ITV

Category: Press Release

  • 30 minutes: Girls in Bondage

    30 minutes: Girls in Bondage

    MUMBAI : At a time when the entire nation is set to celebrate womanhood on Navratri, CNN-IBN’s flagship documentary show 30 Minutes puts the spotlight on thousands of minor girls from rural India who are trafficked into cities every year to work as domestic help. This weekend, CNN-IBN busts the racket of illegal placement agencies which thrive on this extremely abused and exploited class. In this hidden camera investigation, the traffickers and agents reveal how easily they operate illegally with no regulation in place. The show also features testimonies of some of these girls, who have been made to live as bonded labour for years.

    Don’t miss this special episode on Sat, Oct 12 @ 8:30 PM and Sun, Oct 13 @ 12 Noon & 9:30 PM (R), only on CNN-IBN.

  • The Fifth Estate announced as the Closing Film of the 15th Mumbai Film Festival

    The Fifth Estate announced as the Closing Film of the 15th Mumbai Film Festival

    MUMBAI : As the city’s most eagerly awaited cultural event, the 15th Mumbai Film Festival, organized by the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image draws closer, it has been revealed that this edition of the festival will conclude with the screening of ‘The Fifth Estate”as its Closing Film, a dramatic thriller directed by Bill Condon.

     The Fifth Estate is a dramatic thriller based on real events that reveals the quest to expose the deceptions and corruptions of power that turned an Internet upstart into the 21st century’s most fiercely debated organization. The film is co-produced by DreamWorks and Participant Media and opened the  Toronto International Film Festival 2013.

    The story begins as WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange (Benedict Cumberbatch) and his colleague Daniel Domscheit-Berg (Daniel Brühl) team up to become underground watchdogs of the privileged and powerful. On a shoestring, they create a platform that allows whistle-blowers to anonymously leak covert data, shining a light on the dark recesses of government secrets and corporate crimes. Soon, they are breaking more hard news than the world’s most legendary media organizations combined. But when Assange and Berg gain access to the biggest trove of confidential intelligence documents in U.S. history, they battle each other and a defining question of our time: what are the costs of keeping secrets in a free society-and what are the costs of exposing them.

    The festival promises to feature a lineup of over 200 movies from 65 countries and  has announced new initiatives as part of the Mumbai Film Mart (Filmy Room and India Project Room) and a brand new Experimental film section to the festival.

    The 15th edition of the Mumbai Film Festival will be held from the 17th – 24th October, 2013 at Liberty  Cinemas and Metro Cinema as the main festival venues and Cinemax, Andheri as the satellite venue. 

  • Bharti AXA General insurance launches a user friendly e-commerce enabled website

    Bharti AXA General insurance launches a user friendly e-commerce enabled website

    BANGLORE : A recent user research on online buying patterns of insurance, conducted by Bharti AXA General Insurance (GI) Company, one of the fastest growing multi-line general insurance companies in India, has thrown up key insights about online purchase of insurance in India. The research covered three key cities – Mumbai, New Delhi and Bangalore – which ranked amongst the highest in demand for online insurance, and was conducted across health and motor insurance.

    The research report deep dived into customer behaviour online and drew out specific nuances that appeal to customers while buying insurance online. The report, in fact, formed the basis for the launch of Bharti AXA GI’s new website which is e-commerce enabled and is designed to ease the online buying process of insurance. Customers anywhere in the country can now buy policies across motor, health, home, personal and critical illness insurances depending on their needs and budgets, from the company’s website www.bharti-axagi.co.in.  

    Speaking on the occasion, Dr Amarnath Ananthanarayanan, Managing Director and CEO, Bharti AXA General Insurance said, “We are witnessing a surge in online penetration in the country and it has become the ‘go-to’ medium to widen customer reach – irrespective of the product you are selling.  Our research has helped us fine-tune our website to aid customers across the country in the easy purchase of insurance. As an organisation committed to protecting its customers, our claims team is accessible to our customers 24/7 through our call center and email. Claimants can also readily access our garage and hospital networks across the country on our website to make a quick decision on claims. We are also looking at enhancing our website in the near future for retail claims with the introduction of end to end solutions to ease the entire claims process for customers, from claims notification, reserving, investigation, survey and assessment as well as claims payment. Our website is a strategic step in our overall digital strategy and we hope it will only boost the overall insurance penetration in the country by widening the access to insurance across the country, irrespective of physical presence.”

    Focusing primarily on health and motor insurance the research brought to light some common behavioural patterns of online customers that collectively point towards the need for buying insurance quickly and in a hassle free manner. On health insurance, the research revealed some interesting insights like –

    Health related incidents to close family and friends pushes customers to buy insurance immediately

    Social circles have a huge impact on the purchase of health insurance and brand selection for further consideration

    Most people do not understand the terminology and meaning of the different benefits and conditions and prefer to be guided through

    In the growing motor insurance market and the increase in web retailing, the study revealed –
    Most people look for quick comparisons

    Requests for too much information about the vehicle’s details, most of which are in documents like the RC book, can discourage the customer from buying insurance online and he/she can immediately look for other options

    Renewals are a very important trigger for customers wanting instant policy issuance

    Bharti AXA GI’s new website is easy on the eye and provides a user friendly interface across all categories of insurance. It has based the following features on consumer insights to provide a user friendly buying experience –

    Transparency –  instant quote; clear mentions of what you get and what you don’t(inclusions & exclusions in policy), and clear mentions of premium for the products and add-ons purchased
    Easy to buy, Innovative bouquet of products and add ons

    Instant issuance and mailing of policy document

    Dejargonising – technical terms explained clearly

    Ease of purchase

    Competitive pricing

    The company offers a wide range of products across health and personal accident, motor (car and two-wheeler), and home. For each segment an ensemble of products has been conceived and designed to meet the varying needs of the customers. The company is looking at further strengthening its service network and focusing on the underserved segment, especially in tier- II and III cities.

     
    It already has a cashless network of over 2000 garages and 3900 hospitals pan India.  With its new website, these products are now accessible across the country irrespective of physical presence.

    The website can be viewed at the following URL www.bharti-axagi.co.in

  • Qatar airways voted best middle eastern airline for seventh consecutive year

    Qatar airways voted best middle eastern airline for seventh consecutive year

    MUMBAI: For the seventh year in a row, Qatar Airways was presented “Best Middle Eastern Airline” at the TTG Asia Travel Awards held in Thailand’s capital city of Bangkok, 3rd October.

    The Doha-based airline was voted by readers of one of the most respected travel trade magazines in the Asia Pacific, TTG Asia. Readers based their voting on the strength of the airline’s customer service, its route network, services and its marketing and advertising programmes.

    Qatar Airways’ Chief Commercial Officer Marwan Koleilat, who accepted the award on behalf of the airline, said that the honour demonstrated the airline’s continued popularity amongst passengers.

    “Qatar Airways continues to consolidate its position as one of the world’s leading airlines by winning several awards year on year,” said Koleilat. “Winning the Best Middle Eastern Airline award reiterates the airline’s commitment to create superior travel experiences for its passengers and to offer them the best service levels.”

    “We are very proud of this recognition from our esteemed customers who are true advocates of our product,” added Koleilat. “Asia Pacific is one of the most significant regions for Qatar Airways and we will continue to focus on delivering excellent customer service while, of course, expanding our operations in this region.”

    New routes launched by Qatar Airways in the Asia Pacific region this year are Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia, and Chengdu in Western China. The airline has been operating daily flights to Phnom Penh International Airport since February this year and three-flights-a-week to Chengdu since 3rd September. Another significant addition will be three-flights-a-week to Clark Airport in the Philippines which will be launched on 27th October.

    While launching new routes, the airline is also simultaneously increasing frequencies to its existing network in Asia Pacific. Yangon, which was re-launched last October with three flights a week, will be upgraded to a daily non-stop service from 27th October. Another popular route, Jakarta, recently saw an increase in capacity from 11 to 14 flights a week, resulting in double-daily flights to the Indonesian capital city.

    Qatar Airways has seen rapid growth in just 16 years of operations, currently flying a modern fleet of 129 aircraft to 132 key business and leisure destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and The Americas.

    In 2013, Qatar Airways has launched nine destinations to date – Gassim (Saudi Arabia), Najaf (Iraq), Phnom Penh (Cambodia), Chicago (USA), Salalah (Oman), Basra (Iraq), Sulaymaniyah (Iraq), Chengdu (China), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), and most recently Ta’if (Saudi Arabia).
    Over the next few weeks and months, the network will grow further with Clark Manila International Airport, Philippines (October 27) and Philadelphia, USA (April 2, 2014)

  • Kalyan Jewellers Declared Retail Chain of the Year at the First India Bullion & Jewellery Awards

    Kalyan Jewellers Declared Retail Chain of the Year at the First India Bullion & Jewellery Awards

    MUMBAI: Kalyan Jewellers, one of India’s leading jewellery retail companies, has won top honours at the 1st India Bullion and Jewellery (IBJ) Awards. Kalyan Jewellers was named the Retail Chain of the Year and they had the best advertising campaign of the Year. The IBJ awards seek to recognise companies that have pushed the boundaries of excellence, rising above the competition and demonstrating outstanding performance.

    Speaking on the occasion Mr. T.S. Kalyanaraman, Managing Director, Kalyan Jewellers said; “We are delighted to receive these prestigious awards and I thank The Bombay Bullion Association Ltd for this honour. The awards recognise Kalyan Jewelers commitment to business innovation, and globally benchmarked quality of services. It is this commitment that will sustain our next stage of growth as we go across the length and breadth of the country and globally. Kalyan Jewellers today enjoy a strong association and trust in the minds of its priced clientele, the industry and trade.”

    Kalyan Jewellers was chosen through rigorous analysis of players in the retail segment by the analyst teams at The Bombay Bullion Association Ltd. The teams conducted detailed research and assessment on market performance of the qualifying companies. The evaluation criteria included key achievements, measurement of revenue and revenue growth, technological innovation, regional vision, strategy and profitability. Best Jewellery Advertisement Campaign of the year for its brand campaign ‘Vishwasam Athalle Ellam

  • Landmark Agreement on Climate Change at ICAO

    Landmark Agreement on Climate Change at ICAO

    MUMBAI: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) praised the leadership of governments in reaching a landmark agreement on Climate Change at the close of the 38th Assembly of the United NationsInternational Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

    The agreement commits ICAO to developing a global market-based measure (MBM) that will be an essential enabler for the industry to achieve carbon-neutral growth from 2020 (CNG2020). A global MBM complements progress on improving technology, operations and infrastructure in the industry’s long-established four-pillar strategy to manage aviation’s climate change impact.

    “Today was a great day for aviation, for the effort against climate change and for global standards and international cooperation. Industry, civil society and governments have worked hard to reach this point and keep aviation at the forefront of industries managing their climate change impact. Now we have a strong mandate and a short three-year time frame to sort out the details. Airlines need and want a global MBM. Without losing any of the momentum built up over these last two weeks, we are eager to get on with the detailed work needed to design the global scheme in time for finalization at the 2016 Assembly,” said Tony Tyler, IATA’s Director General and CEO.

    Today’s agreement will set in motion discussions on the detailed design elements of a global MBM, including standards for the monitoring, reporting and verification of emissions and the type of scheme to be implemented. In June, IATA’s 240 member airlines representing some 84% of global traffic overwhelmingly passed a resolution asking governments to develop a global mandatory carbon offsetting scheme. The industry believes that this will be the most effective and efficient MBM to implement.

    “We should also recognize the important role that the European Commission and Parliament have played in raising the aviationemissions issue up the international agenda. Aviation would not be in the climate leadership position it is in today were it not for their early and persistent efforts which inspired both industry and other governments. As the EU Transport Commissioner, Siim Kallas, said, ‘The EU’s hard work has paid off.’Aviation—through the stewardship of ICAO—has achieved the first-ever global deal to curb an industry’s emissions,” said Tyler.

    “Reaching this landmark agreement among ICAO’s 191 member states was a challenging task. Today’s result carries on the ICAO tradition of uniting governments to focus on the global standards that underpin global connectivity. I congratulate the ICAO leadership for their vision and skill in rallying interests around a common purpose,” said Tyler.

    The Complete Agenda

    The 38th ICAO Assembly also delivered key decisions and direction on a broad range of technical and economic issues.

    Some highlights include:

    Safety: The Assembly endorsed the Enhanced-IATA Operational Safety Audit (Enhanced-IOSA). This builds on the proven benefits of the IOSA program by adding elements of continuous compliance monitoring. In addition, the Assembly encouraged greater state participation in the ICAO managed global Airline Operator Certificate registry. This will be a key tool in the efficient safety oversight of foreign carriers. The Assembly also encouraged harmonization among states on operational specifications.

    Security: The Assembly provided direction on critical areas in aviation security. To stem the proliferation of non-standard security data requests by governments the Assembly encouraged the use of ICAO global standards by immigration and border control agencies. It also encouraged standardizing air cargo security regimes through compliance with ICAO principles; to work with states on capacity building where needed; and to encourage implementation of the Roadmap to Strengthen Global Air Cargo Security.

    Regulation and Taxation: The Assembly encouraged universal adoption of the Montreal Convention 1999 (MC99). It further urged governments to align consumer protection regulations with MC99’s provisions and strike the right balance between protecting passengers and ensuring industry competitiveness. The IATA resolution on consumer protection regulation was noted by the Assembly.

    The Assembly also urged States to avoid imposing discriminatory taxes on international aviation and double taxation.

    Recognizing growing relationships among airlines to serve market need, the Assembly asked for cooperation among competition authorities in the context of how alliances, mergers and joint ventures are viewed. And it asked ICAO to develop a multilateral agreement on foreign ownership and control.

    Finally, the Assembly agreed to convene a Diplomatic Conference to update the Tokyo Convention which provides the international legal framework with respect to unruly passengers.

    Technology: As global navigation systems evolve, the Assembly encouraged states to develop equipment standards based on capabilities and refrain from mandatingthe use of specific satellite navigation systems. It also encouraged states to recognize the capabilities of flight simulation training entities which operate under global guidance developed by ICAO and the industry.

    “This was truly an Assembly of significant discussion and decisions. Global standards—developed and safeguarded by ICAO—are the bedrock of global aviation. We are encouraged by a clear message from governments coming out of this Assembly that global implementationof what has been agreed at ICAO is critical to the future successful development of our important industry. Airlines will carry some 3 billion people and over 50 million tonnes of cargo this year. A globally standardized environment is absolutely essential to perform this important task safely, securely, sustainably and efficiently,” said Tyler.

  • Light up a Childs Diwali

    Light up a Childs Diwali

    MUMBAI: Amazon.in today announced the launch of Light up a Child’s Diwali, a unique opportunity that enables Amazon.in customers to select and send Diwali gifts to underprivileged children across the country. Pratham and Naandi Foundation, two NGOs working to improve the lives of disadvantaged children have created and put up on Amazon.in wish-lists, a selection of products like educational toys & puzzles, books, comics, dictionaries, encyclopedias that are needed by children under their care across the country. Customers can browse the wish-list and select products they want to gift and Amazon.in delivers them to the NGOs. Amazon.in will also donate the fees it makes from these transactions to the two NGOs.

    “The festive season is about joy and celebration, and also an opportunity to share happiness. The Light up a Child’s Diwali will help customers conveniently select useful and needed gifts by the NGOs. By spending a few minutes in this section, customers can make a significant difference to a child’s Diwali,” said Amit Agarwal, Vice President and Country Manager, Amazon India. Simple five-step procedure.

    Customers can visit the Light up a Child’s Diwali section on Amazon.in and follow the five-step process:

    • Step 1: Select the NGO you want to support

    • Step 2: Browse the Wish List to see selection of toys, books, educational aids, baby products

    • Step 3: Choose the product to gift and click on ‘Add to Cart’ button

    • Step 4: Select Gift Registry Address for the delivery address of NGO

    • Step 5: Process to Check Out and make payment of the product

    Customers can track their gift order and its delivery from the ‘Your Orders’ section of their Amazon.in account.

    As with all purchases on Amazon.in, customers using the Light Up a Child’s Diwali initiative benefit from a safe and secure ordering experience, convenient electronic payments, no-risk hassle-free returns policy, Amazon’s 24×7 customer service support, and a globally recognized and comprehensive purchase protection provided by Amazon’s A-Z Guarantee.

  • 9 days of non-stop fun with Radio Mirchi

    9 days of non-stop fun with Radio Mirchi

    MUMBAI: It is that time of the year, where people across India gear up for the biggest dance festival of the country.  Be it children or adults, everyone’s busy planning costumes, learning new dance moves and ascertaining latest gujarati and bollywood songs on the music list. To add to the festive fervor, Radio Mirchi, India’s leading radio station, is leaving no stones unturned to make sure, revelers have a gala time this Navratri. With their exciting navratri pandal and line-up of the best music list, the channel will entice the entire Gujarat to dance till they drop.

    This year Radio Mirchi gives its listeners access to the most celebrated navratri pandals across Surat, Rajkot, Baroda and Ahmedabad. While in Ahmedabad, the radio station is organizing a raas-garba at YMCA Club, in Surat it is at Grand Bhagwati and at Neel City Club in Rajkot. If this isn’t enough, then Radio Mirchi has tied up with World’s Biggest Garba pandal in Baroda. In association with United Way of Baroda, Radio Mirchi will give an opportunity to over lakhs of revelers to have the best navratri experience.

    But it doesn’t stop here, Radio Mirchi will ensure a musical treat for it’s on-air listeners. For those who like to continue enjoying the festivities even post midnight, Radio Mirchi promises its listeners non-stop fun with garba songs playing till 3 am in morning along with some interesting campaigns. These 9 days of the festival, the listeners will get to hear some of the peppiest songs. Beginning with Achko Machko  Bollywood, Radio Mirchi has exclusively lined-up singers like Sukhwinder Singh, Alka Yagnik, Yo Yo Honey Singh, Shaan. These musical genius’ will sing their favourite garba songs. To make it more interactive, listeners will also get to know about their Gujarati connect and experience. To tickle the fan’s funny bones, RJs across stations will have special like Rajnikant’s Navratri that will add a fun element to on air listening.

    How can any festivals be complete without goodies? To add on the festivities, Radio Mirchi’s RJs across Gujarat are all stocked-up with exciting giveaways ranging from Midnight Buffets Gift Vouchers to Spa Gift Hampers.

    Commenting on the celebrations, Sumit Aggarwal, VP – Cluster Head – Gujarat at Radio Mirchi says, “We are really excited about Navratri which is the biggest dance festival in the world and our on ground partnerships and radio content will be a delight for our sponsors and listeners alike. We have never before had integrations like Mirchi Pushpak – A helicopter ride during Navratri in Ahmedabad which will create a lot of excitement for the associated brands”
    Mr. Narendra Somani, CMD – The Grand Bhagwati says, “We are proud to be associated with Radio Mirchi, the biggest media vehicle in Gujarat for Navratri.  This event will be extremely vibrant, full of Entertainment with celebrity visits & renowned orchestras on all 9 days. The energy, vibrancy & festive feel will make you revisit us everytime you are in Gujarat during the festival.”

    Samarth Mehta, MD – Neel Club says, “We have some unqiue features in our Garba which makes it stand out from other routine garba events such as Rain Dandiya, exemplary blend of Orchestra and DJ, best lawn in Rajkot to play Garba, special Events everyday during the break and a pool side food court.

    We tie-up with Radio Mirchi was because it is the number one radio station in the city and we are the best Navratri in town. So, it is a partnership of equals.”

  • Vidya Balan Kapoor launches Ranka Jewellers’ glittering new showroom in Thane!

    Vidya Balan Kapoor launches Ranka Jewellers’ glittering new showroom in Thane!

    MUMBAI: After creating a golden place for themselves in Pune, the brand of Ranka Jewellers is now set to dazzle Thane. Their grand new showroom here was recently inaugurated by Superstar Vidya Balan Kapoor. On this ocassion, along with the who’s who of Thane were present Pukhraj Ranka, Fatehchand Ranka, Omprakash Ranka, Dr. Ramesh Ranka, Anil Ranka, Tejpal Ranka, Vastupal Ranka, Shailesh Ranka, Shreyas Ranka, the Ranka Family and their employees.

    Known to be quite choosy about her work, Vidya Balan Kapoor became the brand ambassador for Ranka Jewellers two years ago. At the inauguration, she openly expressed how even she was a ‘fan’ of their superb designs and trustworthy craftsmanship. She also shared that though her contract with Ranka Jewellers had reached completion, she has been delighted to be their brand ambassador and proud to be a part of that tradition. She therefore gladly agreed to continue to represent Ranka Jewellers as the face of their brand. This compliment by such an intelligent actor as Vidya Balan Kapoor speaks volumes about the credibility of Ranka Jewellers indeed.

    The 7 stores of Ranka Jewellers in Pune represent a tradition of 134 years. Gulabchand Ranka laid its golden foundation 134 years ago that has today flourished into Ranka Jewellers, a brand known for purity and beautiful designs in Pune as well as Pimpri Chinchwad. From a small beginning of 20 sq.ft., it has today grown to an astounding 1,25,000 sq.ft. of showroom space. They were also the first to take the bold decision of not using other metal for making their jewellery, thereby preserving its purity.

    In 1977, the credit for starting Pune’s first air conditioned showroom goes to Ranka Jewellers as well. They also successfully opened a 2000 sq.ft. jewellery store on Laxmi Road, an area once known for its textile market only. The Laxmi road showroom received such a tremendous response that they started rapid store expansion for their customers.

    A 4 storeyed 15,000 sq.ft. showroom on Karve Road in 1999, a wide 14,000 sq.ft. showroom in Chinchwad in 2007, a 4 storeyed 15,000 sq.ft. showroom in Hadapsar in 2010, and a 25,000 sq.ft. showroom on Sinhagad Road in 2011 are all results of the customers’ tremendous response to Ranka Jewellers. These showrooms, that were built considering the growing Pune, stand tall and continue to be crowded as they function on the three pillars of their policy – purity, honesty and affection.

    This happy celebration will continue till 9th October 2013, when the Pune-Satara Road showroom (8000 Sq. Ft.) in 2 floors will be inaugurated to give spectacularshopping experience for the people in and around Katraj, Bibwewadi, Padmavati & Sahakarnagar area on the occasion of Lalita Panchami.

    The first to introduce gold hallmarked jewellery in Pune, Ranka Jewellers also continues to lead in variety. Having artisans and craftsmen from all over the country, Ranka Jewllers are the leaders in creating a wide variety of designs. Not just with gold, they also rank first with the variety of silver jewellery in Maharashtra. Designer diamond jewellery here dazzles the beholder.

    Considering the increasing rate of gold, Ranka Jewellers has also introduced a designer collection for their lady customers. Jewellery with photo and certification can be obtained only here. Due to this, the trust that they have with the customers is truly transparent.

    Today, Anil Ranka, Tejpal Ranka, Vastupal Ranka, Shailesh Ranka, Shreyas Ranka, the seventh generation in this tradition is taking this majestic brand ahead with greatdignity and pride. This young generation is successfully getting exclusive contemporary designs for their customers. This has made the traditional Ranka Jewellers trendy as well. Ranka Jewellers is now set to bring this tradition, craftsmanship and glamour to Thane.

  • Percept Art in association with Toybank celebrate the Joy of Giving

    Percept Art in association with Toybank celebrate the Joy of Giving

    MUMBAI: Percept art, a unique initiative of Percept Limited along with Toybank, a non-profit organization that has been set up with the aim of providing toys to children, organized a fund raiser through the synchronization of art, music and creativity on the occasion of joy of giving.

    Attendees at this musical evening saw wonderful performances by Vasudha Sharma, Luke Kenny, Ravi Iyer & friends. Vasuda Sharma who broke out of her pop star mould and went on to become a one woman band, was loved by the audience.

    Shweta Chari, the founder CEO of Toybank said, “Music is one of the most unbiased essences of life and does not draw differences between anybody. It gives me utmost satisfaction to see so many people offer their support and love.”

    Luke Kenny, a well renowned Bollywood singer and DJ, was overwhelmed by the entire event. He said, “It has been such a lovely experience to be here. Music is my passion and it makes me really happy to offer my services for such a noble cause”

    Percept Art aims at raising around 10 lacs from all these events and a portion of funds raised from this event will be donated to Toybank, which intends to use these funds to open one dozen rural impact centers across rural Maharashtra by the end of this year.

    On the 11th October, Atul Kasbekar and Purab Kohli will grace the event to honor the photography contest which will be followed by musical performances by Suchitra Pillai and Luke Kenny.
    Having reached out to over 65,000 kids so far, Toybank is working their way to impact the lives of 1,00,000 kids in their 10th year.