Name:Ram Balaraman
Email:ram@greenink.com
Nomination:Dr Abdul Kalam
Reason why:Has made all Indians proud and in the process increased the security of the nation.

Name:Kedarnath Mahapatra
Email:kedar@scc.u-tokai.ac.jp
Nomination:Arundhati Roy
Reason why:We have very sound reason to feel proud of her achievement as the writer of God of Small Things. Although there have been quite a few writers from India in the international arena, she must be the first young Indian writer, who has been able to create so much interest in the Indian life from all over the world by writing the book about agonies and ecstasies...life and death...of the very grass roots.

Apart from getting published in many languages and becoming a bestseller in many countries, winning the Booker Prize is undoubtedly an endorsement to her significant achievement. The great things with her are, she is young, it is her first work and she has strong Indian roots... so we have a ray of hope. In my opinion she is the most outstanding Indian this year (1997) we should feel proud of.

Name:M C Kurup
Email:EJ4604@jp.ibm.com
Nomination:Shri K R Narayanan
Reason why:Shri Narayanan has stood like a tower of hope, the symbol of honesty, integrity and impartiality amidst the chaos and corruption that has maligned public life and high office in India.

Name:Pranesh Prasad
Email:p9550724@anu.edu.au
Nomination:Arundhati Roy
Reason why:Simple: The empire strikes back.

Name:Alpesh
Email:udda@rz.uni-karlsruhe.de
Nomination:Pandurang Shastri Athavale
Reason why:Reasons there are many. What he has done and is tirelessly doing continuously should always be recognised. He has helped many to help themselves in India and across the globe. In India at a time when corruption and mayhem know no bounds, here is someone who has brought out self esteem and respect in millions through his thinking based purely on the Vedas and the Geeta.

He shows no pomp and in a crowd does not stand out as different by virtue of his clothes or any superficial mannerism. Many have given him awards and only this year was he presented with the Templeton Prize for progress in religion. To appreciate really what he has done one needs to find out more.

Name:P Ranganathan
Email:raju@doitnow.com
Nomination:Mother Teresa
Reason why:1997 has been a year of political instability, the effect of which was felt in all quarters. Mother Teresa had been doing service for the needy for decades, still one respects and admires her for the way she passed on the mantle to the successor, and clearly focused her energies on the upliftment of the poor and needy. We all can learn a lot from her! Hence my choice for the person of the year is Mother Teresa.

Name:Narendra Jain
Email:njain1@hotmail.com
Nomination:Sitaram Kesri
Reason why:He is the person who can do everything -- and I mean EVERYTHING, from behind the scenes. Nobody equals him so far.

Name:Kiran Boal
Email:kboal@hotmail.com
Nomination:Ms Kalpana Chawla
Reason why:She did India and Indian women proud!! PM Gujral also commented that the best Birthday present for him was talking to her in space! 50 years of Independence and the Indian women have come of age. May their tribe increase.

Name:Sumitro Majumdar
Email:majumdar@strategy.com
Nomination:Saurav Ganguly
Reason why:The lone fighter among a morally defeated squad. His singlehanded efforts have brought some respect to Indian cricket. When the heavyweights like Tendulkar and Azharuddin fumbled, Saurav has shown what consistency is.

Name:JUHI BHAN
Email:juhibhan@giasbga.vsnl.net.in
Nomination:MOTHER TERESA.
Reason why:In this time of rampant corruption and disillusionment there can be only one person who was above all. She deserves to be not only the INDIAN OF THE YEAR but a great personality of all time. People like her (are there any in this world ?) make one retain ones faith in humanity. In today's materialistic world how many people can claim to have the will power, the strength, empathy and the selflessness to care about others. She did more for the poor, the sick and the dying then our politicians. She was not greedy for limelight and though her death did not result in a great outpouring of grief world wide, we know her status is beyond short-lived adoration and fickle affections.

Name:GuruRaj Dasthan
Email:graj@cdu.com
Nomination:Chandrababu Babu Naidu
Reason why:As he is the only politician who has done some good for his state and who is intended to do more. He is a unique administrator.

Name:Vairakumar
Email:vaira_kum@hotmail.com
Nomination:Nara Chandrababu Naidu
Reason why:Hi-tech CM, with a great vision and working for the same.

Name:Manoj Kumar
Email:manojk@chrtsler.com
Nomination:Nara Chandrababu Naidu
Reason why:A true politician working for the development of the state. He is the man behind the UF.

Name:V Sudhakar
Email:vsudha@hotmail.com
Nomination:Nara Chandrababu Naidu
Reason why:He is working for the development of the state.

Name:Sangam Mohan
Email:ssingh@cs.wright.edu
Nomination:Mother Teresa
Reason why:Amidst the wars of greed, hate, selfishness, pride there was one lady who earned for herself the love and respect from every man and woman in the world. She was the one who showed the "WORLD" what is the meaning of life, what is service to God and humanity.

She would be remembered the most and the longest for eons to come. I am proud to say that I am from the same country where she spent her lifetime. Her's would be the glittering soul to guide all of us to be able to live happily together.

Name:Madhusudan Reddy
Email:SMReddy@iname.com
Nomination:Nara Chandrababu Naidu
Reason why:I vote for Chandrababu Naidu because he is the only hope for India in the present stinking political arena.

Name:Altaf Shaikh
Email:altaf@mailhost.net
Nomination:Dr A P J Abdul Kalam
Reason why:Politicians aside, sports personalities aside. The one reason India can stand tall in front of its neighbours and does not bow down to the world is the one track marathon effort of Dr Kalam and his colleagues. We Indians owe it to him for the pride that India shows in its missile programmes and other technological advances in the Indian defence industry.

It is people like him who work behind the scenes that need to be felicitated and deserve a fare share of recognition. A jewel in the crown, Dr Kalam will also almost certainly motivate the young Indian men and women to make advances in the scientific arena with whatever resources they have at hand in India, unlike the abundant and wealthy West.

Name:Ramesh Ganapathy
Email:ganapath@cae.wisc.edu
Nomination:The common man
Reason why:For continuing to have hope in India, in spite of all its current problems.

Name:Vinodh Kumar
Email:tvindot@uswest.com
Nomination:N Chandrababu Naidu
Reason why:I think he is the only hi-tech politician, who is capable of doing anything for the country. I appreciate his efforts in the computerisation of government related activities and his efforts as a king maker.

Name:Shalini Gupta
Email:ameet@worldnet.att.net
Nomination:A R Rahman
Reason why:Rahman's creation Vande Matram commemorating the 50th anniversary of Indian Independence is indeed a service to the nation. It has instilled a new meaning, purpose and feeling to the much forgotten Vande Mataram which has become just a ceremonial song sung in schools.

Rahman's excellent captivating music has reached out to all -- the X generation, the elders and has crossed the language, religious and political boundaries. This is a beautiful gesture to evoke patriotism, really needed in India.

This attempt to unify India in sentiment and feeling, initiated by a Muslim is a message to those political forces trying to monopolise the 'love for the motherland' that they have to work harder or come up with something new to break up the country. I think Rahman is definitely the Indian of this year.

Name:Gaurang G Vaishnav
Email:vicharak@aol.com
Nomination:Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Reason why:On one side you have the motley crowd of gangsters and petty people turned politicians, known together as UF (United Fraud) and the terminally ill Congress -- on the other side you have a statesman who towers over all the midgets, who has nationwide appeal, irrespective of party affiliations. He is known for his honesty, integrity and acumen. That is why, I nominate Shri Vajpayeeji to be the Man of the Year.

Name:Srinivas Reddy
Email:psreddy_vasu@hotmail.com
Nomination:Mr Chandrababu Naidu
Reason why:For being the only 'working' politician in India. He is the best CM any state had at any time in the last 20 years.

Name:Anand Bemra
Email:anand@odi.com
Nomination:Dr Deepak Chopra
Reason why:He has almost single handedly brought the wisdom of our seers into the Western mainstream.

His predecessors did not have the right ingredients -- communication skills, systematic reasoned approach.

Name:Rajesh
Email:Shah
Nomination:Mohammad Azharuddin
Reason why:For an excellent performance in the Indian cricket team, and great contribution to cricket.

Name:Anurag Jagota
Email:ajagota@hotmail.com
Nomination:Mother Teresa
Reason why:Albanian born, showed more 'Indian' virtues than those born in India borns show for their own people. Even in poor health gave a shining example of service over self. A slogan that every politician/cricketer/Indian needs to imbibe.

The only role model to solve the most basic reason of India's material poverty -- neglect (by government/society). A fitting tribute to her

Name:Paravakkottai
Email:aravoo@hotmail.com
Nomination:Dr A P J Abdul Kalam
Reason why:Science, technology, missile and forthcoming supercomputer, and what not.