Name: Rajaram S
Email: Rajaram_S1@Verifone.com
Nomination: Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi
Reason why: I adopted the elimination procedure.

1. President Narayanan showed great courage in tackling the UP state problem and showed maturity in dealing the national crisis. But this is not good enough ...

2. Arundhati Roy won the Booker but with so many allegations against her, I would not nominate her.

3. Saurav has been playing very well but probably falls just short in my view.

4. Kalpana Chawla brought glory but that is more by chance.

5. I wouldn't even think of Naidu or others.

6.Vajpayee ... I admire that's all.

7. Mother Teresa. Well, I would probably prefer her for the Indian of the century.

8. Illayaraja, hmm... what has he done this year?

9. T N Seshan. He should know his limitations.

10. Dr. Shivaram Karanth.. truly great ..but certainly not the man of this year.

According to me Leander and Mahesh truly deserve the award. Do I need to tell you what they have done?

Name: Rao Maddikera
Email: mairao@hotmail.com
Nomination: Illayaraja, N C Naidu
Reason why: A music director with lot of creativity in both Western and classical. Was applauded by one and all. A politician with vision for tomorrow, doing things today, learning lessons of yesterday, which is rare in any politician.

Name: Anand Ranganathan
Email: anand@cs.utah.edu
Nomination: Dr K R Narayanan
Reason why: Some of his predecessors had acted like mere rubber stamps. He had that option. But he chose to stand up for what he thought was right. There was none of the sycophancy that we've come to expect in our politicians, and seen in some of our Presidents. He restored our faith in the system, without any of the showmanship that has come to characterise some other people who have also stood up to the people in power. But most of all, he showed us that one person can still make a difference. Very heartening. And just what we needed in our golden jubilee.

Name: Indira Sheriff
Email: rbnms@hotmail.com
Nomination: Mother Teresa
Reason why: One of the few Indians that lived a life of simplicity, and whose life can be termed as a lesson on giving all the love to the people of the world.

Name: Haja Sheriff
Email: haja_sheriff_86@hotmail.com
Nomination: Mother Teresa
Reason why: The passing away of Mother Teresa was the biggest blow to the the people of India - for Mother has taught all of us Indians to love all people in spite of their community, caste and creed. India is going to miss this great soul. She should be the Indian of the Year. Her stature seems even higher, when you see the people who hit the headlines (the Kesris, the Laloo Prasad's -- whose personal greed knows no bounds and who will not hesitate to steal from the beggars just to fill their coffers or to achieve their ambitions).

Name: John ChiChung Khan
Email: ChiChung@khan.garibaldi.org
Nomination: Rabri Devi
Reason why: Who has done anything in India for India, this year? Nothing happened this year. The only thing significant that happened is that the value of rupee dropped to its all time low. Economy and poverty remain at its old levels. Corruption is at its all time high. Oh! well, who cares. My nomination towards this ballot is Rabri Devi.

It's just a reminder on how a multi-party system can mess up a nation on its 50th year of Independence. And yet, prove nothing and all goes on as if nothing unusual has happened.

Name: Sandeep Kangutkar
Email: sandeepk100@hotmail.com
Nomination: Sachin Tendulkar
Reason why: He tries to fulfill the expectations of all the cricket loving people on India. They need that spark in their lives. I know how happy people are when he is playing well. He makes all the Indians proud.

Name: Mukul Renavikar
Email: mukul+@pitt.edu
Nomination: Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi
Reason why: As one ponders over the achievements of India in the past year, there seems to be despair and frustration all around. India seems to have reached a cusp in the political and economic scenario. Nothing to cheer about on these fronts. The heroic efforts of Leander and Mahesh stand out as the most inspiring event of 1997.

They have shown true grit, confidence and will power to succeed in tough moments. They have proved to the world that "We, Indians too can rise to the occasion." They have shown that not only are individual skills important but the ability to perform well as a team is equally important in achieving one's goals in life! Their success will go a long way in helping us realise that with the right efforts and sufficient will power, there is nothing impossible to achieve!!

Hats off to both of them!! Wouldn't it be fitting that the Indian of the Year award would be bestowed on both of them, to appreciate the fact that "United We Succeed and Divided We Recede!!" Surely there is hope for India!!

Name: Narendra C Tulpule
Email: narendra@alpha.dtix.com
Nomination: Kalpana Chawla
Reason why: Self-made, dared to dream and achieve it.

Name: Hemant Bhatt
Email: hemant@lucent.com
Nomination: Pandurang Athavle Shashtri
Reason why: Templeton award recipient

Name: Niharika Shukla
Email: nshukla@eng.utoledo.edu
Nomination: Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Reason why: He is the only politician and leader who thinks for about the betterment of the country instead of his own interests.

Name: Annamalai Viswanathan
Email: vishu@simulations-plus.com
Nomination: Mother Teresa
Reason why: She spent her entire life helping those in need. She was a beacon of hope in a country often characterised by hopelessness. She did what she did not because of the fame it may have brought her but because she truly believed in what she was doing. None of your other nominees could even hold a candle to this woman. Although she may have originated elsewhere she is Indian because she epitomises what an Indian, and what a human being can and should be. Close the ballots now and hand her the award. How can you choose anybody else?

Name: Kumar Srinivasan
Email: kumars@att.com
Nomination: Mother Teresa
Reason why: If only all Indians would try to do a small bit of what she had accomplished India, the world would be a much better place.

Name: Anand Kalambur
Email: kanishka@udel.edu
Nomination: Indian Armed forces
Reason why: Fighting in dense jungles and icy cold mountains, through burning alleys, and lethal ambushes they die everyday, but do we ever notice them? It's time we honoured these most dedicated bunch of Indians.

Name: ANAND RAMAKRISHNAN
Email: aramakri@olemiss.edu
Nomination: P Chidambaram
Reason why: The man presented a Budget which was by far the best one in the past how many years I don't know. In spite of all the political turmoil and uncertainty around him, the man did not lose sight of his objective. Today, India may be a laughing stock as far as parliamentary democracy is concerned, but no one can take our economy and the reforms being practised lightly. It is because of people like our dear finance minister that in spite of all the disgusting things happening in politics the common man has still some hope.

Name: Dhanasekar
Email: dhan@postone.com
Nomination: A R Rahman
Reason why: While most of the achievers had the institutional support, this young man, working alone showed to the present youth of India what the youth power is! If there is a beginning of a wave of national pride amidst the youth today, his Vande Mataram has a very significant role to play!

Name: Rafeek Kottai
Email: rkottai@trase.com
Nomination: Dr Abdul Kalam
Reason why: For propelling India into the space age.

Name: Sarat Nagabhirava
Email: snagabhi@teir.com
Nomination: Chandrababu Naidu
Reason why: For implementing novel schemes for the betterment of the state and a brilliant vision for the future of Andhra Pradesh. He has set a standard for other politicians to follow.

Name: JAYESH K
Email: JAYESH@IX.NETCOM.COM
Nomination: Dr Avil Pakir Jalaluddin Abdul Kalam
Reason why: I would like to nominate Bharat Ratna Dr Avil Pakir Jalaluddin Abdul Kalam as my choice for the person of the year. He chose to remain in India, and work for his country despite all sorts of problems one could imagine. He did not leave India unlike other scientists of Indian origin, who after obtaining the highly subsidised public education migrated to the West citing all sorts of reasons (like lack of opportunity, corruption, no freeways, no shopping malls etc.).

Name: Vandana Bhounsle
Email: prerana@asiaonline.net
Nomination: P Chidambaram
Reason why: Yes! there have been great souls who deserve to be nominated as person of the year, but P Chidambaram would win my vote. Throughout his tenure, with Deve Gowda or Gujral he has really strived against all odd forces to bring India to world notice. He is one person who makes me feel good when we are talking of bringing our country to the forefront, and on whom I pin my hopes. He is striving to make a dynamic future for India.

Name: Madhu S R
Email: reddy@techie.com
Nomination: Chandrababu Naidu
Reason why: It was hard to choose just one name, since there are many people doing good work for the nation. I usually don't think high of any politicians. But I feel Mr Naidu is doing enough for his state and in turn, the country. A dynamic personality, trying to bring in a technical revolution in the state in spite of the controversies and obstacles from all sides.

Name: Rajat Anand
Email: Rajat.Anand@Eng.Sun.Com
Nomination: K R Narayanan
Reason why: Man of character. Leaders like him are needed to take India to the next century, and help in the betterment of county and the masses living out there.

Name: S Nambirajan
Email: nambi@biochem.wustl.edu
Nomination: Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi
Reason why: While all the politicians are just trying to cling on to power some way or other, and most people are only interested in cricket, I think these two did India proud by their single minded devotion to the game. More so because their performance in the Davis Cup events for the country have been much better than their own individual tournament appearances.

Name: Anu Chinta
Email: rchinta@aol.com
Nomination: T N Seshan
Reason why: He was a lone man fighting the corrupt politicians and still managed to do a wonderful job with our electoral process. Given a chance he can change the face of our country into a far more progressive nation.

Name: Lakshmi Chakravarti
Email: rash@giasbm01.vsnl.net.in
Nomination: I K Gujral
Reason why: This personality has a very impressive style of coping with stress and pressure. This according to me, is an admirable trait for a human being and better still, if he is an Indian!

Name: R Krishnaprasad
Email: krishna@umr.edu
Nomination: Dr Abdul Kalam
Reason why: In the age where self sufficiency is the key, no one has contributed more to that goal than Dr Kalam. Dr Kalam's contribution helps India as a country and that is the factor that make me choose the great Dr Kalam.