Kolkata's date with Bloggers, Feb 20, 2011

Feb 20, 2011 was a fun filled day for many bloggers of Kolkata. Probably for the first time here we had two back to back blogging events organized separately in two separate venues. The day for us started at about 12AM with the IndiBlogger's meet, which was carrying the Akshaya Patra Foundation's message across to bloggers in Kolkata and around.

The Akshaya Patra Foundation is a non profit organization which provides mid day meals to students in schools. Its program is the largest of its kind in the world by a non profit organization. Akshaya Patra Foundation wants to spread its message across the world through online media: citizen journalism and word of mouth. Its cause is to solve one of th fundamental issues of our country, the battle of education with hunger. Students from very poor financial background can not continue education since they are more hungry for bread than books. What mid meal programs do is reverse the effects of poverty a little bit by providing healthy, tasty food to children who attend school. This message is very strong and the effort is one which can shape India's future.

With the help of bloggers from around the nation Akshaya Patra Foundation can attract more people (donors or volunteers) to its cause. The IndiBloggers meet gave a chance to all kinds of bloggers to meet and discuss on social, technical and general issues. Networking and launch was of course a part of this. Overall a great meet which ended around 5 PM with a band performance.

Right after IndiBlogger meet we head straight to Salt Lake Stadium grounds where Kolkata Blogger's Meet was to start from 6PM. People had already gathered by the time we reached and introductions rounds were just about to start. The crowd here too was filled with enthusiastic bloggers who were eager to show off their blog and learn from others. We had a few prominent bloggers take the stage and talk on what it meant for them to blog. The variety of bloggers including Android fan boys to poets and everyone in between.

Kolkata Bloggers' Meet had some speakers on the important point of monetizing a blog so people can take blogging as a career option. There were discussions on SEO and content quality of a blog too. Overall a great take back and of course nothing beats the networking in a city which waits a while to get an event. But it seems recently that events are catching up in Kolkata. I am really optimistic about this all and would like to hint there is a plan for a monthly meet for IT professionals which will have design, content and technology tracks. Hurrah for us!