Dear Friends: The Madras Library Association (MALA) & Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) Cordially invite you to a talk by Mr. Sashi Kumar TV Journalist & Entrepreneur, Film maker & Chairman, Media Development Foundation & Asian College of Journalism , Chennai on Impact of e-publishing on Information Society at 6.00 p.m. on Saturday, September 30, 2006 Venue: Tata Consultancy Services 100 feet Road, Vadapalani, Chennai The Programme 5.30 p.m. ¡V Tea 5.55 p.m. ¡V Welcome - Prof. A. Amudhavalli, President, MALA 6.00 p.m. ¡V Thematic Address - Mr. Sashi kumar 6.40 p.m. ¡V Interaction 6.55 p.m. ¡V Vote of Thanks - Ms. Githanjali Chandrasekhar, Branch Head, Library and Information Services, TCS Sashi Kumar Mr. Sashi Kumar, a former English Newscaster in Doordarshan, was the founder of Asianet , India ¡Šs first satellite TV channel in the regional language. He has scripted and directed numerous short films and docu-features and in most instances anchored them. He traveled extensively to make these features, visiting the Soviet Union several times during the dismantling phase of ¡¥glasnost¡Š and ¡¥perestroika¡Š; East Germany (GDR) just before the collapse of the Berlin Wall; Romania in the immediate wake of the fall of Nicolae Ceausescu; several countries in eastern Europe to get a feel at first hand of the collapse of communism in that part of the world; several states in Europe and the USA for a mega feature on Disarmament and Development. He also produced a number of special features on the issues affecting South Asia covering Sri Lanka , Afghanistan and the Maldives . Apart from his television documentaries and features, he scripted and directed a film in 16 mm on a friend fighting cancer titled ¡¥Vijayalakshmi, the story of a young woman with cancer, and a science-fictional feature titled ¡¥Nemesis-II¡Š. Scripted and directed a full length feature film in Hindi titled ¡¥Kaya Taran¡Š (Chrysalis). The film deals with the crisis of identity in a multicultural society that turns continually volatile, and straddles the anti-Sikh carnage in the wake of the assassination of Mrs. Indira Gandhi in 1984 and the post Godhra anti-Muslim riots in Gujarat in 2002 (www.kayataran.com). It won him the G.Aravindan Award for the Best Debutant Filmmaker in India of 2004 and has been selected for various international film festivals. In 1999, Sashi Kumar founded the Media Development Foundation as a nonprofit public Trust dedicated to excellence in journalism education and best practices in the profession. Along with his co-Trustees like Mr. N. Ram, Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu group of publications and others he set up the Asian College of Journalism in Chennai (www.asianmedia.org) and presently heading it as its Chairman. He is currently Member, Empowered Committee on Information, Communication & Technology (ICE), Prime Minister¡Šs Office. He is member of the Board of Directors of Real News ¡V Independent World Television. G Looking forward to see you on the 30th. With regards, L. R. Gowri Secretary MALA