Deepika Padukone and Imran Khan are the new Lux brand ambassadors

Mumbai, November 28, 2013:LUX, the iconic brand synonymous with beauty and film stars has added yet another gorgeous actress to its starry gamut - this is none other than the stunning Bollywood Diva Deepika Padukone. She will be seen alongside leading actor Imran Khan on the small screen for the first time ever, sizzling it up in the new LUX TV commercial which will go on air on 1st December 2013.

During the shoot in Bangkok this September, the new brand ambassadors were seen rekindling their friendship and having a fun time, joking around with the crew in-between shots. Directed by Swiss filmmaker Ivo Wejgaard, Deepika and Imran will be seen swooning to yesteryear’s famous number, “RoopTeraMastana” remixed by songwriter and composer, MikeyMcCleary.

Talking about being the new face of LUX, Deepika says, “Being a LUX star was something that I have always dreamt of as a child. I have grown up using this beauty bar and aspiring to be the face of this legendary brand. I am glad that I have reached that stage in my career today where LUX believes in me. I am very happy with this association!”

The duo will be seen sharing a naughty, romantic camaraderie on screen. Wearing a sexy red dress, Deepika playfully teases Imran as he is floored by her fragrant soft skin and confident sensuality. Together the couple reveals the secret to igniting that much needed spark in a relationship.

“The commercial revolves around what keeps a man and woman interested in each other. I think the scent of a woman is very important.If she smells fantastic, it’s a big turn-on. She must have nice, soft skin too… smooth to touch, just like the LUX woman!The LUX products have a lingering fragrance and they make your skin feel great after using them. The brand is known to personify confidence and sensuality which is very appealing” added Imran.

The real story of a middle class family

 Ramashankar is a 45 years old man, doing clerical job in a private firm in Indore. He and his wife Yashoda have three children- Kaushalya (21), Geeta (19) and Sameer (16). Kaushalya and Geeta are college going girls, while Sameer is doing 12th class. He is studying in a government school.

Alike all ambitious middle class boys, Sameer also wants to help his family financially, but due to his deep involvement in studies, he is not finding extra time to do some work. He is inspired by his elder sisters, who are taking tuitions of primary classes and assisting family to face challenges of varied natures.

One day Sameer while searching a company for part time job in classified columns read about miim on city page. He was not aware of the institute which earned name by providing 100% placements to those students, who undergone its unique image management course. After taking contact numbers of miim, one day he came to institute and expressed his willingness to do the said course. He also narrated the economical condition of his family and requested the management to grant relaxation in fees. As per rules, as he was not graduate, hence not eligible for course, but when Atul Malikram, chief mentor miim viewed his willingness to help his family, considered his request as a special case and he no only permitted him to join miim for undergoing the studies of 11 month’s unique course, but also gave relaxation in payment of course fees.

Today Sameer is happy to take lessons from rich faculty of institute. Alike all other students of institute, he is not worried about job after completion of the course, as miim takes full guarantee of 100% placements to all students undergoing the course.

Ramashankar was not aware of developments in his family, but when Sameer after few days of joining miim told his father about his above deed, at the first instance he was angry, but when he heard about his son’s willingness to assist his family he was emotional and brought tears to his eyes. These tears were of joy and not of sorrow.

Miim believes in providing education to students of such kind which could be useful in building their future. It offers a 11 months duration course for PR aspirants and gives guarantee of 100% placement after completion of course.

To know more about image management course and miim, please contact Atul Malikram at 9755020247 or mail on atul@atulmalikram.in.

Shop Vegetables Online in Odisha

Image credit: orissadiary.com

The Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has launched a scheme allowing citizens to buy vegetables online through the e-commerce portal www.veggiekart.co.in , on Monday.

This is a joint venture of the state government and Veggie Kart Marketing Ltd that would make the marketing easier and online for the people in the state.

The portal accepts order for the vegetables and delivers the order at the door step, and accepts the cash from the consumer after the goods have been delivered, as reported in a media.

However, the online payment process has not be finalized, after that consumers can pay directly online to purchase the vegetables from the portal.

Apart from that the company has also rolled out 15 vegetable carts to sell vegetables.

Big Magic Announces the Launch of KDMVH

BIG MAGIC,the flagship general entertainment channel from the Reliance Broadcast Network, announces the launch of-Kis Din MeraViyahHoway Ga’,a hilarious daily sitcom catering to India audiences. An adaptation of the extremely popular Pakistani madcap comedy with the same name, Kis Din MeraViyahHoway Gais designed to tickle the funny bonesof the audience. Produced under the banner ofBIG Production, this witty sitcom, with an ensemble of quirky characterspremieres on BIG MAGIC onMonday,25th November at9:30pmand promises to transform every smile into burst of laughter.

All set to add more laughter and entertainment to the lives of Indian viewers, the refreshing new Indian daily Kis Din MeraViyahHoway Ga!showcases the life of Choudhary household and their biggest nemesis ‘Marriage’. All young membersof the family are desperate to get married but owing to their amusing obsessions and strange circumstances they all land up in hilarious mismatch.

A character driven sitcom, the Choudhary family from Delhi will have the entire nation in splits with their superlative humor. The pivotal characters of the show include head of the ChoudharyParivar- KayamatChoudhary; his wife Manorama; a 40 year old unmarried younger brother Komal obsessed with Moustache; ayounger sister Billo, of marriageable age and their whacky housemaid considers herself as a part of the Chaudhary family and secretly dreams of marrying KomalChoudhary.Amidst all the confusion of finding a suitable match and getting married, one question which lingers on every character’s mind is- Kis Din MeraViyahHoway Ga!!

PankitThakker who essays the character of Bablu quips “Pakistani sitcoms have a different appeal and are dialogue driven. I am excited to play one of the main leads. The best part about the character is that he is not so Seedha! The twist about my character will be revealed soon.”

Manoj Malhotra who essays the character of Komal says, “I was hooked on to this character Komal since the time I was narrated the script. Such a Dil-Phaink, Bollywood obsessed character gives a lot of scope to an actor to grow. Also my character Komal is obsessed with moustache even though he doesn’t have one of his own!”

Neetha Shetty playing the role of Peeno says “I am thrilled to have landed the role of Peeno who is an outright eccentric character in the Choudhary household. I really liked the story; it's the perfect project for me to explore the comedy genre. I am looking forwardto the reaction of audience to my portrayal of a crazy Punjabi kudi who is head over heels in love with her employer.”

SonuChandrapal who plays Billotalks about her role “I had never done a comedy show before so this show is my first ever attempt in comedy. I am sure my character of Billo will make her way in the heart of the audiences with her wit and charm.”

Set your worries aside and enjoy the daily dose of the coolest comedy caper only on BIG MAGIC from 25th November at 9:30pm.

Declaration of granting Bharat Ratna award to Sachin Tendulkar

On Saturday, November 16: the day that Sachin Tendulkar retired from international cricket, the Government of India announced that he (along with Professor CNR Rao) would receive the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honor bestowed on an Indian citizen.

Before 16 December 2012, the award was for “exceptional service towards advancement of Art, Literature, and Science, and in recognition of public service of the highest order.” On that day, it was changed so that it could be awarded “in recognition of exceptional service/performance of the highest order in any field of human Endeavour”.

It was no longer restricted to exceptional individuals in art, literature, science and public service. The field was broadened to include "any field of human endeavour". It was also 'watered down' to include performance as well as service. Cynics argued then, with some justification, that that the policy was altered to accommodate (arguably) India's greatest cricketer, Sachin Tendulkar. Under the previous statement of the policy, he could not be awarded the Bharat Ratna.

The debate on the rewording of the policy has been reignited, as expected, after the announcement that Tendulkar would receive the Bharat Ratna. The timing of the announcement by the Government was cheekily uncanny. Just hours earlier, Tendulkar had made a heartrending speech at the Wankhede stadium on the conclusion of his last and 200th Test match. He inspired, touched, and provoked many that saw or heard what the most beautiful retirement speech was arguably.

Across India and in many other countries, grown men and women wept as we heard Tendulkar speak from his heart, of the many people and organizations he owed a depth of gratitude to. Many more wept as we watched him walk up to the pitch, bend down, touch it and then touch his heart. He had paid his last respects to the arena that he gave so much to, gained so much from.

With full respect to Sachin for his individual records and contribution to Indian cricket, MIIM opines that if he has been nominated for the biggest civilian award of the country on the basis of amended or extended standards, more dignitaries like Dr.Ram manohar Lohia, Atal bihari Bajpai (Politicians), Major Dhyanchand ( Hocky player who brought glory to country in Olympics) Dhirubhai Ambani (Ace businessman) E.Sreedharan (Metro man) and Dilip Kumar (versatile film actor) should be considered for this award.

Atul Malikram, Director MIIM decided to conduct an opinion poll on Bharat Ratna award and request all readers of this page to caste their “liking” on the following celebrities:

· Dr. Ram Manohar Lohiya
· Atal Bihari Bajpai
· Major Dhyanchand
· Dhirubhai Ambani
· E.Sreedharan
· Dilip Kumar

Please caste your liking and forward your “Choice’ to decision takers well before Republic Day 2014, when the biggest civilian award will be given to worthy persons.

For more information please contact 
Atul Malikram 
9755020247

Bottleneck is Prime Concern in Odisha?

 The cyclone in Odisha is proved a double edge sword for the people – first the panic of cyclone aftermath and the sky rocketing prices. In the market, the price of vegetables is out of reach of the people due the bottleneck in the supply side.

Once potato was common vegetable and popular food recipe in the state, but of late the scenario has been changed. The price has been doubled since the cyclone struck the coastal belt of the state. In the list of dearer goods, onion has been in the list and the same was missing from the market across the country let alone Odisha market.

Next the potato followed by rumors about the salt in the market. It is the perfect time for the vendors and dealers to practice the bottleneck method to gain maximum profit in short period.

In economics, the supply and demand forces in the market determine the price. That is fact, when it comes to bottleneck over the supply side; it is obvious that demand would go high making the price of the goods to a new high.

In order to control the situation the state government has made adequate steps to check the bottleneck by ordering potatoes from neighbor states. In a next couple of weeks, the situation would be normal again since the supply side correction would bring down the price in the market.

But the big question is that, should there not be any mechanism to check the bottleneck beforehand.

Do Exit Polls influence Voters?

Do you believe in exit polls? If your answer is yes, here is another question: Do you think the results shown in the exit poll enough to influence voters? Recently, one exit poll shown results that BJP was getting more seats in the 2014 elections, while Congress less.

Political parties do mega campaign to get the attention of voters and their vote in election. The results of exit poll could affect their vote bank. News channels are being widely watched in India, and people do watch election news with great interest.

The exit polls are based on the opinion given by the voters, those are the actual respondents in the survey containing list of questionnaires. And the exit polls are scientific, since it involves the voice of the voters from various reasons.

Similarly, in past elections some exit polls were proved correct, while some fail. Since the voice or willingness of the voters are being taken in the exit poll, during the time of the exit polls that is real. And during the election time, the respondents may change their opinion while voting. And the variation is sure and natural.

Political parties too have been taking the results of exit polls seriously, as those have been indicating their presence or hold in their reason. And before the election if they come to know about the poor presence, then they could take a cue from the exit poll and start preparing the ground from their areas to win the elections.

And the exit polls do influence the other voters about the political parties and it is common. A voter may give vote to a party that is being accepted by many voters in exit polls. Exit polls are scientific and true sine those represent the voice of the voters – respondents.

Sona Group bets big on entrepreneurship in India

 

New Delhi:  Recognising the potential of the Indian entrepreneurial spirit and to provide a thrust to same; the Sona Group, India’s leading automotive components manufacturers, has launched ‘Masterpreneur India’ season one with CNBC Awaaz.

This annual series is a five year property and will search for budding entrepreneurs across the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in India to challenge them to come and drive innovative thinking into their businesses. Supported by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, and Trade India.com the entrepreneurial business growth partner, Masterpreneur has received a total of 830 entries at the initial round.

Any business ranging between Rs. 25 lakh to Rs. 10 crore with at least two years in existence and a business model that is innovative, scalable and not easy to replicate have qualified to present their case in this reality business show.

Sunjay Kapur, Vice Chairman and Managing Director Sona Koyo commented, “Masterpreneur is a platform to recognize the spirit of entrepreneurship in you. As often seen, inadequate finance, limitations in resources and even the right counsel can be a hindrance to pursuing one’s business ambition. We strongly believe that with the support of our partners, we can provide a fillip to deserving entrepreneurs. I am extremely excited and overwhelmed by the response we have received; the quality of entries made it extremely challenging for us to shortlist them. This is going to be exciting”.

MSMEs in India play a significant role in the growth story of the nation. With about 3.6 crore such enterprises in the market today, it contributes over 8% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and provides for employment opportunities to over 8 crore people.

However, only 34% of these have access to banks and financial institutions, while the rest raise money through informal channels. With a debt demand in the market of Rs. 32 lakh crore today, only 6 lakh crore is financed through the formal sector, chiefly by Public Sector Banks. In addition to this, lack of proper knowledge and skill development, advisory support and little or no access to adequate technologies and an uncertain market make it difficult to survive or even venture out for some of these entrepreneurs. The sector has been witnessing a slow growth with its share of exports falling from 40 per cent to 36 per cent lately as per news reports.

Masterpreneur will be one such platform where these shortlisted candidates will get an opportunity to be mentored by industry luminaries. They will also get a life time opportunity to be trained by experts as well as meet with venture capitalists and angel investors. This would help to provide them with a holistic perspective and guidance on how their business case can be strengthened.

While the semifinal rounds for Masterpreneur scheduled for November 15th to November 16th, 2013 in New Delhi, the show is expected to be aired on 30th November with the North-West regional rounds and then progress into the other regional rounds. Three semi-finalists from each region will be selected from each region that will be flown to Delhi where they will undergo the mentorship programme. Subsequently, four contestants will be shortlisted for the national finals which will be held in New Delhi.

The show will culminate with the awards night on 29th November’2013, a gala evening that will also see the release the dossier containing the 48 shortlisted cases from each region for the season. This will be circulated to select members among the business community from among venture capitalists, angel investors, business houses and other members of the business community.

As the name suggests, this reality show promises to be exciting and will be a significant step in bringing together India’s best and aspiring talent and encourage them to present their business acumen in front of established business luminaries. This is a small yet critical initiative from Sona to encourage Indian entrepreneurship and help drive inclusive economic growth.

Gemological Institute of America offers Graduate Diamonds(GD) Diploma in Jaipur

Jaipur: GIA (Gemological Institute of America)will offer its Graduate Diamonds(GD) Diploma in Jaipur beginning January 9, 2014. The 7-week programme, taught by experienced instructors from the Institute’s Mumbai campus, will bring GIA’s globally recognisedgem education to Jaipur,important consumer market and manufacturing hub for the gems and jewellery industry.

The GD programme combines theory and hands-on practical learning to teach students the GIA-created 4Cs (Colour, Cut, Clarity and Carat weight) of diamond quality and how to grade diamonds in the D-Z colour range. Students learn how to use gemological equipment to grade and identify diamonds; how to detect synthetics, treatments, stimulants and fracture-filled diamonds; and how to confidently speak the language of diamonds to suppliers, vendors and customers.

Gemological Institute of America conducts the GD programme in cities throughout India including Mumbai, New Delhi, Surat and Bangalore. This course will give professionals and industry hopefuls from Jaipur and neighbouring areas in Rajasthan easy access to world-class education. In addition to the classroom learning, GIA’s Graduate Diamonds also facilitates real world application of concepts learnt in class. GIA conducts regular market visits for the students, including manufacturing facilities and retail houses to gain an understanding of day-to-day business. They get a unique opportunity to experience the entire journey of a diamond – from rough to retail.

“Jaipur is a major consumer market for gems and jewellery, and a treasure trove of traditional and contemporary jewellery,” says Nirupa Bhatt, Managing Director of Gemological Institute of America in India and the Middle East. “GIA’s Graduate Diamonds programme brings global education for diamonds to Jaipur.”

The GD Diploma programme will begin January 9, 2013. GIA, the global leader in gem and jewellery education, also offers full-and part-time courses on diamonds, coloured stones, pearls, merchandising, jewellery design, retail and more. The Institute conducts regular corporate seminars on jewellery-related topics across 40 cities in India.

For more information about Gemological Institute of America education in India, call 1800-102-1566, email education.giaindia@gia.edu or visit www.giaindia.in.

About GIA

An independent organization, GIA (Gemological Institute of America) is recognized as the world's foremost authority in gemmology. Established in 1931, GIA has translated its expert knowledge into the most respected gemmological education available. Early in the 1950s, GIA invented the famous 4Cs of Colour, Cut, Clarity and Carat Weight. In 1953, the Institute created the International Diamond Grading System™ which, today, is recognized by virtually every professional jeweller in the world.

Through research, education, gemmological laboratory services, and instrument development, the Institute is dedicated to ensuring the public trust in gems and jewellery by upholding the highest standards of integrity, academics, science, and professionalism. Gemological Institute of America can be found on the web at www.gia.edu.

Pantaloons opens its First Store in Dehradun

Pantaloons, India's leading fashion and lifestyle apparel retail brand, has announced the opening of its first store in Dehradun. The new store is opening at Pacific Mall, Dehradun a premium shopping destination. Pantaloons offers a collection of more than a 100 prestigious brands and provides an incredible and complete one-stop shopping experience to its buyers.

The new store spreads across more than 13,000 sq. ft and will house a wide range of fashionable apparel and accessories. The fashion store will have something to offer for everyone - men, women and kids, making it a shopper’s paradise. Some of the major brands available at the store include ethnic wear from Rangmanch, Trishaa and Aakriti, contemporary western wear for men from Ajile, JM Sport, Bare and for women from Annabelle and Honey while the best from kids wear is from Chalk. Also present are India’s loved brands Peter England, Van Heusen and Allen Solly. Apart from apparel, the store will also offer a wide range of stylish handbags and fashion accessories.

The store has been uniquely designed to enable a hassle free shopping experience to its prestigious patrons. Well trained staff, plush ambiance and most importantly spacious trial rooms have been conceptualized keeping in mind the customer’s needs.

Commenting on the occasion of the opening, Mr. Shital Mehta, CEO, Pantaloons Fashion & Retail Ltd. said, “As a brand, Pantaloons has always been committed to our promise of ‘Fresh Fashion’ translating to our apparel and accessories being visually appealing and fashionably upbeat. Our first store in Dehradun will cater to wide cross section of customers offering a large range of brands under one roof. Customers in Dehradun are exposed to latest fashion trends and always look for something fresh. I am optimistic about the brand’s performance in this market.”

Further talking about Dehradun as a market he added, “Our presence here forms an important part of our growth strategy over the next few years.”

Today, Pantaloons has 76 aesthetically designed stores across 38 cities and towns. The apparel retail giant is constantly extending its foot-prints into the rest of modern India.

Store Address: Pacific Mall, Lower Ground Floor, Rajpur Road, Dehradun, Uttranchal-248001.
For more information: PR 24x7 Network Limited, Atul Malikram, atul@atulmalikram.in

ZICA to Award Scholarships to Students to achieve their educational goal

Bhubaneswar: Zee Institute of Creative Art (ZICA), an active player in promoting the growth of animation industry in India, is once again rewarding performance with its ‘Zee Vidyanidhi Scholarship’. Through initiatives such as this, ZICA is trying to take steps toward making it easier for young talented students to fulfill their dreams of being a world class animator. With the ‘Zee Vidyanidhi Scholarship‘, 1000 talented students can get up to 100% scholarship for all courses at any ZICA center across India.

This is the third consecutive year when ZICA is rewarding performance with the Zee Scholarship campaign. Application for the scholarship opens from November 11 and runs till 31st December, 2013. The scholarship is provided across all the 30 ZICA centers in India and is valid for all the courses offered at the centre.

ZICA provides practical training in 2D Animation, 3D Animation, Visual Effects, Graphic & Web Designing & Gaming, covering all the stages of visualization, Pre-production, production and post-production.

The Scholarship examination will test the students’ creative abilities, enthusiasm and motivation to become a creative professional. With a unique question paper prepared for this purpose and a personal interview following the test, the candidates will be evaluated thoroughly to ensure that they deserve the award.

Talking about the initiative, Mr. Anshuman Choudhary, Business Head of ZICA, said, “At ZICA, we believe in promoting creative talent. We want to encourage talented people to pursue their dreams of making it to the creative industry by eliminating any barriers that may come in their way. Scholarship is one such means of helping all potential students realize their dreams. With this initiative we are aiming to bring together a pool of well deserved talent from across the country.”

Depending on the results of the exam and the following personal interview, the scholarship will offer deserving students a 100% waiver on the course fees.

About ZICA

Zee Institute of Creative Art (ZICA) is India’s first full-fledged Classical and Digital Animation Training Academy that trains youth in classical 2D and modern 3D animation. The institute has adopted a novel training style and is focused entirely on creating a stimulating environment for its students. ZICA is now operating with over 30 centres in more than 15 major cities. Zee Institute of Creative Art, with its state-of-the-art infrastructure, gives practical training in 2D Animation, 3D Animation, Visual Effects & Gaming, covering the stages of visualization, Pre-production, production and post-production. Students are assured of creative exposure with a healthy mix of theory and practical sessions, delivered with the right amalgamation of Art & technology, under the supervision of in-house experienced faculties and industry experts from India and abroad. ZICA’s Training Studios are equipped with high end animation tools, 2D animation facilities, 3D software, Visual FX Labs and imaging technologies.

Visit ZICA at www.zica.org

Del Monte makes it big with Krrish 3

New Delhi, November 14, 2013: Del Monte, among India’s leading processed food and beverages brands, associated itself with the most awaited movie of the year Krrish 3, which was launched during the Diwali weekend. The association was aimed at increasing the sales and creating relevant touch points for the brand having recognised the film’s potential to reach the masses and its great popularity, With reports of box office collections crossing Rs. 200 crore worldwide already, marketers who betted big on the movie have reason to celebrate.

Mr.Yogesh Bellani, Chief Executive Officer, FieldFresh Foods Pvt. Ltd said, “Integrating brands in commercial films has become a highly effective way to reach out to your consumers and when it comes to a property as large as Krrish; with a proven track record of growing popularity, mass appeal and India’s only successful homegrown super hero as on date, we felt this would be the ideal platform for us to partner with and engage with our audiences. We are happy that we were successful to connect well with the audience as well as impact our sales favourably with this association.

To get the maximum out of the association, Del Monte has adopted a complete 360 degree approach. The association and consumer promotion was promoted on all media that included television, radio, online and OOH screens. Del Monte launched special Krrish co-branded packs for ketchup & sauces and fruit drinks. The gratification included a chance to win some exciting prizes such PSPs & Mobile Phones and assured prizes attractive KRRISH Tiffin boxes and Sippers with the ketchup bottles.

Huge buzz was created through in store branding and on ground activation which gave consumers an opportunity to get a picture clicked with KRRISH cut out. These were then put in Del Monte and Krrish Co branded photo frames and handed out to them.

Consumers in select modern trade outlets also got a chance to share their super hero moments and won couple movie tickets in return.

The highlight of the consumer promotion was the gratification which entitled the winners a chance to meet KRRISH himself. Del Monte organised a Meet & Greet at Mumbai with Hrithik Roshan for the winners who were picked through a random selection on a purchase of Del Monte Krrish packs. A total of 6 winners from across the country were finally selected to meet their favourite superhero KRRISH.

Del Monte also tapped into new media with the ‘Mera Kid Mera Superhero’ contest on Facebook where maximum likes were gratified by attractive prizes such as winning free tickets for Krrish

All Del Monte and Krrish co-branded packs of ketchups & Sauces and fruit drinks are available in modern trade and retail outlets. They are also available at select general trade outlets across the country.
###

About Del Monte

Brand Del Monte has more than 100 years of rich international heritage during which it has been synonymous with quality and taste. The brand originated in the US and is now available all across the globe. The Del Monte range of branded processed food and beverage products in India includes Fruit drinks, Ketchup & Sauces, Packaged Fruits and the Italian Range consisting of Pasta, Olive Oil and Olives/Jalapenos and a Culinary range for both B2B and B2C markets.

Del Monte was brought to India in 2007 by a joint venture between Bharti Enterprises and Del Monte Pacific Ltd. The JV is called FieldFresh Foods Pvt Ltd.

For more information please log on to: http://www.fieldfreshfoods.in/ and www.worldfoody.com



About Bharti Enterprises

Bharti Enterprises is one of India’s leading business groups with interests in telecom, agri business, financial services, retail and manufacturing. Bharti has been a pioneering force in the telecom sector with many firsts and innovations to its credit. BhartiAirtel Limited is a leading integrated telecommunications company with operations in 19 countries across Asia and Africa. Headquartered in New Delhi, India, the company ranks amongst the top 5 mobile service providers globally in terms of subscribers. In India, the company's product offerings include 2G & 3G mobile services, fixed line, high speed broadband through DSL, IPTV, DTH, enterprise services including national & international long distance services to carriers. In the rest of the geographies, it offers 2G & 3G mobile services. Beetel Teletech is the country’s largest manufacturer and exporter of telephone terminals.

About Del Monte Pacific Limited

Del Monte Pacific Limited is listed in the Singapore Stock Exchange and has exclusive rights to the Del Monte brand for processed food and beverage products in the Indian subcontinent and in the Philippines where it enjoys leading market shares for canned pineapple juice and juice drinks, canned pineapple and tropical mixed fruits, tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce and tomato ketchup.


For further information please contact:
Avian Media
Silky Chopra/Anshika Mehta
9650303863/9953227612 silky@avian-media.com/anshika@avian-media.com

SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY REPORTS FISCAL FIRST QUARTER 2014 FINANCIAL RESULTS

Seagate Technology plc (NASDAQ: STX) (the “Company” or “Seagate”) today reported financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2014 ended September 27, 2013. During the first quarter, the Company reported revenue of approximately $3.5 billion, gross margin of 28.0%, net income of $427 million and diluted earnings per share of $1.16. On a non-GAAP basis, which excludes the net impact of certain items, Seagate reported gross margin of 28.5%, net income of $473 million and diluted earnings per share of $1.29.

During the first quarter, the Company generated approximately $682 million in operating cash flow, paid cash dividends of $135 million and repurchased 4 million ordinary shares for approximately $182 million. There were 359 million ordinary shares issued and outstanding as of the end of the quarter.

Subsequent to the first quarter, the Company repurchased 32.7 million ordinary shares from Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. for approximately $1.5 billion.

“The solid financial results we achieved this quarter reflect the ongoing execution of our business model,” said Steve Luczo, Seagate’s chairman and chief executive officer. “While the challenges of technology transitions and macro uncertainty are driving us to manage our business conservatively, we remain focused on the fact that the demand for exabytes of storage continues to increase. We continue to invest in our market-leading storage technology portfolio to enable cloud, mobile and open source storage advancement as we believe these market trends represent new and significant opportunities for Seagate.”

For a detailed reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP results, see financial tables.

Quarterly Cash Dividend

The Board of Directors has approved an increase in the quarterly cash dividend of $0.05 from $0.38 per share in the previous quarter to $0.43 per share this quarter, an increase of approximately 13%. This dividend will be payable on November 26, 2013 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on November 12, 2013. The payment of any future quarterly dividends will be at the discretion of the Board and will be dependent upon Seagate's financial position, results of operations, available cash, cash flow, capital requirements and other factors deemed relevant by the Board.

About Seagate

Seagate is the world leader in hard disk drives and storage solutions. Learn more at seagate.com.

Sahara One gives Indian Television the first ever ‘FIRANGI BAHU’

As more and more foreign nationals come to India, one is often prompted to ask “Can a foreigner feel at home in India?” Sahara One will address this question through its brand new, light hearted family show ‘FIRANGI BAHU’ to go on air from Monday, November 11 at 7:30 p.m. The show will put forth a concept that has never been seen in the history of Indian Television: a foreigner who comes to stay in her sasural in India.

It is a well known fact that foreigners are fascinated by India, its colorful festivals, traditions and diverse cultural heritage. This fascination makes them want to try and become a part of Indian culture. At the same time Indians too, are quite curious about the West. They have accepted Western influences on Indian food, attire, art, music and many other things. However when it comes to the sacred institution of marriage, Indians still consider people from the West to be unwelcome representatives of a world that is too different and alien. And it is amidst this background that ‘FIRANGI BAHU’ is set.

The show will take viewers through the journey of a British girl, Camili Jonathan, who marries into the conservative Desai family in Rajkot, Gujarat.

The story starts with Pranay Desai (Rohit Bhardwaj) the youngest son of the Desai family, who is in London for higher studies and meets Camili Jonathan (Sippora).

Slowly through her eyes, Pranay begins to see India, his own country, in a new light. He begins to admire things that he had overlooked over the years, despite being an Indian himself. In the process, Pranay falls in love with Camili’s simple lifestyle and her perspective of India.

Aware of his conservative family background, he decides to marry Camili in London and return to India.

Commenting on this, Sharad Raj, Content and Programming Head, Sahara One, says, “At Sahara One we are constantly innovating with the aim of providing interesting and novel content to viewers. This is the first time that a foreigner is playing a bahu in a Hindi serial. This is clutter breaking; a real FIRST TIME event on Indian television. Moreover, this provides sufficient scope for drama and lighter moments. Viewers will enjoy watching a European lady adapt to a conservative Gujarati family. At the same time, her journey will result in a lot of drama. I hope viewers support us in our endeavour to bring them something new. And I hope they appreciate the effort we have made to do this.”

Adds Vipul D Shah, Managing Director & CCO (Chief Creative Officer), Optimystix Entertainment India Pvt. Ltd., "Firangi Bahu is a clutter breaking concept, which is an unusual and never-seen-before concept on Indian Television. Firangi Bahu is a slice of life, dramedy (Drama & Comedy) story of Camili Jonathan, a 20 year old British citizen, who falls in love with a Gujarati boy in London.

Motivated purely by love and devotion, she decides to settle in India in a joint Gujarati family (her sasural). This is in a way, a celebration of India and Indianness through a foreigner’s point of view. All characters and situations in the serial are endearing and believable."

Sahara One’s show ‘FIRANGI BAHU’, showcases the struggle of Camili Jonathan, a British girl, who enters India and its culture that is rich, diverse and different from her own. In the process she discovers her own ability to adapt, after getting married into a traditional, conservative Indian family and winning over members of the family with her knowledge and love of Indian culture.

‘FIRANGI BAHU’ will introduce the beautiful SIPPORA ZOUTEWELLE, a Dutch debutant actress, who will play the title role of FIRANGI BAHU. The Desai family will see an ensemble of seasoned actors like Indira Krishna, Pranoti Pradhan, Deepmala Parmar, Dilip Darbar, Hetal Puniwala, Paresh Bhatt and

Rohit Bhardwaj.

Kya Camili Ko Apnayega Desai Parivar?

Watch

‘FIRANGI BAHU’

STARTS 11TH NOV, 7:30 P.M. MON-FRI

ON SAHARA ONE

About Sahara One Television

Sahara One Television provides a strong mix of engrossing fiction and non-fiction entertainment and is popular for its star-studded mega events, dramas, mythological series, reality shows, kid’s programming, thrillers, feature films, film-based programmes, and much more. Not only does Sahara One Television provide a variety of shows across all the above genres, it also focuses on providing entertaining and engrossing portrayals of strong, independent thinking Indian women in its soaps and serials.

With a strong focus on quality content and innovative programming and promotions, Sahara One Television is poised to assume a position of strength amongst the mainstream Hindi General Entertainment Channels in India.

Sahara One Television is part of the umbrella brand Sahara One Media and Entertainment Ltd., whose other businesses include Sahara Motion Pictures - India’s biggest motion pictures production company, FILMY - a 24-hour digitally encrypted Hindi movie channel and FIRANGI – India’s first world television channel airing dubbed multilingual movies in Hindi.

Sahara One’s ‘FIRANGI BAHU’

Lead Protagonists - Character Sketch

Camili Jonathan - FIRANGI BAHU

played by Sippora Zoutewelle

Camili Jonathan is British girl who hails from London. She is soft-spoken, pretty and has blonde hair. She loves Indian culture and has immense knowledge about its history, literature and different religions.

She has read books by Rabindranath Tagore and Munshi Premchand. She finds India very colorful and loves talking about everything, from the Indian joint family system and food to poetry, festivals and literature. She comes from a broken family where her parents separated because of compatibility issues. She has read a lot about the spirit of togetherness in Indian families that is maintained even if there are family problems. This has impressed her immensely. We get to see her colorful perspective of India.

Ranjan Ben Desai - Mother in law

played by Indira Krishna

Ranjan Ben Desai is married to Purshottam Desai and is the mother of three sons. She loves her family and considers it her duty to keep its members united. She showers immense love on everyone. Ranjan Ben Desai comes from a conservative background and believes in tradition. She takes care of the entire household and without her permission no decision can be taken in the house.

Pranay Desai - Husband of Camili

played by Rohit Bhardwaj



Pranay is the youngest son of the Desai family. He is a very loving, strong and confident young man who cares deeply for his family. He is especially sensitive towards his mother’s feelings. He is a man of substance and is the pillar of the family. He goes to London School of Engineering to pursue his studies. It is here that he meets Camili Jonathan and falls in love with her.

Is it right time to enter share market?

 It is not an easy time to be an investor. Even though you may be spoilt for choice, there is a high degree of volatility across asset classes. This means that one has to be extra cautious while choosing investments. Whether you are opting for equity, fixed income, property, or gold, the current environment will punish you for rash or untimely decisions. For those who have just started saving, taking the initial steps into the world of investing is even more daunting. It's the same for anyone exploring a new asset class.

Many of us choose to stay away from the stock market because of the risky nature of such investments. For some, it is akin to gambling in a casino. However, we also hear of stories where people have made fortunes from stocks. Some of your friends, relatives, or acquaintances will recount their experiences of doubling or trebling their money within a short span of time. Naturally, this gets you thinking. Should I try my hand at the stocks game? How can I make handsome gains from equities? More often than not, you take the plunge. You open a demat and trading account, and make your initial purchase—possibly a strong blue-chip company that you admire, or an emerging company you have heard a lot about. Either way, this may not be the ideal route for everyone.

Experts of stock markets are often found debating on business channels, particularly on big rise or fall of index. Long time investors are rarely impressed by their opinions because they are well aware of the ethics of stock markets. Here are few suggestions for new investors in stocks:

· Select one or two stocks for initial purchase.

· Wait for the time when your stock reaches at such level where you can sell them and book profits.

· Avoid investing large amounts at one go. Buy small quantities at regular intervals and try to get a feel of market.

· It is difficult to catch a stock at its lowest price. Buy a stock in which you have strong conviction.

· Often first investments are driven by friendly tips or prevailing hot trends. Traders love beginners as they chase the hot trends and drive prices higher. However the traders are out, leaving beginners in the thinking tank. Avoid such race and believe in your stocks only.

· Stock create enormous wealth, but do not expect to hit the jackpot early on. You might not earn good returns initially and may in fact suffer losses. Stocks are inherently volatile. Even a good stock can fall if the market turns bearish. Do not let fear and greed drive your investments decisions.

November 2013 witnessed sensex at all time high level. The experienced investors and intra day players took advantage of the rise and sold stocks. However the index after Diwali is again on declining trend as foreign markets are also sailing in the same boat. But one should not take it as negative sign as the basic rules for share markets describe the phase as natural phenomenon. PR 24x7 Network Limited besides extending excellent image management services to clients of varied sectors, also provide tips for intra day and long time investors. If you are interested to earn money from share market.

Adrenalin Expands Learning Management Capabilities

Adrenalin eSystems Limited (AeSys), a global product and software solutions company in the field of HR automation announced its strategic partnership with 24x7 Learning Pvt. Ltd., one of India’s premier eLearning Technology companies.

Adrenalin’s focus has always been on providing the right tools to strengthen productivity of workforce and align them towards organizational goals. This tie-up will help organizations leverage technology enabled learning to achieve positive business impact. Speaking on this tie-up, Mr. Balaji Ganesh, CEO & MD of Adrenalin eSystems Limited said, “We are very excited about our partnership with 24x7 Learning. Through 24x7 Learning’s Learning Management System - 24x7 LearnTrak™ , companies can align learning activities to business objectives, track learning effectiveness throughout the organization, implement a cost effective learning plan for employees and enable them to learn at their own pace & convenience and benefit from collaborative learning. This integrated platform enables customers to leverage Learning needs in line with their business priorities.”

Further Balaji adds “Our focus over the last two years has been on strengthening the core HR product offering including building strong Social, Mobile and Cloud capabilities of the product. Adding 24x7 LearnTrak™ LMS only reiterates our position as strong HR technology partners for Enterprise customers looking for a one stop solution to address their business issues”.

24x7 LearnTrak™ LMS’ advanced features such as competency management, course management, assessments and virtual classrooms address critical training issues related to an increasingly geographically dispersed workforce, low shelf-life of training information and inconsistent quality of classroom training.

Karthik KS, Founder and CEO of 24x7 Learning said, “24x7 LearnTrak™ the award winning LMS is corporate India’s preferred choice used by large and fast growth companies across industry verticals such as BFSI, Pharma, Telecom, IT Manufacturing etc.

Karthik also adds “This integrated HRMS +LMS solution will provide customers with a complete lifecycle solution to manage human capital by tracking employee details and offer them training through 24x7 LearnTrak™ which will enable corporates to effectively maintain competencies as well as bridge skill gaps with efficient monitoring."

About Adrenalin eSystems Limited

Adrenalin eSystems Limited (AeSys), is an established Human Capital Alignment software provider in India. It is a Polaris group company. Polaris builds, maintains, expands and extends highly complex and integrated financial technology infrastructure. AeSys’s product, Adrenalin, is an action tool for leaders, senior executives and all employees. It is built around ‘The Power of Human Energy’ and helps everyone in the organisation to work cohesively and with the greatest possible commitment and team work. Adrenalin also helps the HR show that people are not a cost but a value centre. Currently, product Adrenalin is being used by over 500 customers from across different verticals. To know more visit: www.myadrenalin.com

About 24x7 Learning Pvt. Ltd.

Established in 2001, 24x7 Learning today is one of India's Premier eLearning companies. It has over 225 of India's Top companies and MNCs in its clientele list. Its unique blend of consulting skills, implementation methodology, proven technology in eLearning and expertise in custom content development provides the strategic advantage organizations need to leverage technology for their talent enhancement needs. 24x7 LearnTrak LMS is their flagship product that manages both classroom training & eLearning. To know more visit: www.24x7learning.com

Source:Business Wire India

Broadband Subscriber Base Further Increases During September 2013

Total Broadband subscriber base in the country has increased from 15.28 million at the end of August 2013 to 15.36 million at the end of September 2013.


This is a monthly growth of 0.52%. Yearly growth in broadband subscribers is 1.90% during the last one year (September 2012 to September 2013).

As on 30th September 2013, there are 158 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) which are providing broadband services in the country. Out of these, 95 ISPs have provided broadband subscription data for the month of September 2013, for the rest of the ISPs data from previous month has been retained.

Top five ISPs in terms of market share (based on subscriber base) are: BSNL (9.98 million), Bharti Airtel (1.44 million), MTNL (1.10 million), Hathway (0.37 million) and You Broadband (0.33 million).

Auction for Sale (Re-Issue) of Government Stocks

Government of India have announced the Sale (re-issue) of (i)“ 7.28 percent Government Stock 2019” for a notified amount of Rs. 4,000 crore (nominal) through price based auction, (ii) “7.16 percent Government Stock 2023” for a notified amount of Rs.7,000 crore (nominal) through price based auction , (iii) “8.32 percent Government Stock 2032” for a notified amount of Rs. 2,000 crore (nominal) through price based auction, and (iv) “8.30 percent Government Stock 2042” for a notified amount of Rs. 2,000 crore (nominal) through price based auction. The auctions will be conducted using uniform price method. The auctions will be conducted by the Reserve Bank of India, Mumbai Office, Fort, Mumbai on November 8, 2013 (Friday).

Up to 5% of the notified amount of the sale of the stocks will be allotted to eligible individuals and Institutions as per the Scheme for Non-Competitive Bidding Facility in the Auction of Government Securities.

Both competitive and non-competitive bids for the auction should be submitted in electronic format on the Reserve Bank of India Core Banking Solution (E-Kuber) system on
November 8, 2013. The non-competitive bids should be submitted between 10.30 a.m. and
11.30 a.m. and the competitive bids should be submitted between 10.30 a.m. and 12.00 noon.

The result of the auctions will be announced on November 8, 2013 and payment by successful bidders will be on November 11, 2013 (Monday).

The Stocks will be eligible for “When Issued” trading in accordance with the guidelines on ‘When Issued transactions in Central Government Securities’ issued by the Reserve Bank of India vide circular No. RBI/2006-07/178 dated November 16, 2006 as amended from time to time.

Eisai Begins Free Supply of Diethylcarbamazine in Line with its Global Commitment to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis

Eisai Pharmatechnology & Manufacturing Pvt. Ltd. (Headquarters: Visakhapatnam, President and Managing Director: Sanjit Singh Lamba) announced here today that it has begun the free supply of Diethylcarbamazine Citrate (DEC) 100 mg tablets produced at its Visakhapatnam Plant in India to the World Health Organization (WHO). This is in line with Eisai's commitment to help WHO in its global effort to eliminate lymphatic filariasis in targeted developing and emerging countries.

The Pacific island nations of Papua New Guinea, Kiribati, Tuvalu and Fiji have been confirmed as the first countries to receive the initial shipment. An estimated 6.25 million people1 living in at-risk communities will benefit from mass drug administration (MDA) programs.

Eisai is an active partner and signatory to the London Declaration, a global public-private partnership that aims to eliminate ten neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), including lymphatic filariasis, by 2020. As part of its commitment to this global initiative, Eisai has agreed to supply 2.2 billion DEC tablets to WHO for use in national MDA programs, free of cost.

Lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis, is a parasitic disease that is transmitted to humans by the bite of a mosquito. Once transmitted, it can cause lymphatic dysfunction and lead to serious manifestations such as lymphoedema, causing painful and disfiguring manifestations of the disease. Currently, an estimated 120 million people are already affected and more than 1.4 billion people are at risk of this disease, globally. High-quality DEC (one of the drugs used to treat lymphatic filariasis) is in short supply worldwide and is not easily accessible to at-risk populations in lymphatic filariasis-endemic countries. This poses a major obstacle for eliminating the disease.

Having started the production of DEC at its Visakhapatnam Plant in India in August 2013, Eisai has now begun to provide a steady supply of DEC tablets over a seven-year period from 2013 to 2020 for distribution through WHO's MDA programs to some 250 million people living in at-risk communities in 26 targeted countries2.

Eisai believes that contributing to the improvement of global health and access to medicines in developing countries is a form of long-term investment that contributes to the economic growth of these countries. The company remains actively committed to addressing overall issues in global health, including NTDs, in order to further increase the benefits provided to patients and their families worldwide.

Eisai Knowledge Centre at Visakhapatnam, a part of Eisai´s global manufacturing and research network, is a global supply hub for increasing access to medicine at affordable prices. The integrated manufacturing facility at Visakhapatnam, supplies high quality Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients and Oral Solid Dosage products globally, including Japan. The facility has approvals from USFDA, MHRA, WHO Geneva, PMDA Japan, Korean FDA etc. The Research Centre has highly qualified and skilled research scientists who work on the most advanced research and analytical equipment, contributing to the development of the new chemical entities for meeting the unmet medical needs.

The Eisai site in Visakhapatnam was awarded by International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) as Facility of the Year award–2012 in the best project execution category. Eisai Visakhapatnam is the only facility in India to have won this prestigious international award from ISPE.

Notes to editors

1. About Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), NTDs blight the lives of more than 1 billion of the world’s poorest 2.4 billion people. There are 149 countries and territories where NTDs are endemic, at least 100 of which are endemic for 2 or more of these diseases, and 30 countries and territories of which are endemic for 6 or more. These diseases not only survive and spread in conditions of poverty but also anchor large populations in poverty.

(NTDs designated by WHO for control or elimination: Buruli ulcer, Chagas disease,cysticercosis/taeniasis, dengue/severe dengue, dracunculiasis (guinea-worm disease), echinococcosis, food-borne trematodiases, human African trypanosomiasis, the leishmaniases, leprosy, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, rabies, schistosomiasis, soil-transmittedhelminthiases, trachoma, and yaws)

2. About Lymphatic Filariasis

Lymphatic filariasis is a parasitic disease that is transmitted to humans by the bite of a mosquito. Once transmitted, it can cause lymphatic dysfunction. While infection is usually acquired during childhood, symptoms often gradually appear over several years, with the most serious manifestations of the disease occurring in adulthood. One of the most serious manifestations, known as elephantiasis, is a permanent physical disability in which a patient’s lower extremities swell to resemble those of an elephant. In addition to impacting on a patient’s ability to perform everyday tasks, it historically has led to many patients falling victim to social persecution due to biases against the disease. As such, patients and their families may also suffer much emotional distress. Today, lymphatic filariasis affects an estimated 120 million people in 73 countries worldwide, most of whom live in developing and emerging countries in Africa, Southeast Asia and other tropical regions. In Japan, the disease is confirmed to have existed since the Heian period (794-1184), but was successfully eliminated in the late 1970s as a result of initiatives begun roughly ten years earlier by the Japanese government in partnership with the public-private sector, with Japan subsequently becoming the first country in the world to successfully eliminate lymphatic filariasis.

3. About the London Declaration on Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)

On January 30, 2012, the CEOs of 13 major global pharmaceutical companies, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.K. Department for International Development, the World Bank, and officials from NTD-endemic countries gathered in London to pledge their support for a coordinated effort to combat ten NTDs* by 2020. In signing the London Declaration on Neglected Tropical Diseases, each of the partner companies and organizations also pledged new levels of commitment to defeating these diseases.

The London Declaration represents the largest coordinated effort to date, and unlike past approaches undertaken by an individual organization or for a single disease, the group has committed itself to working collaboratively in an effort to comprehensively tackle issues pertaining to drug supply, distribution, development, implementation programs, and other areas as it seeks to more effectively combat NTDs. For further information, please visit the website (http://www.unitingtocombatntds.org/).

*Dracunculiasis (guinea-worm disease), lymphatic filariasis, blinding trachoma, human African trypanosomiasis, leprosy, soil-transmitted helminthiases, schistosomiasis, onchocerciasis, Chagas disease, and visceral leishmaniasis.