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Tag: Harish Bhat

  • Kuku FM and Penguin India launch 15 exclusive Hindi audiobooks

    Kuku FM and Penguin India launch 15 exclusive Hindi audiobooks

    MUMBAI: Kuku FM has joined hands with publishing giant Penguin Random House India (PRHI) to launch 15 exclusive Hindi audiobooks adapted from Penguin’s bestselling titles.

    This partnership not only expands both brands’ storytelling universe but also caters to India’s booming demand for regional audio content. With digital audio consumption skyrocketing, the collaboration brings a treasure trove of literary works to life in a more immersive and accessible format.

    The curated collection includes works by some of India’s most celebrated voices Gaur Gopal Das, Devdutt Pattanaik, Harish Bhat, Indra Nooyi, Raghuram Rajan, Ankur Warikoo, and Neena Gupta, among others. These audiobooks, produced and adapted by Kuku FM, promise high-quality narration, cultural resonance, and a deeply engaging listener experience.

    “Our customers have higher expectations from us every day, and at Kuku FM, we love rising to that challenge. They know what they want and need plenty of choices. We aim to bring the best books to them in their language and give them a unique yet engaging listening experience,” said Kuku FM CEO & co-founder  Lal Chand Bisu.

    “We are excited to partner with an iconic publisher like Penguin to not only expand our library but also ensure that we’re opening up a whole new world of entertainment and knowledge for every Indian in more accessible formats.”

    Titles will be available on the Kuku FM Android app from April 2025, priced from Rs 175 making bestselling reads more affordable than ever in audio format.

    PRH India vice president  & product Vijesh Kumar added, “At Penguin, we are committed to making books more accessible and inclusive, ensuring they reach readers in the formats they love. Our exclusive partnership with Kuku FM marks an exciting milestone as we bring some of our most celebrated titles to Hindi audiobooks for the first time. With storytelling evolving beyond the page, audiobooks offer a dynamic and immersive way to experience books welcoming both avid readers and new audiences alike.”

    The collaboration aligns perfectly with the projected growth of India’s OTT audio market expected to hit $1.8 billion by 2025 with over 100 million users.

    “The collaboration is a critical extension of Kuku FM’s highly curated portfolio of stories and we are excited to expand this universe further with PRH India who are known to have some of the most storied authors and books in their library,” said Kuku FM head of content acquisition Prerna Vohra.

    PRH India manager & audio Vidhi Nangia added, “Audiobooks are seeing tremendous growth globally, and India is no exception, with the market expected to grow over 30 per cent annually. Recognising this shift in how audiences engage with literature, Penguin is thrilled to partner with Kuku FM to introduce 15 Hindi audiobooks by beloved authors such as Bhat, Warikoo, and Nooyi. Kuku FM’s commitment to exceptional curation and production ensures that our cherished works are presented with the utmost quality. This collaboration marks the beginning of a promising journey to make our stories accessible to an even broader audience.”

    The exclusive collection of Hindi audiobooks includes Tata Stories by Bhat, Bravehearts of Bharat by Vikram Sampath, and My Life in Full by Nooyi. Listeners can also enjoy Jeevan ke Adbhut Rahasya and Energise Your Mind by Das, along with India’s Most Fearless 1 and India’s Most Fearless 2 by Shiv Aroor and Rahul Singh. The line-up features Mythakon se Vigyan Tak by Gauhar Raza, Jaya and The Book of Ram by Pattanaik, and Breaking the Mould by Rajan and Rohit Lamba. Also included are Make Epic Money and Build an Epic Career by Warikoo, Sach Kahun Toh by Gupta, and Manoj Bajpayee by Piyush Pandey.

  • Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai Litfest to be held from 25 – 29 October

    Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai Litfest to be held from 25 – 29 October

    Mumbai: The 14th edition of Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai Litfest is around the corner! With committed audiences both online and on ground, the Festival will start with its online edition on 25 – 26 October with leading international authors such as Salman Rushdie and Elif Shafak. The Festival will take place on ground from 27 – 29 October at the NCPA, Nariman Point and St Pauls Institute of Communication Education and Title Waves bookstore in Bandra.

    The Festival will maintain its hallmarks of inclusivity, diversity and innovation encompassing nationalities, genders, geographies, communities and languages.

    Celebrated thought leaders, wordsmiths and storytellers from India and 15 other countries, will explore issues at the heart of fiction, poetry, mathematics, economics, communications, business, sport, health, history, art, society, nature, food, with fresh and unique perspectives that characterize the Litfest.

    Participants will include Abanti Sankaranarayanan, Anuja Chauhan, Arjun Raj Gaind, Gulzar, Gurcharan Das, Faye D’Souza, Jerry Pinto, Kunal Vijayakar, Luke Coutinho, Mani Shankar Aiyar, Manoranjan Byapari, Marcus du Sautoy, Meeran Chadha Borwankar, Mehdi Hassan, Michel Bussi, Prahlad Kakar, Peter Frankopan, Rajdeep Sardesai, Ranjit Hoskote, Sam Miller, Shanta Gokhale, Shashi Tharoor, Shobhaa De, Sudha Murty, Tenzin Tsundue, Vivek Shanbhag, Zac O’ Yeah, Zai Whitaker among others.

    The Festival highlights will never fade: the prestigious Poet Laureate, Lifetime Achievement, and Literary Awards; the packed-hall Great Debate; an introduction to a language other than English (Kannada this year); 14 book launches; gripping indoor and outdoor stage performances; the fully subscribed workshops and the popular Book Swap. The Binod Kanoria Awards for Children’s Literature and The Rotary Writing For Peace Award, introduced last year under the aegis of the Festival, will also be presented.

    Each year the Festival aims to bring new experiences to its visitors. This year, in conjunction with the Goethe Institut, the festival is bringing The Infinite Library – a travelling installation that uses VR and other media to reimagine the future of libraries as interactive spaces that engage visitors through multisensory forms of storytelling. There will also be a brand new Spoken Word performance, and an outdoor performance from the UK that merges pottery and dance.

    Co-director of the LitFest Amy Fernandes said, “We are delighted to present the 14th edition of the Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai Litfest, and so proud that it has become an integral part of Mumbai’s life. This year we have, as always, a blend of established stars and fresh faces, concurrent themes and traditional motifs, and sessions ranging from serious cogitation to dashes of sparkle!

    Co-director of the Litfest Quasar Thakore Padamsee said, “Due to the circumstances of the past few years we have acquired a vast global digital audience, so online programming is also now a permanent strand of our festival. We look forward to engaging with our loyal audiences both virtual and on ground for an invigorating five days, celebrating The Power Of Words, which resonates through all our Festival activities.”

    Tata Sons brand custodian Harish Bhat said, “At the Tata Group, we take great pride in our association with Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest. This festival has become an intrinsic part of Mumbai, offering our maximum city a vibrant, diverse and inclusive literary experience each year.  Here, we celebrate writers, their art and their rich contributions to our world.

    This year’s Litfest will shine a spotlight on works by women as well as regional writers.  The hybrid format introduced last year is here to stay – the festival will feature both digital and on-ground sessions.  We look forward greatly to welcoming lovers of literature to this festival. We are confident that the exciting program line-up will delight you.”

  • Franklin Templeton, Bira 91, HelpAge India & Adventures Beyond Barriers Foundation join hands with Tata Mumbai Marathon 2020

    Franklin Templeton, Bira 91, HelpAge India & Adventures Beyond Barriers Foundation join hands with Tata Mumbai Marathon 2020

    MUMBAI: Countdown to the 17th edition of Asia’s prestigious World Athletics Gold Label Road Race Tata Mumbai Marathon (TMM) has well and truly begun. First time in Indian distance running history 55,322 runners will stand in unison at the start line of the event and serve as an inspiration to #BeBetter. Credited for many firsts and the pride of the country, TMM has not only put Mumbai, but also India on the global distance running map.

    Running is the fastest growing urban sport and the participation numbers at the 2020 edition of TMM is a testimony to this – 19% increase in total participation. 9,660 runners in the full marathon, 15,260 runners in Half Marathon, 19,707 runners in the Dream Run, 8,032 runners in 10K, 1,022 runners in Senior Citizen Run and 1,596 runners in Champion with Disability. Women participation has surged to 35%, while the outstation participation and full marathon participation saw a growth of 22% and 15% respectively.

    Harish Bhat, Brand Custodian, Tata Sons, said, “Tata Mumbai Marathon is one of the largest and most exciting sporting events worldwide, with the run finding pride of place on the running calendar of elite global marathoners. This run is a beautiful symphony of humanity that celebrates the spirit of unity in diversity, inspiring both young and old alike while shaping a healthy world. This platform has helped the Tata group to increase our engagement with the community, raise funds for charity as well as create societal awareness about the necessity of good health and fitness. He further added, “It feels fantastic to experience the enthusiasm of the participants, consistently pushing the boundaries, and inspiring the human spirit. Looking at the response of the audience, we expect this year’s edition to be larger and better.”

    CHAMPIONS AT THE START LINE: The USD$420,000 event will see in action defending champions Cosmas Lagat of Kenya and Worknesh Alemu of Ethiopia headline the international elite athletes’ line-up. Their winning timing of 2:09:15 and 2:25:45 is the second fastest timings in Mumbai Marathon history.

    Leading the Indian elite men full marathon line-up is Army’s Srinu Bugatha, who won the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon and the Tata Steel Kolkata 25K 2019 editions, finishing the races in 1:04:33 and 1:18:31, respectively in last two months. Challenging him will be Rashpal Singh, Silver Medalist in Kathmandu South Asian Games 2019 along with Rahul Pal, winner of the Pune International Marathon 2019.

    The Women’s full marathon line-up has Olympian and Arjuna Awardee, Sudha Singh, eyeing to add to her 3 TMM titles and firmly set on a hat-trick this year. Sudha won her first title in 2016 and after a year’s gap, she was champion in 2018 and 2019. Sudha will be challenged by Jyoti Gawte who won the Mumbai Marathon in 2017.

    In the men’s half marathon category, Avinash Sable, 3,000 steeplechase national record holder, who shattered his own national record at World Championship at Doha in October & qualified for Tokyo 2020 Olympics will lead the field along with Shankar Man Thapa, who was the runner-up in 2019. Likewise, in the women’s half marathon, veteran athlete Swati Gadhave will face stiff opposition from 2019 runner-up & winner of 2018 edition, Monica Athare.

    Vivek B Singh, Joint Managing Director, Procam International said: “More than 9000 runners doing the full marathon and crossing the 50,000 mark for total number of participants – both are humbling milestones for us.  To see India, embrace running is a dream come true for us. We are thankful to the Government of Maharashtra, Mumbai Police, MCGM, our sponsors and our runners who have given their rock-solid support in the incredible journey of the Tata Mumbai Marathon. We wish all the participants a successful and enjoyable race day!”  

    2020 HIGHLIGHTS 

    TIME PERFORMANCE BONUS FOR INDIAN ATHLETES: TMM has always been a springboard for Indian athletes and the platform has managed to get the best out of them.  With the same aim, this year, a Time Performance Bonus has been introduced for the Indian Elites.

     

    At km mark

    Time cut-off

    Bonus

    Indian Elite men

    10K

    Under 00:32:00s

    ₹ 40,000

     

    20K

    Under 01:03:30s

    ₹ 40,000

     

    30K

    Under 01:35:00s

    ₹ 40,000

    Indian Elite women

    10K

    Under 00:37:10s

    ₹ 40,000

     

    20K

    Under 01:15:00s

    ₹ 40,000

     

    30K

    Under 01:51:00s

    ₹ 40,000

    NEW BRANDS FOR 2020: The culture of road-running in India has grown tremendously. This has opened an avenue for new brands and innovative associations. This year, Procam takes pride to announce four such new beginnings. Franklin Templeton, one of India’s largest* fund houses as Investment Partner (*Source: AMFI Website (based on AAUM as on September 30, 2019); Bira 91,  one of India’s fastest-growing craft beer brands, as the official Companion; HelpAge India, an NGO that extensively works for the cause and care of Silvers, as the event’s Institution Partner for Senior Citizens category and Adventures Beyond Barriers Foundation, an NGO that works extensively towards inclusion via sports for persons with and without disability as its Inclusion Ally, to encourage Persons with Disability in the Open 10K category.

    The Tata Mumbai Marathon is also proud to have continued support from Sports Goods Partner ASICS; Channel Partner Star Sports; Hydration Partner Bisleri; Recovery Partner Volini Maxx; Domains and Online Presence Partner GoDaddy; Timing Partner Seiko; Energy Drink Partner Fast&UP; Hospitality Partner Trident Hotels; Print Partner The Times of India; Driven by ALTROZ from Tata Motors; Music Entertainment Partner 98.3 Radio Mirchi; Medical Partner Asian Heart Institute; Philanthropy Partner United Way Mumbai; CWD Facilitator ADAPT and Performance Eyewear Partner Oakley.

    RUN YOUR WAY: This year at the Tata Mumbai Marathon create magic on race day by running your way. Individuals and groups across all race categories can express themselves in their own unique way. More than just running in costume, you can also express yourself via your favourite song, poetry on the pride for the city, showcase your favourite dance moves, a rap you’ve written, even your beliefs or a cause close to your heart or just about any other form of expression and talent that you would like to showcase on race day. 

    All you have to do is capture your expression via photograph or video on race day anywhere along the official holding area, race route or post finish area. Upload your expression with a short description before 6:00 pm on 19th January 2020 and stand a chance to win attractive cash prizes. For more details log on to: tatamumbaimarathon.procam.in/runners-information/run-your-way

    MIRCHI GET ACTIVE EXPO: A one-stop destination for runners, the Expo will be organized at GTX Block Ground, Opp Citi Bank Bldg., Off Bharat Petrol Pump, Bandra (East), Bandra Kurla Complex from 15th to 18th January 2020. The Expo will be on between 10.30 a.m. and 7.00 p.m. on 15th to 17th January 2020, and on 18th January 2020 between 10.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m. The Expo is also the venue for all confirmed participants from Mumbai and Outstation registered runners to come and collect their running bibs, study in detail race day instructions, familiarize themselves with all the timelines, approach plans, layout plans, security arrangements, traffic restrictions, road closures and other provisions that will come into force on Race Day.

    TATA IN SPORTS

    Tata Group is a global enterprise with combined revenues of US $110.7 billion (2017-18), along with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), one of the world’s leading IT services, consulting and business solutions organisations, are the title sponsor of the Tata Mumbai Marathon.

    Sport has always been an integral part of the Tata group for over 75 years. Tatas association with multiple sports ranging from cricket, football, hockey, badminton, chess, athletics, mountaineering and motor racing, among others, has produced many award-winning sportspersons, helped the development of marginal communities and supported sporting teams, national and international events as well as training academies. The Tata Sports Club was set up in 1937 to encourage sports among its employee base across the country.

    TCS is the sponsor of many premier global marathons across the world like, the TCS New York City Marathon, the TCS Amsterdam Marathon, and the TCS Lidingloppet (the world’s largest cross-country run), and the technology partner of marathons held in London, Chicago, and Boston — all part of the company’s effort to promote health and fitness in the communities, the world over.