Site on mutuals launched in Hindi
Online IndiaCapital.com Pvt Ltd on Wednesday announced the launch of India's first Hindi site on personal finance, www.bharatiyamutualfund.com, which caters specifically to the mutual funds segment in India. The English version of this site, www.mutualfundsindia.com, has already been rated amongst the top 150 sites of the world by Forbes magazine (only four Indian sites features in this list). Controller of digital signatures takes chargeThe first controller of digital signatures, Mr KN Gupta, has taken charge of his office. Mr Gupta told reporters that he plans to grant the first licence for the certifying authority of e-signature early next year.

Yes, e-minister!
British minister for e-commerce and small business Patricia Hewitt who described herself as a match-maker for businesses in India and the UK caused considerable amusement when she also dubbed herself as an `e-minister'. For Indian industry that has carried the yoke of government interference for long enough, the `virtues of a virtual minister' did seem attractive.Good things in life don't come for free!

If an army marches on its stomach, journalists too, usually, expect to be fed. On the opening day of the Bangalore IT.COM 2000 though, the treatment was more than most of the media could stomach. After having been promised food and drink (mineral water only) by the Karnataka secretary for Information Technology at the media centre, and nothing except words to chew on, hungry scribes could be seen lounging around well past lunch hour pretty well fed up with the organisers. Moral of the story? Maybe there really ain't no such thing as a free lunch.

Connectivity blues -- Plug'n pray
Another one from the media centre. Apart from the other essentials, the organisers had promised several PCs with high-speed Internet access at the venue for the media to streamline flow of copy. The machines were there, but hardly of any use since the Internet link was down. Scribes were seen heading eagerly for the terminals and then retreating in dismay. Another lesson for the organisers: Apart from food, journalists also need connectivity to keep going.

Look for the cue
One cannot escape the Kaun Banega Crorepati fever that has gripped Indian TV viewers -- even at IT.COM. Cashing in on the boom, bright yellow banners promised all the visitors who missed a chance to win a crore at `KBC' to try their hand at winning at QBC (an infotech-related Question Bank Contest)! Computerji....