Reporting Tips on South Asia
Updates/corrections: saja@columbia.edu / 212-854-5979
last updated: Jan. 30, 2001 @ 11 pm EST

Jan. 26, 2001: Earthquake Strikes Western India and Pakistan
Death Toll crosses 50,000
On this page: Story ideas, news sources, journalists available in India and more
Compiled by Sreenath Sreenivasan, SAJA co-founder & SAJA volunteers

Places to keep track of news about the quake:
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/fc/World/India/
http://www.rediff.com/news/quake.htm http://www.ahmedabad.com
http://www.panjokutch.com
http://www.samachar.com
http://www.indiaserver.com/thehindu/holnus/

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Indian Embassy in Washington:
Quake info

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US Consulate in Bombay:
Journalists and any US citizens are welcome to contact the Consulate:
E-mail: mumbaiacs@state.gov
011-91-22-3633611

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US Source on Gujarat
Howard Spodek, a professor of History at Temple University, is a major scholar of Gujarat history and culture. He is at present finishing a history of Ahmedabad, and has done extensive research in and on Saurashtra. (He has been doing research in Gujarat since 1964 and is available to talk to reporters)
E-mail -- howard spodek / 215-204-8915

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Journalists in India available to help with stories
(numbers to dial from US):

Vir Singh: virility@mantraonline.com
011-91-9810309247

Brinda Suri: brindasuri@hotmail.com

Mannika Chopra: mannika@giasdl01.vsnl.net.in

Norris Pritam: norris@vsnl.com
011-98102-34230

Shishir Joshi: shishir_joshi@hotmail.com
011-91-98200-85853

Viral Bhayani: vralb@hotmail.com

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Story Suggestions
(more to come)

* London-based journalist Salil Tripathi <salil61@hotmail.com> writes... American or Indian reporters, on the field or otherwise, wishing to document/write about the losses suffered, but looking for any off-beat colour, should consider visits to at least two towns. One is Banni, a beautiful village in Kachchh which has some of the most interesting interiors of Indian huts. Made of clay and mirrorwork, those huts are a marvel, and though I don't know if Banni is affected, my fear is that many of those huts may have been razed. Another is the town of Morbi, in Saurashtra. The Maharajah of Morbi was a fan of European architecture, and the town has beautiful architecture, blending European styles with Indian motifs. Again, my fear is that the town, which had suffered enormously during the floods a decade ago, may have lost some of the monuments. I'd like to read a story about that. If someone from the field is reading this, here's an idea.....

DIALING INDIA: See tip below on using Indian area codes.

U.S. ANGLES: People from the western Indian state of Gujarat (where much of the damage has taken place) are known as Gujaratis. They are among the largest groups of South Asian immigrants in the United States.

If you are a reporter in the US and want to find a person of South Asian origin in the local community who might be helping with relief efforts, one avenue is to find Gujaratis to speak to. Try typing "Gujarati Samaj" into the http://www.google.com seach engine. You will find chapters around the country and phone contacts for officers. There's a good chance here's one near you, or else another chapter may know people who know people. eg, the Tampa Bay Gujarati Samaj: http://www.gujaratisamaj.org/. Another tip: Common Gujarati last names are "Patel" and "Shah" (not all Shahs are Gujarati) -- look in the local phone book, or search an online directory such as http://www.anywho.com for folks with those names.

RELIEF EFFORTS: Below are resources for journalists looking to contact people dealing with relief efforts:

When dialing India, be aware that printed numbers list the Indian area codes which have a 0 in front of the code... when dialing from the US, use 011 (the number to dial international calls, then 91 (the code for India), then the local area code and number (skip the zero after the 91). eg: Ahmedabad is listed as "079" -- but to dial from the US, use only the "79".

  • M.N. Buch, former Gujarat resident commissioner in New Delhi, is available to speak with journalists (he is in constant touch with the affected districts): 011-91-11-3383064 or through his son Hemant Buch, a sports journalist, on his mobile 011-98110-0753.

  • List of useful phone numbers of officials in Gujarat:
    Sify.com

  • Online Journalism Review's Guide to Online Earthquake Relief

    US CONTACTS:
  • American Red Cross
    http://www.redcross.org
    To schedule an interview,     please contact either
    Leslie VanSant at 1-800-759-8888, pin #1387251 or cell phone #202-256-3751
    Olga Bellido Deluna at 1-800-759-8888, pin #1202362 or cell phone 202-550-3797

    Donations: You can donate to the American Red Cross and specify that the money go to the India quake victims. 1-800-HELP NOW (1-800-435-7669); say you want to donate to "India Relief"

  • The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
    http://www.usaid.gov --     the U.S. government agency that provides development and humanitarian assistance worldwide.
    USAID Press Office: 202-712-4320

  • Volunteers in Service to Education in India (Connecticut)

    http://www.ntplx.net/~vsei
    R. Raman: vsei@ntplx.net
    860-233-5684

  • American Friends Service Committee
    (Philadelphia HQ, nationwide offices)
    http://www.afsc.org
    Shweta Parmar: sparmar@afsc.org
    215-241-7531
    Jason Erb: jerb@afsc.org
    215-241-7041

  • The Association of Indian Muslims (Silver Spring, MD)
    Kaleem Kawaja: kawaja@worldnet.att.net

  • India Development and Relief Fund (around the US)
    http://www.idrf.org/

  • Queens Area
    Sam & Raj, the first Indian store in Jackson Heights
    Nitin Vora: 718-651-6969 (hosting meetings about quake relief)

  • Jackson Heights Merchants Association (Queens, NY)
    Ramesh Havani, India Sari Palace: 718-426-2700

  • Flushing Hindu Temple (Queens, NY)
    Dr. Uma Mysorekar, President, Hindu Temple Society of North America: 718-460-8484

  • Gujarati Samaj of New York (Queens, NY)
    173-15 Horace Harding Expressway, Flushing
    Peter Bheddah, president: 718)-565-7765
    Chandrakant Patel, secretary: 718-762-9007
    Association of American Physicians from India
    Dr. Bhimsan Rao: 810-466-7065

  • Asian American Hotel Owners Association
    http://www.aahoa.com
    Fred Schwartz: 404-816-5759