having problems with output using pointers
void main()
{
 int    people,
     i,j;
 char   *name[21],
        **n_ptr=name;

 printf("\nEnter the number of people > ");
 scanf("%d",&people);
 
      for(i=0;i<people;i++)
           strcpy(*n_ptr,NULL);
      is this required?    
        
      for(i=0;i<num_students;i++)
         {
          printf("\nEnter Names for person %d ",i+1);
          fflush(stdin);
      gets(*n_ptr);  //if I put the puts(*n_ptr here
          **n_ptr++;     // it works (but thats not what I
         }               //want)
     


     for(j=0;*name;j++) //loop till null char is reached
     {
      printf("\n");
      puts(*n_ptr++); //This is where the program crashes
      }               //It compiles alright though
           
    }
I have tried several combinations but no joy

Let see what you are doing....
void main()
{
 int    people,
     i,j;
 char   *name[21], /* Lim: allocated 21 pointer to char ??? */
        **n_ptr=name;

 printf("\nEnter the number of people > ");
 scanf("%d",&people);
 
      for(i=0;i<people;i++)
           strcpy(*n_ptr,NULL);
/* Lim: I am surprised it did not crush here, anyway I can not imagine what you was hoping to do by this */
        
      for(i=0;i<num_students;i++)
         {
          printf("\nEnter Names for person %d ",i+1);
          fflush(stdin);
      gets(*n_ptr);  //Lim: It is not an ptr to array it is just wild pointer. You have to allocate this array before
                       
          **n_ptr++;     // it works (but thats not what I
         }               //want)
     


     for(j=0;*name;j++) //loop till null char is reached
     {
      printf("\n");
      puts(*n_ptr++); //This is where the program crashes
      }               //It compiles alright though
           
    }
If 20 is a max lenght of name do next:

include <stdio.h>
include <stdlib.h>
void main()
{
 int    people,i;
 char   (*name)[21] = NULL; /* Lim: ptr to array of 21 char */

 printf("\nEnter the number of people > ");
 scanf("%d",&people);
 
      name=malloc(people*21);
        
      for(i=0;i<people;i++)
         {
          printf("\nEnter Names for person %d ",i+1);
          fflush(stdin);
          gets(*(name+i));
      }


     for(j=0;j<people;j++) //loop till null char is reached
     {
      printf("\n");
      puts(*(name+i));
     }
     free(name);
    }