The University has revised the intake of its several sought after courses. This includes BBA, in which 415 more seats have been added this year; B. Tech., with 280 more seats; BCA with 210 added seats; MCA will have 60 additional seats; 40 more seats have been added in B.A. LLB; and the Bachelor of Journalism & Mass Communication will include 30 additional seats, to mention the prominent ones.

The BBA intake has increased due to addition in the number of seats at its existing institutions including Chandra Prabhu Jain College of Higher Studies, Delhi Institute of Rural Development, Jagan International Management Institute, BLS Institute of Technology, and Trinity Institute of Professional Studies. Second shift in BBA has moreover, been started at Maharaja Agrasen Institute of Management Studies, with an intake of 60 this year, besides the five existing institutions. The concept of evening shift has been introduced in the BCA programme as well from this year with 60 seats each at Jagannath International Management School and Maharaja Surajmal Institute of Management. Delhi Institute of Rural Development is also initiating BCA programme this year with an intake of 90.

Similarly, for B. Tech. programme, the number of seats has increased due to addition of two institutions. An existing affiliated institution, Ansal Institute of Technology will now offer B.Tech. programmes in Electronics & Communication Engineering, Computer Science Engineering & Information Technology, with an intake of 60 each. Delhi Institute of Tool Engineering is the new institution added this year to offer an unconventional B. Tech course in Tool Engineering with 40 seats.

Over 1, 61,000 students have applied for the different programmes of GGSIPU this year, which was an increase of 20% from last year.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Says Ashish Anand, Director, Delhi Art Gallery: “Widely known as the ‘renaissance man’ of the Indian art, P. Khemraj focused on creating ‘lasting art’. He had given a new dimension to modern art with his colourful and often mind-boggling depiction of the female form that reflected sensuality and extravagant view of life at large in his artworks.”

Art critic Keshav Malik says: “He would invite cognition of creative interplay of different forms of artistic activity, brought about by his usual re-reading of his poems, avid strumming of musical instruments and formulate a visual cosmos in his canvas. His creativity represented a play.”

Says curator Roobina Karode: “The exhibition showcases his mural sized works on combined boards and early canvases as well as his delicate linear drawings swiftly moving on the surface with fluid grace. His series fluttering with hearts is full of youthful exuberance and confesses his love for life.”

Born in 1934 to a big Gujarati family settled in Bombay, Khemraj grew up in an environment where art and music were an integral part. As a child he would day-dream of becoming a painter if not a musician, and someday travel to Paris – the Mecca of Modern Art. In 1952, he joined the J.J. School of Art in Bombay under the tutelage of Professor K.S. Kulkarni. His love for music was so strong that he was motivated to leave Bombay in 1958 after graduating and settle in Delhi, to learn playing sitar from Pandit Ravi Shankar. The tight schedule of the icon eventually forced him to seek a job as an artist in a commercial studio but, it never deterred him from pursuing the sargams on sarod and violin. Years after he had made his life as an artist of eminence, he would diligently do his riyaaz and any joyous occasion was to be marked with music.

The artist’s childhood dream of traveling to Paris came true when he was awarded the French Government scholarship in 1962, which enabled him to study at the Ecole Nationale des Superior des Beaux Arts and then at Atelier 17. His art was shaped by teachers like Stanley William Hayter who is regarded as the father of contemporary printmaking and Krishna Reddy who is the first person to devise the process of obtaining multi- coloured prints. His art was further influenced by many a Cubist, Impressionist, and Expressionist and Surrealist masters.

Delhi, with several galleries such as the National Gallery of Modern Art, the Lalit Kala Akademi, the Garhi studios, the Triveni Kala Sangam, the Crafts Museum, nurtured the native talent of the sensitive artist in Khemraj. Therefore, when he returned from Paris in 1966, he gravitated to Delhi which became his home although every two or three years he would visit Bombay which attracted artists from everywhere - Calcutta, Madras, Delhi - as the capital market for art.

For any Indian artist living in Europe for any length of time during his or her youth, it is impossible to ignore the rich possibilities of artistic expression in stained glass. Khemraj was no exception. Especially noteworthy is his use of luminous colours ranging through ultra – marine, indigo, orange colours that are not commonly found in nature. While talking about his powerful lines cutting across the paper or canvas, on close view, one can find the lines to be delicate with minute fluid shadows found as if in droplets of water under a microscope.

In an essay A Toast to Bliss, Kolkata art critic Ratnottama Sengupta has emphasized on Khem’s artistic journey and influences which brought about the various changes in his art practices, giving birth to series like Charpai, Hatheli, Prithvi, Heart and a series of powerful drawings entitled Singing Lines. She says, “Khemraj represents the harmonious fusion of ‘virginity and virility’ through a sensuous simplicity and passion.” In her essay, she has zoomed on another aspect of the artist which is - “Khem seemed to depict deep empathy for the damaged environment which gave birth to Asha Hans, where he paints the vision of a paradise that could be our earth. Dreamy landscapes, painted in subtle colours evoke a paradise that exists in our mind’s eye. The intricately interspread flowers and leaves position nature in a timeless role of a silent observer. The hues of these works are in turquoise along with gold, giving a feel of lyricism and richness which could be associated with the works of Gustav Klimt."

In 1992, concerned about the increasing domination of commercial forces and disillusioned by the mono-cultural, west-oriented trend of the nineties, Khemraj along with three other Asian artists - Lee Kye Song, Hideo Sakata and Yoko Kamijyo initiated an art movement - Lantern of the East. The Lantern group believed that Eastern art, with a different sensibility derived from the distinctive religious and cultural traditions of the Asian region, needed to become a more active force in the contemporary visual art scene and that in doing so, would be a driving force in reshaping the world of contemporary visual art in the 21st century. In that spirit, the founders began, in 1996, an annual international art festival to communicate the spirit of Eastern art to the world.

Says Keshav Malik: “Artists like Khem drop out of the straitjacket of the contemporary society that suffocates them, that denies freedom, wonder and sheer joy. Painting peacocks and flowers in superfluous abandon, Khem indicates his conviction that life is not a trust but a gift to revel in.”

An artist who painted delicate dreams of an idyllic world of lovers, birds and mystical creatures, P. Khemraj passed away in September 2000, but his exhibition will remind us of that delicacy our lives have lost…

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Currently the industry which is pegged around a revenue of US $1.2 billion will see major growth in the music and mobile gaming segments suggests a PricewaterhouseCoopers report. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers for the moment, the Indian VAS industry is being driven by SMS with about 44% of the share, followed by new applications Ringtones & RBTs, GPRS, CLI and other VAS.

OnMobile CEO and co-founder Arvind Rao said: “ringback tones alone have a market of 40 to 50 million users and constituted almost 50 per cent of the VAS market in India and this trend will continue in the near future also.”

According to various telecom experts, as a reality in the near term, the mobile phone will soon double up as a smart card, replacing plastic cards. Remittances of funds through mobile phones is expected to fulfill the gap in rural banking infrastructure, this would be yet another growth driver for the Indian VAS industry.

In the context of India rolling out 3G services shortly, the analyst report said that “wireless operators see 3G customers more willing than 2G customers to use a variety of multi-media services.” At present music and games are downloaded on GPRS or 2.5 G platform. One of the factors that foretell a huge market for VAS in India is the lowering age profile of mobile handset owners and falling costs of handsets with ever richer features.

While Mr. Rao emphasized the “R-factor”, the expanding of mobile services to rural areas as the future driver of the VAS market, suggested that about 40 % of VAS revenues in this category will come from villages & small towns.

Tata Teleservices president for VAS Pankaj Sethi found the “bottom of the pyramid” customers to expand their use of VAS and drive revenues of operators.

Entertainment led services and personalization were some other areas that were pushing VAS use, according to Pankaj Sethi. The other two areas of growth which the experts suggested included mobile and social networking.

Pradip Shrivastava, chief marketing officer, Idea Cellular, emphasized international mobile money transfer as a “huge challenge” as it provided quick and efficient service in India with millions of remittances to homes from migrant workers and white collar labour. Annual remittances were now touching the 30 billion dollar mark.

“Consumer must be allowed to try out many more services at zero or low cost. Then only this would expand. Operators would have to work out new solutions to engage customers,” said Idea Cellular CMO Pradeep Srivastava

Consumer generated content would be yet another driver for VAS in the expanding use of mobile phones, many experts participating in the conference remarked. Abhay Savargaonkar, senior vice-president for 3G at Bharati Airtel envisaged total revenues from VAS to rise faster than that from voice services in future. He recalled how Honk Kong was enabling High definition TV to be available on mobiles and machine to machine translations over the mobile were becoming a rage in the US. “In India the missed call has become the biggest innovation. T-20 is tailor made content for the mobile.” However, he felt scalability of services would be a big problem in a country of India’s size. “It is required for the industry to come together and have an informed view about the exisiting state of VAS in India. The future lies in the rural India, and we see that besides money transfers, the other two areas would be video and mobile advertisements,” said Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Managing Director, One97.

“There are very encouraging trends that facilitate the evolution of the India VAS market. From co-marketing initiatives with operators to the focus on youth and visibility, we are very excited to be a part of this development” said Simone Ranucci Brandimarte, CEO/COO Buongiorno

Discussing new business models for meeting these varied needs of what was described as a “booming industry in India”, experts suggested India-specific plans to be innovated. According to Savargoankar “partnership with all sectors of companies to get as many applications as possible on the mobile” would drive the market. “Close alliances and partnerships are seen as a more practical and flexible approach to bringing together the diverse building blocks for delivering high value VAS” said the report by PwC. The experts also cautioned the service providers and content makers to arrive at proper models for revenue sharing to drive the market further forward.

“The customer focus will clearly be the differentiator and a quality, reliable and consistent delivery is seen as a critical need apart from innovative and exciting offerings” said the PwC report. , the industry analyst firm report said. “Add value to life through VAS” suggested R. K. Agarwal, director (planning and new services, BSNL who presided at the experts panel at the conference.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About Bharat Exhibitions

Headed by Mr Shashidharan, Bharat Exhibitions brings with it seasoned professionals with informed minds attuned to local sensitivities and various fields of corporate promotion. The company organizes internationally recognized exhibitions and conferences in the areas of Broadcast & Multimedia, Satellite & Space Technologies, Telecommunications, Computing & Networking and Banking Technologies. http://www.bharatexhibitions.com.

Under this provision, students who are pursuing their final year of B.Tech. programme in either Computer Science, Information Technology or Electronics & Communication Engineering, from any of the affiliated institution of GGSIPU can get direct admission in the 9th semester (fifth year) of the B. Tech./ M. Tech. (Dual Degree) programme at University School of Information Technology, leading to an M. Tech. Degree. Interested candidates need to have secured minimum 60% marks or above in their class 10th and class 12th/ diploma; and 70% or above marks in their B. Tech Examination, 2008 from GGSIPU.

Admissions to the above programme will be made on the basis of the marks obtained in the qualifying exam and an interview, to be conducted by the University. For granting admission, 75% weightage will be given to the marks obtained in the qualifying exam and 25% to the interview.

Interested candidates are required to apply in the Office of the Joint Registrar (Academic), Room No.108, Administrative Block, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University on the prescribed form alongwith necessary documents and a Bank Draft of Rs.500/- drawn in favour of Registrar, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, on or before 22nd July, 2008 (5 pm). One can even download the application form from the University website www.ipu.ac.in The merit list of successful candidates will be displayed on the website on 28th July, 2008 alongwith interview schedule.

New Delhi, July 8, 2008: Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU) has opened an option for its B. Tech students to seek admission in the 9th semester of its B. Tech./ M. Tech. (Dual Degree) in Information Technology (IT) programme, through lateral entry.

Under this provision, students who are pursuing their final year of B.Tech. programme in either Computer Science, Information Technology or Electronics & Communication Engineering, from any of the affiliated institution of GGSIPU can get direct admission in the 9th semester (fifth year) of the B. Tech./ M. Tech. (Dual Degree) programme at University School of Information Technology, leading to an M. Tech. Degree. Interested candidates need to have secured minimum 60% marks or above in their class 10th and class 12th/ diploma; and 70% or above marks in their B. Tech Examination, 2008 from GGSIPU.

Admissions to the above programme will be made on the basis of the marks obtained in the qualifying exam and an interview, to be conducted by the University. For granting admission, 75% weightage will be given to the marks obtained in the qualifying exam and 25% to the interview.

Interested candidates are required to apply in the Office of the Joint Registrar (Academic), Room No.108, Administrative Block, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University on the prescribed form alongwith necessary documents and a Bank Draft of Rs.500/- drawn in favour of Registrar, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, on or before 22nd July, 2008 (5 pm). One can even download the application form from the University website www.ipu.ac.in The merit list of successful candidates will be displayed on the website on 28th July, 2008 alongwith interview schedule.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Organised by Bharat Exhibitions, this B2B conference & exhibition will showcase the latest technology developments in the Mobile Value Added Services industry in the country. Giving an ideal opportunity for authoritative minds to discuss and debate the most relevant issues confronting the sector in the present context and the likely way forward. The event would capture global excellence in the industry, even as it explores opportunities in India. It will be and event where VAS leaders position their organizations to the industry.

The conference will also foster the exchange of technical information and will encourage the Mobile VAS community to deploy available software’s & technologies and develop new solutions to unsolved problems. To tap the opportunities in the VAS industry, seminars on topics “Successful Growth Strategies for VAS in Indian Telecom Industry” & “Asian Service Provider's Perspective”, “Future Directions for the VAS in Indian Telecom Industry”, “Market Drivers for the Growth of VAS in Indian Telecom Industry”, “Successful Strategies to Face the Future Challenges for VAS in the Indian Telecom Industry” will be conducted.

PricewaterhouseCoopers is the Knowledge partner of the event.

Key speakers at the conference include Mr. Arvind Rao, Chief Executive Officer, OnMobile Asia Pacific Pvt. Ltd, Shri RK Agarwal, Director (Planning & New Services), Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd; Mr. Pankaj Sethi, President - Value Added Services, TATA Teleservices Limited, Mr Pradeep Shrivastava, Chief Marketing Officer, Idea Cellular Limited, Ms. Feyzal Akpinar, Head Content Services, Turkcell, Mr. Abhay Savargaonkar, Sr. Vice President - 3G & Network Quality, Bharti Airtel Ltd, Mr. Aveek Roy, Country Manager - India, NMS Communications, Mr. Venkat Eswara, Marketing Director, Motorola Inc. USA, Mr. Rip Harris, Director of Product & Segment Marketing, Dialogic Corporation, Mr. Sangeet Chowfla, Chief Strategy Officer, Bharti Telesoft, Mr. Gaurav Kaushal, Senior Solution Architect, Nokia Siemens Networks, Mr. Krishna Mohan Durbha, Business & Marketing Head, Reliance Communications Ltd, Mr. Nitin Patel, VP - Strategic Marketing, Telenity Inc., Mr. Simone Ranucci Brandimarte, CEO/COO, Buongiorno (Hong Kong) Ltd., Mr. Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Managing Director, One97 Communications, Mr. Prasoon Sharma, Senior Business Analyst, ZTE India, Mr. John He, CEO, Donjin Communication Tech Co. Ltd., Mr. Zhou Keke, Director, , Huawei Telecommunications, Mr. Zubin Jimmy Dubash, General Manager – VAS, TATA Teleservices Limited, Mr. Taron Mohan, Chief Executive Officer, Phoneytunes.Com, Mr. Steve Chambers, President, Nuance Mobile & Consumer Services Div., Nuance Comm., Mr. Debasis Chatterji, Director (Operations), NetXcell.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About Bharat Exhibitions

Headed by Mr Shashidharan, Bharat Exhibitions brings with it seasoned professionals with informed minds attuned to local sensitivities and various fields of corporate promotion. The company organizes internationally recognized exhibitions and conferences in the areas of Broadcast & Multimedia, Satellite & Space Technologies, Telecommunications, Computing & Networking and Banking Technologies. http://www.bharatexhibitions.com.

Now Approach Communications will handle the entire PR, media relations and Image Management strategy and other branding initiatives for Phytonics India. Phytonics India is first introducing its very successful product in USA market XPL7 in India. The company is also thinking to launch other innovative products in the market. XPL7 is a revolutionary product in that it combines a centuries old herbal formulation with the 21st century western medical technology to deliver a unique feminine health choice product.

XPL7 is a vaginal suppository. When it is used within 72 hours (3 Days) after an unprotected sexual exposure it prevents pregnancy.
It is an herbal formulation that the Oriental women have used for hundreds of years. It contains no hormones and no steroids. It is a product designed by women for women.

Accroding to Mr.Baljit Singh Ghai, Director, Phytonics Enterprises USA “ We were looking for a Healthcare PR agency which is most suitable for us in terms of generating awareness,, credibility of our product as well as image building of the organization. The presentation made by Approach Communications was in line with our communication approach. So we decided to go with Approach Communications.”

Commenting on the win, Sonu Tyagi, Director, said “as we have already worked on few pharma brands before and enjoy a very good network in pharma and health related media, we will add very good value through our expertise to XPL7 launch through our media relations expertise and hence we are very excited about this win. The communications strategy has been devised for the launch activities and specific PR exercise will be done for image building of the company.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Approach Communications, which is just in 3 year of operations; have already handled leading companies, entertainment and social sector clients. The agency is present in 5 cities of India with its headquarters in Delhi. Agency has handled accounts like Rathi Thermax, U.S.Writopia, SOS Children’s Villages of India, Aaliya Productions, Greentech Foundation, General Motors,{ Regional}, Sutlej Motors Ltd, Malaysian Promotion Council, Handicapped Care Foundation, FMCG International , Jhankar Television, JMD Group among others.

Agency is very excited about future prospects and soon entering in publications in a big way. Agency has already carved a niche in strategic rural communications services and pitching for new clients are already on. Agency has worked across industries like FMCG, Healthcare, Lifestyle, Entertainment and Films. Approach Communications has full fledged operations in Celebrity Management and Below the Line Promotions services as well.

The key insight behind the ICICI GPC advertising campaign is that a successful individual is not driven by wealth or power. S/He is propelled by an urge that is so powerful and unique that it can not be defined, it can only be experienced. The upmarket look treatment of the film is indicative of the many layers and facets of the client that ICICI Group GPC endeavours to demystify and serve. SRK is a true representation of its clients, who are extremely successful and leaders in their stream of work.

Speaking at the launch of the TVC, Mr. V. Vaidyanathan, Executive Director, ICICI Bank, said, "Our objective is to be our clients' most trusted advisor. Our experience with this client base has helped us understand that these individuals are not just financially very evolved but also 'driven' in nature and their needs may or may not be overtly stated. We understand this and hence are best equipped to work with their agenda in mind and design solutions for their specific needs. The TVC aims to establish this."

The target group for GPC is male, age 30+, SEC A++, having upwards of $1 million net investments with ICICI Bank. He is 'successful', not 'on the path to success'. He is a global citizen, who is aware of global trends in the areas of finance, general information and lifestyle. He is an expert in his field, be it textiles, diamonds, manufacturing or a corporate profile. He is in a leadership position, be it in an organisation or in his own business. And he has experienced the luxuries of the world and is comfortable in most global settings.

The energy and innovation, which Khan represents coupled with his popularity both in India and abroad, made him the ideal choice for ICICI's brand ambassador, particularly as the Bank makes its global forays.

The TVC opens with Khan seated in his study, wondering what exactly it is that drives him. His musings evolve into a passionate monologue, which he concludes by declaring that the human drive cannot be understood, it has to be felt. He says, "Is it the obsession to be unique, the desire to be second to none? I don't know what drives me. I can't explain it, but I can feel it. When I walk under the lights, when the camera comes on, I can feel it. Every moment I live." The ad ends with the message and tagline, 'ICICI Group Global Private Clients: Life on Your Terms'.
The campaign has been created by DraftFCB Ulka. Haresh Moorjani and RMV Simha have worked on the creative side of the campaign.

MindShare Mumbai has created a meticulously planned media plan targeting this top-end audience. It is using niche TV channels in a mix of genres like business, news, movie and infotainment channels including NDTV, CNBC, STAR Movies and The History Channel. Though it's a TV driven campaign, print is being used sparingly – only business, sports and general news publications like The Economist, Golf Digest and Newsweek. The Economic Times is the only newspaper being used. The print campaign, too, features Khan in his study, with each ad carrying a different phrase, like 'Things happen when you listen to your inner voice', 'Leaders are led by their instincts', 'For men who dream with their eyes wide open'.

This is a marketing initiative of the ICICI Group Global Private Clients (GPC), a division of ICICI Bank, which offers investment solutions to high net worth individuals (HNIs) in India and abroad. GPC was earlier known as ICICI Bank Private Banking. However, in April, the brand was aligned globally and a single global brand, ICICI Group Global Private Clients, was launched to ensure uniform client experience.

GPC is the ICICI Group's premium offering with an entry threshold of $1 million. The service is different from retail banking because it offers personalized service, a relationship manager, new advanced products and customised investment solutions.

Within a short span of four years, ICICI Bank has established its presence in 12 countries including UK, Canada, US and the Middle East. The Dubai representative office was launched in October 2003. ICICI Bank enhanced its presence in Dubai by setting up a wealth management branch in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) in December 2005.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

“He who holds the mighty Ganges in his locks,

who is adorned by Parvati on his side,

who burnt Cupid - the ashes for his pride,

he who is the Lord of Kashi; to him we offer our humble prayer.”

Odissi dance performers are judged through the recital of the “Mohana Pallavi” and keeping this in mind, both dancers paid homage to the lyrical, graceful and sculpturestique form of Odissi with seasoned dexterity, elaborating the blooming of a flower “petal by petal”, increasing in beauty and complexity growing in depth, both in music and dance. With extremely graceful and flowing movements both the dancers seem to be swaying with the music becoming one entity. The beauty of the music is given physical form by the dancer’s movements.

Madhushree Dasgupta then continues with a pure Abhinaya from Jayadeva’s Geet Govind “Yahi Madhav” masterfully choreographed by her Guru Mayadhar Raut describing Radha’s anger, grief, shame and sorrow all at the same time when Krishna faces Radha after having spent the night reveling with other Gopies.

Aadya Kaktikar’s rendition of “Dekho Nand Nandan” depicting the Baal Leela of Lord Krishna’s life such as the killing of Putana, lifting of Giri Govardhan among others, prove her coming forward as a seasoned proponent of the Odissi Dance form. These have been skillfully woven together with traditional Odissi bols. This performance is also keeping with the tradition of performing Oriya songs. Aadya’s performance is notable for her strong sense of ‘Taal’, deft footwork, lyrical movements and intense ‘Abhinaya’ while maintaining the purity of the dance form, which is characteristic of Guru Mayadhar Raut’s style.

Starting at a fast pace and ending at a crescendo, the evening ended with a prayer to Durga- the primordial power of nature personifying this aspiration of the dancer/s.

Choreographed by Guru Mayadhar Raut himself, his daughter and Aadya’s guru Madhumita Raut conducted the recital on the Manjira. Shri Prafulla Mangraj was at the Pakhawaj, the violin was played by Shri Afzaal Zahoor and the Sitar by Shri S.A. Alvi. Shri Hari Narayan Dash was at his vocal best in his support.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About Aadya Kaktikar

Aadya a disciple of Madhumita Raut is emerging as the new face of this ancient dance tradition, is an accomplished Odissi Dancer who has undergone two decades of rigorous training under the able tutelage of Guru Mayadhar Raut and Madhumita Raut at “The Mayadhar Raut School of Odissi Dance” at New Delhi. She has performed extensively as a solo artist since 1992, in a number of festivals and has played a leading role in all of Guruji’s compositions for the last decade. She has played leading roles in productions such as Ritu Basant, Konark), The Geet Govind under the supervision of her Guru – Madhumita Raut. Settled in New Delhi, Aadya is currently engaged in reviving the traditional Odissi dance items and trying to extend the scope of Odissi by experimenting with modern literature.

About Madhushree Dasgupta

Madhushree, a senior disciple of Guru Mayadhar Raut, has been practicing and performing odissi for many years. She has undergone intensive training under Guruji for the last 14 years. Madhushree has previously performed at several prestigious venues. Her abhinaya to both Geeta Govind Ashtapadis and Oriya songs on Guruji’s choreography have been highly appreciated. With her sincere perseverance, Madhushree has steadily come up as a promising Odissi dancer of the Guru Mayadhar Raut style. Madhushree also enjoys teaching this traditional art form to young children. Apart from Guruji’s invaluable guidance, Madhushree has drawn inspiration from Madhumita Raut, who has given her lessons in Odissi from time-to-time.

The co-author of some of most widely acclaimed books: The Machine That Changed the World, Lean Thinking, and Lean Solutions, Dr Jim Womack, is also recognised for his work at MIT on the comparative industrial policy in the US, Europe and Japan.

Lean Management Summit has been organised by Lean Management Institute of India (LMII), an independent not-for-profit company dedicated to promote Lean Management in various industries especially in the manufacturing and the services sectors. Founded by Mr. Siddhartha Lal and Mr. S.Sandilya of the Eicher Group in their individual capacities, the company will be guided in its operation by a Board of Governors, which is being constituted.

Mr Ravi Achanta, Vice President of LMII, said, "Through his seminal research, Dr Womack, along with Prof Daniel T Jones, decoded the DNA of Toyota Way to enumerate the underlying principles of Lean – specify value, identify value creating steps, make value flow to the customer, supply to customer pull, and strive for perfection."

"These principles have since been applied successfully across various industries including manufacturing, retail, ITES, air travel, distribution and healthcare. Lean Management Solutions are extremely relevant in today’s tough economic environment in India and globally", he added.

Some of the well-known Articles Dr Womack co-authored include: "From Lean Production to the Lean Enterprise" (Harvard Business Review, March-April, 1994), "Beyond Toyota: How to Root Out Waste and Pursue Perfection" (Harvard Business Review, September-October, 1996), "Lean Consumption" (Harvard Business Review, March-April, 2005).

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Participants who wish to attend the Lean Management Summit 2008 can get more information at www.leaninstitute.in or at telephone +91-22-40034613, +91-22-40074613.

"These principles have since been applied successfully across various industries including manufacturing, retail, ITES, air travel, distribution and healthcare. Lean Management Solutions are extremely relevant in today’s tough economic environment in India and globally", he added.

Some of the well-known Articles Dr Womack co-authored include: "From Lean Production to the Lean Enterprise" (Harvard Business Review, March-April, 1994), "Beyond Toyota: How to Root Out Waste and Pursue Perfection" (Harvard Business Review, September-October, 1996), "Lean Consumption" (Harvard Business Review, March-April, 2005).

Participants who wish to attend the Lean Management Summit 2008 can get more information at www.leaninstitute.in or at telephone +91-22-40034613, +91-22-40074613.

“The company aims to make available quality K-12 Math education ‘accessible’ and ‘affordable’ to all in North America,” said the company CEO Kamal Wadhera in a teleconference here this morning, adding, “With our Business Affiliate Model doing great with existing affiliates, we hope to achieve our target by the end of June next.”

It is believed that considering the amount of support TCYonline.com is getting from one and all, this unique franchising model is bound to succeed in this country. “Since anybody can become our affiliate and experience the entrepreneur side of business, here’s an open invitation to the academic fraternity to join the fray,” said the elated CEO.

It may be recalled that the company launched this ‘no-risk’ and ‘low-investment’ model in February this year with wonderful results so far. This initiative and other programs have got a wonderful response from local affiliates and all academic community in North America.

Jan McCarter, TCYonline.com’s Chicago affiliate, is in all praise for the company’s one-on-one tutoring program. “It is a clear step in the right direction because it offers an easily accessible, quality product, with friendly and knowledgeable tutors, at an affordable price,” she said.

Today, thanks to TCYonline.com’s Math tutoring, aided with the Whiteboard technology, kids can get help from their online tutors in the comfort and security of their home. On the other hand, parents can save a lot on gas bills because they don’t have to drive their kids to tutoring centers. Moreover, now children get more play-time.

There are benefits galore for affiliates too as it opens doors to profitability and a successful career ahead for them. The no-risk business opportunity allows them to dedicate their resources solely on marketing the brand and keeps their overheads significantly low. All academic activities are taken care of by TCYonline.com team. The ‘physically exclusive territory’ offer based on choice and availability of region further enhances the value of their efforts.

Huge demand for affordable and quality Math instruction, coupled with the company’s competence to deliver, makes partnering with TCYonline.com a tremendous business opportunity.

Vivian Castro, TCYonline.com’s West Palm Beach (Florida) affiliate is of the opinion that since India is ‘years ahead’ of the US in Math education, one day this education services company would be a ‘household name’ in this country as, according to her, it provides a wonderful channel to develop important skills in American children.

Castro, however, feels that America as a nation is ‘falling behind’ its intellectual ability, and globalization is making the issue much more palpable. “There is a need to become competitive in our academic achievement. It is imperative that we invest in our children’s future,” she emphasized.

Talking almost on the same lines is Jeff Baker, TCYonline.com’s Charlotte, North Carolina, affiliate. He feels that there is a continued challenge for students in math and sciences which has led to a ‘decline’ in college majors, research, and the profession as a whole. “TCY's ability to provide an in-home educational support service indicates a growing trend among national /international on-line business,” said the semi-retired educationist.

This model being financially and personally rewarding is attracting more and more affiliates to this education business and the company takes pride in enrolling two affiliates a week.

Most of the existing affiliates are of the opinion that timing is everything. There is a tremendous growth potential in the children’s market, especially in education enhancement services. Online tutoring is a sign of the times.

“It would be great if we could awaken that zeal for education in our American students. We have wonderful opportunities for education in this country. Unfortunately, the best education is not always affordable or available to many of our students. Many of our classrooms are grossly overcrowded,” McCarter added with a pinch of salt.

There is a general feeling that since this business model is convenient, cost-effective and flexible, online tutoring is a big opportunity today for prospective affiliates to be excellent ‘partners in progress’ with this unique education services company.

All that the affiliates have to do is market the company’s tutoring services. They don’t have to replicate its delivery as it does not want to burden them unnecessarily.

Some model highlights:

• Low initial investment
• No-risk business opportunity
• High-return business offer
• Quick revenue inflows
• Exclusive territories

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About TCYonline.com:
An online initiative of Top Careers & You (TCY), the company specializes in school programs and standardized test preparation; provides LIVE online homework help through one-on-one tutoring. One of the leading educational organizations, TCYonline.com is gaining a foothold in North America with its unique online tutoring budgeted plans and free content. Recently, the company has launched its elite teacher-student platform in North America.

The interest rates on NRE Fixed Deposits have been increased by up to 15 bps for various maturities.

Interest rates on 1 year FCNR Deposits denominated in US Dollars have been increased to 2.56% p.a.. Interest rates on 1 year GBP denominated FCNR deposits have been increased to 5.70%.

(A) NRE Fixed Deposits:

Maturity Period

New Interest Rate (% per annum w.e.f. Jul 1, 2008)

Old Interest Rate (% per annum w.e.f. Jun 1, 2008)

12 months & above but less than 18 months

3.31

3.16

18 months & above but less than 24 months

3.31

3.16

24 months & above but less than 36 months

3.60

3.46

36 months to 120 months

3.95

3.81

]

(B) FCNR Deposits:

Maturity Period

Interest Rate Comparison (Jul. 08 Vs Jun. 08)

USD

GBP

EURO

JPY

New

Old

New

Old

New

Old

New

Old

12 months & above but less than 24 months

2.56

2.41

5.70

5.40

4.64

4.34

0.41

0.37

24 months & above but less than 36 months

2.85

2.71

5.50

5.26

4.62

4.23

0.49

0.53

36 months & above but less than 48 months

3.20

3.06

5.47

5.21

4.55

4.11

0.59

0.62

48 months & above but less than 60 months

3.42

3.30

5.41

5.12

4.47

4.03

0.67

0.75

60 months

3.56

3.47

5.32

5.02

4.41

3.98

0.75

0.82

Maturity Period

Interest Rate Comparison (July 08 Vs June 08)

AUD

CAD

New

Old

New

Old

12 months & above but less than 24 months

7.77

7.66

3.29

2.92

24 months & above but less than 36 months

7.21

7.08

2.86

2.76

36 months & above but less than 48 months

7.12

6.95

3.01

2.97

48 months & above but less than 60 months

7.13

6.96

3.11

3.10

60 months

7.02

6.85

3.19

3.19

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About ICICI Bank Ltd: ICICI Bank Limited (NYSE:IBN) is India's largest private sector bank and the second largest bank in the country, with consolidated total assets of about USD 121 billion at March 31, 2008. ICICI Bank’s subsidiaries include India’s leading private sector insurance companies and among its largest securities brokerage firms, mutual funds and private equity firms. ICICI Bank’s presence currently spans 19 countries including India.

Except for the historical information contained herein, statements in this release, which contain words or phrases such as 'will', 'would', etc., including about transactions that may be finalized at a later stage, and similar expressions or variations of such expressions may constitute 'forward-looking statements'. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to our ability to obtain statutory and regulatory approvals and to successfully implement our strategy, future levels of non-performing loans, transactions that may not fructify, our growth and expansion in business, the adequacy of our allowance for credit losses, technological implementation and changes, the actual growth in demand for banking products and services, investment income, cash flow projections, our exposure to market risks ICICI Bank undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date thereof.

Further, the company has accumulated a large volume of premium inventory, especially in regional language and video.Commenting on the investment, Kiran Gopinath, Founder and CEO of Ozone Media, and a veteran in the online advertising space, said, “Ozone Media has acquired India’s largest publisher base with a focus on premium inventory, which has allowed us to grow rapidly by attracting advertisers. We are thrilled to partner with IDG Ventures to extend our leadership position, by leveraging their expertise and networks in internet and media across India. We plan to use the funding to reach out to a broader set of advertisers and expand our sales and technology teams.

IDG is considered a domain expert in online advertising, having previously invested in market leaders such as Blue Lithium in the USA (later acquired by Yahoo for $300m) and Allyes in China (acquired by Focus Media for $300m). Manik Arora , Founder and Managing Director of IDG Ventures India, said, “Having successfully invested in ad networks globally, we are excited to partner with Ozone Media to rapidly scale the company. We are impressed with Ozone’s rapid growth and market leadership position, as well as the team’s deep understanding of online advertising."

The Indian market for online advertising is estimated to be Rs. 450 crores currently, and is expected to grow to INR 2,000 crores over the next 3 years. Globally, ad networks account for more than 40% of display advertising spend on the internet, and help monetize the long tail of internet sites.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About IDG Ventures: IDG Ventures is a global network of venture capital funds with over $2 billion under management and a portfolio of over 220 companies built over the last 15 years. The IDG Ventures network is comprised of five independent partnerships managing funds in North America and Asia. Each partnership makes investments on behalf of its limited partners, including International Data Group (IDG), the world's largest IT media company.By combining the IDG platform – an unparalleled combination of global publishing, market research (IDC), and conferences and exhibition resources – with years of hands-on experience in early-stage Company building, each IDG Ventures fund helps companies understand their markets better and penetrate them faster than their competition.

IDG Ventures India manages a US$150 Million venture capital fund focused on helping entrepreneurs grow innovative companies on a global basis. IDGV India believes the market for technology products and services in India, the proven value of India as an offshore resource base and the entrepreneurial spirit and talent of its people, create an extremely bright future for venture capital investing in the country.IDG Ventures India’s portfolio consists of Manthan Systems, Kreeda Games, ConnectM, iViZ, 3D Solid Compression, Perfint and Aujas Networks. For further details visit www.idgvcindia.com

About Ozone Media:Founded by online ad veteran Kiran Gopinath in 2006, Ozone Media is India's leading Internet advertising network with offices in Mumbai and Bangalore. The company has some of the largest online publishers in India as partners. Using Ozone Media's reach, advertisers can reach out to Indian as well as global audiences (including NRIs). With state of the art ad serving technology, Ozone Media strives to maximise ROIs on ad campaigns for advertisers and revenues for publishers. For further details visit www.ozonemedia.co.in

Sage India – Managing Director, Mr. Thomas Abraham stated “We are looking at accelerating our penetration in the Pune market which is predominantly in the discrete manufacturing domain. Sage has robust discrete manufacturing solutions with Accpac Optipro and Autosimply. We believe the team at Niyuj has the necessary consulting skills and manufacturing domain expertise to improve our positioning in this segment. We have recently launched Sage Accpac 5.5 and our business intelligence solution Accpac Insight to enhance the overall customer experience. Sage applications are also uniquely positioned given the end to end solution approach we take that encompasses ERP, CRM, Service Management and Business Intelligence and makes us ideally suited for growing Indian companies.”

Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Avinash Shenoi, Director, Niyuj Enterprise Software Solutions, stated, “Niyuj is focused on empowering the SME sector in India to compete in a global environment. Niyuj brings international experience, expertise and best practices in business process and technology. This expertise coupled with an international stable product such as Sage Accpac can help domestic business achieve its true potential. It gives me immense satisfaction to see domestic companies like Bright Engineering Works benefit from our work and acquire international customers.”

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About Sage

Sage Software India has over 700 customers in India for its CRM and ERP products across industries like, Financial Services, Manufacturing, Distribution, Travel and Hospitality, Healthcare, Media and IT Services. Sage has a number of industry specific solutions to address the needs of the Indian market. Sage Software India is a subsidiary of The Sage Group plc, a leading international supplier of accounting and business management software solutions and related products and services for small to mid-sized businesses. Formed in 1981, Sage was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1989 and the Group now has 5.5 million customers and employs over 13900 people worldwide. For more information, please visit the web site at www.sagesoftware.com

About Niyuj Enterprise Software Solutions

Niyuj Enterprise Software Solutions(www.niyuj.com) is focused on providing relevant and affordable assistance to Indian mid-market companies enabling them to perform better in their market space. The approach is focused on empowering business through efficient usage of information technology using ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), CRM (Customer Relationship Management) products as well as niche custom software. The founders of Niyuj have completed higher education in reputed global institutes such as Purdue University and the University of Maryland in the US. They have worked in several global consulting and technology companies before returning to their hometown, Pune, with the aim of making a difference to domestic industry. For more information you can send email to info@niyuj.com or visit www.niyuj.com.

“This investment will help Bumi capitalise on the huge opportunity in Geo Engineering in India and abroad and consolidate its position as an Indian multi-national company in the Geo Engineering space,” said Mr. B. Jaikumar, Chairman & MD, Bumi Geo Engineering Pvt. Ltd.

Bumi was founded in 2002 by Mr. Jaikumar, an engineer, who has several years’ experience in the field of Geotechnical Engineering and worked extensively in Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai and India. Bumi currently employs more than 2,000 people and is headquartered in New Delhi.

Alcazar is a $400 million Private Equity fund, which is regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority. “We are delighted to partner with Bumi Geo Engineering, a pioneer and recognized leader in its segment in India. With its specialised equipment, experienced management and technical and operational staff, it offers complete Geo Engineering solutions. We are confident that the Company has a unique business model with strong growth prospects,” said Mr. Dinesh Tiwari, Partner, Alcazar Capital.

JM Financial Consultants Ltd. was the financial adviser to Bumi for this transaction.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

The ICICIdirect superstore will offer personalised servicethrough trained Relationship Managers and will employ proprietary tools and technologiesto generate customised financial planning and guidance based on the requirement of customers.

Commenting on the new store, Mr Anup Bagchi, Executive Director – ICICI Securities Ltd said, “Rajkot is the fastest growing city in Gujarat and there is a larger section of the society which can benefit from personalized investment planning. The ICICIdirect Superstore will make financial planning and guidance accessible to salaried individuals and households in a service speak that is free of financial jargon. In the coming weeks we will also be inaugurating stores in Anand, Mysore, Coimbatore and Manesar in Gurgaon.”

ICICIdirect will also organise customised programmes for Senior Citizens and Housewives to help them prepare an optimised investment plan.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

According to the agreement between New Delhi-based 1219 Study and New York Film Academy, 1219 Study will be responsible for promoting various courses being offered by the Academy. “For Indian students we will offer only those courses which have good growth potential. said Saurabh Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, 1219 Study The Indian entertainment industry in recent times has been showing strong growth trends leading to the increasing need & scope for professionals related with filming within India and these courses will go a long way in fulfilling these needs", he further added”.

The course’s, being offered include Masters in Fine Arts Degree Program in Filmmaking, Film Production and Screenwriting.

Students opting for these courses will have the opportunity to broaden their scope of knowledge and focus their interests especially in a comprehensive Two-Year Filmmaking Conservatory Program. For example the students enrolling themselves for a Two-Year Conservatory Program will also be completing the One-Year Filmmaking Program during which they will complete a series of short films and thereafter continue for a second year where they will learn the art of Feature Filmmaking.

“As per the agreement reached between 1219 Study and The New York Film Academy, 1219 Study will be required to also support the students in completing all the formalities required for admission” continued Mr Kumar

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About The New York Academy

The New York Academy was founded in 1992 for imparting courses for a new generation of filmmakers, screenwriters, actors, producer and animators. The New York Film Academy is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) (USA), the only accrediting body for visual art programs recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

About 1219 Study

1219 Study provides professional counseling to students seeking opportunities for pursuing studies in overseas educational institutions. With presence in five cities across India, the company provides consultancy for Educational institutions based out of Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, United Kingdom and USA.

The Company’s national footprint, with a presence in many metropolitan and rural areas, has allowed UTI AMC to leverage the UTI name and establish UTI as a brand, which is recognised by prospective customers across the country. The pan-India presence and recognition generates and supports customer/ investor confidence in the ability to provide consistent quality services wherever located. UTI AMC has always banked on its strong distribution network to connect to the consumers.

The Company, which has the largest client base among mutual fund providers in India, has increased the number of UTI Financial Centres (“UFCs”) to 90 as of June 11, 2008. It has also increased the number of Client Representatives to 306 (as of June 11, 2008) and that of Chief Agents to 157 (as of June 11, 2008). It has 31,720 Financial Advisors as of the same date.

UTI AMC Ltd. has built upon its comprehensive distribution network with both in-house capabilities and external distribution channels. It now reaches clients through a number of distribution channels, including retail distribution consisting of ten regional offices and two satellite offices (as of September 30, 2007); district representatives and collection centres, and independent financial advisors. The size and broad distribution network provides it with economies of scale, particularly in distribution and marketing activities.

The other distribution channels consist of institutions, private and foreign banks, PSU banks and post offices (with access to approximately 1,600 PSU bank branches and 2,000 post offices as of September 30, 2007), and corporate distribution houses. The wide-spread distribution network gives it access to 455 districts (out of 604 districts in total) as of September 30, 2007, including remote areas, and reinforces the strong presence in small and medium towns, cities and villages. The funds are also distributed through its foreign offices in London, Dubai, Bahrain and Singapore. The Company also has a very strong online platform for interacting and engaging prospective customers in different parts of the country.

The Company’s list of clients includes individual retail investors, banks, corporate and other institutional investors, public sector undertakings ("PSUs"), and overseas investors. It believes that the nature of its clients and distribution channels, as well as good relationships with clients, have resulted in a stable and growing investor base. Individual retail clients represent over one-half of the total client base, which it believes, helps insulate it from excessive short-term churn and volatility in the funds. The broad client base also provides it with a number of opportunities, including cross-selling different funds.

The Company, along with its subsidiaries, manages domestic mutual funds, as well as provides portfolio management services and manages overseas funds, venture capital and private equity funds. Its total assets under management ("AUM") equalled Rs 495,418 million as of September 30, 2007 (as mentioned in the Draft Red Herring Prospectus). It has a high concentration of equity and balanced/hybrid funds; and one of the highest market shares for equity funds (10.0%) and the highest market share for balanced/hybrid funds (41.9%) in India, as of November 30, 2007.

The Company manages 76 domestic equity, balanced/hybrid, income and liquid mutual funds. Its domestic funds had AUM of Rs. 450,026 million, as of September 30, 2007, constituting approximately 9.4% of the total AUM invested in mutual funds in India and making it a leading fund provider, according to AMFI.

The Company’s AUM for domestic mutual funds increased from Rs. 138,967 million as of January 31, 2003, to Rs. 450,026 million as of September 30, 2007, representing a compound annual growth rate of 28.6%.

The Company also provides portfolio management services to approximately 320 clients. It has been recently selected as one of three asset managers to provide portfolio management services to the National Investment Fund. In addition, it has been selected by the Pension Fund Regulatory Development Authority as one of three asset managers to manage funds under a new pension scheme of the Government of India. It manages offshore and foreign institutional investor funds (including a co-branded fund with Shinsei Bank of Japan), as well as venture capital and private equity funds. As of September 30, 2007, its portfolio management, overseas, venture capital and private equity funds had total AUM of Rs. 45,392 million.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

The outdoor campaign, created by the in-house INX Studio, has been designed to convey the spectacular scale and grandeur of the epic series, which has been one of the most keenly awaited shows for a long time. The campaign uses the powerful logo of kahaani hamaaray MAHAABHAARAT ki along with dramatic images of Bheem and Duryodhan, whom it reveals in character for the first time, with costumes especially created by ace fashion designer Manish Malhotra. The all-important characters of Bheeshma, played by Ronit Roy, and Ganga, played by Sakshi Tanwar, will be revealed next.

The multi-media campaign for kahaani hamaaray MAHAABHAARAT ki will reach at least 175 million viewers through outdoor, print, TV, radio and cinema and retail screens nationwide.

Anthony Pettifer, Group Director, Brand and Communications, INX Network, said, “Kahaani hamaaray MAHAABHAARAT ki is the biggest and most keenly awaited epic drama on Indian television. One of the key objectives of our in-house INX Studio -- which has created the outdoor and print campaign as well as the logo -- is to convey to viewers that our MAHAABHAARAT has been created with the highest production values and on a grandeur and scale never seen before. It positions this timeless epic as a production that will appeal to today's generation. The mood and look of the off-air campaign is completely consistent with our on-air promos, also produced in-house. The combined effect of the on- and off-air campaign is already creating enormous awareness for the series. I am delighted that the campaign has been so well received by viewers and the industry so far."

Kahaani hamaaray MAHAABHAARAT ki is a timeless drama which is a gripping spectacle of relationships, power, politics and values, with all the dramatic excitement andinterplay of emotions. Produced by Ekta Kapoor's Balaji Telefilms for 9X, kahaani hamaaray MAHAABHAARAT ki features a galaxy of super stars such as Ronit Roy, Sakshi Tanwar, Aryan Vaid, Chetan Hansraj, Akashdeep Saigal, Anita Hassanandani, Rakshanda Khan, Makrand Deshpande and Kiran Karmarkar, along with several others whose names will be revealed over the next few days. Through the epic series, 9X will also present to Indian TV viewers some of the most exciting new talent. Shot on High Definition format in a truly epic scale with spectacular sets and in locations such as Ladakh, Jaipur and Wai, 9X's kahaani hamaaray MAHAABHAARAT ki has been created with the latest techniques in film production and special effects and .promises to be a production for all time and all generations. The series features the best technical team and a powerful, well researched script with costumes by ace fashion designer - Manish Malhotra.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

The feat was observed and authenticated by Danny Girton of the Guniess Book of world records at the site in DE Anza College in Cupertino, Silicon Valley, California.

About 2,000 people attended the conference, Participants included dancers from five continents assembled to set a world record and participate in the three day International Kuchipudi Dance conference on June 20 to June 22, 2008. Also present were Mayor Ms Dolly sandoval of Cupertino, Supervisor Liz Kniss and Fremont City Councilmember Ms. Anu Natarajan< Minster of State HRD (India)Mrs Purandeswari and others.

Kuchipudi is an ancient Indian classical dance form over 1,000 years old, preserved through centuries. Silicon Andhra, a non-profit group organized the event to promote Kuchipudi dance and art form in an international setting
and honor Kuchipudi dance stalwarts from India and motivate discussion

Organizers also held a parade on Saturday June 21, called"Kuchipudi Shobha Yatra," on the streets of Cupertino,led by its Mayor Dolly Saldoval, and other local dignitaries as wel as Gurus who have kept the art form alive. Also on display were several festive statues brought from Kuchipudi village in India.

In keeping with traditional homage to teachers of the dance and art form, the event also honored renowned Kuchipudi exponents like Vempati Chinnasatyam, Yamini Krishnamoorthy, Raja and Radha Reddy, Pasumarthi
Gopalakrishna,Vedanta Satyanarayana Sharma and others.

Various performances by local Kuchipudi dance schools and also grad ballads conducted by renowned dance teachers were presented on the main stage at the Flint Center for Performing Arts, along with dozens of informative and scholarly presentations on the Kuchipudi dance and art form.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

"The ACT! solution, more than anything else, is about helping users create positive sales and service experiences for their customers – the kind that keep customers coming back for more," noted David van Toor, senior vice president and general manager for Sage CRM Solutions, North America. "Our product development team communicates frequently with ACT! customers from all walks of life in order to build upon the simple usability of our product and introduce features that will help people more easily create differentiating business experiences. This award from TMC is a testament to that."

Among a variety of new features and usability enhancements, ACT! 2008 (10.0), introduced new customizable dashboards to help individuals and workgroups access priority sales opportunity and activity details in a comprehensive graphical view.

“Sage Software has proven they are committed to quality and excellence in solutions that benefit the customer experience as well as ROI for the companies that use them,” said Rich Tehrani, TMC President and Group Editor-in-Chief of Communications Solutions. “I am pleased to honor their hard work and accomplishments and look forward to more innovative solutions from them.”

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About ACT!
ACT! established the Contact Management software category in 1987 and, today, is the number-one selling contact and customer management solution and preferred choice of over 2.8 million registered users and over 43,000 additional corporate customers to organize, access and manage their customer information. ACT! delivers powerful capabilities that support a full range of desktop, laptop, Web browser and handheld device access methods that can work seamlessly with a centralized database to help individuals, selling teams and corporate workgroups improve productivity and increase sales. For more ACT! information, visit www.act.com.

About TMC
Technology Marketing Corporation (TMC) is an integrated global media company helping our clients build communities in print, in-person and online. TMC publishes Customer Interaction Solutions, INTERNET TELEPHONY, Unified Communications, and IMS Magazine. TMC is also the first publisher to test new products in its own on-site laboratories, TMC Labs. TMCnet, TMC's Web site, is the leading source of news and articles for the communications and technology industries. TMCnet is read by nearly one million US visitors according to Quantcast* and by over three million unique visitors each month worldwide, according to Webtrends. In addition, TMC produces INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference & EXPO, Call Center 2.0 Conference and Communications Developer Conference. For more information about TMC, visit www.tmcnet.com.

About Sage Software
Sage Software supports the needs, challenges and dreams of nearly 2.9 million small and medium-sized business customers in North America through easy-to-use, scalable and customizable software and services. Our products support accounting, operations, customer relationship management, human resources, time tracking, merchant services and the specialized needs of the construction, distribution, healthcare, manufacturing, nonprofit and real estate industries. Sage Software is the North America business of The Sage Group plc, a leading global supplier of business management software and services to small and medium-sized businesses. Formed in 1981, Sage was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1989. Sage Group now has 5.7 million customers and employs over 14,800 people worldwide. For more information, please visit the web site at www.sagesoftware.com

About Sage India

Sage Software India has over 700 customers in India for its CRM and ERP products across industries like, Financial Services, Manufacturing, Distribution, Travel and Hospitality, Healthcare, Media and IT Services. Sage has a number of industry specific solutions to address the needs of the Indian market. Sage Software India is a subsidiary of The Sage Group plc, a leading international supplier of accounting and business management software solutions and related products and services for small to mid-sized businesses.

"The AVW is about outreach and education. Reaching out through our global membership to all corners of the physical world will allow the AVW to more quickly and efficiently, through the entire range of international perspectives, demonstrate the power of virtual worlds to bring people together, as if in person, despite distance, I warmly welcome MR. Caspar as a Global Ambassador" says Dave Elchoness, Executive Director, AVW.

In this voluntary capacity Mirko Caspar will seek to fulfill the programs aims. The Global Ambassadors program is meant to ensure that the AVW's positive message about virtual worlds has a truly global reach. Global Ambassadors seek out new members for the AVW in their geographic area of the physical world. They also inform the AVW leadership and membership of particular virtual worlds-related items coming out of their geographic area that may be of interest.

"I am extremely pleased and honored to be invited to be a part the AVW Global Ambassadors Program and look forward to bringing a positive impact to the growth of AVW here in my home country, Germany and around the globe," said Mirko Caspar.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About Metaversum and Twinity:

Metaversum develops and operates the 3D online world Twinity. This visionary endeavor mashes up the real with the virtual world. Twinity offers its members the ability to populate the digital world with their own avatars, design 3D homes, communicate with friends, engage in shared media experiences, work or simply have fun. Members of the Twinity community enrich and expand their lives by integrating real life into the virtual world. Twinity is currently in its private beta phase. Founded in July 2006 and financed by leading venture capital firms, Metaversum has offices in Berlin and Kiev. For more information: www.metaversum.com and www.twinity.com.

About Association of Virtual Worlds:

The Association of Virtual Words is a global industry association for the rapidly growing virtual worlds industry. It serves as a resource for those wishing to experiment and explore virtual worlds for work or play. The Association's mission is to educate, network, recruit, and further the membership's collective goals. For more information please visit www.assocaitionofvirtualworlds.com

The company is targeting small and mid-sized companies which are offering services in telecom infrastructure space and has already identified a few companies in the US, he said. It has ascertained Rs 21 crore for such deals, he added. Nu Tek is also planning to expand in countries such as Turkey and Libya, where it expects to see a huge demand for telecom service equipments. It is also in the process of setting up a subsidiary in Turkey, Sharma said.

Besides the overseas market, the company would continue to invest in developing its technological expertise, industry expertise and delivery infrastructure in the domestic market. Last year, the company had set up 400 telecom sites for its clients and plans to construct 600-700 telecom sites in the country by the end of this year. However, he declined to comment on the investment. Nu Tek India has got Securities and Exchange Board of Indias approval for its initial public offer of 4.5 million shares with a face value of Rs 10 each.

The company would use the funds for capital expenditure, overseas acquisitions and augmenting long-term working capital requirement.

The major clients of the company are Nokia, Ericsson, Motorola, Tata Teleservices, Reliance Communication.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Rakesh Kathotia, Chairman, Subhkam Ventures, said, “Shailendra Mundra’s experience in the areas of strategy, mergers & acquisitions, and marketing shall further add to Subhkam Ventures’ industry domain expertise.”

Subhkam Ventures is a boutique private equity firm, which invests in Private Equity and PIPEs. The company has been building up its portfolio and scale over the years and with a portfolio covering various sectors is one of the prominent players in the private equity space. The company has built up a strong team of professionals and the induction of Shailendra Mundra as Joint Managing Director will further strengthen its team.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

The company engaged in the business of selling weighing systems in India had entered the capital markets on 9th June 2008 with a public issue of 1,37,33,033 Equity Shares of Rs 10 each at par aggregating to Rs 1373.30 lacs. This comprises of promoters' contribution of 38,96,633 Equity Shares aggregating to Rs 389.66 lacs, leaving a net offer to the public of 98,36,400 Equity Shares aggregating Rs 983.64 lacs constituting 59.33% of the post issue paid-up capital of the Company. The Equity Shares are proposed to be listed on BSE.

Avon proposes to part finance its Rs 17.30 crore plan through the net proceeds of the Issue. The plan include setting up of facility for manufacturing of a range of weighing systems, open four showrooms for display and sale of its weighing systems in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Hyderabad, and purchase of additional office premises in Mumbai. The project is proposed to be funded through IPO of Rs 9.83 crores, promoters contribution of Rs 4.36 crores, internal accruals of Rs. 0.50 crore and a term loan of Rs.2.60 crores from Bank of India.

The proposed manufacturing plant will be set up at Baddi in Himachal Pradesh with technical assistance from Tanita Corporation of Japan. Avon will be able to enjoy fiscal incentives provided by the Himachal Pradesh government for setting up plant at Baddi.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

Shri Mahavir Lunawat, Chairman, Professional Development Committee of ICSI-WIRC, said that ICSI-WIRC is in the process of collecting views/comments/suggestions from the expert and experienced professional Members on e-forms based on the problems and issues being faced by them on e-filing. "Key issues including administration, technical, content and information technology related ones would be deliberated amongst professionals and recommendations would be firmed up and submitted to the MCA. We are honoured that key Government officials and senior bureaucrats will be gracing the occasion and participating in the deliberations," said Shri Lunawat.

Shri M S Sahoo, Former Director, Capital market Division, Ministry of Finance would be the chief guest. Shri Keyoor Bakshi, President ICSI would also address the gathering. Ms. Nivedita Rao, Partner, Amarchand Mangaldas, Shri Kartik Ganpathy, Head of M & A, Nishith Desai & Associates, Mumbai, Shri Nishchal Joshipura, Senior Member, Nishith Desai & Associates, and Shri Ramesh Laxman, Chartered Accountant, Ramesh Laxman & Co. would deliberate on various technical and process related aspects of corporate restructuring especially mergers, demergers and takeovers.

Shri Mahavir Lunawat, Chairman, Professional Development Committee of ICSi-WIRC stated that, "…… lot of steps and complexities are involved in any form of corporate restructuring. In the gamut of entire activities, the role of a 'company secretary' is paramount. A company secretary leads secretarial compliance and governance activities of a corporate. He plays a vital role in any corporate restructuring exercise. Role of a company secretary can be categorized broadly in (1) Obtaining Approvals and Certificates (2) Compliance and due diligence (3) Preparation of Documents and agreements (4) Listing of Securities etc. Lot of certifications / approvals may be required from authorities / intermediaries / outside experts – the company secretary secures all such necessary approvals / certifications. The company secretary carries out due diligence and ensures statutory compliance with the applicable corporate laws…."

Shri Lunawat emphasized the need for deliberation and brainstorming on various alternatives of corporate restructuring and how the professionals like company secretaries can perform a value-added role in such exercises.

"Various documents / agreements form the nervous system of the entire corporate restructuring exercise. A lot depends upon the drafting and various clauses of these agreements / documents and much depends upon the wit and ability of the company secretary who with his sense of perfection alongwith art of drafting these documents / agreements make this tedious and tricky task a simple affair" – said Shri Umesh Ved, Chairman, ICSI-WIRC

The seminar would be attended by corporate executives, compliance officers, practitioners etc.

The Delegate Fee for the program for the program is Rs. 1500/ (Inclusive of Seminar Kit). The program is Free for Members of ICSI-WIRC Programme Membership Scheme. For enrollment contact ICSI-WIRC Office at 13 Jolly Maker Chambers No.2, First Floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai – 400021; Tel. No.:22021286 / 22047569 / 22047604; Email - wiro@icsi.edu / jd.wirc@icsi.edu.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About the ICSI-WIRC

The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) is a statutory body constituted under an Act of Parliament i.e. the Company Secretaries Act, 1980 to develop and regulate the profession of Company Secretaries in India. The Institute has its headquarter at NEW DELHI and four Regional Offices at Kolkatta, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. Under the jurisdiction of these Regional Offices, 36 Chapters are located in various cities.

The Western India Regional Council of the Institute (WIRC) conduct professional development programmes on regular basis, which are attended by professionals from Industrial Houses as well as from Practice. WIRC also carries out value-added research projects and supports the Indian regulators in the process of developing progressive legal framework in the country. Shri Umesh Ved, Chairman, ICSI-WIRC said that WIRC is taking a series of new initiatives and motto for team WIRC this year is to achieve 'Excellence Through Innovation'.

Commenting on the transaction, Mr. Khurshed Daruvala, MD of S&W, said that financial support from Goldman Sachs will supplement existing support from the Shapoorji Pallonji Group and enable S&W to accelerate its growth plans both domestically and internationally.

The MEP market in India is at an inflexion point. Although highly fragmented, the overall market is expected to grow at more than 20% per annum for the next few years and is fast moving towards consolidated MEP packages, resulting in expected growth rate of consolidated MEP orders to be north of 40% per annum. With the increase in sizes of real estate projects, sizes of MEP contracts are also going up and currently, there are only a handful of players in India that have the ability to service such large contracts.

S&W is one of these few players and has a pan India presence, supported by a strong execution team of more than 2,500 employees. In last 5 years, the professionally managed Company has demonstrated an annual growth rate of more than 80%. To capitalize on its track record of executing projects in countries like Ghana, Mauritius, Vietnam etc., the Company has recently started a subsidiary in UAE.

Avendus Capital was the exclusive financial advisor for the transaction.

Sterling and Wilson, one of India's leading electromechanical engineering companies, is the only Indian engineering company having its in house team to execute jobs covering all services; i.e., Electrical, HVAC and DG sets. Through its national network of 7 branch offices and strength of over 700 engineering and support staff, it has handled the most complex electro-mechanical projects in the country in record time without compromising on quality and safety. Its range of activities cover HV and LV electrical systems, airconditioning systems, diesel generating sets, structured data cabling, integrated fire alarm systems, security systems, etc. Inspite of the rapid growth in operations, the core strength of the company remains delivering high quality projects within tight schedules at very competitive prices.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

In the programme we will take interviews of Directors or Managing Directors of 500 SMBs in Delhi and NCR, and will try to find out what exactly there views on having IT in their units. In the past 5 days we had already taken interviews of 15 MDs from the units in Faridabad and the response is as such very encouraging.

The questionaire revolves around the use of IT in their units, no. of systems, proprietary software, Open source softwares, role of IT in controlling various departments, is IT becoming headache withour proper services..etc. One thing definitely emerged out that all the MDs interviewed were more than keen to know and explore more about the IT and new developments in the field.

We had also decided to put all the views on our websites to let the other interested same status professional can gain about the ground reality of IT structure in India.

If you have any comment to make the survey better do mail me on neerajgaur@iiratechnologies.com

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

IIRA Technologies is a team of professionals having expertise in their respective field and commitment to prove their worth by putting maximum effort so as to provide desired quality maintaining the timelines. IIRA Technologies is a conglomerate of young and energetic management and technical graduates. Established in the year 1999, the company is keeping only one goal in mind and that is to provide technical services, content development and training in an innovative manner.

Today, Technology is changing very fast with new innovations and inventions. IIRA Technologies knows the need of the hour and therefore, it absorbs instantly to the changed and new technology and situation with the need of today.

Our strong values guide us in our actions, decisions and inter-personal relationship. We take concrete actions as per the choice of our valuable clients, we keep our promises and gives effective delivery of services on time.

We also spoke to TCYonline.com’s Student Visa Expert, Mr. Maninder Singh, who throws light on various facilities available for overseas students desiring to pursue their studies in Canada.

An online initiative of education services company Top Careers & You (TCY), www.tcyonline.com is India’s largest teacher-student web-portal.

Excerpts from the interviews:

Q 1. Despite the fact that tuition and living costs of studying in Canada are cheaper than the US or the UK, not many Indian students prefer Canada. Why is it so?

Maria: Canada is relatively new to marketing and promotion of international education. There is lack of awareness in India about the options the Canadian universities are offering. On the other hand, knowledgeable students put Canada on their priority list while comparing it with the US, the UK or Australia. The CEC was set up by the Government of Canada support to improve the recognition and increase awareness about the Canadian education among the people and now we function as an independent and not for profit. Relatively, for the higher education like PhDs, students have been going to Canada since the fifties. But it was only since the last 12 years or so concerted efforts have been made to promote and market Canadian education. Consequently, there has been a substantial increase in number of students opting Canada since 1997.

Maninder: Education in Canada is cheaper as compared to Australia, the UK and the US. Overseas students prefer Canada because more work opportunities are available to them now. Previously, international students were allowed to work for one or two years, depending on location. Now, Canada has rolled out a new open work permit scheme to attract foreign students – a move that may lure away Indian students from their favorite destinations like the US, Britain and Australia. Under the new scheme, foreign students will now be able to get an open work permit under a post-graduate program, with virtually no restrictions on the type of employment and no requirement of a job offer. The duration of the work permit has been increased to three years to ensure easier employment opportunities to target foreign students in an increasingly competitive global education market

Q. 2. Where would you place Canada among the US and the UK?

Maria: Well, in terms of the education system, I would put it on a par with the US and the UK. Education is very important for Canada. It is reflected in the amount of funds and grants given to educational institutions like universities and colleges; the kind of facilities that are available in the education institutions. You will find the Canadian universities and colleges are amongst the best in the world in terms of facilities, the faculty and the research conducted in institutions. It is as good as if not better than in any other country, including the US and the UK.

. Q. 3 Don’t you think finding a suitable job for an overseas student is pretty difficult in Canada even if he has a work permit? The ‘sons of the soil’ issue does crop up some time.

Maria: No, I don’t think so. Jobs are aplenty today in Canada. At the same time it is important for an international student to realize that there are a lot of job opportunities available across industries and at all levels in Canada which ‘cannot be fit’ for people from other countries. The economy in Canada is booming and there is an extreme shortage of skilled professionals, and unlike other countries where the shortage is in one or two particular industries, it is across the board in Canada. In every industry they are looking for people… Some of the students get jobs even while doing internships. Yes, if you have a work-permit, it won’t guarantee you a job. You still have to look for a job based on your merit and qualifications.

Q. 4 Could you tell us about Canada’s new off-campus work permit program?

Maria: It’s bit early to talk about it because it was introduced only last year. The data are still being collected but the initial response has been very positive. In some way it’s been bit of surprising also. We expected a lot many students to go for off-campus jobs but we did not get that much response. We found that the students’ main concern is studies and work is not their primary requirement.

Maninder: The program enables international students gain valuable work experience in a Canadian setting and to deepen their society understanding and appreciation of Canadian culture and values. This is one of several initiatives designed to help make Canadian post-secondary institutions destinations of choice for international students.

Q5. How does the knowledge of English language affect a student’s job prospects in Canada?

Maria: Very important. You see, language is the mode of communication. Whatever your job-profile is, you have to communicate to the person at work. Language is a very important component and the student should definitely be proficient in English if he is going to be in the Anglo-phone Canada. Similarly, he must know French if he is going to be in the Francophone provinces. As far IELTS score is concerned, I can say that for undergraduate it should be 6.0 and for post-graduate that can go up to 7.0. For diplomas, the students can go with 5.5 – 6.5 as well.

Maninder: Finding a job in Canada isn't easy - especially as a foreigner. One should be proficient in the English language for better job o