Frequently asked questions

Frequently Asked Questions

As a reader, you may have questions about our operations, our finances, etc. In this page, we’ve gathered several questions that readers have asked us, and included our answers here. If, in addition to these, you have other questions, please feel free to write and ask, and we’ll consider adding our responses to those as well to this page.

1. Who are the editors of this publication?
2. What services do I get from India Together?
3. What is the Idea behind India Together?
4. Why is access to India Together free and unsupported by commercial advertising? If access is free, how does India Together remain viable?
5. What about the ownership, management, funding sources, etc?
6. Are all major credit cards and bank cards supported? Are payments initiated from India Together secure?
7. What financial records do you make available publicly?
8. What does each article cost to publish?
9. How much are the authors paid?

Who are the Editors of this publication?

Subramaniam Vincent co-founded India Together, and is one of the Lead Editors of this publication. He is a computer networking engineer and researcher by training and was an infotech professional before venturing into journalism. Click here to visit his homepage at India Together, and read a list of his articles. He also interviews leaders and experts from time to time.

Ashwin Mahesh co-founded India Together, and is one of the Lead Editors of this publication. He is an astronomer and atmospheric scientist by training, and has parallely developed a career in public affairs journalism and social technology development. Click here to visit his homepage at India Together, and read a list of his opinions, as well as to see additional biographical information.

Satarupa Bhattacharya is our Associate Editor. With a background in writing and editing for print and digital media, Satarupa works with a large pool of professional journalists and practitioners in bringing to you stories on important development and political topics of the day. Top

What services do I get from India Together?

Online magazine: India Together is an Internet publication that puts out AT LEAST ONE story, article or opinion every day on public issues that matter. You will find the latest stories on our front page and categorized on all the relevant topic pages and as well regional pages of the many states. Depending on your interests you may click stories off the front or states pages, or pick the latest stories from a topic page of your choice.

Newsletter: India Together also operates a fortnightly newsletter service that you can subscribe to from any page on the website. Mailed out during the first and third weeks of every month, this e-magazine contains short summaries of all the latest stories and articles published in the current fortnight, again arranged by topic. Many readers of India Together are subscribers of this newsletter.

Forum: India Together operates a discussion forum called Interact : Conversations on India Together. Interact is India Together’s tool for online discussion and sharing of views between authors, citizens, experts and stakeholders, including leaders within govt. Top

What is the Idea behind India Together?

India Together brings readers in-depth information and news on issues that matter, every day. We help leaders, experts, practitioners, academicians take their ideas, insights and concerns to a broad & interested national and global audience expeditiously. The magazine is organized to help readers speedily access stories through a variety of public interest topics and geographical regions. India Together is financed by reader annual contributions through a model that is affordable and accountable. Read the India Together mission statement for more. Top

Why is access to India Together free and unsupported by commercial advertising? If access is free, how does India Together remain viable?

We believe that Internet information and news on issues that matter is a public service and must be in the public domain for all to access. Therefore access to all India Together material is not denied to those who are not making annual payments. For information on how India Together remains viable, read further. Top

What about the ownership, management, funding sources, etc?

India Together is published by Oorvani Media Pvt Ltd. Our journalism is supported by Oorvani Foundation, a non-profit trust setup to ensure an independent community-funded media. The foundation develops and promotes deep-diving journalism on governance, citizenship and society at the city, state and national levels.

Monetary contributions from readers like you are the primary sources of funds for our expenses. See also: Support India Together. Top

Are all major credit cards and bank cards supported? Are payments initiated from India Together secure?

Yes, we use secure payment gateways. Please see details at www.oorvani.org.in/support-us

What financial records do you make available publicly?

The journalism of India Together is supported by Oorvani Foundation. Please see the annual reports at http://oorvani.org.in/reports

What does each article cost to publish?

A typical article can cost between Rs.5000 and Rs.8000 (in total) to publish on India Together. The actual figure for any given article depends on a number of different factors. The direct cost of an article is what we pay the author. In addition, we incur operational costs (for internet hosting, editors’ and associates’ time spent, accounting and auditing charges, etc.) These costs are not directly attributable to particular articles, but instead they are distributed across all articles. Top

How much are the authors paid?

At India Together, we try to find and retain informed and articulate authors; to do this must provide them reasonable compensation for their work. As of early 2008, we pay authors between Rs.1500 and Rs.1800 for their work, and occasionally a little higher. But ideally, we believe that each author should be paid a higher figure. However, we are unable to meet this standard, because our financial position doesn’t permit this. Increasing reader support can help this cause.

Not all authors are paid, however, for a number of reasons. Some of our authors are experts and leading practitioners who share their insights with our audience of interested readers. Some public interest groups provide material from their research for public dissemination. Participant publications in our Space Share program find wider audiences for their work by publishing in India Together, and in those cases too, the authors are not paid. Top