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An Infosys employee urged its mentor N R Narayana Murthy to contest elections, but he shrugged the suggestion away.

The employee was responding to Murthy, who had said Infosys employees should participate in the democratic process, and contribute to nation building.

The Jaago Re! One Billion Votes campaign, which wants to get the youth of India to vote, yesterday got Infosys and Wipro to do their bit for the cause.

Inaugurating the event, Rang De Basanti director Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehra said, "I hope that, ten years from now, people realise that this is where the change started."

Mehra regretted India was not a participative democracy yet.

"Jaago Re! is not just about votes. It is about participation and choice," he remarked.

Exhorting his employees to vote, Infosys chairman N R Narayana Murthy said India was famous for software.

"But we need inclusive growth, and this will not happen if you [Infosys' employees] buy bigger cars and houses," he said.

Murthy also said that he wanted to see a government that was known for accountability and transparency. "We cannot have scoundrels masquerading as ministers," he opined.

Suman Ramachandra, national outreach coordinator for Jaago Re! One Billion Votes, said the campaign began because of the anger of one man, Jasmine Shah, the campaign coordinator of Jaago Re! One Billion Votes.

"Over 60 per cent of our population are below 30 and only 6 per cent of them votes," she said.

What's Jaago Re?

Jaago Re is a non-partisan campaign spearheaded by the Bangalore-based NGO Janaagraha. Its aim is to inspire young people across India to pledge to vote. Jaago Re hopes to get a billion voters to the poll booths for the Lok Sabha elections due early-2009. Its website (http://www.jaagore.com/) helps those who sign up get updates on their voter registration status. Jaago Re also sends out voting and election-related news, and reminders on election day. MiD DAY is happy to support this initiative, and will keep you posted about all the campaign action.

For details on Jaago Re, go to

Site
http://www.jaagore.com/
Email
outreach@jaagore.com
Phone
080 4092 6120 / 121 / 122

'I go to the poll booth every time'

What is your interest in Jaago Re! One Billion Votes?
I was contacted by Jasmine Shah, the campaign coordinator of Jaago Re! One Billion Votes, and Ramesh Ramanathan, founder of Janaagraha. I liked the concept and decided to join.

Rang De Basanti did very well. Are you afraid of expectations that people have of your next film Delhi 6?
I only do what I can do. I like to give every movie the best I have got. I think that every movie has to stand on its own.

For Aks, Rang De Basanti and Delhi 6, you are both the director and the writer. Do you want to always write and direct all your movies?
I have only made three movies in my life and I'm still discovering myself. I think that a director is like the author of a movie and he likes to leave his style on the movie. I am enjoying writing and directing my movies, but I don't think that this has to happen with every movie I make.

For over 25 years now, you have enjoyed the right to vote. How often have you voted?
Actually, every time. In the early 1980s, when I became eligible to vote, I went to the polling booth on Tuglaq Road, New Delhi, and was dismayed to find that my name was not on the voters' list. Since then, I have made it a point to verify that my name is on the list, and I have voted every time.

You have a reputation of being a "hatke" director. Is this a tough name to live up to?
It's just a label. People are always trying to give you labels, but you have to be a human. You should avoid being typecast.

Do you want to ever make a movie on voting elections and democracy?
If I get a good story, yes, I would.