65th Independence Day Celebrations

The Indian Independence Day is celebrated on August 15 to commemorate its independence from the British rule in 1947.

Following India's independence, India Gate became the site of the Indian Army's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, known as the 'Amar Jawan Jyoti' (The flame of the immortal soldier).

The Prime Minister of India hoists the Indian flag on the ramparts of the historical site, Red Fort, on August 15.

Moment of Bravery

This one is a tale of love and bravery redefined. Those were some ice-cold chilly times and only the sound of bullets pierced through the moisture-laden heavy winds in the alpine ranges of the North-Eastern frontiers. That atmosphere gave birth to one of the little-known spine chilling finest moment of love and bravery in India.

The Indo-China battle is nearing its end and the result almost visible to everyone with the Chinese hovering in the alpine ranges of Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh and the Indian troops withdrawing in the face of the Chinese onslaught but one man hasn’t still losed hope. He was as cunning as the obstructers in the opposite side and with the help of his beloved Sela, single handedly fought the Chinese soldiers for 3 days by actually fooling them. He is none other than the brave martyr Jaswant Singh Rana.

On October 20, 1962, Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rana of 4 Garhwal Rifles, laid down his life in the battle of Nuanrang and was later awarded with the Mahavir Chakra. Sela was a local girl who loved jaswant but her father didn’t approve of it. During the 3 day great heroics, sela used to carry ammunition from the army camp along with food and water to jaswant.

Jaswant Singh was the only one who decided to stay back when the Indian troops retreated from Nurangang. With the help of his beloved Sela, he managed to stay off the enemy advance for 72 hours. Sela helped him in loading the guns and bringing him meals.

Jaswant Singh was at an advantageous position on a hill top overlooking the two river valleys. He positioned himself in a long trench and placed a few guns in different directions and tied the shutters with ropes and randomly fired from them. The Chinese had come through the river route, who thought that the Indian army had a huge Indian battalion at different locations, so they didn’t move forward, whereas he was just alone.

The Chinese did not realise that the Indian Army had retreated till Jaswant Singh was betrayed by the girl’s father, who went over to the other side to inform the Chinese troops of the actual position in the Indian side, due to the disliking of his daughters intentions. The invaders then surrounded his positioned and captured him. He was tied to a tree and strangled with a iron wire and beheaded. The Chinese cut off Jaswant Singh's head and took it back to China and after the ceasefire, the Chinese government, impressed by the soldier's bravery, returned the head along with a brass bust of Jaswant Singh, as a memento for his sharp wit.

The bust, created in China to honour the brave Indian soldier, is now installed at the site of the battle, a location now known as Jaswant Garh, enroute to Tawang. In the meantime the soldiers found out Sela also, after which she jumped from a hillock in her agony when she understood the fate of her beloved.

The Sela Pass, world’s second highest pass at 14000 feet, is a symbol of love and courage and named after this brave girl. For the soldiers guarding the frozen Sela Pass, Jaswant baba, as was popularly called, continues to be a source of life and inspiration.

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Independence Day Ads

India attained its Independence on 15th August 1947 from the British rule after a long struggle. Since then every Independence Day sees a flurry of Advertisements by the Government and different companies and agencies present in India based on the theme of Independence Day. This is a collection of popular Ads seen till now in the media.

Parle

Tide Detergent

Google

Yahoo

Maruti

Vande Mataram

Vande Mataram is the national song of India, distinct from the national anthem of India "Jana Gana Mana". The song was composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay in a mixture of Bengali and Sanskrit and can be translated into english as 'Mother, I bow to thee!'

"Vande Mataram" was the national cry for freedom from British oppression during the Indian freedom movement. Large rallies, fermenting initially in Bengal, in the city of Calcutta, would work themselves up into a patriotic fervour by shouting the slogan Vande Mataram, or "Hail to the Mother(land)!". The British, fearful of the potential danger of an incited Indian populace, at one point banned the utterance of the motto in public forums, and imprisoned many freedom fighters for disobeying the proscription. Rabindranath Tagore sang Vande Mataram in 1896 at the Calcutta Congress Session held at Beadon Square.

The first two stanzas of the original transcript of the song is:

Vande mataram 
sujalam suphalam malayaja shitalam
sasyashyamalam mataram || 

Shubhrajyotsna pulakitayaminim 
pulakusumita drumadala shobhinim
suhasinim sumadhura bhashinim
sukhadam varadam mataram || 

This is the english translation by Shree Aurobindo:


Mother, I bow to thee!
Rich with thy hurrying streams,
bright with orchard gleams,
Cool with thy winds of delight,
Dark fields waving Mother of might,
Mother free.

Glory of moonlight dreams,
Over thy branches and lordly streams,
Clad in thy blossoming trees,
Mother, giver of ease
Laughing low and sweet!
Mother I kiss thy feet,
Speaker sweet and low!
Mother, to thee I bow.


You can listen or download this collection of some of the beautiful renditions of this hymn by different artists till now.

Official version
[MP3 1.06 MB 00:01:09 128kbps]

Instrumental Version
[MP3 1.69 MB 00:01:50 128kbps]

Anand Math Film in 1952
[MP3 1.26 MB 00:02:46 64kbps]

AR Rahman
[MP3 5.69 MB 320kbps]

The fact that Vande Mataram is still popular today can be attested from the fact that people from 155 countries/islands voted for Vande Mataram as second in top 10 songs in an international poll by BBC World Service in 2003 to choose ten most famous songs of all time.

The Vande Mataram is a song that extolls the virtues of idealism and sacrifice and glorifies the love of our motherland as greater than anything else.

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Shammi Kapoor: Tribute to Legend

(21 October 1931 – 14 August 2011) 

Everyone's favourite 'Junglee' man Shammi Kapoor is no more. After 79 years of ruling the hearts through his youthful acting, he has breathed his last. Hailed as one of the finest and the versatile that Hindi cinema has ever produced he was the leading star of Bollywood during the late 1950s as well as the 1960s. Born to Prithviraj Kapoor, as Shamsher Raj Kapoor, he was the brother of the Showman of Bollywood, Raj Kapoor.

Debuting in Bollywood in 1953 with the film Jeevan Jyoti, he went on to deliver hits like Tumsa Nahin Dekha, Dil Deke Dekho, Junglee, Dil Tera Diwana, Professor, China Town, Rajkumar, Kashmir Ki Kali, Janwar, Teesri Manzil, An Evening in Paris, Bramhachari, and Andaz and Vidhaata. He received the Filmfare Best Actor Award in 1968 for his performance in Brahmachari and Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for Vidhaata in 1982.

Here is a collection of Golden melodies in MP3 format you can download, hummed by him, all sung by Mohammed Rafi:


Tumsa Nahin Dekha


Dil Deke Dekho

Dheere Chal Dheere

Ehsaan Tera Hoga Mujh Par

Nazar Bachakar Chalegaye

Khuli Palak Mein Jhutha Ghusa

Baar Baar Dekho Hazaar Baar

Govinda Aala Re

Subhaanallah Haseen Chehra

Tumne Kisi Ki Jaan Ko

Meri Mohabbat Jawan Rahegi

Tumne Mujhe Dekha Hokar

Akele Akele Kahan Jaa Rahe

Janam Janam Ka Saath Hein

Badan Pe Sitare Lapete Huein

Tum Mujhe Yun Bula Na Paaoge

Raksha Bandhan: Sibling Bonds

Raksha Bandhan is a festival, which celebrates the relationship between brothers and sisters.


Here are a few SMS and messages for brothers and sisters in hindi:



aya hai ek tyohar,
jisme hota hai bhai, behen ka pyar,
chalo manaye khusiyo se ye tyohar,
saari dunaya se pyari meri behana ka pyar,
chalo manaye rakhi ka tyohar
happy*RAKSHA BANDAN*

taro ka chamkta ghana ho,
meri behana sabse nayare ho
jab bande mujhe rakhi vo
meri didi sabse pyari ho



Phoolon Ka Taaron Ka Sabka Kehna Hai
Ek Hazaron Mein Meri Behna Hai
Sari Umar Hame Sang Rehna Hai.

The central ceremony involves the tying of a rakhi (sacred thread) by a sister on her brother's wrist. This symbolizes the sister's love and prayers for her brother's well-being, and the brother's lifelong vow to protect her.

The festival is marked by the tying of a rakhi, or holy thread, by the sister on the wrist of her brother. The brother in return offers a gift to his sister and vows to look after her as she presents sweets to her brother. The brother and sister traditionally feed one another sweets.

In 2011, Rakhsha bandhan date falls on 13th August 
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Radha Krishna: Eternal Lovers

Janmashtami is the celebration of the birth of Lord Krishna, the supreme personality of Godhead in hindu religion. People all over the world enjoy this festival with great joy and fervor.

For generations if Krishna has been an agonising enigma to some, he has put millions into ecstasies. He is considered as the leader, hero, protector, philosopher, teacher and friend all rolled into one. Whether he was a human being or a God-incarnate, there is no gainsaying the fact that he has been ruling the hearts of millions for over three millennia.

Rangoli is drawn in the entrance of the house as to welcome him into the home.It is at midnight that birth of Sri Krishna took place so the actual festivities begin during midnight when the celebration reaches its peak, with lot of hymns, aarti taking place and blowing of the conch shell (shankh) and rocking the cradle of the Lord.

The general pooja process begins early in the morning when the idol of lord is bathed with panch amrit (a mixture of milk, ghee, oil, honey and gangajal). The idol is then adorned with new clothes preferably in yellow colour, coloured stones and other precious jewellery. Next, the idol of lord is offered bhog, the contents of bhog may vary. Fruits, desserts like kheer, pedha, milk, and milk products are made. There are devotees who offer chappan bhog (56 dishes) to bal gopal.

After the entire puja is over, devotees break their fast and the panchamrit is distributed as prasad to the devotees along with other sweets. Devotees queue all the major Krishna temples to seek his blessings.While some keep fast on the day and break it at midnight, for others the fasting continues for two days.

Radhastami is the celebration day of Srimati Radharani's birth. Radharani is the eternal consort of Lord Krishna and was born 15 days after his birth. They are forever bound up in transcendental love for one another. Devotees fast until noon and sing devotional songs in praise of the divine couple and their pastimes. Then a feast is served, most often including the famous Radha Red dessert which is a spicy plum chutney.

Among Radha’s innumerable transcendental attributes, She has twenty-five principal qualities:

1) She is very sweet and most charming to look at;
2) She is adolescent and always youthful;
3) Her eyes are doe-like and restless;
4) Her face is smiling and ever blissful;
5) Auspicious, beautiful lines adorn her lotus hands and feet;
6) She has a fragrant bodily aroma;
7) She is an exceptional singer and vina player;
8) Her words are charming and pleasing;
9) She is expert at telling jokes;
10) She is exceptionally humble;
11) She is the embodiment of mercy and compassion;
12) Her intelligence and wit surpasses all;
13) She is expert at performing all activities of love;
14) Shyness is the shining gem in her character;
15) She is the beacon light of modesty and honesty;
16) She is never perturbed by worldly sorrow or misery;
17) She has unbounded gravity and sublimity;
18) She is cunning;
19) She possesses the highest sentiments of love;
20) She is the reservoir of loving affairs in Gokula;
21) Her transcendental glories are shining in all the worlds;
22) She is most affectionate to her superiors;
23) She is submissive to the love of her senior girlfriends;
24) She is the chief among gopis;
25) She is always calm.

A few days later the Jhulan Yatra is also celebrated mainly in Bengal. The period coincides with rainy season and the air is thick, heavy and humid with the heat and the rains. In the midst of the rainy season, the fields and jungle have turned shades of lush green and flowers are blossoming all around.
iskcon

The opulence at this time is to find a breeze, as the air is heavy with the humidity of the rains. It is a most pleasing and satisfying festival, with the swings often highly decorated with forest creepers, Jasmine flowers that have newly blossomed in the season, and streamers of garlands. Sometimes a fine spray of rose water is directed towards the divine couple of Radha and Krishna on their swing.

Lord Krishna has influenced the Indian thought, life and culture in myriad ways. He has influenced not only its religion and philosophy, but also into its mysticism and literature, painting and sculpture, dance and music, and all aspects of Indian folklore.

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FRIENDS

Life without a friend is like death without a witness.

A cheerful friend is like a sunny day spreading brightness all around.

It is better to be in chains with friends, than to be in a garden with strangers.

A friend is one who strengthens you with prayers, blesses you with love and encourages you with hope.

A best friend is like a four leaf clover: hard to find and lucky to have.

Good friends are like stars....You don't always see them, but you know they are always there.

True friendship is like sound health; the value of it is seldom known until it is lost.

Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.

A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out.

A friend is someone who is there for you when he'd rather be anywhere else.

A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart, and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.

A friend is one who believes in you when you have ceased to believe in yourself.

Your friend is the person who knows all about you, and still likes you.

It's the friends you can call up at 4am that matter.

A friend is someone who has the same enemies you have.

Friends are those with whom we feel comfortable enough to 'think out loud.

A friend is someone who smiles when you smile, laugh when you laugh, but hold your hand when you cry.

The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you ever had.

True friendship never ends.

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Love Story: Part 2

Part 2: continued from earlier part...


It was a harsh cold dark winter in Shimla. All around the landscape was just covered with white snow and a rare glimpse of a brown pine tree stooping its head with the weight of snowfall and showcasing the loneliness of not just the season but of an expectant lover. Tina was standing cold on the platform of the station that day in December amidst a whistling chilly wind blowing around with a shawl neatly draped around her body.

She was moving around trying to protect herself from the wind, with her mind deeply craving for a cuppa of hot chocolate while waiting for the man whom she would meet and talk after a long time. Coming from a small town of Agra, she could have never imagined her body would get so restive that she would be standing in a lonely station, unable to withstand male cravings, whom she had only imagined in her mind all through her life right from they met in a sea beach.

…

I did not know hardly anyone here and couldn’t even think if he would be the one who would delight my life.

And then I saw this man with green eyes that moved slowly, wearing an orange cardigan and the blue neck drape flying by.

Green eyes, it could be him...

Since I can not help thinking that there's magic in our love, I dream to meet him, and now he’s here.

I suddenly had the brief impression that time was passing slowly, and as he came closer everything resumed to its normal rhythm.

I still can not explain why, but without any suspicion, I was getting home. And tonight I will be in his arms. I had planned most meticulously since the last four days to have a perfect night in my lover’s arms with the red and blue jewels twinkling around the bed.

In my heart, it could not be otherwise, everything would be fine, I was convinced and everything went well, as if everything was already written.

It was immediately we felt comfortable in each others laps, as if we already knew for a long time.

In his words, by his mere surreal presence, he erases all my troubles, all my pain.

And when he is near me with all his sweetness, he lights up my life and fills it with colours, when his eyes are in mine.

. . .

Love Story

A few yards from where Tina was sunbathing amidst the cool blue seas with her friends, stood a group of guys playing football, and one of them noticed Tina while others were immersed in their game. True, Tina was not the girl with the dream body. Nevertheless, she had long brown hair and bright green eyes that gave a charm to her face.

Abhik, a muscular guy, about two years older than her was of shy nature who would think twice before speaking to a girl, not that Abhik would fell in love easily or give his heart to anyone but for him, Tina had something special and did not want let go without talking to her.

They continued with their girly chats, When Tina’s eyes fell on Abhik. She also spotted something in Abhik’s looks and started getting lost in the radiance of his face. The time passed and it was getting closer to leave the spot. However, they wanted to take a final plunge but were not sure about the outcome.

- Auuuuuuu! - Shouted Tina.

- Sorry, hope it was not bad. - Abhik answered, blushing.

Tina had just been hit by a ball, but when she looked up, in order to deliver the ball to the boy, she froze for a moment.

Here you go. And see if you care to play, screamed Tina.

- Yes I will. I do not want to hurt a girl like you. - Abhik was afraid to be exaggerating, but he could not miss the chance to talk a bit more with her.

Tina did not know what to answer. Meanwhile, her friends laughed, grabbed her and told the boy - now we would be going for a dive. Nice to meet you!

Abhik had nodded his head, but would not give up. While they were in the water, he went to Tina's backpack and left her a note and went away with the hope that something good happen. His friends were enjoying their game, but he did not care. He was especially keeping a watch on her, and was willing to do everything just so she would speak even if it was a simple "Hello."

As he was leaving, he could not stop thinking about what her friends told her about.  He needed to know.

Tina came back from the water with friends, dried up and decided to return. She could not listen more from her friends mouths, about this guy, whose name even no-one knows.

She returned home and was nervous, trying to make up her mind whether to fall in love or not and she was getting more certain that they would never again see each other, still she decided to open her backpack and her heart started beating faster than ever before.

Continued: Part 2

. . .

Lady on a Mission

She is the latest talk of the town and her TRP's are soaring beyond the moon perhaps. Guess who? Its a no-brainer, Hina Rabbani Khar, the youngest foreign minister of Pakistan and perhaps the first at a mere age of 34. Who says third world countries cannot compete with the west. She has left Hillary Clinton miles ahead in her soaring popularity index now.

As usual India is lamenting atleast for the first time Pakistan has the upper hand on something ubiquitous and the Indian media has already gone gaga over her recent visit to India, so much so that she has to take a frown at the media upon reaching Pakistan for projecting her more as a style icon rather than a foreign minister aka the lady on a mission.

Inside closed circles already there are murmurs in India of putting a lady in the foreign ministers hot seat albeit for the first time. For one its almost an accepted fact a cabinet ministerial berth in India is reserved mostly for the post-retired people. Its time for a whiff of fresh air for a government already in a mess that it is, its time the baba's and the babe's take the hot seat. Atleast they can't do worst than the present.

Coming to Khar madam, she is rich, suave and is not afraid speaking her mind with her birkin bag to give company, Roberto Cavalli shades and Jimmy Choo heels, she has given a soft target for the media to vent their frustration. All in all atleast for once everyone is talking about Pakistan not for a wrong reason. 

Firefox 5 Beta Download

Update: Firefox 6.0 Beta Build 3 released. Scroll below to Download

The browser wars are heating up and Firefox intends to catch up with chrome version numbers by following much shorter release cycles now. If everything goes as planned by Mozilla, we may well see Firefox 7 releasing by the year end.

Currently the Mozilla Firefox 6.0 b3 and 7.0 alpha 2 is available for download. Mozilla currently labels the test versions as Aurora releases with a new logo and the Mozilla-central versions as Nightlies, also with a new logo.

The transitions appear to be mainly testing the new rapid release cycle procedure and there isn't much to see for Firefox users yet.

Here you can download the new versions here for both windows and mac OS:

Firefox 6.0 b3

Firefox 7.0 a2

You can also download a cool new firefox wallpaper for your desktops here:

resolution: 1600x1200

Enjoy using the new versions of your favourite browser.

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Delhi Belly: Comical Delights

Just like any Aamir Khan film or Production these days, once again he is back with a brand new film Delhi Belly, which roughly translates to the gastronomical delight, the Diarrhea. And he has once again managed to turn heads and get the new-generation go crazzy after the release of the film's anthem of sorts by now Bhaag Bhaag, DK Bose bhaag. DK Bose is becoming almost a metaphor for college going guys.

The other songs has also been peppy and the new-generation has almost gone crazy with discos buzzing the Nakkadwaley disco, Udharwaley, khisko, Switty tera pyar chaida and Jaa chudail again and again.


Delhi Belly is directed by Abhinay Deo, and stars Aamir's nephew, Imran Khan, Kunal Roy Kapoor, Poorna Jagannathan, Vir Das, Shenaz Treasurywala. The film is slated to be released on July 1, 2011 and has been given an A-Rating (Adult), as it contains obscene language and content.

Here is the full song video of the superhit Bhaag Bhaag DK Bose...





Synopsis:


Delhi Belly is an ensemble piece with three flat-mates and buddies Tashi (Imran Khan), Arup (Vir Das) and Nitin (Kunaal Roy Kapur) are partners in crime with Tashi set to get married in a month but still unsure of his choice of fiancé with two almost wacky women in his life -- his rich fiancée Sonia (Shenaz Treasury) and a free-spirited colleague Menaka (Poorna Jagannath).

Arun can't make up his mind whom he wants to kill first his ex-girlfriend or his stupid, annoying boss whose idea of creativity is sketching a smiling banana, who wants him to make cartoon bananas seem 'seven percent less happy'. And Nitin is about to discover that eating delicious tandoori chicken off a street vendor is going to give him the worst case of Delhi Belly he's ever known.

There's a series of coincidences and accidental exchanges. A bag containing some very expensive diamonds gets mixed up with another carrying a stool sample. Three regular blokes, living the regular life except for one small detail - they are on the hit list of one of the world's deadliest crime syndicates.

When Vijay Raaz’s smuggler gets on their back while attempting to track down his precious loot, it’s a case of running for their lives. Will they be able to get away before the shit hits the roof and it comes crashing down? Delhi Belly is surely going to be the meanest comedy you're ever likely to see.


Offering platefuls of defecation, fornication and masturbation jokes, and plenty of on screen smoking, swearing and sexual innuendo, Delhi Belly is a fresh, funny and full on affair. Its going to be a 90 minute roller coaster ride sans any interval and which will leave you craving for more at the end of the show. It has an ending unlike any typical bollywood movie and leaving all the situations in an un-answered state, perhaps because a sequel of Delhi Belly would be in the works after the first one's massive success.


Delhi Belly is a slick, madly crazy production that is mostly funny, although the humour will more likely appeal to the 20-something and perhaps 30-something




NB: Delhi Belly is by no way a family film and you should steer clear of watching it with your parents, relatives and children due to some very bold real-life intimate scenes and use of 'cuss' words being natural to the course of the movie.

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The Roadies

MTV Roadies is an adventure reality television show along with drama and a touch of voyeurism aired on MTV India and is a huge hit today among the youth of the country. It is currently in its Eight season. Conceptualised by Raghu Ram and Nikhil Chinapa, and hosted by Rannvijay Singh, the show tests the endurance levels of the contestants.

Raghu Ram and Rannvijay Singh shot to instant fame with this show. Nikhil Chinapa was already a visible face earlier. First during the audition itself the Judges with their slam dank hard questions try to sort out the genuine people from the fakes who can give their best in any kind of situation.

The contestants aka Roadies, are given bikes to travel on pre-decided routes along with the crew and different situations are added to make the show interesting. Each episode features a vote-out at the end in which the Roadies eliminate one or more of their fellow Roadies, thereby decreasing the number of roadies carrying on with the journey till the last man standing.

The show first went international during the fifth edition of the Roadies, which covered three countries viz. India, Thailand and Malaysia.

Roadies are given tasks at every destination. They are either Money Advantage or Immunity tasks. Roadies earn a particular amount of money on completion of a Money task. The maximum prize for winning the show is Rs 500,000.The instant fame of the winners doesn’t get un-notices as they either become VJ’s or step into Bollywood.

In the Money tasks, the Roadies collectively perform the challenges and add cash to the winner's account. In Immunity tasks, the winning Team/Roadie gets Immunity, which means that they survive that vote-out. In the Advantage Tasks, which has been introduced from the Season 5.0, the winners get some advantage in that vote out. The exact advantage is decided by the production, and revealed at the vote-out with the purpose to spice things up and possibly spoil any plans and group votes.

The above mentioned tasks are either team-based (i.e. performed between two or more teams) or individually. At the end of scheduled journey, the last Roadie who survives till the end is the winner and walks away with the total cash accumulated by the performance of all the Roadies. Being such a tough competition, the top three Roadies are taken on an equal footing. As a matter of fact, they are immortalized in "Morgue" in the "Roadies Rehab Centre" quite adoringly.

Here is a list of the past MTV Roadies Winners and some interesting facts:

• Season # 1 There was no official winner this season as no one could complete their task.  
• Season # 2 Ayushman Khuranna, Chandigarh
• Season # 3 Parul Shahi, Delhi
• Season # 4 Anthony Yeh, Kolkata
• Season # 5 Ashutosh Kaushik, Saharanpur.
• Season # 6 MTV Roadies Hell Down Under: Nauman Sait, Bangalore. This is the first time in MTV Roadies history that Nikhil Chinnappa was replaced by Raghu's identical twin brother, Rajiv Laxman.
• Season # 7 Anwar Syed, Delhi
• Season # 8 Aanchal Khurana.

Here you can download the MTV Roadies 8 theme song Yahan

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