It was a riot of red, white and blue. At this year's, India Festival in Tampa the air was definitely American with banners everywhere reading "God Bless America", more so as the day-long 14th annual event at the University of South Florida Sun Dome stadium was dedicated to victims of the September 11 terror attacks. Organised by the Gujarati Samaj, the festival drew 6,000 people, one of whom was Bill Clinton impersonator Tim Waters. Stalls selling ethnic food, clothing, jewellery, handicrafts and, of course, the latest tapes from Bollywood; evenings dedicated to folk dances-the mela spirit was more than evident. The organisers expect to collect over $25,000 for the Black Tuesday victims, said Festival Chairman Jay Choksi. Here's where cultural and social sensibilities are intact.

-Nitish S. Rele

INVERTOR: Goswami

It was invented six years ago, but at a time when the A-word is enough to send a chill, Dr Yogi Goswami's invention may just be the antidote. The professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Florida has come up with a device that can zap anthrax spores in contaminated areas. At $1,000-$1500, the air cleaning device traps and destroys dust mites and mould spores-a "bullet for the bacteria" indeed.

-Lavina Melwani

PRINCETON
Chasing Dreams

The basement theatre at Princeton University has a seating capacity of 90 but on both evenings when Chasing Anjali was staged, there were over 140 people. Produced by Princeton South Asian Theatrics (p-sat), many of whose members also acted in it, the comedy had earlier travelled to Duke and Rutgers Universities. p-sat was launched in 1999 with Desis of Our Lives and last year the students staged Birds, Bees & Biodata. Given the themes-cultural alienation, conflicts about campus life, identity crisis-the plays are striking a chord with desi students on other campuses too. "They reflect the sensibilities of South Asian students here," says Aneel Delawalla, who was part of the Chasing Anjali cast. The demand for some more performances from students and professors alike speaks of P-sat's rising popularity in Princeton.

-Mabel Pais

NEW YORK
Heart of a Monk

As a monk, Nicholas Vreeland is expected to feel at home anywhere. But Vreeland, the editor of the current Dalai Lama bestseller, An Open Heart: Practicing Compassion in Everyday Life would rather be in the Tibetan monastery near Hubli in Karnataka. India has been home to him for more than 15 years. "The friendliness of the people in India is something I truly cherish," he says. He went to New York University wanting to be a film-maker, but Buddhism beckoned him. Vreeland first Indian trip was to photograph the lamas and learn first hand about Buddhism. He soon became an official photographer for the Dalai Lama. Vreeland spent about a month in New York recently to promote the latest book by the Dalai Lama. But even as he was publicising the book, he was longing to get back back "home" to continue leading his "life of prayer and meditation".

-Mabel Pais

HOLLYWOOD
Crime and Carrot

As co-producer of When We Were Kings- the 90-minute-long 1996 Oscar-winning documentary on the 1974 championship bout between George Foreman and Muhammad Ali-Vikram Jayanti, 45, shot into the limelight. Today, he is getting more attention as a director. His movie-length documentary, James Ellroy's Feast of Love and Death has already travelled to more than a dozen film festivals. Ellroy, of course, is a bestselling author, whose best-known work is L.A. Confidential. Though several documentary films have been made on Ellroy, Jayanti's imaginative feat scores over the rest. With the help of Ellroy, hard nosed Los Angeles detectives and a prize-winning crime writer, he solves the murder of Elizabeth Short, a young Hollywood hopeful, which has haunted Ellroy ever since. "I love working on crime subjects," he says. Next assignment is for the BBC, so stay tuned.

-Mabel Pais

CANADIAN CAMEO
Musical Memories

Rajan Sharma Mehar is an accountant by profession and works for the provincial gathering. But what has got him a huge fan following is his voice. Brought up listening to legends Mohammad Rafi, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar, Mehar grew up idolising them. And over the years, his reverence has only grow stronger. Now he has released his debut CD, Memories of Mehar, as a tribute to his favourite singers. He enjoys singing old Hindi melodies and new pop songs. Already a familiar voice on Toronto's entertainment scene, Mehar has performed widely.

-Eugene Correia