Update: [25th Oct 2013] We are re-posting this article today given the significance of the day – Yes, today is RTI day. Most of us have still not taken advantage of this super powerful tool that is available to us. And unlike earlier, it is now not only quite easy, but completely online as well! It takes less than 10 minutes to file your RTI.. Go ahead do it!

Happy RTI Day to all!

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RTI or Right To Information is one of the most important tools that citizens can use to seek any kind of information from Government offices (except sensitive information). Though RTI came into force few years back, very few citizens actually take advantage of RTI even when it is much needed.

The biggest reason for that is – many do not know how to file it or stay away from it as they think filing a RTI is a complicated process. Initially when RTI was launched, the process was slightly tedious, but since the time it has gone online, it has become a breeze.

Infact, it is so simple that anyone with even basic knowledge of internet can file it in less than 10 minutes. This article is meant to be a detailed step-by-step process of how you can do it.

Filing RTI Application in Under 10 minutes

Before you start with filing your RTI application, make sure that you have written down your information request in a word document or a note pad. Your request should be as precise and detailed as possible. If the request for information is ambiguous, then it may be returned back to you.

1) Register With Online RTI Request Website (1-2 minutes)

Head over to official website for filing Online RTI Request. The url is – http://www.rtionline.gov.in/. Go to registration page and fill up a simple form. The form takes less than a minute to fill and asks for your demographic information.

While filling in the form, please make sure that your email address and mobile number is correct as you will receive email notifications and SMS alerts after you file your RTI.

Once you have pressed submit, you will receive a confirmation on your registered email ID stating that your account with RTI website has been created. Along with the email, an activation ID will be sent. Enter this activation ID in the form that is shown to you after your initial registration form. Your account is now activated, and you start filing your RTI request.

Filing The Request (2-3 minutes)

Once you are logged into your account, click on the submit request button. This will pre-populate your demographic information. There are 2 most important things to remember while filing. The request you have asked should be directed to the correct ministry, government department or the apex body. So make sure that you choose that correctly from the drop down menu available.

Once you have chosen the right department, enter the text of your request that you have saved earlier (it is always a good idea to create the full text of your request before you start filing). If you need to furnish any lengthy supporting documents along with RTI attach them using the button for "Supporting document".

Once you have press the submit button, your RTI is successfully uploaded and queued. The procedure is not complete unless you make a payment.

Making Online Payment For RTI (1-2 minutes)

Your RTI will not go through unless you make a payment for RTI request you just filed. There is a nominal fee of Rs. 10 that is needed to be paid.

Making payment is pretty straightforward, and if your account is with one of the State owned banks it is even easier. Payments can be made through internet banking (only few banks) or through most of the debit or credit cards. There is facility of online payments, but does have any offline channel of payment (as far as we know).

Once the payment is successful, you will receive an email as well as SMS confirmation that your application has been successfully received.

The process for filing the request is over – Generally it will not take you more than 5-7 minutes if you have the text of your information ready!

Once your RTI request is reviewed, and it is found that additional fees are required, the CPIO would intimate the applicant through the RTI portal. This intimation can be seen by the applicant through Status Report or through his/her e-mail alert.

Information Reciept and Follow-up

Generally, it will take around 30 to 45 days for the applicant to receive the reply for their RTI. It depends on the nature of the request. If the reply is not received, the applicant can login to their account and then make submit appeal with the appellate authority.

The applicant can also regularly follow-up on the status of their application by going to "View Status" tab.

TicketGoose raise INR 18 Crore from US based Indventure.

TicketGoose, an online bus ticketing company based out of Chennai has raised Rs. 18 crore from US based Indventure. This is TicketGoose's second round of funding – prior to this, they had raise Rs. 5 crore from US based angel investors.

Currently they have a coverage of over 3000 destinations and over 250 travel partners. The site offers bus information, ticket prices, their availability and booking facility through their portal TicketGoose.com. They have aggregated information on over 10,000 routes with 20,000 buses and works with over 6,000 agents.

The funds raised would be used for expansion in other cities and expand their marketing as well technology efforts. The firm expects to cross a turnover of Rs 100 crore this financial year. [Source]

SkillWiz and MangoSense raise angel investment from Mumbai Angels

Mumbai Angels has invested undisclosed amount in 2 firms – Bangalore based career assessment company SkillWiz and Pune based mobile learning solutions company Mangosense.

SkillWiz, has developed an online platform that enables professionals to benchmark themselves against their peers and industry requirements. Based on assessment results SkillWiz users can take smarter career decisions.

Mangosense offers various products and services that revolve around creating educational content which is currently focused on young children. They have 3 main offerings including mango reader, mango books and mango store. They also have mobile apps that enable students to interactively consume educational content.

Komli Raises USD 30 million from Peepul Capital

Online advertising network and marketing company, Komli has raised raised $30 million led by private equity firm Peepul Capital. Their existing investors Norwest Venture Partners, Nexus Venture Partners, Helion Venture Partners and Draper Fisher Jurvetson also participated in this round.

This is Komli's fifth round of funding. They had previous raised $7 million in 2008 and $6 million in 2010, $15 million in 2011 and $39 million in 2012.

Komli plans to invest the amount to build technology to enhance its capabilities in mobile advertising, real-time bidding, analytics. [source]

Reliance Industries chairman and Energy tycoon Mukesh Ambani is the richest Indian alive today, with total assets worth $18.9 billion. His younger brother Anil Ambani, chairman of Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group is worth $7.1 billion, and has been ranked as 11^th richest Indian.

These findings were disclosed by Hurun Rich List, which ranks the wealthiest persons of the world. Initially started for Chinese elite, Hurun Rich List now ranks the richest persons from all over the world.

Top 10 richest Indians

1. Reliance Industry's Mukesh Ambani with assets worth $18.9 billion
2. ArcelorMittal's Lakshmi Niwas Mittal with assets worth $15.9 billion
3. Sun Pharmaceuticals' Dilip Shanghvi with assets worth $13 billion
4. Wipro’s Azim Premji with with assets of $12 billion
5. HCL Technology’s Shiv Nadar with assets worth $8.6 billion
6. Grasim Industries’ Kumar Mangalam Birla with assets worth $8.4 billion
7. Godrej Group’s Adi Godrej with assets worth $8.1 billion
8. Pallonji Mistry of Shapoorji Pallonji & Co with assets worth $8 billion
9. Shashi & Ravi Ruia of Essar Energy with assets worth $7.6 billion
10. Sunil Mittal of Bharti Airtel with assets worth $7.3 billion

The minimum qualification for entering this elite list is having net worth of $300 million, and based on this criterion, 141 Indians were found to be eligible. Last year, this list has contained only 101 Indians. The calculations for finding the net worth of the richest Indians were based on the exchange rate to US dollar as on October 18, 2013 which was Rs 61.50.

The total net worth of India's top 100 richest persons grew to $250 billion in 2013 compared to $221 billion last year. This growth has been achieved despite sliding value of Indian rupees and high inflation.

Dilip Shanghvi, founder of Sun Pharmaceuticals surprised everyone as he gate crashed directly into 3^rd position. His personal fortunes has increased by over 65% in the last year and stand at $13 billion as his cancer drug Doxil has witnessed unprecedented sales all over the world. Laxmi Niwas Mittal, steel tycoon based in London is ranked #2 with total assets worth $15.9 billion; which is a decline of 6% compared to last year.

Another surprise entry in this list is Shahrukh Khan, the Bollywood superstar and co-owner of IPL team KKR and Red Chillies Entertainment. With total net worth of $400 million, he has been ranked at #114.

Among women, Savitri Jindal is the richest Indian, with total assets worth $5.1 billion. She is the non-executive chairperson of OP Jindal Group, which manufacturer steel. She is followed by Indu Jain, chairperson of India's largest media group Bennett, Coleman & Company. She is having personal net worth $1.9 billion. She is followed by Anu Aga, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and Shobhana Bhartia ranked 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th.

Overall, women constitute only 4% of the overall rich list.

Some other interesting information from this finding:

- Most of the India's richest persons live in Mumbai. Out of top 100, 36 reside in Mumbai, whereas 22 of them reside in Delhi and 15 in Bangalore.

- 9% of all Richest Indians live abroad.

- Besides Mittal, some other richest Indians who live outside India: Micky Jagtiani (Dubai) and Bhupendra Kumar Modi (Singapore), S P Hinduja and Family (London), Anil Agarwal (London), Aloke Lohia (Bangkok), Kavitha Ram Shriram (California), Romesh T Wadhwani (California),Manoj Bhargava (Michigan),Sri Prakash Lohia (London),Vinod Khosla (California), MA Yousuf Ali (Dubai)

- Manufacturing is the industry which has the most of the richest persons, closely followed by Pharmaceuticals, Real Estate, Infrastructure and Energy.

- Here is the list of Cities and Countries with most Billionaires