17th Annual NetIP Conference 2008, Boston

NetIP: Of speed dating and motivational speeches - Conference Coverage by Rediff & India Abroad

2008-10-10T06:24:00.000-07:00

From speed dating to listening to thought provoking talks by professor Tarun Khanna of the Harvard Business School, over 800 members of the Network of Indian Professionals recently spent three days in Boston.

The 2008 Conference theme, 'Explore, Dream, Discover,' was aimed at inspiring and encouraging professionals to think and act beyond their perceived boundaries, conference leaders said. The conference sought to highlight the greater issues within the Indian Diaspora and in India, including the plight of malnourished children and the efforts of Akshay Patra to feed and empower them by ensuring that they stay in the schools.

The participants also heard a raft of entrepreneurs including Gururaj 'Desh' Deshpande who in recent years has passionately committed himself to social entrepreneurship even while continuing to start new businesses year after year.

They marveled at 29-year-old Abhi Shah who spurned the traditional Harvard MBA route to Wall Street and runs a legal outsourcing company that he founded two years ago and which today has over 300 attorneys, legal aids and other workers in America and India.

And they admired Vikram Akula, who despite the opposition of traditional moneylenders and political forces, apart from Naxalites, runs across India a for-profit micro-financing organisation that makes out small loans of about $100 to thousands of women each month.

South Asians still few in law trades - NetIP Conference Article by India New England

2008-09-24T20:49:00.000-07:00

By MARK CONNORS

When Judge Sabita Singh recently presided over a case tried by public defender Radha Natarajan, one of a small number of South Asian litigators in Massachusetts, Singh couldn’t help but feel the need to step in and help the attorney when law enforcement officials she was questioning became hostile.

“Look at [Natarajan], she’s tiny, and these [witnesses] were these big, broad guys who became borderline hostile, borderline disrespectful. And part of me wanted to step in and help her,” said Singh, who added that seeing powerful South Asian lawyers practicing in her courtroom is “an incredible experience.”

But Singh restrained herself. “I thought, what would that do to her credibility?” she said. “And so I didn’t do anything.”

Both Singh and Natarajan participated in the panel discussion, “South Asian Lawyers in the Public Eye,” as part of the 17th annual Network of Indian Professionals, or NetIP, conference, a national event held Aug. 29-31 at the Renaissance Waterfront Hotel in Boston. Other panelists included: Manisha Bhatt, senior attorney for Greater Boston Legal Services; Tejal Mehta, assistant district attorney at the Middlesex County district attorney’s office; and Anuradha Yadav, a corporate attorney based in Atlanta.

Panelists agreed that South Asians are not well represented in the American legal community. “A lot of times when I walk into court, the first thing they ask me is if I’m the interpreter,” Natarajan said.

2008 Conference Pictures are up on our website!

2008-09-15T06:53:00.001-07:00

Pictures from the 2008 NetIP Conference in Boston are up on our conference website www.netipconference.org. Videos will be posted soon. Meanwhile if you want to share your own picture albums and/or videos you can do so on our conference forum. Discuss about Conference pictures and share your interesting, and funny moments at the conference!

Congratulations to our 2008 Boscar Winners

2008-09-10T22:46:00.000-07:00

At the 17th Annual NetIP Conference this year, a new tradition was started. Boscar Awards were given as part of a red-carpet themed gala to recognize the remarkable achievements of our organization’s finest leaders and celebrate the true spirit of NetIP. Our chapter leaders often go unnoticed while tirelessly preparing events across North America and constructing NetIP’s reputation as a positive and meaningful organization. However, these chapter leaders are the primary reason for our success as a non-profit voluntary organization that has slowly and steadily expanded to have a presence in 23 cities across the US and Canada.

It was NetIP North America’s honor this year to realize the accomplishments of individuals that often times go unnoticed as we strive to be a united and high-performing community. This year, we brought the style, glamour and flair of Bollywood and the dignity, sophistication, and inspiration of the Oscars, and united them into one magnificent event: The BOSCARS.

As many of us have learned over the course of the 17th Annual Conference, if we can find time to develop our professional skills, build on important personal connections, and make a positive difference in our communities, we will find life much more exciting, and ultimately, more rewarding and fulfilling. The leaders and chapters recognized at this year’s first ever BOSCARS ceremony have demonstrated these important values.

Please join us in congratulating our 2008 BOSCAR winners:

Best Community Service Event – Community Service Day by NetIP NY
Best Overall Event – “Rape, Regret & Retribution”: a socio-cultural theatrical event by NetSAP Bosto
Best Individual Officer (three-way tie): Purti Bali/NetSAP DC, Pallavi Chhabra/NetSAP Boston, Debashish Das/NetIP NY
Best Large Chapter President – Seema Tejura & Samrat Kulkarni, Co-Presidents, NetIP NY
Best Small Chapter President – Santosh Perla, President, NetIP Pittsburgh
Best Officer Board - NetSAP DC
Best Emerging Chapter – NetIP Phoenix
Best Small Chapter – NetIP Pittsburgh (two-time consecutive winners of this award)
Best Large Chapter – NetSAP Boston (three-time consecutive winners of this award)

The Many Firsts at the 2008 NetIP Conference

2008-09-06T14:51:00.000-07:00

The 2008 NetIP conference showcased diversity and many firsts among South Asian organizations throughout North America.

The conference raised awareness about several causes in the community through a range of topics and speakers. One of the highlights of the conference was the Born Into Brothel - Kids with Cameras exhibition on Friday night (August 29th, 2008) for which NetIP raised over $1000 in just 2 hours. Apart from knowing about the conditions of children in the red light districts in India, supporting these children financially showed how serious the organization is about helping them.

Comments Rebecca Burton from Kids with Cameras, "Kids with Cameras was delighted to participate in the NetSAP Conference in Boston. It was a pleasure to see the attendees' response to the Calcutta Workshop exhibit and the Born Into Brothels screening. It was a pleasure to hear stories of the attendees' own relationship to India and to hear how the movie touched them. We are so appreciative that we were invited to participate in such a dynamic, organized and impactful conference. A special thanks goes out to Usha Govindarajulu for her organization of the event, to the conference committee for all of their help throughout the evening, and to all of the attendees who made a financial contribution."

Another volunteering event for hope foundation had over 100 conference attendees assembling toiletry kits for a local homeless shelter. Participation of over 8 non-profits at the alliance partner luncheon at the conference on Saturday, August 30th, signified the influential role of NetIP and NetSAP in bringing all these organizations together and its committment to the betterment of the community. Moreover keynote speakers and several panelists stressed on the importance of giving back to the community.

Gayathri, Associate Director of Development at The Immigrant Learning Center, who was attending a NetIP event after almost 10 years commented - "the weekend was a wonderful surprise- I felt a true sense of community and made new friends and re-connected with some old friends. What really struck me was how diverse a group the attendees all were and how many other artists I met, and how much of a focus on non-profits there was at the conference." Gayathri is now inspired to volunteer with NetSAP Boston and help grow the organization.

Movie screenings based on social issues and cultural chai chat panels on relationships, and identity brought many important issues to the fore. Attendees were engrossed, shared their personal stories and interacted with the panelists to learn their views. The conference was perhaps the first mainstream conference ever to bring awareness about the GLBT community. As Sarav Chitambaram, CEO of Mediafactory LLC and the first Gay to participate in an Indian Conference puts it "This is one more step towards achieving equality for the GLBT community and one more step closer to integration the Straight and GLBT South Asian communities."

Focus was also laid on mainstream topics such as finance, healthcare, law, politics, media and music which on the other hand also showed how certain speakers followed unconventional paths to follow their passion.

All these initiatives and several others at this conference have helped differentiate the 2008 Conference from the conferences in the past and have added value to the NetIP brand.

As Vivek Agrawal, another attendee from the conference says "NetIP just put on what will go down in Indian-American history as one of the seminal events of the early 21st century. The energy, professionalism, and networking, both social and professional, will inspire all other South Asian events in future!"

NetIP conference in Boston to draw industry stalwarts - Preview Article by Rediff

2008-09-02T20:48:00.000-07:00

With the mantras 'Explore, Dream, Discover,' the 17th edition of the three-day Network of Indian Professionals in North America (NetIP) conference to be held in Boston offers to the 800 participants opportunities to hear industry leaders and stalwart professors, including Gururaj 'Desh' Deshpande of Sycamore Networks; Tarun Khanna, professor at Harvard University Business School; and Vikram Akula of SKS Microfinance.

The August 29-31 event also has a strong dose of cultural activities featuring stand-up comics, the screening of socially conscious films such as Vanaja (whose producer and director Rajneesh Domalpalli is attending the event) and Anita Jain, the author of the comical and life-affirming memoir, Marrying Anita.

The event is organized by The Network of South Asian Professionals of Boston (NetSAP) and the national body NetIP.

"One of the things the speakers and discussions will emphasize on this year is how one can be cross-functional," said Tushneem Dharmagadda, the president of NetSAP and the co-chairman of the convention.

Read more at: http://www.rediff.com/money/2008/aug/25net.htm

Acting Workshop: Become a Superstar

2008-08-27T09:57:00.000-07:00

Watch out for an acting workshop for beginning actors who are looking for a fun tutorial in basic acting skills! It will be held during the conference on Sunday, August 31 from 2:30 - 4:30 pm. There will be 3 sessions held in parallel, each hosted by a different group or instructor: SAATh, SETU, and Naveen Naveen.

SAATh and SETU are both Boston-based South Asian theater groups who have each been in the area over 5 years putting on plays. Naveen Naveen is a professor of theater arts in Santa Monica, CA and has many years of theatre experience. Each group offers its own unique compilation of a beginner's acting workshop.

Each workshop can accomodate up to 16 people maximum so please check out the description of each on the website (www.netipconference.org) and decide which one fits you the best. Then come on Sunday as admittance to each workshop is on a first come, first serve basis. Don't miss out on your chance to become the next superstar!

Familiarize yourself with Parking and other Locations in & around the Venue

2008-08-25T08:31:00.000-07:00

Please look at the Map below to familiarize yourselves with the Directions and the Parking information around the venue - Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel.

Ballrooms and Registration are located on the 3rd Floor in the Hotel

Click on the markers on the map below or view larger map for details about the locations.

View Larger Map

Press Release: 17th Annual NetIP Conference in Boston aims to bring the Indian Community together and inspire them to attain the pinnacle of success

2008-08-24T19:55:00.000-07:00

Boston MA, August 24th, 2008 – The Network of South Asian Professionals of Boston is proud to host the 17th Annual Conference to be held in Boston, MA from Friday August 29th through Sunday August 31st, 2008. The conference is NetIP’s annual premier event and draws people from all over North America. The conference theme - “Explore. Dream. Discover.” will offer a unique experience for the South Asian professional community and inspire people to try something out of the ordinary.

This year, NetSAP Boston which is a two time winner of the best large chapter award and has a strong reputation and credibility in executing high-caliber quality events will partner with NetIP North America to execute this conference. The upscale conference will take place at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel off the Boston Harbor in the Seaport District.

Over 55 top-notch speakers from diverse backgrounds in Technology to Politics to the Arts will help drive the sessions at the conference. Some notable speakers include Desh Deshpande, Chairman of Sycamore Networks, Tarun Khanna, Jorge Paulo Lemann Professor from Harvard Business School, Vikram Akula, CEO and founder of SKS Microfinance, and Tim Murray, Lieutenant Governor of Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In addition to engaging the audience with their insights and experiences, these distinguished speakers will serve to inspire the professionals to go beyond perceived boundaries and reach new heights.

The keynotes at the conference will be interspersed with over 12 different breakout sessions and other entertainment segments. The breakout sessions are ideal in that they provide ample options for attendees to choose from whether they seek to grow professionally or entertain a field or sector they are interested in pursuing or are passionate about. Moreover, the conference has clearly incorporated the Explore, Dream, Discover themes in its programming by incorporating various hands-on workshops, a mini- film festival and numerous creative networking opportunities. These sessions at the conference include Art exhibitions, Documentary screenings, and panels on Finance, Healthcare, Social Entrepreneurship, Socio-Cultural issues and Global opportunities.

Apart from the intellectually stimulating sessions, the conference also boasts of the best entertainment options including a Dinner Cruise on the Odyssey on Saturday and a Red Carpet themed gala on Sunday which will have entertainers like Rajiv Satyal and Rasika Mathur doing Stand-up comedy, Boston Bhangra, and other renowned groups. Optional events such as Wine n Greet, Duck Tour and the exclusive tour of Institute of Contemporary Arts will provide more options to attendees.

The conference has already created lot of excitement in the community and registrations have already been sold out early. Kishore Mosaliganti, an attendee who registered early for the conference says, "The distinguished speakers are the most exciting thing for me. I am interested in knowing what their ideas are and what they are upto. The conference is also a melting pot where you can meet people from different walks of life.”

“I am excited about the conference and would definitely recommend it to others! I attended the NetIP Conference in Boston in 2002 and found it to be a wonderful experience. I think the unique combination of Boston's great cultural and social opportunities combined with NetSAP Boston's strengths as a chapter will make this a great conference!” commented Prema Srinivasan, another attendee who registered for the conference.

Desh Deshpande, Chairman of Sycamore Networks and a philanthropist, who is a keynote speaker at the conference, commended NetSAP Boston on its effort – “NetIP and NetSAP have fostered lasting friendships among its members. This friendship has formed a strong foundation for building a national network to support each other professionally and socially. NetSAP members have demonstrated the spirit of giving back to the communities in which they live and work. I wish them success in their endeavors to establish a legacy for present and future generations of young South Asians.”

The 17th Annual NetIP Conference would not be possible with the support of the many volunteers and partner organizations who are dedicated to making a difference in their community. The conference team is led by Tushneem Dharmagadda who is the Conference Co-Chair and President of NetSAP Boston, and Sundip Arora who is the Conference Co-Chair and VP Events for NetIP North America. The core team that includes Shobhit Chugh for Content, Swarupa Purandare for Sponsorship, Pallavi Chhabra for Logistics and Aruna Paramasivam for Marketing are supported by over 45 volunteers in their efforts. Conference partners include Indian Medical Association of New England (IMANE), South Asian Bar Association of Greater Boston (SABA), US India Political Action Committee (USINPAC) and Boston Bhangra.

The conference promises to bring many South Asians together and focus on key relevant issues that we face today – something that everyone from the community should be looking forward to participate in. More information about the conference can be found at www.netipconference.org

India New England: Network of Indian Professionals brings national event to Hub

2008-08-24T19:46:00.000-07:00

A recent preview article of the conference by India New England!

The Network of Indian Professionals is bringing its national conference back to Boston. NetIP, which represents South Asian professionals living throughout North America, will hold its 17th annual conference in Boston August 29-31, the first time the event has been in the Hub since 2002.

The conference is organized for the first time in equal partnership with the group’s local chapter, the Network of South Asian Professionals of Boston, or NetSAP. The event will feature the theme “Explore. Dream. Discover.” Organizers said they hope to inspire attendees to try something out of the ordinary.

“We touch on wildly different topics like technology, art and social entrepreneurship,” said NetSAP President Tushneem Dharmagadda. “Our goal is to expose attendees to different things.”

Register Only for CME, CPE and CLE Accredited Panels for $30

2008-08-22T12:09:00.000-07:00

Network of South Asian Professionals of Boston and the Network of Indian Professionals of North America invite you to join us for an afternoon of interactive accredited sessions at the NetIP Conference.

CME, CPE and CLE Accredited Panels
2:30pm – 6:30pm, Friday, 29th August
Presenters:
Dr. Sam Shekhar, Ajay Gohil, Jim Magner, Peter Quinn, Dr. JoAnne M. Foody, Dr. Ami Parekh

In partnership with Indian Medical Association of New England (IMANE ), and South Asian Bar Association (SABA), NetIP Conference hosts Continued Medical Education (CME), Continued Professional Education (CPE), and Continued Legal Education (CLE) Accredited Sessions.

These sessions will be followed by an *exclusive networking event.*

Listed below are the various CME/CPE/CLE topics & sessions at the conference.
• What Every Physician Needs to Know to Set up Their Practice (CME/CPE/CLE)
• Healthcare Law & Policy Update 2008 (CME)
• Executive Benefits & Programs (CPE)
• Risk Management and Professional Ethics (CLE/CME)
• Diabetes & CardioVascular Health in South Asians (CME)
• Protecting Public Health in the US (CME)

More details about these sessions at http://www.netipconference.org/schedule.php

Come network with other professionals, learn and enhance your resume.

Register ONLY for these sessions for $30
http://www.netipconference.org/continued-education

ADVANCE REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.

THESE SESSIONS ARE COMPLIMENTARY FOR REGISTERED CONFERENCE ATTENDEES

"Born into Brothels" - Kids with Cameras art exhibition and fundraiser

2008-08-22T09:37:00.001-07:00

Come see this amazing art exhibition and participate in the fundraiser for "Kids with Cameras" from the documentary film, Born into Brothels. A rare opportunity to see the artwork from the children in Calcutta supported by the Kids with Cameras project. The art exhibition and fundraiser will be held on Friday, August 29 beginning at 7:30 pm during the Annual NetIP 2008 conference.

Background
Zana Briski had no intention of teaching anybody anything when she went to live among the women and children of Calcutta's red-light district. But from the start, the kids in the brothels were wildly curious about her camera. Zana set aside her own project of photographing the women in the brothels and, over the course of a three-year period, led a photography workshop attended by sometimes eight, sometimes nine children. This exhibition represents the work produced during that time. The goal of the workshop was to provide a safe place for the kids to be themselves, to learn, to have a lot of fun and, in the process, to come to believe in their own worth. Slowly, they came to recognize and accept the permission they'd been given "to be as big as they really are," she says. The workshops and the children are the subject of Born into Brothels, directed by Zana Briski and Ross Kauffman. Born into Brothels won the 2005 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

Kids with Cameras
In 2002, Zana founded Kids with Cameras just as the Calcutta workshop was coming to an end. As a non-profi t organization, it exists to carry on the legacy of that first group, igniting kids imaginations through photography and empowering marginalized children to explore and celebrate the fullness of who they are. Kids with Cameras has provided support to gifted photographers to lead children? workshops in other parts of the world. The organization is also sponsoring the development of a home for children in the red-light district.To learn more about the work Kids with Cameras is doing to educate and empower children, and to buy prints from this show, please visit http://www.kids-with-cameras.org. All proceeds from purchases go to support the children's education.

REGISTRATION CLOSING EARLY!

2008-08-20T17:06:00.000-07:00

WE ARE LOOKING AT CLOSING CONFERENCE REGISTRATION AS SOON AS WE SELL OUT TONIGHT!

As of now, please be advised that we are close to selling out so registration would most likely close at 9 PM tonight!

Dress Code For Conference Attendees

2008-08-20T15:54:00.000-07:00

Here are the dress codes for Conference Attendees. Make sure you pack the clothing when you head out to the conference!

DRESS CODE
The NetIP conference team reserves the right to refuse admission for non-adherence of the below suggested dress code for the weekend.

Daytime Sessions:
In an effort to maintain a professional atmosphere, we require Business Casual attire for all daytime sessions. Please refrain from wearing shorts, baseball caps, flip flops, halter cut tops, sun dresses, torn/frayed denim, club wear and any other inappropriate workplace attire.

Friday Night:
Dress to Impress with an emphasis on a Tropical Theme to kick off the conference in high spirits and vivid colors to mark the end of the summer.

Saturday Optional Events Attire:
Trendy Casual where the choice to be comfortable or elegant is yours to make!

Saturday Night:
Cocktail Attire with a strong recommendation toward jackets for men and dresses for women.

Sunday Evening:
Black Tie Optional or Eastern/Western Formal with an emphasis on a Maharaja-Maharani Theme.

Wine N' Greet (Speed Dating) is Sold Out! ICA & Duck Tour still open!

2008-08-20T15:41:00.000-07:00

The Wine N' Greet at the Conference is SOLD OUT for Ladies. We have very few slots open for guys and these will sell out soon. So if you have not registered yet we encourage you to do it soon.

There will not be any sign ups for Wine N' Greet at the door since this is a limited seating optional event (for 200 Only).

Try other Optional Events where you may have better opportunity to meet people! 400 other attendees will make it to these optional events on Saturday. Thats over 3/4ths of the total attendees!

Registration for the Duck Tour or the Exclusive Tour of the Institute of Contemporary Arts is still open. These events provide an opportunity for you to network with like-minded individuals in a setting where you will also enjoy Boston or the Art work by Anish Kapoor!

Grand Duck Tour
Experience the exclusive tour of Boston by land and water aboard the legendary "DUCKS", a World War II amphibious landing vehicle.

The fun begins as soon as you board your DUCK. First, you'll be greeted by one of the legendary tour ConDUCKtors, who'll be narrating your tour. Then you're off on a journey like you've never had before. You'll cruise by all the places that make Boston the birthplace of freedom and a city of firsts, from the golden-domed State House to Bunker Hill and the TD Banknorth Garden, Boston Common and Copley Square to the Big Dig, Government Center to fashionable Newbury Street, Quincy Market to the Prudential Tower, and more. And, as the best of Boston unfolds before your eyes, your ConDUCKtor will be giving you lots of little known facts and interesting insights about our unique and wonderful city.

Exclusive Tour of Institute of Contemporary Arts
The Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) is an engineering marvel! Located on Boston's waterfront, the ICA has been at the leading edge of art in Boston for seventy years. Its exhibitions and programs provide access to contemporary art, artists, and the creative process, inviting audiences of all ages and backgrounds to participate in the excitement of new art and ideas.

Anish Kapoor's Thrilling and Seductive Sculptures
On Display at the ICA
Anish Kapoor: Past, Present, Future assembles 14 works made since 1980, a period in which Kapoor's sculptures and installations have grown increasingly ambitious and complex. An exclusive tour of the ICA has been arranged for the NetIP conference attendees and can be purchased as an optional event.

Know the Team behind this Conference!

2008-08-18T22:09:00.001-07:00

Thousands of man-hours have gone into creating this conference and a number of people have worked hard to make this a reality. Learn more about the Team behind this conference.

All these individuals are very passionate about contributing back to the community i.e. you!

Registration Packages Mailed Out

2008-08-17T12:18:00.001-07:00

The first set of registration passes were mailed out last week. For those of you who registered before August 7th and had selected & paid for the "mail package" option, please expect to receive the registration materials this week.

For everyone else, you'll receive your registration materials later this week or early next week (August 25th)

Please note that today (August 17th) is the last day to sign up for the mailing option. For those of you arriving later on Friday evening, we highly recommend that you select to have your conference registration materials mailed to your home ahead of time for your convenience. This will ensure that you will be able to participate in Friday evening activities and also reduce the time and hassle of waiting in lines at the hotel upon arrival. This option is available to you until Sun, Aug 17th, for a small fee of $6. If you've signed up for the conference and would like to now sign up for the mailing option, please email me at conferenceinfo@netip.org

We have almost sold out the conference and are excited to see such enthusiasm for the "best" NetIP conference ever.

Sundip

Watch the Official Conference Promo Videos

2008-08-15T11:47:00.001-07:00

These promos are also running on Sahara One South Asian channel

Video with Burlington Taiko:

Have you registered yet? Registration closes in a few days and prices go up to $349 this weekend!

Anita Jain gets rave reviews!!

2008-08-12T13:01:00.000-07:00

Anita Jain, our speaker at the Marrying Anita: Book Reading by Anita Jain panel on Sunday morning, has been getting rave reviews from the press for her book. Here are some places to read more about her:

1. Anita was featured in NPR's radio show "On Point" program August 5 (11:00 am-12 EST). You can read more about it here

2. She appeared recently on the Southern California's "Airtalk with Larry Mantle" August 11 (11:40-12 PST)

3. She was also featured on BBC, appearing in BBC World Asia Today program

More blog references can be found here. Or best - come to the 17th Annual NetIP Conference 2008, and meet her live, in-person

Will you be the one to miss out? Win BadKarma Tees and iPod by registering this weekend!

2008-08-01T22:23:00.000-07:00

Don't Be The One at Home Receiving the Text Messages.....

Don't Be the One At Home Looking at the Photos on Facebook.....

For all registrations received this weekend, qualify for a chance to win trendy and cool BadKarma Tees worn by South Asian celebs like Russell Peters, Jay Sean, Kal Penn & Raghav

Or a win a hip iPod to listen to your favorite Bollywood tunes...

Experience the 2008 NetIP Conference

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Join 850 other professionals this labor day weekend to Explore. Dream. Discover.

Registrations are selling out, so register now!

Prices go up on AUG 8th, So Hurry Up

Thank you to our Sponsors - State Farm Insurance and Sun Microsystems. More NetIP Sponsorship Opportunities!

2008-07-22T20:24:00.000-07:00

We would like to thank State Farm for supporting the NetIP Conference once again as a Gold Sponsor this year!

We would also like to thank Sun Microsystems for coming back to sponsor the NetIP Conference as a Silver Sponsor!

Also thanks to all our other Silver Sponsors at the NetIP Conference this year!

We are still seeking Sponsors and several Sponsorship opportunities are available! More details at http://www.netipconference.org/sponsors.php

Announcing Program Brochure Sponsorships

Quarter Page Ad - $400
Half Page Ad - $700
Full Page Ad - $1200

Last date to sign up for Brochure Sponsorship is August 5th 2008. Contact us today at sponsorship@netipconference.org . Take advantage of this opportunity!

Special Price Promotion Extended to Monday (7/21) Midnight

2008-07-21T07:18:00.001-07:00

We apologize to those who could not register on Sunday as the website was down for a very short period due to the overwhelming registration response that we received. We are extending our weekend promotion one more day to end on Monday (7/21) at midnight PST.

Register for the 'weekend-only sale' price here

PRICES GO UP TONIGHT - REGISTER NOW

2008-07-20T13:11:00.001-07:00

Our Weekend-only price break ends tonight (Sunday, 7/20) at midnight

Don't miss your opportunity to save even more $$ by taking advantage of this weekend-only promotion. We have added even more classy entertainment, more speakers and more networking opportunities -- more than ever before -- take a look at the updated schedule

PRICES WILL GO UP SO REGISTER NOW

Anish Kapoor's thrilling and seductive sculptures at display at the ICA in Boston, an optional event at the conference

2008-07-16T08:16:00.000-07:00

The Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston is proud to present "Anish Kapoor: Past, Present, Future" This hugely popular piece assembles 14 works made since 1980, a period in which Kapoor's sculptures and installations have grown increasingly ambitious and complex.

An exclusive tour of the ICA has been arranged for the NetIP conference attendees and can be purchased as an optional event. Spots are limited so please register early!

ICA is the first U.S. museum survey of Kapoor's art in more than 15 years, and the first ever to be seen on the East Coast, the exhibition premieres a new resin sculpture and features many pieces on view for the first time in this country.

In the hands of sculptor Anish Kapoor, forms become at once monumental and evanescent, present and absent, physical and ethereal. Whether using the materials of classical sculpture like stone and bronze or newly applied forms of aluminum, pigment, enamel, resin, polymer, and PVC, Kapoor's sculpture seems to disappear, dissolve, levitate, or extend beyond a space the viewer can perceive.

The sculptor, born in Bombay and based in London, is perhaps best known in the U.S. for Cloud Gate, a permanent 110-ton sculpture of highly-polished stainless steel created for Chicago's Millennium Park, and Sky Mirror, a breathtaking, 35-foot-diameter concave mirror that was shown in 2006 at Rockefeller Center in New York. Kapoor emerged as one of a highly inventive generation of British sculptors during the 1980s, and since then has created a body of work that has married a modernist sense of pure materiality with a fascination for the manipulation of form and the perception of space.

Registration for the conference and optional events available here

Rohan Sippy + Early Bird Registration SOLD OUT! + Rasika Mathur + Want Free Registrations? + Thank You Team

2008-07-09T21:38:00.000-07:00

Folks - These are hectic yet exciting times for the 2008 NetIP Conference team and with the conference less than 6 weeks away, there are a lot of thrilling updates to report!

Rohan Sippy to Keynote at Conference

Rohan Sippy, Bollywood director of hits such as 'Kuch Naa Kahoo' & 'Bluffmaster' will be attending and keynoting the NetIP Conference. Don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet this dynamic Director and Producer

Stay tuned or check out the official conference website for more information

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Early Bird Registration SOLD OUT & "Trend-Setter" Priced Registrations Selling Out Fast!

For the first time in the 17 year history of the conference, we sold out the early bird registration this quickly. There are three more pricing levels and the "Trend-Setter" registration prices are only valid for the next 150 registrants.. this is already down to less than 50 remaining! Check out the registration page and lock your spot now

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MTV's Rasika Mathur at the NetIP Conference!

Rasika Mathur is known for breaking stereotypes and I think is one of the funniest Indian female comics on the planet! She features on MTV's Wild n' Out show and was most recently seen in a cameo role on NBC's 'My Name is Earl'.. we are pleased to announce that Rasika will be joining us at the conference... I'll fill you in on more details later! In the meantime, check her website out - http://www.rasikamathur.com/

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That's just the beginning! Over 55 other brilliant speakers including Sharad Devarajan, CEO of Virgin Comics; Chitra Banerjee, Award-Winning Author; Prassana, Famous Guitarist & Composer; Vivek Kundra, CTO; Tarun Khanna from Harvard Business School; Desh Deshpande, Chairman of Sycamore Networks; Tim Murray, Lt. Governor of Massachusetts.... and many many more!

**Exciting panels that are engaging and thought provoking; hands-on workshops

** FREE Accredited sessions for CPE/CME/CLE

** Entertainment into the wee hours including a cruise on the luxurious Odyssey, a Salsa Band, a Jazz Band, Stand-up comedy by Rajiv Satyal and Rasika Mathur, a TAIKO Drums Band (YES!! will post details once confirmed), an Oscars-like night called Boscars, after parties at the best Boston Nightclubs and of course Bhangra by the one and only Boston Bhangra :)

** Unique networking opportunities including a singles meet event called Wine n Greet, pre-conference happy hours, exclusive networking sessions for CPE/CME attendees

** Enjoy everything Boston has to offer! Stay at the ultra-chic, modern and newly constructed Renaissance by the Waterfront for a special discounted rate for registrants

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If we've still not convinced you, let's try this - Want Free Registration and Hotel Stays at the Conference?
check this out - http://netipna.blogspot.com/2008/06/get-free-conference-registrations-and.html

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A Big Thank You to the Team!

There are over 35 volunteers helping put together one of the best conferences in NetIP's history.. they make it all possible. Check the entire team out at our website

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More reasons to attend - "Where do you want to spend your next holiday"

If you are looking for sponsorship opportunity, contact sponsorship@netipconference.org or visit our sponsorship page

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