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DesiClub.com, an arts and culture site aimed at second- and third-generation South Asians (see correction from Saroosh Gull, the site's founder, in the comments), is out with its list of the "Top 50 Coolest Desis of 2008." From the introduction:
The South Asian world in 2008 also saw an unprecedented success in mainstream arts & entertainment. With the runaway hit Slumdog Millionaire and more Desi faces on TV than ever before and with Bollywood becoming an even bigger global attraction, we broke even more barriers and moved way beyond the stereotypes of Hollywood. This phenomenon, which also exists in the financial, medical and technology industries will no doubt increase in 2009.
All such lists are, by their nature, controversial - and people love to debate who made the cut and who didn't - and the relative rankings of various people. Take a look at the full list at and post your comments below. You can also reach Peta Cooper, the site's London-based executive producer, at peta[at]desiclub.com to lobby for your favorites for next year.
Meanwhile, we have highlighted the SAJA members and media folks below, along with others we wrote about in SAJAforum last year - look for "[SAJAforum coverage]" below.
SAJA members:
43. Minal Hajratwala
Location: California, USA
Who is She: Author, Poet, Performing Artist
Why is She Cool: Minal authored
"Leaving India," a compelling tale of her family's journey from five
villages to five continents. In the book, she takes us through the
lives of her ancestors starting with her great grandfather who left
British-occupied India for Fiji, where he became a successful
department store mogul. She interviewed over seventy-five of her family
members for the book and compiled an inspiring personal saga that
explores the collisions of choice and history that led one
unforgettable family to become immigrants.
What's Next: The book releases in
March, 2009 and Minal is busy planning her book tour and readings
across North America. Be sure to attend one of her readings.
Cool Fun Fact: Minal's poem for the South Asian Sisters annual "Yoni Ki Baat" (inspired by the Vagina Monologues) received a standing ovation!
38. Sarah Singh
Location: New York, USA
Who is She: Director
Why is She Cool: Sarah Singh directed
and released "The Sky Below," a documentary about the Partition of 1947
between Pakistan and India. She took an organic approach to covering
this very recent (historically) event, which for the most part is never
talked about or discussed. We applaud Sarah for visiting this part of
our history and shining new light onto it, for it is a discussion that
needs to be had. We urge you all to check out the documentary, Sarah
Singh's work is beautiful!
What's Next: Hopefully we will see more insightful work from Singh and the film will receive even more recognition.
Cool Fun Fact: Singh is also an accomplished photographer.
[SAJAforum coverage]
32. Kiran Khalid
Location: New York, USA
Who is She: Journalist, Producer, Filmmaker
Why is She Cool: Since January 2008,
Khalid has been working as a producer for one of television's most
popular news and feature programs, ABC's Good Morning America. But
there is a lot more to this dynamic TV producer. She has been
recognized as being one of the very first Pakistani-American TV
reporters/anchors. She started out on TV in her native Texas but
quickly moved her way to one of America's most watched TV shows as
producer. In between, she has been recognized for her work in covering
the post-9/11 environment in Pakistan and many other national and
international projects.
What's Next: We can expect to see
more activity from Kiran in all facets of media, don't be surprised if
we get another documentary out of her.
Cool Fun Fact: Kiran has worked as a
TV reporter and anchor in Mobile, Alabama and Lake Charles, Louisiana.
She was also a field producer for Court TV and at one time, she was
very much into consumer investigative reporting. Talk about a diverse
resume!
[SAJAforum coverage here, here and here - and she's a SAJA board member]
29. Raj Mathai
Location: California, USA
Who is He: Sports Director for NBC Bay Area
Why is He Cool: We first featured Raj
in our 2005 Top 50 list and well, he has accomplished tons more since.
Two-time Emmy award winning Raj Mathai serves as sports director for
NBC Bay Area. Raj anchors the nightly sportscasts and is among the Bay
Area's most well-known TV personalities. His show "Sports Sunday"
brings in the highest ratings in the area. Its only a matter of time
before we start to see Raj on a national platform. You go Raj!
What's Next: Raj has been proactive with San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom to encourage San Franciscans to lead a healthy lifestyle.
Cool Fun Fact: Ask him about any player and he can give you their stats off the top of his head!
28. Priya David
Location: New York, NY
Who is She: CBS News Correspondent
Why is She Cool:
Priya hosted the CBS Sunday Evening News several times in 2008, after
landing her role with CBS News only recently. She is yet another South
Asian face on mainstream American TV. Before that, Priya was a reporter
for MSNBC, covering Vice President Dick Cheney and other important news
stories. She brings a refreshing Desi voice to TV.
What's Next: We can expect to see
Priya's presence even more on CBS in 2009 as she reports regularly for
The Early Show and the CBS Evening News weekend editions.
Cool Fun Fact: David was born in Chennai, India, and grew up in Falls Church, Virginia and Yorba Linda, California.
[SAJAforum coverage here and here]
27. Kevin Negandhi
Location: Connecticut, USA
Who is He: ESPN Sports Anchor
Why is He Cool: Kevin is the first
national South Asian sports anchor. In 2008, Kevin made his debut on
the popular cult-like sports icon show SportsCenter. From working at
the college newspaper to now achieving his dream, Kevin is living proof
that anything is possible. His favorite sport is football and his
favorite team is the Philadelphia Eagles.
What's Next: You can catch Kevin every weekend for sure ? it's football season!
Cool Fun Fact: Kevin says his mother still wants him to be a lawyer.
[SAJAforum coverage]
22. Ali Velshi
Location: New York, USA
Who is He: Broadcast Journalist, Author
Why is He Cool: Ali has become a
reputable source reporting on the troubled economy in 2008 as CNN's
Senior Business Correspondent. His fast talking, hard hitting style has
become refreshing to watch as we hear about the financial woes of the
world. He is in a way, quickly becoming the Dr. Sanjay Gupta of the
finance world.
What's Next: His first book "Gimme My
Money Back - Your Guide to Beating the Financial Crisis," will be
published by Sterling & Ross on January 1, 2009.
Cool Fun Fact: Ali was born in Nairobi, Kenya and was raised in Toronto, Canada by his Indian family.
[SAJAforum coverage]
16. Rajiv Chandrasekaran
Location: California, USA
Who is He: Associate Editor, The Washington Post
Why is He Cool: Rajiv is one of the
few nationally recognized South Asians in mainstream journalism.
Through his position as associate editor of The Washington Post, he
will be writing and helping to conceive and direct projects on
national-security and related matters, as a press release stated. Rajiv
is known for his impressive understanding and grasp of world affairs so
his contribution to the mainstream national press will be appreciated
by many.
What's Next: His first book,
"Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green Zone," which
was published in 2006 is currently being made into a film, written and
directed by Paul Greengrass and starring Matt Damon.
Cool Fun Fact: In 2004, he was journalist-in-residence at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.
[SAJAforum coverage]
14. Fareed Zakaria
Location: New York, USA
Who is He: Journalist, Writer
Why is He Cool: Fareed has been
another mainstream media ambassador for South Asians in the US and
globally as an intellectual writer, focusing on the Iraq war, the
Economy and numerous other, sometimes controversial issues. In 2008, he
landed his own Weekend show on CNN called Fareed Zakaria GPS, giving
him a national presence on a weekly basis to discuss hot button issues.
What's Next: We can expect more contributions from Fareed in 2009 as his capacity as a major voice in media is only growing.
Cool Fun Fact: Fareed was born a
muslim, but he isn't religious and rarely speaks about his Islamic
background. His viewpoints are looked upon as liberal, moderate and
conservative, which no doubt shows that he is an independent thinker.
[SAJAforum coverage here, here and here]
13. Amitav Ghosh
Location: Kolkata, India and Brooklyn, USA
Who is He: Author
Why is He Cool: In 2008, Ghosh
released his latest novel titled "Sea of Poppies," which is apparently
the first volume in a projected trilogy set in 19th century India and
China during the Opium Wars. The book brings an interesting and
entertaining read about fictional characters who are set on a course
for Mauritius in an American slave ship refashioned to transport labor,
opium, and eventually soldiers for China's Opium Wars. The book has
been well received by readers and critics alike, giving Ghosh freedom
to continue to maintain our interest in his wonderful works.
What's Next: I suppose we can expect to see the trilogy completed.
Cool Fun Fact: Ghosh is married to the
writer, Deborah Baker, and has two children, Lila and Nayan. He divides
his time between Kolkata, Goa and Brooklyn.
[SAJAforum coverage - listen to our webcast with him]
3. Kamran Pasha
Location: California, USA
Who is He: Screenwriter, Director, Novelist
Why is He Cool: Kamran is a writer and
producer for NBC's highly anticipated new television series "Kings,"
which is a modern day retelling of the Biblical tale of King David.
Previously he served as a writer on NBC's remake of "Bionic Woman," and
on Showtime Network's Golden Globe nominated series "Sleeper Cell,"
about a Muslim FBI agent who infiltrates a terrorist group. But he's
really cool because he wrote about his experience during Hajj, via
blogs on his website. He told of his experience while on the holy
pilgrimage with his mother.
What's Next: You can expect big things from Kamran as NBC gets set to start airing "Kings."
Cool Fun Fact: Kamran is one of the few successful Muslim screenwriters in Hollywood.
[SAJAforum coverage here and here]
Other media folks:
42. Parvez Sharma
Location: New York, USA
Who is He: Filmmaker
Why is He Cool: Parvez' film "A Jihad
for Love," a documentary that focuses on Gay and Lesbian Muslims from
around the world received even more recognition in 2008. Sharma
identifies himself as a gay Muslim and has traveled to twelve different
countries and spoken in nine different languages to discuss his film
and the subject. About his film and the sensitive subject matter of
Gays in Islam, Sharma states, "the Islam that this film is seeking to
reclaim is rich, it is pulsating, it's welcoming, condemning sometimes,
it's loving, it's erotic, it's sensual, it's poetic and it's musical."
What's Next: He's gearing up to release "A Jihad for Love" on DVD.
Cool Fun Fact: The movie was privately screened at an undisclosed location in Tehran, Iran and it was embraced by the attendees.
[SAJAforum coverage]
39. Valerie Kaur
Location: California, USA
Who is She: Filmmaker
Why is She Cool: After the September
11th attacks, Valerie (then 20) took her cousin Sunny on a cross
country trip to examine the discrimination Sikhs faced. She called the
documentary "Divided We Fall." Valerie met several Sikhs who were
mistaken for "Taliban" and in her documentary they shared their
stories. She captured the reality of what ignorance can bring about,
while also educating people about Sikhism. Valerie's work has received
many positive accolades and she has impressed many.
What's Next: Valerie is currently promoting her film throughout the US and aboard.
Cool Fun Fact: Valerie is a third generation Californian of Punjabi Descent.
35. Mira Veda
Location: California, USA
Who is She: Singer, Poet, Activist
Why is She Cool: Mira is the only
South Asian woman to have a seat on the board of Governors for the
Recording Academy (The Grammys). She encourages her fellow South Asian
artists to sign up and become members and take advantage of the
boundless opportunities. You can catch Mira rubbing shoulders with high
profile individuals; she spent time with Hillary Clinton during her
campaign to mobilize South Asians to vote.
What's Next: Mira is gearing up to release her second album early next year.
Cool Fun Fact: Mira is very political,
she currently writes blogs for the Huffington Post. Her blog regarding
the bombings in Mumbai was well received by readers all over the world.
31. Padma Lakshmi
Location: New York, NY
Who is She: Author, Actress, Model
Why is She Cool: Talk about a triple
threat! Since season two, she's been hosting the popular American
reality TV show, Top Chef. She also received a nod as "The Top Most
Desirable Women of 2008" from Askmen.com. She has also become more
active as a media personality, making appearances in numerous other TV
shows and events. She is an ideal ambassador for South Asians as a Desi
media personality in America.
What's Next: Rumor has it she is working on a follow up to her "Tangy, Tart, Hot and Sweet" cookbook, which she released in 2007.
Cool Fun Fact: She married Salman
Rushdie in 2004, who is seven years older than her father. She has been
quoted as saying Salman is "the most sexiest, manic, in-shape, lean,
tall, handsome man I have ever met." But they spilt up in 2007.
[SAJAforum coverage]
30. Maulik Pancholy
Location: California, USA
Who is He: Actor
Why is He Cool: He's best known for
his recurring role as Sanjay on Weeds and as the dutiful male
secretary/assistant of the NBC hit 30 Rock's Jack Donaghy, played by
Alec Baldwin. In 2008, he landed a role in the romantic comedy "27
Dresses," directed by Anne Fletcher. He is currently wrapping up
post-production on "Good Sharma," a film co-starring Joan Allen and
Billy Connolly.
What's Next: Maulik is currently
doing the voice of "Baljeet" on the Disney animated series "Phineas and
Ferb" and will be seen in 2009's "Tug" and "Raspberry Magic."
Cool Fun Fact: He was a judge at the 2008 South Asian International Film Festival in Los Angeles.
19. Kal Penn
Location: California, USA
Who is He: Actor/Political Activist
Why is He Cool: This man needs no
introduction, we've been following Kal Penn's career since just about
the time before it began. He tickled our funny bone in the Harold &
Kumar films and blew us away with his performance in The Namesake. But
during the Presidential campaign of 2008, Kal Penn got political! He
spent a good part of 2008 campaigning for his candidate, Barack Obama,
visiting university campuses and touting the message for "change." His
efforts did not go unnoticed as he was even spotted as a volunteer at
the Democratic convention. He can take some credit for mobilizing the
youth vote during the historical election.
What's Next: He's currently working
on a TV program called "Two Sisters," directed and written by Margaret
Cho. And Hmmmm, how does President Penn sound?
Cool Fun Fact: Kal taught a lecture
course in Spring 2008 at the University of Pennsylvania for the Cinema
Studies department. If Kal doesn't become President, he'd surely make
one cool professor!
[SAJAforum coverage here and here]
18. Mira Nair
Location: New York, USA
Who is She: Director, Producer
Why is She Cool: In 2008, for the most
part, Mira was quiet. But she did manage to direct a segment in the
film "8," which is 8 shorts centered around 8 themes directed by 8
famous film directors involved and sharing their opinion on progress,
on the set-backs and the challenges our planet faces today. Mira is a
director who has definitely crossed over smoothly into the mainstream
and we applaud her talent and what she has been able to contribute to
the global world of films while recognizing Indian talent.
What's Next: Mira is currently
directing "Amelia," a bio movie on the young pilot Amelia Earhart. The
movie stars Hillary Swank who portrays Earhart, along with Ewan
McGregor and Richard Gere.
Cool Fun Fact: In 2007, she was offered to direct a Harry Potter film.
[SAJAforum coverage]
4. Arundhati Roy
Location: New Delhi, India
Who is She: Author, Activist
Why is She Cool: Roy is one of the
most controversial writers in India today. Her works have angered many
as she always speaks about placing a mirror in front of oneself, so to
speak. Her criticism is usually about India and its problems and as of
late, she has written a very detailed opinion piece on the website of
British newspaper The Guardian, about the events of the attacks on
Mumbai, which ofcourse gave her critics food to chew on, while
introducing some of her ideas to the masses. You can agree or disagree
with her, but you have to admit she is a courageous woman!
What's Next: Roy will no doubt be causing more controversy in the coming year.
Cool Fun Fact: In January 2006, Roy
was awarded the Sahitya Akademi award, a national award from India's
Academy of Letters, for her collection of essays on contemporary
issues, The Algebra of Infinite Justice, but she declined to accept it
"in protest against the Indian Government toeing the US line by
'violently and ruthlessly pursuing policies of brutalisation of
industrial workers, increasing militarisation and economic
neo-liberalisation."
[SAJAforum coverage]
Non-media folks SAJAforum wrote about:
Location: California, USA
Who is He: NFL Player
Why is He Cool: Brandon is a former St. Louis Ram player who in March, 2008 signed a two-year $5.8M contract with the Green Bay Packers. Chillar had joined the St. Louis Rams as a fourth-round draft pick in 2004. Having a father, Ram Chillar, of East Indian descent, Chillar became one of the handful of Indian Americans in the NFL.
What's Next: Hopefully he will be making more news as a NFL player, setting the platform for other Desis to follow.
Cool Fun Fact: In his rookie season as an outside linebacker, Chillar averaged 1.6 tackles per game.
[SAJAforum coverage]
48. Snoop Dogg
Location: California, USA
Who is He: Rapper
Why is He Cool: Snoop got a chance to go to Bollywood this year, getting the nickname "Snoop Singh" because of his cameo in "Singh is Kinng." When a rapper like Snoop Dogg gets himself involved in a Bollywood project, talk about scalability. This was a great move for Bollywood and for Snoop Dogg himself, who reinforced his global appeal by recognizing the Desi market.
What's Next: The word on the street is that some Indian record labels are hoping to branch out to the American Hip Hop market with Snoop leading the charge.
Cool Fun Fact: In the summer of 2008, Snoop launched a new streetwear line called "Rich & Infamous" geared towards males 18 to 35.
[SAJAforum coverage]
45. Akash Mehta
Location: India
Who is He: Kid with big dreams
Why is He Cool: 11 year old Akash Mehta is a budding philanthropist as he has been seeking support for Sambhavna, an NGO that helps victims of the Bhopal disaster in India. Akash founded Kids for a Better Future and has organized a campaign to raise funds for various causes for the past three years, including to build a girls' school in Afghanistan and to help child soldiers in the Congo. If he's doing all this at 11, we can only imagine what the future holds for Akash.
What's Next: 2009 is the 25th anniversary of the disaster in Bhopal, and the Sambhavna Clinic will be part of a year-long campaign to advocate for the rights of the gas victims of Bhopal. Ofcourse, Akash will be a major supporter of the efforts.
Cool Fun Fact: Every year in December, Akash has a birthday appeal - he requests that instead of receiving gifts for his birthday, that everyone should donate to KBF. He says he raises a couple thousand dollars each year, and the amount grows with each year.
[SAJAforum coverage]
44. Sudhir Venkatesh
Location: New York, USA
Who is He: Sociologist
Why is He Cool: Sudhir wrote a book this year called "Gang Leader for a Day" where he spent time in an urban Chicago housing project with a Black gang called "The Black Kings." The book breaks down the economical hardships (an underground economy) of the community and the day-to-day violence that they are confronted with. This is perhaps the first time we have seen a Desi venture into this territory in such a hands on manner (as in documenting the social indifference that exists). Kudos!
What's Next: Venkatesh is a professor of sociology and African American studies at Columbia University.
Cool Fun Fact: He has produced several documentaries as well.
[SAJAforum coverage of his book here and his Eliot Spitzer-related research here - listen to our webcast with him]
37. George Mathew
Location: New York, USA
Who is He: Conductor
Why is He Cool: Singapore-born Indian-American conductor of Western classical music, George Mathew has not only been a talented presence in the world of music, but he has lent his name and time to many good causes over the years. In January of 2009, Mathew is back with the biggest of his charity concerts called "Mahler for the Children of AIDS" at Carnegie Hall. The premise of the concert is to 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. It doesn't get any better than promoting such worthy causes through your talent.
What's Next: We can all expect to see him doing what he does best on January 12th, 2009 at Carnegie Hall.
Cool Fun Fact: George Mathew made his Carnegie Hall debut in January of 2006 as Artistic Director and Conductor of BEETHOVEN'S NINTH FOR SOUTH ASIA (BNSA), a benefit concert organised to raise funds and public awareness for survivors of the devastating earthquake of 2005.
[SAJAforum coverage - listen to our webcast with him]
36. In Memory of Vinay Chakravarthy and Sameer Bhatia
Location: Everywhere
Why are They Cool: In 2008, it was very sad to note that both Vinay Chakravarthy and Sameer Bhatia passed away due to their battle with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia. Both guys had a strong support system with family and friends from all over the world. They helped to bring more recognition to AML and the need for more South Asian donors. Due to their mutual campaigns via HelpVinay.org and HelpSameer.org, hopefully many more lives will be saved. Vinay passed away on June 25th, 2008 and Sameer Bhatia passed on Thursday, March 27, 2008. Both are gone, but not without inspiring countless people around the world. Please support their cause! Visit their websites and mobilize.
[SAJAforum coverage of Vinay here and Sameer here]
34. Dinesh Patel & Rinku Singh
Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Who are They: Pitchers for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Why are They Cool: Wow! Finally, some professional Desi MLB players. Dinesh and Rinku appeared on this Indian reality TV show called "Million Dollar Arm" where two lucky players get 100,000 dollars and a chance to sign a contact with an American baseball team. Dinesh and Rinku impressed the scouts for the Pittsburgh Pirates and well, the rest is history. Both guys are American born, Dinesh Patel is a 20-year-old righty and Rinku Singh is a 19-year-old lefty. We cannot wait to see what these guys do out on the mound!
What's Next: They will be pitching for the minor league team.
Cool Fun Fact: The general manager of the Pirates, Neal Huntington, was impressed with Patel's arm strength and Singh's frame and potential.
[SAJAforum coverage - listen to our webcast with them]
17. Vijay Singh
Location: Lautoka, Fiji
Who is He: Professional Golfer
Why is He Cool: In 2008, Vijay won the FedEx Cup. His championship is proof that experience and persistence can still trump youth and power in professional golf. Since turning 40, Singh has won an astounding total of 22 tournament victories and his track record doesn't seem to be lessening as he ages. His recent winnings of the $10M prize for his esteemed efforts is a clear sign of more to come.
What's Next: Age is not a factor as we can expect Singh to continue his skilled performances on golf courses around the world in coming years.
Cool Fun Fact: Nicknamed "The Big Fijian", Vijay was number one in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005.
[SAJAforum coverage here and here and here]
12. Neel Kashkari
Location: Maryland, USA
Who is He: Interim U.S. Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Financial Stability
Why is He Cool: Originally from Akron, Ohio, Neel was tapped to help bring stability back during the current economic crisis facing America. He is on the team that came up with the $700 Billion corporate bailout. With those funds, the responsibility to get America's financial system back on track is partially placed on his shoulders. Even though he did receive some criticism, he acted fast and brought a sense of organization to the efforts of the US Treasury.
What's Next: The crisis is far from over and Kashkari will be monitoring it to make sure America doesn't spin deeper into an economic downfall.
Cool Fun Fact: He comes from a strong mechanical engineering background and has a MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
[SAJAforum coverage]
11. MIA
Location: London, UK
Who is She: Singer
Why is She Cool: In 2008, MIA completed her People vs. Money tour and her single and album of the same name "Paper Airplanes" has shattered charts globally. The success got sweeter for MIA in 2008 as she is now up for a Grammy for Record of the Year. Woo hoo!
What's Next: MIA is expecting! Yes, she will be Mama MIA soon!
Cool Fun Fact: On her blog, MIA posted that her baby is due on the same date as the Grammy's so "either way i figured i'll win. but OMG if i get it, i will never diss the Grammys ever again!
[SAJAforum coverage - listen to our webcast with him]
7. Sir Salman Rushdie
Location: New York, USA
Who is He: Author
Why is He Cool: Salman Rushdie came out with his new novel "The Enchantress of Florence." Its about a European who visits the Mughal Emperor Akbar's court, claiming to be a long lost relative. The man's father was Italian, while his mother was an exiled Indian princess. Rushdie said it took years for him to research and come up with this story. He's cool because he's still penning some wonderful works and he's a Sir!
What's Next: Rushdie is as political as ever, so you can expect him to be a more vocal personality in 2009.
Cool Fun Fact: Queen Elizabeth knighted Rushdie over a year ago.
[SAJAforum coverage]
6. Bobby Jindal
Location: Louisana, USA
Who is He: Governor of Louisiana
Why is He Cool: During the 2008 Presidential campaign, before John McCain picked Sarah Palin, Jindal was one of the few people whose names was being mentioned as a possible VP pick for the GOP ticket. Part of the reason for this buzz was due to Jindal's quick rise to the national scene post-Katrina and ofcourse, becoming the first Indian-American governor of a US state.
What's Next: Many in the country have high hopes for Jindal's political future as the savvy and energetic face of the GOP. As of now, he's happy serving as the Governor of Louisiana.
Cool Fun Fact: Under Jindal's watch, the country witnessed one of the largest and smoothest evacuations for Hurricane Gustav.
[SAJAforum coverage - see more than a dozen postings there]
5. A.R. Rahman
Location: Mumbai, India
Who is He: Composer
Why is He Cool: This guy is behind almost every musical epic isn't he? Rahman was the music director for the mega runaway hit "Slumdog Millionaire." His contribution made a heart warming soundtrack for the film. His work really brought out the emotions of the characters and well, as they say, the rest is history. He received a lot of press and added a Satellite Award to his Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Score for his music in British director Danny Boyle's uplifting underdog tale.
What's Next: More movies! In 2009, we will experience Rockstar, London Dreams, Delhi 6 and more from AR Rahman.
Cool Fun Fact: His albums have sold over 100 million copies!
[SAJAforum coverage - listen to our webcast with him]
1. The Security Forces, Survivors and Victims of Mumbai Attacks
Location: Mumbai, India
Who are They: It is almost impossible to name each and every hero and victim of the horrible events that took place on November 26th in Mumbai, India. But here are just some of the names and people that should be recognized: Hemant Karkare, Ashok Kamte, Vijay Salaskar, Karambir Singh Kang, the CST railway staff, Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, Gajender Singh, the Mumbai Fire brigade and countless more. The mass media referred to this event as India's 9/11, but we must not materialize the Mumbai attacks as being similar to any other event as they wrought a destruction and evil all their own. Here's to the families of the loved ones who were lost and a salute to the security men and women of India who sacrificed all to save them. Hopefully the world will not have to deal with such nightmares in 2009.
[SAJAforum coverage]
What do YOU think? Who's missing? Who should have been higher? Post your comments below. You can also reach Peta Cooper, the site's London-based executive producer, at peta[at]desiclub.com to lobby for your favorites for next year.
Previous SAJAforum coverage of DesiClub:
