From: Ruchita@professionals.com <ru2309@ramarpillai.org>

Date sent: Thu, 21 Nov 1996 07:42:44 -0800 (PST)

Person Nominated : Sri. Ramar Pillai

Reasons : Undoubtedly my vote is for Sri. Ramar Pillai! He had the great vision which none of our dumb politicians had, to develop an alternate for petrol so that we need not depend on Gulf for our needs. Jai Ram! Ram!

From: Surya.Prakash@professionals.com <velamusp@boat.bt.com>

Date sent: Thu, 21 Nov 1996 08:52:40 -0800 (PST)

Person Nominated : Leander Peas

Reasons : Leandear Peas has been my choicebecause honest people are there earlier, corrupt poliicians are there earlier, overnight heros(PM) are also there earlier,but Leander is the only person after 1950 could able to win a medal for India as an individ ual.That is the reason

From: Sunil.Kalidindi@professionals.com <kalidind@ecn.purdue.edu>

Date sent: Thu, 21 Nov 1996 14:21:12 -0800 (PST)

Person Nominated : Leander Peas

Reasons : He showed us Indians and the world that if you have the will you can do it. This shows the cynics in the country who refuse to believe that there is anything promisi ng in India, that we are a great people. We just need to work hard and prove it.

From: Anantha.Aiyyer@professionals.com <aiyyer@atmos.albany.edu>

Date sent: Thu, 21 Nov 1996 15:16:57 -0800 (PST)

Person Nominated : Leander Peas

Reasons : The year 1996 has almost been a typical year for India. There were the usual scandals involving corrupt politicians, natural disasters and terrible accidents. Yet what makes this year different is the fact that we managed to win one medal at the Atlanta Olympics thanks to Leander. On the face of it the fact that the second most populated nation could wrangle a solitary medal is hardly something to be proud of. In fact if No medal was won, all of us would have shrugged our shoulders and acknowledge the general ineptitude of Indian athletes. But now we have a model athlete who outplayed some of the best in his sport through sheer determination.

Leander's victory translates into a lot more than a bronze medal. It is a in a way a glimmer of hope for people like me who are in despair seeing the way the country is headed.

To me 1996 will always be the year when Leander brought home the only Olympic medal, NOT about corrupt politicians and apathetic beaurocrats.

From: Durga Prasad Choudhury <dpc@neu.edu>

Date sent: Thu, 21 Nov 1996 19:31:22 -0500

Person Nominated : Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Reasons : He is a man who wants to make a difference in Indian politics. He wants to give India a national identity that we are still lacking even fifty years after independence. He is at least talking about saving India from Islamic terrorism. In short, he wants to give India a spine and to uplift her from the "Banana Republic" image that has been left behind by the 50 year rule of the Nehru dynasty. HE IS THE MAN OF THE YEAR!

From: ritesh banglani <rbanglani@ge-serveur.insa-lyon.fr>

Date sent: Thu, 21 Nov 1996 23:55:22 -0500

Person Nominated : Sachin Tendulkar

Reasons : I would guess that setting the record for the maximum number of runs in any one calender year is reason enough for any batsman to be proud of himself.And right from the world cup in february-march to the lifting of the titan cup,Sachin has preva iled on the indian cricket scene.And needless to say,nothing,absolutely nothing is more important to an average indian than cricket,at least in these times of disillusionment.Politics no longer interests us as it used to,for our faith in the whole system is shaken,films aren't worth a fraction of the money's (or trouble's) worth....the rest were never important.So this leaves us with good old cricket.And never has India been as crazed with it as this year,television ratings and sponsors' statistics offer sufficient proof.And who is more important to indian cricket than the pocket sized power pack himself.After showing immaculate form right through the year,without exception,he has proceded to get India some of her (and his own) well deserved victories.The

ctories might have been minor,but they have been the pride of a whole nation.I am sure that the Banglore triumph will remain etched in the minds of a whole generation,for a long long time.So let the country recognize perhaps the only person who brought th em pure,unadultrated joy.To you,Sachin!

From: Vijaya Raghavan <vraghava@csfbg.csfb.com>

Date sent: Fri, 22 Nov 1996 03:54:05 -0500

Person Nominated : T. N. Seshan

Reasons : For his untiring efforts to cleanse the political system of dirty politicians and to make sure that people are able to exercise their democratic rights without fear in our violence infested society. His efforts really deserve all round praise, for the simple reason that India's progress is directly linked to its political class, and by choosing the right kind of politicians only we can prosper. Seshan's efforts have set the direction for this effort.

From: Pasupathy Sankaran <sankaranp@worldnet.att.net>

Date sent: Fri, 22 Nov 1996 07:43:31 -0500

Person Nominated : Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Reasons : Honest, upright and outstanding politician in the country.

From: Ashish Bhalla <abhalla@ced.berkeley.edu>

Date sent: Fri, 22 Nov 1996 09:02:09 -0500

Person Nominated : H. D. Deve Gowda

Reasons : In an uncertain and troubled political environment, which was prevalent following the last general elections, it was Gowda who brought a semblance of stability. His composure and ability to withstand pressure groups from influencing his decisions have impressed me. On top of this the man sets an example by his work ethos which the country needs and can use as its model. Inspite of being very cynical about the state of our leadership, I feel that Gowda's achievements are a step in the right direction, though in no way do they justify his inaction on several issues.

He has given us all a new hope, which is a begining...

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