In simpler times, you’d first meet people. Today, you first tweet them. And somehow it isn’t surprising when, at social gatherings, no one addresses you by name. Tell them the ‘handle’ you use to tweet, and the conversations come rushing back.
Twitterers from Mumbai on Thursday got
together at the Coast restaurant in Bandra for the city’s third twestival. The event was organised with the aim of bringing together Twitter users who seldom meet but keep in touch online.
“The money collected in the form of entry fees will be donated to the Concern Worldwide NGO,” said Netra Parikh (43), a co-organiser who works with digital media firm Pinstorm.
Monik Pamecha (14), another co-organiser, said Twitter helped him find his Web-designing firm Etiole Media. “When I saw how much Twitter can help people, I decided to be part of the organising team so Twitterers get a chance to meet,” Pamecha said.
The event started off with a round of housie and was followed by a karaoke session conducted by radio jockey Mihir Joshi whose online radio show, The MJ Show, co-sponsored the event.
“I feel the event proved to be a great platform for my listeners to meet me and share my collection of music,” he said.
BlogAdda.com, a community of bloggers, were the blog partners for the event and had a dedicated dashboard on their site to post live blog posts, tweets, videos and images from the venue.
Said founder Nirav Sanghvi, “Real-time information sharing, which Twitter provides, is important, and such events encourage people to communicate.”
Social activist and event management executive Harish Iyer (30), an active Twitterer, feels that such meetings, organised to help society, don’t have to be boring and full of speeches.
“We meet, dance, sing, and have a blast while still helping NGOs. And that’s our idea of helping people,” he said.