India Rising speakers in Wall Street Journal

As we approach the new year, the Wall Street Journal asked some 32 influential people three questions: "What professional project do you plan to complete in 2009? What personal resolution do you finally hope to keep next year? And what problem should your industry or professional community tackle more effectively?"

As it happens, two of the respondents, Vikram Chandra and Shashi Tharoor, are featured speakers at our upcoming Indian Rising program on Feb. 27-28. Here are their responses the Journal's questions.

Vikram Chandra, 47

Author, Mumbai and Berkeley, Calif.

PROFESSIONAL: I just started a new novel a couple of months ago, and in a magical, perfect world I'd finish it in 2009. But my last novel came in at 900 pages, so I'll settle for slow, steady progress.
PERSONAL: I'm the father of a 7-month-old baby, so I think it's time for me to get done with my driving lessons and face the terrors of the DMV.
INDUSTRY: I'd love the publishing industry the world over to accept fully and without further complaint that electronic publishing is here to stay, and to provide innovative, sophisticated and, above all, low-priced competition for the Kindle and Sony Reader.

Shashi Tharoor, 52

Associated Press

Shashi Tharoor

Former under-secretary-general of the United Nations, author, Trivandrum, India

PROFESSIONAL: I have been immersing myself more and more into Indian public life. With the terror attacks having brought the country to a crossroads and national elections due in the spring, I will have to decide whether and how far to involve myself in my country's political future.
PERSONAL: To take a real stab at beginning work on a novel -- my last was in 2001. Though there have been three nonfiction books since, I haven't been able to find the time or the space inside my head to create my own fictional world.
INDUSTRY: We need in 2009 to tackle the task of reinterpreting America to the world: post-Bush, post-9/11, and post the historic election that has galvanized Washington-watchers on every continent.

(from Wall Street Journal, Dec. 27, 2008, pp. W1-W3)