Name:Vasanth S Kothnur
Email:kothnur@krisc.engin.brown.edu
Nomination: P Chidambaram
Reason why: If only the Indian Cabinet were blessed with more men and women with his intelligence and integrity the economic potential of a billion enterprising people would not have been suppressed or corrupted for so long.

Name: Sanjeev Trivedi
Email: sanjeev@giasbm01.vsnl.net.in
Nomination: The common man
Reason why:... for tolerating all the ups and downs around him ! politics, scams, scandals, UF govt, bad roads ...... sorry 100 words are not enough !

Name: Preetham Hegde
Email: hegde@minyos.its.rmit.edu.au
Nomination: Mother Teresa
Reason why: Someone had once remarked that the single most important achievement of India after independence was the loss of national character. Mother tried to prove it wrong. In a world of darkness, the enlightened lady was a saint.

Name: Sanjiv Malik
Email: smalik@loxinfo.co.th
Nomination: Dr Abdul Kalam
Reason why: There are two important fields through which a country gets its world rating. The world leaders are countries which are financial powers and/or nuclear powers. As regards our country having any chance of being one of the top rated countries of the world, being a nuclear power is the only option. The work being done in the finance field is highly commendable, but it is Dr Kalam's achievements that is giving India the world stature. It is in this field that we can be recognised as a true world power and we need to reward such people in every possible way.

Name: Vivek Mehta
Email: vivek_mehta@mumbai.tcs.co.in
Nomination: The Common Man
Reason why: For braving the politicians of the day; the disgust in his mind for the unnecessary toppling of two governments and getting ready for another election. For rejoicing the victories of tennis stars, the good individual performances of cricket players and the world class achievement of Miss India. He enjoys the stability of inflation and the reduction of tax rates. For living through his daily chores which include commuting in crowed trains, long ration lines, bus queues and his struggle to make ends meet. The Common Man deserves to be the Indian of the year.

Name: Diptesh Shah
Email: diptesh@giasbm01.vsnl.net.in
Nomination: Chandrababu Naidu
Reason why: In politics, it takes a lot to be a genuine "King Maker" when you could be a King yourself!! The very fact he is not yet king is a pointer to the fact that he has total command of the situation. My nomination is for tomorrow -- not yesterday

Name: MUNIND SHAH
Email: munindshah@hotmail.com
Nomination: DIANA HAYDEN
Reason why: DIANA HAYDEN IS MY "INDIAN OF THE YEAR" BECAUSE SHE HAS MADE INDIA PROUD BY BEING THE MISS WORLD '97.THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THAT INDIAN BEAUTIES HAVE BEEN APPRECIATED THROUGHOUT THE GLOBE! THANKS DIANA FOR MAKING ME AND MY INDIA PROUD!!

Name: Savir Shetty
Email: savir@ruksun.com
Nomination: A B Vajpayee
Reason why: Only one person best suited for the PM's post among other political leaders.

Name: Fraudiay
Email: fraudiay@usa.net
Nomination:Shah Rukh Khan
Reason why: For providing us with great entertainment throughout the calendar year

Name:Sundeep Baldota
Email: sundeep@iloveindia.com
Nomination: Chidambaram
Reason why: His policies had a favourable impact on the lives of the people & lowering of taxes helped everyone.

Name: Ashish Chitnis
Email: Ashish_Chitnis-1@sbphrd.com
Nomination:Dr Abdul Kalam
Reason why:India has chosen Dr Abdul Kalam as her Indian of the year by awarding him the Bharat Ratna. He gets my vote as well. In a year (and a decade or two!) of little cheer and much chaos on the political, social and economic front, India's satellite and missile programs stand tall, notwithstanding national caps and international opposition over the years. It is a model lesson that one dedicated citizen's singular vision and undefeated will can change a country, and that no excuse must constrain Bharat's development, whether it be lack of funds, or infrastructure, or skills, or even draconian measures by the superpowers. Dr Kalam has thrown the gauntlet: the time for alms-begging is over; it is time to raise ourselves by our (indigenous) bootstraps. If a few good men and women pick up the gauntlet, Bharat could be a great nation even in a decade. India has excelled only when led by its Rishis. From Rohini to Agni, Dr Kalam, a modern Rishi, has led all the way.

Name: Andrew Xavier
Email: xavier@raj.net
Nomination: Diana Hayden
Reason why: End of another year despair. Despair at the current anarchy. Despair at the gloomy future. Are we a doomed country? Doomed to primitiveness. Amazing how successful we are in preserving, promoting backwardness but again there are Indians, voiceless creatures. If only they had a voice you morons! We are here to beat the world at its own game Diana reminds us of the beauty we are capable of.

Name: Anurag
Email: anurag@cs.ust.hk
Nomination: Dr Abdul Kalam
Reason why: He has made India proud.

Name: T MANIVANNAN
Email: t.manivannan@mailexcite.com
Nomination: T N SESHAN
Reason why: Now-a-days we can't hear loudspeakers in the streets during election campaigns.

Name: suhail
Email:suhail@indiamail.com
Nomination: Leander Paes
Reason why: He is not only a member of the Indian doubles team which reached the ATP doubles championship finals but also an excellent emissary of the game and indeed India. He is a leading example to all Indians aspiring to make the world stage. He has excellent leadership qualities and one might as well call him leader Leander!

Name:Jayaraman Venkatanarayanan
Email: vjayram@hotmail.com
Nomination: Shri P Chidambaram
Reason why: He has shown the country the path of economic growth. Exports have reached great heights.

Name: GURDEV SINGH
Email: AMRIT@EROLS.COM
Nomination: SITARAM KESRI
Reason why: WHO ELSE CAN BE NOT ONLY FOR this YEAR BUT the CENTURY TOO. HE HAS THE GUTS TO DREAM OF BEING PM, HE CAN MAKE 80 CRORE PEOPLE SHELL OUT 800 CRORES FOR ELECTION THINKINg HE WILL BE the NEXT PM. HE CAN GO TO SONIA AND MORTGAGE HIS BRAIN, SO THAT HE CAN BE PM. JAIIIII HIIIIND

Name: Gurpreet Singh Narula
Email: narula@umr.edu
Nomination: I K Gujral
Reason why:The most & in fact the only honest & non-corrupt (& who is selfless in thinking the good of India) prime minister that India has ever had since its Independence.

Name: V Lakshmanan
Email: vlaksh@rocketmail.com
Nomination: Rajiv Gandhi
Reason why:I consider him to be the man who opened India to the outside world. Now we are able to do so much in software just because of him. We are talking over phone, that is because of him. He is the person who found Sam Pitroda and developed India. He had very good vision, which no other Indian leaders have. There is a change in economic policies because of him. He has stared it. He is the person who want to make India as the world leader in every aspect. Really we all should make his vision possible and make India strong.

Name: Senthil Karuppiah
Email: senthil_kumar_k@hotmail.com
Nomination:Mr P Chidambaram
Reason why:Policies on Indian economy.

Name: Srinivasa P Dokka
Email: sdokka@weather.com
Nomination: Leander Paes
Reason why: He is the best. He achieved something great. Got some recognition to our country in the international arena. And most importantly, he did it against all odds which include "little or no help" from our respectful government and sports authorities in f(u)inding a personal coach !!

Name:SREEKANTH SINGARAJU
Email: singas@rpi.edu
Nomination:I K GUJRAL
Reason why:HE HAS WITHSTOOD ALL THE PRESSURES THAT the CONGRESS AND HIS OWN CROWD POSED AND WENT ON TO GOVERN EVEN WHEN HE WAS INSULTED IN PARLIAMENT BY SHARAD YADAV FOR the WOMEN'S RESERVATION bill. HE KEPT HIS COOL AND DID WHAT HE WANTED AND TILL THE LAST MOMENT HE TRIED TO PLACATE THE CONGRESS.

Name:Anil Moolchandani
Email:anil@irts.com
Nomination: LEANDER PAES AND MAHESH BHUPATI
Reason why:These two have proved to India that you do not have to be coached by elite coaches to deliver the goods, all you need is a Dream, Hard work, Determination and you can achieve all what you want. Unlike the politicians whose Dream is to swindle the country for millions of dollars, so in my opinion no politician should ever dream of being nominated. The Indian cricket team's performance has not been great, hence no cricketer should be nominated.

Name: Harish Balan
Email: harish@escalade.com
Nomination: Mother Teresa
Reason why: In my opinion, she is also the Indian of the year and of the century with Mahatma Gandhi running a close second. You should also have run a Rediff "Scumbag of the Year" award -- I bet there will be many more contenders for that honour starting with Jayalalitha, Laloo, Bal Thackeray etc. etc.

Name: KUMAR S
Email:kumar3@hotmail.com
Nomination: Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi
Reason why: Politicians are corrupt to the core. Do you mean to say the government they were running was a government? These politicians took the country to dogs. See for yourself Laloo Prasad Yadav nominating his wife as the chief minister. A woman who doesn't even know how to sign her name. I don't mean to hurt the sentiments of women. My nomination: Leander and Mahesh surely did the country proud. The government did not recognise there. But I respect them for the sheer hard work they put into and sacrifice they made for each other and the country. Mahesh was suffering from stomach problems before a tournament. He had reached the top ten in doubles by that time. But Leander had not. He played the next tournament with a stomach ailment and they won it and Leander made it to the top ten. What more commitment can you expect from a player who plays in India where politics and corruption are the high points. My pat to Leander and Mahesh

Name: NARENDRA KUMAR GUPTA
Email: softlink@giasbm01.vsnl.net.in
Nomination: T N SESHAN
Reason why: BOLD PERSON THINKING FOR THE COUNTRY.

Name: prasad krothapalli
Email: prasadk@informix.com
Nomination: President K R Narayanan
Reason why: A remarkable accomplishment for a person born in a poor family in rural India. In the process he has become a role model for many who believe in the system.

Name: Bhavani Shankar
Email: b-shank@uiuc.edu
Nomination: Saurav Ganguly
Reason why: For years, conservationists have fretted about the decline of the Bengal Tiger. Guess what?! Its demise was vastly exaggerated. Saurav has enthralled and delighted an entire nation, and has somehow managed to be sincerely self-effacing about it. Not too long ago, the pundits dismissed him as yet another lucky beneficiary of the endless circus of Indian nepotism. 1997 has seen all the talk disappear in a flurry of exquisite cover-drives. It would seem that he could not put bat to ball this year without piling up the runs. To a nation that looks to cricket to take its mind off the endless grind of daily life, Saurav has come as a whiff of fresh air. As we ring out the old and ring in the new, I raise my glass and toast the Prince of Calcutta.

Name:Neekesh Dharia
Email: neekesh.dharia@cfu-cybernet.net
Nomination: A R Rahman
Reason why: This year was a celebration of our 50th year of Independence and A R Rahman devoted an album to celebrating India and its accomplishments! A R Rahman has taken his album to the international market so people can see how great India is! Furthermore, A R Rahman has devoted a song in his album to try and bring peace between India and Pakistan. That is the only way India can grow and become greater. Also, A R Rahman has raised patriotism in the youth of India and Indians around the world. He has united the youth with the cry Vande Mataram!

Name: Nishikant Deshmukh
Email:njd@wipsys.soft.net
Nomination: Miss Chawla
Reason why: She is the first Woman astronaut from INDIA into space without Indian government support. Are you proud of her ? I am. Nishikant

Name: R Shankar
Email: shankarr@bigfoot.com
Nomination: Illayaraaja
Reason why:He's given great songs for two decades and hasn't received the recognition he deserves. He's the only person from India to be compose a symphony and to be the mayor of Chicago (honourary) for a day. I seriously feel this award should be proud to be in his hands.

Name:Rajesh P S
Email: rajeshps@wipsys.soft.net
Nomination:P Chidambaram
Reason why: I nominate P Chidambaram for his excellent Budget this year and for his economic reforms, sincerity in working and doing an excellent job as a finance minister which no previous FM had done.