For anybody who knows me well (and possibly even those who don’t) it’s no secret that India has left an impression upon me that I haven’t felt travelling in any other country. A couple of weeks ago I received the following message in my youtube inbox:
Hey Samuel,
Just watched the video ‘Camel Safari Tour (Thar Desert) Part 13 – Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India’. We think it’ll click really well in the ‘India is Wherever you Are’ category of ‘India Is’ Global Video Challenge 2011. It’s the Indian Govt.’s brainchild, and you have the chance of winning upto $7500. Get in touch, and make your submission official at www.indiais.org.
See you there! 
Sent to: nomadicsamuel
Now these kinds of messages ‘pop up’ all the time and most of them are fake or phony requests. I can’t even begin to count the number of times I get a message saying my channel is ‘great’ or that I’ve made an ‘awesome’ video. Unfortunately, more often than not, these messages are nothing more than a plea to join some kind of service such as sub4sub.
I was about to disregard this message but for some strange reason (unbeknownst to me) I decided to give it another glance. Upon further review the message seemed to be legit and I went over and check out the website:
I rarely need an excuse to dust off the vaults with regards to doing projects related to India with my photos or videos. I typically find embedded memories of my glorious adventures stored in my individual photos. Sometimes a certain photo or video can take me back in time and make me feel as though I was back there right now experiencing it all again.
Some of the highlights were photos from The Pink City of Jaipur, The Taj Mahal and Amritsar’s The Golden Temple.
It was with sheer delight that I spent this afternoon making three videos to enter into the competition in the following categories:
1) India Is Wherever You Are
2) India Is Colourful
3) India Is Creative
Thanks for taking the time to check out these videos and for those who are interested in participating in the contest be sure to check out the official website for more information and submission guidelines: India Is
{ 51 comments… read them below or add one }
Very cool! Good luck Sam!
Thanks Rhonda! I’ll need it
There are some great submissions already 
Nomadic Samuel recently posted..Faces of Asia | Part 15 | Travel Video
Good luck to you too! Is it just me or did you change your website canvas to white? What ever that is, I really like it!
Amer recently posted..A free and easy visit to Abu Dhabi
Hey Amer, I actually didn’t change much. You definitely have a nicer looking blog design than mine
Nomadic Samuel recently posted..Faces of Asia | Part 15 | Travel Video
These are great videos! Goodluck on this! I hope you win, then maybe you could have a “free ticket to India” giveaway! Hahaha!
Erica recently posted..jump higher basketball
That would be a great idea
Nomadic Samuel recently posted..Faces of Asia | Part 15 | Travel Video
good luck to you! i fell in love with india, too
Gladys | WanderingTandem.com recently posted..My Christmas Wish List
Thanks! It’s an easy thing to do
Nomadic Samuel recently posted..Faces of Asia | Part 15 | Travel Video
Best of luck to you; they look awesome
Thanks Kerri! Much appreciated
Nomadic Samuel recently posted..Faces of Asia | Part 15 | Travel Video
Hi Samuel,
This is just to verify that it was an official message from our team. Many thanks for making the videos, we request you to submit them on our website, here: http://www.indiais.org/login.php
We look forward to receiving your entries.
Thank you!
Best
The India Is Team
Thank you!
I just submitted my videos today
I took some time to view other submissions and you’ve already got a great collection. I’ve been telling friends (who’ve been to India) to enter as well.
Cheers,
Sam
Nomadic Samuel recently posted..Faces of Asia | Part 15 | Travel Video
Hey, congratulations! I really love your India Train video
Wishing you all the luck for this one 
Micamyx|Senyorita recently posted..The President Hotel in Lingayen, Pangasinan – FVR’s Humble Abode
Thanks Mica, the train videos were fun to make
Nomadic Samuel recently posted..Faces of Asia | Part 15 | Travel Video
Good Luck Sam. India is a beautiful place. Not to mention the food is fantastic. We have a local Indian restaurant near here. Great cuisine.
Thanks Greg! I agree with you on both counts. I’ve had great Indian food in other countries as well.
Nomadic Samuel recently posted..Faces of Asia | Part 15 | Travel Video
Good work! Really loved the “India Is Colourful” one.
Bret @ Green Global Travel recently posted..GLOBAL CUISINE: The Best Sweet Potato Recipe Ever Invented (Seriously!)
Thanks Bret! It was a lot of fun making them
All three of these videos are great, but the last one is my favorite. India is such a beautiful and diverse country – I can’t wait to go back!
Christy @ Technosyncratic recently posted..Photo of the Week: Artist at Chiang Mai’s Night Market
Christy, I really can’t wait to go back as well!
I really like the video #2 (Colorful India). But then again, I’m biased – I’m intrigued with colorful people and things and India looks like a place full of those. Good luck, Samuel!
Sherry recently posted..“Record Breaking Zombies in Mexico City”
Thanks Sherry! It certainly is a colourful country
Those are wonderful! I think number 3 is my favourite makes me want to go to India everybody looks so friendly, love 2 for all the colours and 1 has remarkable photos as well! Great work, good luck!
Claire recently posted..Pictures Of People In Peru
Hi Claire, thank for the compliments
I’ll need a lot of luck to win since there will be a lot of submissions. I hope you get a chance to visit India someday.
Good luck! I am getting back into making youtube videos OI have an idea for one but no-one in Australia seems to own a chess set!!
James, let me know when your videos are up. I’ll come over and take a look
Good luck! Thats awesome that they just contacted you randomly!
Jade Johnston – OurOyster.com recently posted..Guinness and Jameson – The Flavours of Dublin
Hey Jade, I thought so as well! It was fun looking at the other video submissions too.
Colourful India is my favourite. Good luck
Sophie recently posted..Fiery Furnas: Steamy cauldrons in the Azores
Thanks Sophie, India is definitely colourful
Great videos! I agree with the others about the India is Colorful one. It’s my favorite!
Alpana recently posted..Is it Safe Visit to Bombay Now?
Ah, thank you! I had a lot of fun putting these together. I can’t wait to visit again in (hopefully) the near future.
India is a a wonderful place, and since i do yoga i would love to visit Mysore one of this days
Cherry recently posted..Get your ex back
Cherry, that definitely sounds like a good idea!
Hi Samuel, great videos indeed. Congratulations.
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I have one question, I’ve read the contest rules and they say something about photo stills and videos. Are the photos allowed in the videos? I want to participate too…
See you then.
Alvara, that’s a good question. I’ve noticed other submissions (already posted) having stills. I think they may prefer video footage but I feel my photos are a bit stronger and I didn’t take as much video back then as I would have liked. When you’ve got your videos up let me know and I’ll come and take a look.
Win that prize!!!
dtravelsround recently posted..Escape of the Week: Brela, Croatia
LOL, I’d love to do just that
Best of lucks with the contest…and to think that I still have to make it to India…
Federico @ MaiTravelsite recently posted..First Impressions of Waikiki, Honolulu (HI)
Federico, when you get the chance I highly recommend it!
These are great! I really like how you captured colour for ‘India is Colourful’ – especially the orange beard!
Audrey recently posted..Top 10 Things to Buy in a Vietnamese Market
Thanks Audrey – it seems my colourful video is the most popular here
These videos are spectacular Samuel — I hope you win!!!
Raymond @ Man On The Lam recently posted..Travel from Point A to Point Z
Thanks Raymond! Fingers crossed
I always enjoy your videos. Good luck with the competition!
Stephanie – The Travel Chica recently posted..Foto of the Week from … Buenos Aires
Thanks Steph, I’ll need a lot of luck for a chance to win
Thanks for sharing this today. I now have the chance to contemplate on your blog post.
Jenny Sanders recently posted..iPhone phenomen
You’re so very welcome!
If only my videography skills weren’t the WORST EVER!
Those can make for entertaining videos. I’d say give it a try!
Thank you, you gave me new ideas for my blog. I hope this doesn’t bother you that I take up this subject in my next article.Sincerely, Roger
Roger recently posted..La presse PMU indispensable pour votre pronostic PMU
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