Wondered why ‘IIPM’ keeps hitting the Technorati top 10 search terms? No? Let me tell you why anyway.

It all started with fiesty blogger Rashmi Bansal, editor of JAM magazine in Mumbai, doing an exposé of the Indian Institute of Planning and Management (IIPM) in Delhi. Gaurav Sabnis subsequently linked it, inviting legal threats. Others too.

Overnight, blogs sprung up defending IIPM and making up stories of corruption on Jam. Then it got serious. IIPM started harassing Gaurav’s employer IBM, threatening to burn all their Thinkpads infront of their building. Gaurav decided to resign from his job.

Desi Pundit took on their cause, supported by Global Voices and Indian Uncut, and hundreds of bloggers came together. The story hit Hindustan Times and ExpressIndia. More coverage is now expected.

Two points: Firstly, this controversy has rallied Indian bloggers over the web like never before, possibly because of the freedom of speech issues or maybe because they don’t want to bow down to an establishment which is used to ripping off innocent students.

What will the future hold? The Indian MSM is usually too timid to highlight endemic corruption and take on the state. Remember Tehelka? This could very well herald a new era where Indian democracy is held to account by citizen bloggers who are less afraid to raise issues important to them rather than keep publishing drivel on Bollywood. Expect many more such incidents.