at columbia.edu More information, links and resources at http://bit.ly/sajataseer

SAJA - South Asian Journalists Association - presents a conversation about the TED-like INK. Innovation & Knowledge is the homegrown, TED-affiliated conference that aims to bring the best of India to the world, and the world to India, for a weekend of smart fast-paced talks, cutting-edge ideas, and insight into the innovations that are transforming global culture (some of the marquee US names who are speaking at the conference include "The Simpsons" creator Matt Groening, filmmaker James Cameron); the conference is Dec. 9-12 in Mumbai. Get a taste of the first INK ever in this special SAJA webcast, with Vishal Gondal, the “Gaming King” of India; Sunitha Krishnan, the woman who has personally rescued thousands of sex workers from the streets; IVK (I. Vijaya Kumar), the Wipro CTO who harnesses the creative and analytical aspects of the communications industry; and curator Lakshmi Pratury, who is bringing together these and other key thinkers Dec. 9-12 to share “untold stories from around the world.” They will take your questions live via the call-in number or via #sajaink on Twitter or saja@columbia.edu. More on the conference at: http://theinkconference.com/ Follow @inkconference live on Twitter, hashtag #INK, Dec. 9-12, 2010. Publicist contact: Dipti Nair, dipti@theinkconference.com

SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association, and SAMMA, South Asians in Media, Marketing and Entertainment Association, present the latest in their series of high-profile webcasts - via BlogTalkRadio.com - with some of the leading South Asian names in global media, arts, entertainment, politics and much more... Meet Aasif Mandvi, one of the most recognizable South Asian names working in American entertainment today. He's a star on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" and a film and stage actor. He'll discuss his new movie, "Today's Special." From the production notes: This super-feel-good foodie comedy, young Manhattan chef Samir rediscovers his heritage and his passion for life through the enchanting art of cooking Indian food. Samir (Aasif Mandvi) is a sous chef who dreams of becoming the head chef at an upscale Manhattan restaurant. When he is passed over for a promotion, he impulsively quits and intends to go to Paris and apprentice under a master French chef. His dreams must be put aside after his father has a heart attack and Samir is forced to take over Tandoori Palace, the nearly bankrupt family restaurant in Jackson Heights. Starring and written by Aasif Mandvi. The film also stars Madhur Jaffrey, Harish Patel, Naseeruddin Shah, Jess Weixler, Kevin Corrigan, and Dean Winters. More on the film at http://www.todaysspecial.com * Questions to saja@columbia.edu

South Asian Journalists Association presents another in its series of 75+ BlogTalkRadio webcasts... In a bid to help journalists cover underreported issues and stories about South Asia or the South Asian Diaspora, SAJA is offering upto $20,000 in funding with its flagship SAJA Reporting Fellowships (SRF) program, now in its fifth year. If you are interested in applying for the fellowship but have questions about what kind of stories get funded, what the fellowship pays for, the timeline for completing the work, etc., join Sandeep Junnarkar, SAJA's awards and fellowship chair and Jigar Mehta, SAJA president and former SRF winner, who will provide answers to these and other questions. Ria Misra and Matt O'Brien, 2009-2010 fellows, will also be on hand to answer questions about the fellowships. More on the fellowships at http://bit.ly/srf2011 * questions to sjnews at gmail.com

South Asian Journalists Association presents a conversation with key players from the Mahindra Indo-American Arts Council Film Festival, one of the oldest, largest and most important film festivals in the South Asian diaspora. Join SAJAer ASEEM CHHABRA as he interviews AROON SHIVDASANI, founder of the festival; SOMI ROY, festival director; AJAY NAIDU, debut director and star of "Ashes" (he's also known for his roles in "Office Space" and the TV series, "Lateline"); APARNA SEN, director of "The Japanese Wife." They will discuss the festival, the state of South Asian-themed films and much, much more. Learn more about festival, which runs Nov. 10-14 in NYC: http://www.miaacfilmfest.org/

SAJA presents a conversation with Gurcharan Das, author of the international bestseller "India Unbound" and the brand-new "The Difficulty of Being Good: On the Subtle Art of Dharma. He was previously CEO of Proctor & Gamble India and Managing Director (Strategic Planning), P&G Worldwide before taking early retirement to become a full-time author. Why should we be good? How should we be good? And how might we more deeply understand the moral and ethical failings—splashed across today’s headlines—that have not only destroyed individual lives but caused widespread calamity as well, bringing communities, nations, and the global economy to the brink of collapse? In THE DIFFICULTY OF BEING GOOD, Gurcharan Das seeks answers to these questions in an unlikely source: the 2,000 year-old Sanskrit epic, Mahabharata. A sprawling, witty, ironic, and delightful poem, the Mahabharata is obsessed with the elusive notion of dharma—in its most simplistic sense—doing the right thing. Questions to saja@columbia.edu

SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association, and SAMMA, South Asians in Media, Marketing and Entertainment Association, present the latest in their series of high-profile webcasts - via BlogTalkRadio - with some of the leading South Asian names in global media, arts, entertainment, politics and much more... Shabana_Azmi,_Davos Join us for a webcast with Shabana Azmi, one of the best-known actresses in India and the diaspora. A former member of the Rajya Sabha, India's upper house of parliament, she is a multiple national and international award winner and recently turned 60. There have been many retrospectives of her works around the world, incluidng one organized by the Film Society of Lincoln Center. The Bollywood icon is kicking off another national tour in New York for her latest theatrical project, Girish Karnad's "Broken Images," directed by Alyque Padamsee. The play is dubbed as a psychological thriller that brings out the various truths of the life of a celebrity writer. On a live webcast this Monday, the award winning actress, who has worked in over 140 films and theater plays, will discuss her career as well as her dedication to the Indian village of Mijwan. Her father, the well-known Urdu poet the late Kafi Azmi, began building this village that was once frozen in time. Today, it has a computer center and a sewing center among other developments that uplifts the life of its habitants - thanks mainly to the efforts of Azmi and her friends. Interviewing her will be SAJA's Aseem Chhabra, freelance entertainment writer; and SAMMA's Pooja Kumar, award-winning Hollywood & Bollywood actress ("Bollywood Hero," "Flavors," "Anjaana Anjaani", "Law & Order") - and will be taking your questions live.

Join SAJA president Jigar Mehta, VP Anusha Shrivastava and other board members for a quick, informative webcast detailing how the SAJA Board works, the election process and why you should consider running for office.

SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association, presents a discussion on writing about Pakistan with some of the folks involved in the special Pakistan issue of Granta, the legendary British magazine. Speakers include JOHN FREEMAN, editor of Granta; and writers NADEEM ASLAM and Declan Walsh (co-hosts: Hani Yousuf and Sree Sreenivasan). About the issue: "Pakistan is a nation in crisis. It is also a nation at the forefront of a literary renaissance. Granta 112: Pakistan seizes this moment to present politically subversive and nostalgic perspectives and hard-hitting reportage on one of the most discussed nations today. Granta 112 brings to life Pakistan's landscape and culture in fiction, reportage, memoir, travelogue, poetry and, in a special collaboration with the arts organisation Green Cardamom, contemporary art. Like the magazine's issues on India and Australia, Granta 112 is a critical watershed. It is also a celebration of the corona of talent writing in Sindhi, Urdu, Punjabi, Pashto and in English from within Pakistan which has burst onto the English-language publishing world. More on Granta at Granta.com

SAJA presents a webcast with Sunil Gulati, president of U.S. Soccer, chairman of the U.S. effort to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup and the most influential South Asian in American sports. Fresh from Team USA's run at the FIFA World Cup in South Africa, he'll discuss the state of the sport, his career and more. He'll be interviewed by Deepti Hajela, Associated Press newswoman and former SAJA president and and SAMMA's Vijay Setlur, sports marketing instructor and former media manager for FIFA Under-20 World Cup 2007 Toronto.

SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association, presents the latest in its 15th anniversary series of high-profile webcasts - via BlogTalkRadio - with some of the leading South Asian names in global media, arts, entertainment, politics and much more... Listen to a recording of a SAJA webcast with RAJ MATHAI, one of America's first South Asian sportscasters. Listen to the Bay Area's NBC sports director discuss his journey, the state of sports and much more. Hear the different challenges and obstacles Raj had to overcome in making his name as a minority and especially as a South Asian in a very difficult field of journalism. Two-time Emmy award winning Raj Mathai currently serves as the sports director for the NBC affiliate in the Bay Area, "NBC11." Mathai anchors the nightly sportscasts there and also hosts the weekly top-rated "Sports Sunday" program that attracts the Bay Area's highest-profile sports figures. Raj can also be seen on the network level as an occasional sideline reporter for NBC Sports during their Olympic coverage including the recent winter games from Vancouver. In 2004, he was honored by the Associated Press for Outstanding Sports Segment. He's also been awarded regional Emmys for Outstanding Sports Program in 1998 and 2002. Before working in the Bay Area, he worked for NBC stations in Fresno, San Diego, and in Yuma, Arizona. Prior to his career in television, Raj served as a public relations assistant for the NFL's San Diego Chargers. Hosting this segment is SOVY AZHATH, SAJA board member and a producer for MSNBC's "Morning Joe" show,

SAJA, the South Asian journalists Association, presents a conversation with Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, whose latest novel is "One Amazing Thing." See major praise for it below. She'll be interviewed by journalist and SAJAer LAVINA MELWANI. Jhumpa Lahiri, author of "Namesake" and "Interpreter of Maladies," winner of the Pulitzer Prize: “One Amazing Thing collapses the walls dividing characters and cultures; what endures is a chorus of voices in one single room.” Comments or questions to saja@columbia.edu

Arjia Rinpoche, Director of the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center in Bloomington, Indiana, is one of the most important religious leaders to escape Tibet since the Dalai Lama. His memoirs, "Surviving the Dragon: A Tibetan Lama's Account of 40 Years under Chinese Rule" published by Rodale Book Company, is in bookstores now - and the foreword is written by the Dalai Lama. "Surviving the Dragon" is the story of Arjia Rinpoche's growing up as the reincarnated abbot in Kumbum, one of Tibet's major monasteries. As a child, he was treated like a living Buddha; as a young man he emptied latrines, but after the death of Mao Tse Tung, he rose to prominence within the Chinese Buddhist bureaucracy. When he was slated to become the tutor of the Chinese selected Panchen Lama, he fled Tibet rather than betray his Buddhist religion and his Tibetan and Mongolian heritage. Rinpoche's unique experience provides a rare vantage on this tumultuous period of Tibetan and Chinese History as well as a glimpse of life inside a Buddhist monastery in Tibet.