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Category: Press Release

  • Third edition of Times Literary Carnival is back

    Third edition of Times Literary Carnival is back

    MUMBAI:The third edition of Times Literary Carnival will be held at historic Mehboob Studios in Bandra from 6th to 8th December 2013. The magical indoor and outdoor spaces of this enchanting venue will is expected to have an estimated footfalls of 15,000 literati queuing up to catch a glimpse of their favourite authors and also hear them participate in an engaging debate, discussion and candid chat on diverse subjects.

    The line-up of international and Indian panelists is even more stellar than last year’s. Once again, this unique festival has been designed to bring literature out of the remote ivory tower and make it dovetail into the eclectic passions of Mumbai. This is what makes this event a one-of-a-kind city literary festival. Love, romance and violence is the core theme of the 2013 literary carnival. The theme attempts to understand through literature, film, food, even nature, how love and violence-in their most subtle, intangible forms-sometimes go together.

    Several panels will be structured around this propulsion, featuring writers of the stature of Ruskin Bond, Eve Ensler, Arun Shourie, Chetan Bhagat, Hanif Kureishi, Mohammed Hanif, Nadeem Aslam, Declan Walsh, William Dalrymple, Nick Drake, Adrian Levy, Cathy Scott-Clark, Aranyani, Pradipta Sarkar, Makarand Paranjape, Urvashi Butalia, Shereen el-Feki, Ramachandra Guha, Anita Raghavan, CS Lakshmi, Navtej Sarna, Vikas Swarup, Shovon Chowdhury, Akhil Sharma, Bapsi Sidhwa, Nadeem Aslam and many more.

    Karan Johar will talk about this seductress called romance. Panel discussions will range from whether ‘marriage’ is a word or a sentence to whether romance is past its sell-by date debated by best-selling novelists Anuja Chauhan and Ravinder Singh. Writer Mohammed Hanif and film-maker Anurag Kashyap will share why love and violence cohabit in their different genres.

    Our eclectic exploration includes the violence we inflict on nature, represented by Valmik Thapar’s chilling talk on his new tiger book. Food, music on litfest menu Erotic fiction is there of course, but also a taste of why food is the ultimate aphrodisiac. In a grand curtain-raiser, Hanif Kureishi will give the keynote address. Closing our litfest, the endearingly obnoxious Suhel Seth will speak on being single. 

    Every evening, love poetry will be read out under the fairy-lit trees. There will be music by Coke Studio The remarkable Eve Ensler will launch her latest play ‘Emotional Creature’.
    Among the book launches are the controversial account of the Mumbai terror attacks ‘The Siege’, Mary Kom’s biography, Gulzar’s ‘Hindi For Heart’, and Bachi Karkaria’s book on Bombay, as part of The Times of India’s 175-year celebrations.

    The abidingly charming Ruskin Bond will receive the Times of India Literary Award in a special ceremony. The annual Crossword Book Awards will take place at the festival.

    Romance, Love, Violence. You may never see them the same way again, individually or in dangerous liaison. There will be numerous book launches, workshops, hang-out zones and other activities highlighted by the magic of Mehboob’s outdoor spaces and a whole segment for children and young adults. This is just for starters. Much more will make its way to this stimulating marquee. Come, share in the bigger, better, sharper third edition of the Times of India Literary Carnival, 2013.

  • EFFIE 2013 : Final deadline for entries extended

    EFFIE 2013 : Final deadline for entries extended

    MUMBAI: Public demand has compelled the Ad Club to extend the deadline for receiving entries for EFFIE 2013 to Thursday, 5th December, 2013 before 4 p.m. at the Ad Club Secretariat.

    Ad Club Contact Details :

    Tel. No. : 23894091 / 23810213

    Fax No. : 23892067

    Email Id : adclub@vsnl.com

    Website : www.theadvertisingclub.net

  • Inspirational Indians Felicitated at SENIOR CITIZEN AWARDS

    Inspirational Indians Felicitated at SENIOR CITIZEN AWARDS

    MUMBAI: In a first-of-a-kind initiative, CNN-IBN, in partnership with Paranjape Schemes Construction Limited, honoured 12 unsung senior citizens of India at the Senior Citizen Awards – The Unstoppables. At a glittering awards ceremony held at Taj Land’s End Hotel in Mumbai, Chief Guest Amitabh Bachchan felicitated the winners for their brave and inspirational endeavours.

    These special awardees, well past their retirement age, have been working tirelessly to improve the lives of people around them, thereby making themselves valuable partners in India’s progress. The recipients of this award were as follows:

    •    Keepu Tsering Lepcha
    •    Girish Bharadwaj
    •    Manilal Dand
    •    Chandrasekhar Sankurathri
    •    Hirbaiben Ibrahimbhai Lobi
    •    Dr. Joyce Siromoni
    •    HS D’Lima
    •    Merzaban Patel 
    •    Dr. Shantuben Patel
    •    Sindhutai Sapkal
    •    Tulasi Munda
    •    Anjina Rajagopal

    The Senior Citizen Awards – The Unstoppables adhered to a process of selection which had the CNN-IBN Editorial Board at its core.
    Rajdeep Sardesai, Editor-in-Chief, CNN-IBN, IBN7 & IBN-Lokmat, shares his views about the awards, saying, “We are proud to bestow this honour on our senior citizens who work at the grassroots to uplift our society without looking for any kind of recognition in return. These citizens have withstood the odds of age and have zealously taken it upon themselves to pave way for a better future for the generations to come.”

  • Ms. Asha Gupta to head Tupperware Asia Pacific Region

    Ms. Asha Gupta to head Tupperware Asia Pacific Region

    MUMBAI: Ms. Asha Gupta, presently Managing Director, Tupperware India and Area Vice President, Tupperware Brands – Asia Pacific has been appointed as Group President, Asia Pacific with effect from January 1, 2014.  She will now be responsible for driving the growth and expansion of the entire of Asia Pacific region.

    Ms. Gupta took over the reins of Tupperware India in late 2004 moving from Europe where she was the Marketing Director for Tupperware Nordics. Under her leadership, the Indian business has posted stellar growth and the brand Tupperware is now virtually a household name in India. 

    Asha has also won several awards and accolades, both internal and external because of her achievements. She has been recognized among the 50 Most Powerful Women in Indian Business by Business Today in 2013.  Ms. Gupta has been featured in the prestigious Fortune India Magazine’s list of the ‘50 most powerful women in Business’ in both 2012 and 2013.  She has also been the recipient of the ‘Woman Leadership Award’ by CMO Council Asia in 2013. 

    Following her move, Mr. Puneet Narula has been appointed as the Managing Director for Tupperware India. He has been associated with Tupperware seven years and has been working closely with Ms. Asha Gupta in the capacities of CFO and more recently as Deputy Managing Director. In 2011, he led entry of Tupperware in Bangladesh which is considered among the new emerging markets for Tupperware.

    Prior to Tupperware, Mr. Narula worked in GlaxoSmithKline India for 10 years in various capacities in Finance and Business Development.

  • Aaj Tak announces 2nd Edition of Agenda

    Aaj Tak announces 2nd Edition of Agenda

    MUMBAI: Aaj Tak, the leading News Channel for 13 straight years, announced the 2nd Edition of Hindi Heartland Summit Agenda Aaj Tak. The event, scheduled to be held on 4th & 5th December in New Delhi will debate, discuss and ideate with the newsmakers of the country.

    In line with the last year, this year will bring the most powerful personalities and thought leaders together for setting a vision for 2014. The platform will delve into all aspects that occupy national attention and will be celebrating thought leadership across varied subjects.

    The day will also glitter with the two King Khans from Bollywood – Aamir Khan and Shahrukh Khan. Living Music legends like Ghulam Ali, Sonu Niigam, Kavita Krishnamurthy who have inspired generations will also be seen gracing the conclave. To add to the cheer, the top ambassadors of comedy Kapil Sharma and Sunil Grover (Gutthi) and the one and only desi girl- Priyanka Chopra will be spreading their charm.

    It will be interesting to see Malika-e-Parliament from Pakistan Hina Rabbani Khar participate at the award winning conclave. Innumerable political heavy weights – Sushma Swaraj, Nitin Gadkari, Digvijay Singh, Smriti Irani, Jairam Ramesh, Brinda Karat, Rajnath Singh, Jairam Ramesh, RPN Singh, Ajay Maken, Kamal Nath, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Rashid Alvi, Pravin Togadia and Shahnawaz Hussain will add to the stature of this unmatched platform.

    The Only Mahamanch of its kind in Hindi will also see Anna Hazare and Swami Ramdev thus making the occasion complete with Debate, Laughter, Music and most of all thoughts from leaders that can potentially change our country.

    Agenda AajTak had recently won the India Television Academy award as the best TV event of the year.

    Commenting on the initiative, Ashish Bagga, Group CEO, India Today Group said, “It is a matter of great pride for all of us to announce the second edition of Agenda Aaj Tak. As the nation exercises its right to Vote , it’s an apt time and platform to discuss the future of the country, ….esp as seen by the Hindi heartland’s most prominent personalities.”
    For further information please contact: Ketchum Sampark Public Relations

  • Parle Biscuits Meets Tom and Jerry

    Parle Biscuits Meets Tom and Jerry

    MUMBAI: The Indian biscuit industry is set to witness a new innovation as two of the world’s most iconic brands come together to offer a product never seen before in the market. Parle Products, India’s largest biscuit manufacturer, has joined hands with Warner Bros. Consumer Products to introduce a biscuit range with Warner Bros.’ beloved animated characters Tom and Jerry, that have entertained many generations. For Mumbai-based licensing enterprise, Dream Theatre Pvt. Ltd, this ranks among its top merchandising quests.

    The initiative will see Parle Products introduce a new range of its popular Milk Shakti Milky Sandwich biscuits embedded with Tom and Jerry’s faces. Carrying all-new packaging, these biscuit packs will be available in the market in two sizes – 60 grams and 120 grams, costing Rs 10 and 20 respectively.

    The launch of these exciting biscuits will be followed by a post-launch television commercial. With Parle on board, the product is poised for longevity in the biscuit segment. The move assumes much significance for being the first of its kind in the market, and with the INR 21,213 crore biscuit industry watching, Parle’s dominant position will earn an extra ring of innovation.

    Sharing his views on the announcement, Mr. Jiggy George, Founder and CEO of Dream Theatre Pvt. Ltd. offered, “This deal spells good news for the licensing industry. Tom and Jerry aren’t just animated characters – they have an instant ‘happiness appeal.’ We are very excited about the Parle Milk Shakti Milky Sandwich – Tom and Jerry association, a unique tie-up that brings together the strengths and acumen of Parle Products, the largest biscuit player in India, and the immense popularity of Tom and Jerry, among young and old alike!”


    Mr. Pravin Kulkarni, General Manager, Marketing, Parle Products adds, “Tom and Jerry, with a classic legacy, have a lot of fans amongst both kids and adults in India. To get Warner Bros.’ Tom and Jerry on board is definitely a landmark for Parle. We have associated with Warner Bros. Consumer Products to bring Parle Milk Shakti Milky Sandwich – Tom and Jerry biscuits to consumers everywhere and delight them!”

    “We’re pleased to mark WBCP’s entry into India’s food and beverage market by partnering with Parle Products for Parle Milk Shakti Milky Sandwich – Tom and Jerry biscuits,” said Preston Kevin Lewis, Managing Director – Australia, New Zealand & India for Warner Bros. Consumer Products. “This new partnership allows us to bring the most popular animated brand in India to consumers in a fun new way.”

  • Exun 2013 at Delhi Public School, R.K Puram

    Exun 2013 at Delhi Public School, R.K Puram

    MUMBAI: Exun Clan, the Computer society of Delhi Public School, R.K Puram conducted its 18th interschool symposium on 30th November – 1st December 2013. EXUN, is one of the oldest and most prestigious computer clubs in Delhi. Short for “Experts Unlimited”, it was formed in 1992 by the Head of the Department, Computer Science, Mr.Mukesh Kumar and a small group of computer enthusiasts. This year over 50 schools from Delhi/NCR participated in 15 IT related events.
    The Guest of Honour at the opening ceremony was Dr. Alok Bharadwaj, Executive Vice President ,Canon India. Also present at the occasion were the Principal, Dr. D.R. Saini, The Vice Principal, Mrs.Shobha Mehta, the Head of the Computer Science Department, Mr. Mukesh Kumar and all the teachers of the Computer Science Department.

    The event commenced with the lighting of the lamp. The Principal, Dr. D.R Saini addressed the gathering. He extended a warm welcome to all those present and spoke about the significance of technology in our lives.

    The Guest of Honour , Dr. Alok Bharadwaj, expressed, “ Canon, being a digital imaging leader had always been passionate about promoting the spirit of photography amongst Indian youth. We have been actively organizing workshops and photography classes to foster the growing community of young photographers and help them nurture the art of photography. I congratulate Delhi Public School , R.K Puram for promoting this art through the Digex Photography Contest. We are always keen to support programmes that embrace the joy of photography. With this contest , Canon intends to aspire young photographers and encourage them to hone their skills and creativity in this colourful world of photography whilst narrating an interesting tale to the world.” He acknowledged the fact that computers are one of the most important enablers in the modern age and also stressed on the importance of values in our society. An enthralling video was presented highlighting the development of the club through the years and the various events that would be taking place in the next two days.

    The first day consisted of 11 events including Group Discussion, Swat the bug, Creative Event, Photo Editing, Gaming, Junior Quiz Prelims, Senior Quiz Prelims, Crossword Prelims, Photo Run, Hardware & Benchmarking Prelims and Product Photography.

    The club introduced Digex, the photography club, short for Digital Excellence, adding 5 new events which included Photo Run, Product Photography, Photo Editing, Ad Making and Story Board. The idea behind these events was to exhibit the perception of the world through photography.
    Sudocrypt v3.0, an online cryptic hunt was another innovation organised by Exun Clan on 25th November 2013 to 26th November 2013. It saw participation by over 1200 people from more than 12 nations. The top 25 on the leader board will be awarded certificates for being Sudo-Experts.
    It was a great experience for all the students.

  • Puravankara receives highest accolade at worlds largest Communications Competition

    Puravankara receives highest accolade at worlds largest Communications Competition

    MUMBAI: Puravankara Projects Limited, a premier real-estate developer, has been recognized with a ‘Platinum Award’, the highest accolade, at the 2013 Global Communications Competition sponsored by the League of American Communications Professionals (LACP). This event is the world’s largest communications competition.

    The Puravankara entry, the company Annual Report FY 2013, received a ‘Platinum Award’ in the ‘Most Creative‘ category. The report entitled ‘Invest in Life’, reflecting the axiom that a home purchase is an investment of a lifetime, was ranked #10 among the top 100 communication materials of 2013 (The report can be viewed at: 

    http://www.puravankara.com/pages/Annual_Reports).
    The proprietary judging system developed by LACP, evaluated over 1500 entries on the following six criteria: first impression, narrative, visual design, creativity, message clarity and relevance. Puravankara scored 99 out of a maximum 100 points, outperforming several global brands in the process.

    The competition was judged by communications professionals affiliated with LACP (Details are available at: http://www.lacp.com/2013spotlight/competition.htm )

    Commenting on the award Jackbastian Nazareth, Group CEO, Puravankara Projects said: “Puravankara is honoured to have received the highest commendation at the LACP Global Communication Competition. Recognition at a prestigious global forum validates our organizational focus on international benchmarks and best practices. We view our Annual Report not merely as a statutory document, but also as a strategic brand communication medium. It is a matter of pride for us that we are ranked at #10 among the top 100 Annual reports of 2013. This award reaffirms our commitment to the pursuit of excellence in our operations.”

    Christine Kennedy, Managing Director LACP said, “The Puravankara Annual Report 2012-13, proves to be remarkable in light of tremendous competition. More than 1500 entries representing a dozen countries were received, so the competition was exceptionally tough.

    Overall, we find this work to be outstanding, earning a total score of 99 out of a maximum 100 points. The first impression presented by this entry is exceptional, while the narrative is outstanding. The visual design is exceptional, tied with a level of creativity that is outstanding. We classify this entry as ranking at #10 among the Top 100 Communications Materials of 2013.” she added.

  • The Election Battle

    The Election Battle

    MUMBAI: As the Assembly Elections in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Mizoram enter the final phase, CNN-IBN & IBN7, in partnership with THE WEEK, brings you ‘Battle For The States – Election Tracker’ & ‘Mera Vote Meri Sarkar – Post-Poll Survey’, a comprehensive post-poll study conducted by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS).

    Time and again, the IBN Network has proved to be accurate when it comes to predicting election results and trends. This special programming will try to capture the mood of the electorate in each constituency, likely voting trends and patterns, and give seat projections. An expert panel of analysts including Swapan Dasgupta, Dr. Ramchandra Guha, Manini Chatterjee, K S Sachidananda Murthy, Dr. Sandeep Shastri, Dr. Suhas Palshikar, Kumar Ketkar, Dipankar Gupta and Prof. Rajeeva Karadikar on CNN-IBN, and Harivansh, Sanjay Kumar, Rakesh Sinha, Vivek Kumar and Purushottam Agrawal on IBN7 will discuss the key factors that are going to impact the polling results and government formation.

    Rajdeep Sardesai, Editor-in-Chief, CNN-IBN, IBN7 and IBN-Lokmat, said, “When it comes to the elections programming, IBN Network has been a front runner. It is our endeavour to give our viewers the most accurate voting percentage and trends through this post-poll survey.
    Ashutosh, Managing Editor, IBN7 said, “Our scientific and comprehensive post-poll survey will help the viewers understand the present political and social scenario and the voting trends in the poll-bound states.”

    Philip Mathew, Managing Editor, THE WEEK, said, “THE WEEK is known for its unbiased and insightful political coverage. Our poll predictions, over the years, have always hit the bull’s-eye. I am sure our successful partnership with CNN-IBN will deliver yet another hit with this exit poll.”

    To know the findings of this survey, tune-in to ‘Battle for the States – Election Tracker’ on CNN-IBN and ‘Mera Vote Meri Sarkar – Post-Poll Survey’ on IBN7, on Dec 4 @ 6 PM to 10 PM & Dec 6 @ 8 PM to 10 PM.

    You can also read the detailed results and analysis of the survey in the issue of THE WEEK, hitting the stands on Dec 6, 2013.

  • The Hero Hockey Junior World Cup to showcase the hottest young talent our sport has to offer: Leandro Negre

    The Hero Hockey Junior World Cup to showcase the hottest young talent our sport has to offer: Leandro Negre

    MUMBAI: The president of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Leandro Negre feels the Hero Hockey Junior World Cup is the perfect platform for the most talented young players in the world to make a name for themselves and also leave a big impression on those who are watching in the stands or following the action on television or on the live stream.

    He says, “Of course, if India were to win the tournament the impact would be huge, but with so many great hockey nations competing it is really difficult to predict who will lift the trophy.”

    The fact that the event is being hosted in India is an added bonus for Leandro as he is extremely fond of India, not just in terms of a Hockey destination but also as a country. “I am really looking forward to visiting the country again. I love everything about coming to India, I am always made to feel extremely welcome here. Hockey events in India are always very special, and the atmosphere when the home team are in action is something that has to be seen to be believed. It is a real privilege to experience it.”

    Talking about Indian Hockey, he feels India holds a very special place in world hockey and there is abundant talent in the country to become a world class side

    Speaking on the topic of India’s promising young brigade making the transition from junior to senior hockey he said, “India has always been strong at the junior level. However, it is not always easy to make the transition from junior to senior hockey. This is not something which is unique to India but applies to every hockey playing nation in the world. That said, the India men’s team is very talented and looks to have a fine crop of young talent coming through the ranks. I think it’s really important that India gets behind the team during the Hero Junior World Cup as fan support can really make a big difference. The future looks bright for Indian hockey.”

    Leandro believes that currently hockey is going through a very exciting phase globally. The development of complementary formats such as Hockey 5s – a faster, higher scoring, action packed format played between teams of only five players – are particularly attractive to youth and non-traditional hockey audiences. As a part of it’s new strategy, the FIH is keen to entertain and inspire a global movement of hockey fans and players, by attracting more people to play, support and love the game of hockey.

    To Leandro, the success of the first edition of the Hero Hockey India League is a step in the right direction to grow the game, and he is greatly looking forward to seeing it return in 2014. “It is the kind of event that hockey needs, a professional tournament that shines a light on hockey’s superstars and appeals to fans all around the world. It has had a significant impact on the worldwide exposure of the game.”

    But before HHIL, India will also play host to the Hero Hockey World League Finals in January next year. So whichever way one looks at it, there is a lot of Live action hockey in store for fans in India in the coming months, and many more occasions for Mr. Leandro Negre to visit a country that is almost like a second home to him.