MUMBAI: NDTV Profit today announced the winners of the prestigious NDTV Profit Business Leadership Awards 2009 at a special award ceremony at Taj Lands End, Mumbai graced by Union Finance Minister Mr. Pranab Mukherjee. The award now in its 4th year has emerged as the most credible and distinguished platform for the recognition of exceptional business performance and entrepreneurial abilities in India. The award night brought together the best business minds and bureaucrats of the country under one roof, including Kumarmangalm Birla, Sanjeev Aga, Rajiv Dubey, Nandan Nilekani, Tulsi Tanti, Dr. Tarun Das and Harsh Mariwala amongst others.

Inaugurating the award ceremony, Union Finance Minister Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, said, ?It?s not only because of the stimulus packages or policy initiatives but because of the spirit of accepting challenges which have made India weather the international financial crisis. I appreciate the sprit of business leaders and the young entrepreneurs, who recognized the gravity of the situation, took courage and faced the challenges.?

Dr. Kiran Karnik, Dr. Tarun Das, Deepak Parekh, T N Manoharan, C Achuthan, Mr. S B Mainak who represented Team Satyam that won the Business Leadership Team Award for navigating the company out of troubled waters, expressed that the success achieved would not have been possible without the extensive support that was received from the regulatory bodies and the government of India. They added that the government recognized Satyam scam as a nation?s cause and acted in a creative and speedy manner helping the team to not only find able takers for Satyam but also help them re-gain employee and customer confidence.

Mr. O P Bhatt, Chairman, SBI who won the Inspiring Business Leader in a Crisis Award, when quizzed on his plans for financing the housing sector for the low and middle earning segments, said, ?Low interest rate schemes on home finance have resulted in increased production of steel and employment mainly in infrastructure sector. Our assumption is that the economic activities have revised in the quarter ended June 2009. The demand in large Infrastructure projects have increased, IPO and QIP have picked up in the last quarter resulting in increase in economic activities across all sectors. The growth this year may not be 9% but will be more wide spread, more inclusive and sustainable.?

Mr. Nandan Nilekani, who won the Hope & Inspiration Award on being complimented by Finance Minister, said: ?I would like to thank Mr. Mukehrjee and the Government for finding me capable of executing the Unique Identity Card Project. Each resident of India will be issued a unique identity number that will be registered in a central database allowing the residents to authenticate their identity anywhere in India. This project will help transform public services and help government to reduce losses. These unique numbers will give an identity to especially the poor population giving them access to all the public services and help them participate in inclusive growth of the country?.

Winning the Indian Business Women Leadership Award, Ms. Shikha Sharma, Managing Director & CEO, Axis Bank when quizzed on what prospects they foresee for year 2010, said, ? I feel last year (despite the downfall) was very good for the Indian economy. The year gave us an opportunity to take stock, companies focused on leveraging their resources much better and India stands stronger today with the economic support that the government has extended. If India treats this as an opportunity to grow the Indian infrastructure, India will witness dramatic growth for years to come. I thank government for the policies implemented last year that have helped India come through so brilliantly.?

Winning the award in the same category Ms. Chanda Kochhar, CEO, ICICI Bank added, ?The year 2010 is already showing signs of revival. In the years that have gone by we have seen that domestic consumption has been a growth driver for India, however in the coming years it will be both investment and domestic consumption that will drive the growth of Indian economy. For the year 2010 the manufacturing companies are seeing increased domestic consumption and gradually the confidence levels of individuals and the corporates have come back. The financial year 2010 marks the beginning of the recovery process which will bring us closer to the targets that the government has set up of double digit growth.?

Mr. Brij Mohanlall, Chairman, Hero Honda, the Lifetime Achievement awardee, said, ?Without the support of all the shareholders, employees, bankers, loyal customers? Hero Honda would not have won this accolade and on behalf of the entire team. I accept this award with many thanks.?

Extensive research was carried to determine the nominees and the winners under the discerning and experienced guidance of the jury that comprised of eminent personalities like Dr. Amit Mitra, Secretary General, FICCI; Shanti Ekambaram, Group Head-Wholesale Banking, Kotak Mahindra Bank; TN Ninan, Editor and Publisher, Business Standard; Rajiv K Luthra, Founder and Managing Partner, Luthra & Luthra Law Offices and Dr. Prannoy Roy, Chairman, NDTV. The jury for CSR Awards included Justice Leila Seth, Former Chief Justice Himachal Pradesh; Dr. N.C. Saxena, Poverty Commissioner and Dorab R Sopariwala, Consultant, NDTV Profit.

NDTV Profit partnered with HIIRCO as their presenting sponsors; Birla Sun Life Insurance, Blocal, ASK, Fly Kingfisher, IBM as the associate sponsors and Grant Thornton International as Business Process Advisors for the awards this year.

MUMBAI: P7 News Channel is the exclusive official broadcaster of Wills India Fashion Week at Pragati Maidan from 24th ? 28th October. P7 News Channel supported designer Sanjana Jon?s, she was in India to participate in the Fashion Week to ?Save the Girl Child? campaign.

?Through fashion, we want to show that saving girl child is an important issue. We want to step forth to support the unborn girl child in partnership with P 7 News Channel? said Sanjana.

"We want this important issue to come forward, this is the prime reason we are supporting Sanjana?s collection.The theme of her collection is fashion with a heart and flower motifs promise to be an important part of her line. P 7 is doing an exclusive story on her collection.? added Mr Jyoti Narain, Director, P7 News Channel.

Salman Khan, Sushmita Sen, Riya Sen & Raima Sen, Ayan Ali Bangash and a string of other celebs walked for her ‘Save the Girl Child‘ campaign.

Pearls Broadcasting Corporation signed up ace-Australian cricketer, Brett Lee as their brand ambassador for their News channel - P 7 News. Pearls Broadcasting Corporation Pvt. Ltd. is all set to make a big mark in the Indian media world with its recently launched Hindi news Channel P7 in Mumbai & New Delhi.

Talking about his association with P 7 News Channel, bowler of Australian team, Brett Lee, said, ?It is a privilege to be associated with P 7 News Channel as their brand ambassador. We share a common passion which is cricket. The channel is bringing cricket to the homes of every Indian cricket fan. I am glad to be the medium of reaching out to the cricket crazy fans of India to promote the cricketing season on P 7 News Channel. ? Mr Jyoti Narain, Director, P 7 News Channel said, ?We are happy to rope Brett Lee as a Brand Ambassador with our channel. He has a zeal and passion for cricket and love for India; and we share with our viewers.?

MUMBAI: The month-long festivities conducted by Vijay TV in lieu with the completion of 50 years of Padmashree Dr. Kamal Haasan in Indian cinema culminated in a fitting finale. The grand event attended by the biggest names of South Indian Cinema was aired as a two part series on October 12th and 13th on the channel.

As part of the festivities, Vijay TV had plied a customized bus titled ?Kamal Express? which traversed across the state featuring a photo exhibition of some of Kamal Haasan?s rare photographs. A literary event talking about Kamal Haasan?s passion for the Tamil language and a musical nite featuring two legends SP Balasubramanyam and Chitra performing Kamal?s greatest love songs were also featured.

The event was both an emotional and memorable one as the two big names of Tamil Cinema ?Ulaganayagan? Kamal Haasan and ?Super star? Rajinikanth were seated side by side revealing to the world that they are indeed best of friends. The presence of the other stalwarts of South Indian cinema like Mohanlal, Mamooty, Venkatesh, AR Rahman and Ilayaraja only added to the glitterati. The event was much awaited for both among his millions of fans and the industry.

The channel aired the property on October 12th and 13th on primetime breaking away from the regular schedule was witnessed by over 60 lakh people across the country. Vijay TV garnered a channel share of 40% in Chennai among the female audience overtaking the market leader in that time band (source: TAM; CS F 15+ABC, Chennai, Wk 42 Mon-Tue 1900-2300hrs). Vijay TV?s GRPs jumped to a whopping 346 GRPs from last week?s 193 in Tamilnadu (source: TAM, Trends by date; 30 min daypart, CS ABC 4+, Tamilnadu, All day). The event touched a peak TVR of 22.6 in Chennai (among females).

K. Sriram, General manager ? Vijay TV says ?This was easily one of the biggest events were witnessed in South India; and I am extremely proud of my team which had put together a show of this Magnitude in a very short span of time. And of course a special thanks to Mr. Kamal Haasan who was inspiration enough for us to deliver such an event . We had planned to schedule this event on a weekday breaking away from our regular schedule and it surely has worked? .

MUMBAI: BIG 92.7 FM,which is the official Radio Partner for India?s largest Businessof Fashion platform Wills Lifestyle Fashion Week organised by FDCI, has yet again brought the fashion week alive across its network through its live content from the venue.

BIG FM RJs through their continuous updates from the venue are giving a peak into the lives of the Fashion fraternity with exclusive behind the scene interactions with leading designers and models. BIG 92.7 FM listeners also have a chance of winning exciting shopping voucher by Wills Lifestyle by participating in the interesting fashion trivia contests ? Fashion Ka Jalwa, On Air.

As fashion and style permeates into the ethos of Indian consumers, the association with brands is growing. India?s biggest business of fashion event, Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week offers various networking, marketing and brand building opportunities for the designers who have worked diligently towards putting their collections on the runaway and exhibition areas. The fashion extravaganza, which started on 24 October 09, will continue till 28 October 09.

Speaking on this partnership, Ashwin Padmanabhan, Station Director - BIG 92.7 FM Delhi said, "We are extremelyhappy beinga part of the biggest and the most extravagant fashion event Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week for yet another season. Through BIG 92.7 FM we plan to make this niche event reach out to our listeners across Delhi and the country. This is a great opportunity for our listeners to interact with and learn from the best designers in the country on what?s in at this moment.

At BIG 92.7 FM, we believe in not only entertaining our listeners but also impacting their lives positively and throughour association with Fashion Week, I believe; fashion at its best in the country will become a part of our listener?s lives - Suno Sunao, Life Banao!"

MUMBAI: The most awaited musical extravaganza of the Television industry has finally concluded with a nail biting, nerve - racking finish. Among the three finalist - Hemant Brijwasi from Mathura was declared as the L‘il Champ by millions of viewers across the globe.

No. of Votes secured by the contestants:-

• Hemant Brijwasi -
  
• Shreyasi Bhattacharya -
  
• Yatharth Rastogi

There was a tremendous sense of euphoria during the mega event which went Live from Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai. The three finalists - Hemant Brijwasi, Yatharth Rastogi and Shreyasi Bhattacharya, after a four month grueling session fought their last battle to outwit each other tonight. This momentous event was attended by not only dignitaries from the film, television and political world but was also graced by superstar Salman Khan, Ajay Devgan and the gorgeous Asin. The cast of London Dreams along with producer Vipul Shah felicitated some of the wonder kids of the contest. A special mention must be made of a special delegate from Guyana Mr Manzoor Nadir, Minister of Labour, Human Services and Social Security, who especially wanted to be a part of L‘il Champs as the show is extremely popular in Guyana.

Commenting on the finale, Mr. Nitin Vaidya , COO, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd & Business Head, Zee TV, said, "Hero Honda Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L‘il champs is the search for concealed talent and best voices among kids beyond the boundaries of class, caste or creed. The program has a wide range of viewers and is being telecasted in 165 countries. Zee TV Saregamapa exemplifies the belief that India is power house of raw talent just waiting to get that ideal platform to showcase their skill and competence."

Adding further Mr. Vaidya said, "Our esteemed mentors, Abhijeet Bhattacharya and Alka Yagnik have nurtured the participants to an extent that will hold them in good stead all their lives. With Hemant Brijwasi‘s victory, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L‘il Champs has lived up to its reputation of offering talented singers to the music fraternity. Zee TV is proud that Sa Re Ga Ma Pa discoveries have become brands by themselves and are now ruling the music industry."

Apart from the scintillating acts by the 3 finalists, the evening saw some dazzling performances by the participants of Hero Honda Saregamapa Mega Challenge (the next series of Saregamapa which will succeed L‘il Champs). Mentor Abhijeet Bhattacharya and Alka Yagnik also wooed the crowd along with the super talented kids of L‘il Champs. Ankita Lokhande, the actor who shot to fame as Archana of Pavitra Rishta and Rubina Dilaik who is popular as Radhika of Choti Bahu performed on the latest hip shaking numbers of Bollywood. Last but not the least was of course Dance India Dance winner, handsome hunk Salman who set the stage on ablaze with his high voltage performance.