Congratulations!

The results of the Mera India, Bridge the Gap contest are finally out!

And the award winners are-

Aishwarya Menon and Aparna Menon, Delhi
Akrati Jindal, Aligarh
Anjana Agarwal and Shruti Viswanathan, Bangalore
Avni Manglik, Monica Dhariwal, Reenu Ranawat, Ajmer
Bharat Bhatti, Delhi
Gourav Kumar Agarwal, Delhi
Katuri Kodanda Pani, Delhi
Neeraj Kumar Singh, Chennai
Nooreen Fatima, Lucknow
Nupur Tiwari, Pantnagar
Parveen Kumar, Delhi
Prateek Rajvanshi, Hyderabad
Ramya Pottireddi and Midhun Kumar Allu, Boston
S.Arul Durai, Madurai
Sadananda Satapathy and Ambika Ghuge, Delhi
Samir Sharma, Delhi
Shashi Bhushan Singh, Ahmedabad
Shilpi Gulati and Sharanya Gautam, Mumbai
Shinjini Mondal and Hitesh Bhaskar, Mumbai
Siddharth Rajkonwar, Delhi

Now, who gets the first, second and third prize, and who will be awarded the special recognition prizes and the commendation certificates will be announced at 6.15 pm on November 10, 2009 at Gulmohar Hall, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi -110003. So the suspense is on.

We invite all those who have participated in the contest to join us at the function. We have special certificates for all of you.

The ideas from the award-winning entries will be displayed at the venue. So even if you have not participated, but are interested in the issue of India's development, send us an email at indiabridgethegap@gmail.com and we will send you an invite. Come and join us. Give us your support. Together, we can make a difference!

Show your support - Stand Up Virtually

Dear friends,

It is that time of the year again! The Stand Up and Take Action Campaign that began on October 16 and will continue till October 18th.
We are sure most of you have ardently watched and participated in this Campaign over the years but for the uninitiated, in this global mobilization that happens simultaneously across the world, citizens take various actions to remind the world leaders about their commitment to meet the Millennium Development Goals and End Poverty by 2015.
This year in India Stand Up has coincided with Diwali. Since this is one of the largest pan Indian festivals and many of you may not be able to attend Stand Up events, we request you to please add your might to the global mobilization by participating in an online Stand Up Action on October 16, 17 or 18th.
Please visit http://www.standagainstpoverty.org/ and click on STAND UP NOW in the sitting figure (bottom right of screen) to Stand Up virtually. Your action will get counted automatically.
You can also SMS STANDUP to 55454 on October 16, 17 or 18th and show your support for this campaign.
Warm regards,
Millennium Campaign India team

Light a candle against poverty

Ashok Bharti, Chairman of the National Confederation of Dalit Organisations has sent out the following invite to Light a Candle Against Poverty at India Gate, New Delhi at 6:00 pm on October 16th, 2009 -

Dear Friends,

Greetings from NACDOR.

This is to invite you to light a candle to Stand Up Against Poverty on October 16th, 2009 at 6 p.m. at the India Gate. The Stand Up Against Poverty is a global mobilization calling for action against poverty and for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Last year, more than 116 million people around the world participated in the event by standing up and pledging their solidarity with the world’s poorest people. The campaign was widely covered globally by major media networks and is still the largest single, coordinated movement of people in the history of the Guinness World Records. National Confederation of Dalit Organisations (NACDOR) is the national platform of more than 1200 Dalit Organisations spread all over the country. It is strongly committed to the ideas, principles and values of Ambedkarism.

NACDOR and United Nation Millennium Campaign – India (UNMC) are joining hands on the eve of International Day for the Eradication of Poverty to light a candle against poverty at the India Gate on October 16th. The program will start at 6 pm and about 100-120 leaders of different political parties, civil society organizations, intellectuals, the media and members of the public will join hands to express their solidarity with the cause by lighting a candle and reading a pledge committing to eradicate poverty from India.

Mr. Salil Shetty, Global Director of the Millennium Campaign based in New York, will light the first candle. We hope that you will be able to spare some time from your most busy schedule to express solidarity by lighting a candle. For any detail please contact Mr. Mashkoor Alam at +91-11-9911639946 or standup@nacdor.org.in

Stand Up Take Action

As we go through the entries we feel we have with us a wonderful group of young socially committed people from all over the country. You come from the country's best colleges and institutes. You are among the most committed of young professionals. Then there are those of you studying or working abroad, but concerned about the condition of millions of fellow Indians. Together we can be a force that can sweep changes across the country.

What can you do? What can we all do together? Come on think...
Earlier for the Mera India, Bridge the Gap contest you looked at what needs to be done by various groups to meet the goals. But now look at what you can do in your own little way to address some MDG. It can be something as simple as sending a message regarding an MDG to five of your friends and help spread the information. It could be helping a poor student with her study material. Put aside some of the budget you may have for Diwali, to buy a book or a bag for someone who needs it. As simple as that. Read the very inspiring story of Babar Ali, born to poor illiterate parents, who is changing the face of India. India is proud of him. If Babar Ali can do that at his individual level, what about us, educated, enjoying all comforts and many privileges?

Diwali is a time for celebration and the giving of gifts; a very appropriate time for the Stand Up and Take Action event. Let us try and gift a better future to our fellow citizens in some way at our own individual level.

Do tell us what you propose to do. October 16, 17 and 18, the days when we stand up and take a vow to do our bit to improve the situation of our fellow humans.

Post to this blog. Connect with all others who have stood up and are standing up to make a difference. Let us also remind our leaders of the promises they have made to us of eradicating poverty, of ushering in sustainable development, of seeing that girls go to school and all children complete basic schooling.

It is time to act. It is time to stand up. Let us be the generation that ends poverty...

We will love to hear how you plan to go about it.

Thank you for the great response!

We thank all of you who took time off your busy schedules to participate in the Mera India, Bridge the Gap contest.
We will be going through each of the entries with great care, for we value the thought and time you have devoted to them. Each of the suggestions given by you to meet the Millennium Development Goals will be considered closely.
Do keep visiting the blog not only for updates on the contest, but on the progress made towards achieving the MDGs as well.