BANGALORE: Ascendas Group announced the appointment of Jonathan Yap as Chief Executive Officer of Ascendas India. Yap?s responsibilities over operations in India includes the development and management of IT Parks, the Ascendas India IT Park Trust, as well as Ascendas India?s activities and expansion.

Yap is also the city head of Ascendas in Bangalore, which manages the International Tech Park Bangalore (ITPB), one of Ascendas? International Tech Park portfolio.

Yap has 15 years of funds management real estate industry experience with the Australian Stock Exchange-listed Lend Lease Corporation since 1997 and last held position being Investment Director of its Asian real estate investment business. During his term, he was based in Singapore and Australia and held various regional responsibilities in investment, asset and development management roles in Lend Lease?s Singapore, Australia and Hong Kong offices.

From 1992 to 1997, Mr Yap was with Tan Chong Realty (the real estate arm of Hong Kong Stock Exchange-listed Tan Chong Group) and Inland Revenue Authority in Singapore, holding positions in asset management, property development and valuation.

Ascendas in India

Ascendas India Private Limited develops International Tech Parks and hi-tech buildings, as well as Built-To-Suit (BTS) and Ready-Built Facilities (RBF). Its flagship in India is the widely-acclaimed International Tech Park, Bangalore (ITPB). This landmark project has been followed by Cyber Pearl and The V in Hyderabad and the International Tech Park, Chennai (ITPC). Ascendas is presently developing more space in the above-mentioned cities as well as seeking growth into other cities.

Dr B N Suresh, Director of ISRO?s Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) at Thiruvananthapuram, has been elected by consensus as the Chairman of Science and Technology (S&T) Sub-committee of United Nations Committee On Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN-COPUOS) for the current year. He was the nominee of Asian Group of countries for the coveted post. Dr Suresh was elected to the post at the beginning of the 43rd Session of the S&T Sub-committee, which commenced at the Vienna International Centre, Austria, for its annual meeting on February 20, 2006. This is the first time that a technical expert from a developing country has been elected as the Chairman of the S&T Sub-committee since its inception in the early 1960?s.

The S&T Sub-committee of UN-COPUOS, which is attended by 69 member states and other international professional organisations, focuses on the international co-operation in the field of Space, with specific reference to space science and technologies and their applications.

Dr BN Suresh, who is the Director of ISRO?s largest Centre, VSSC, has been leading the Indian delegation to the S&T Sub-Committee of UN-COPUOS for the past three years. He has made significant contribution to the development of launch vehicle technology and played a key role in a number of bi-lateral co-operation agreements between ISRO and other space agencies.

Dr Suresh?s election was facilitated by the efforts of Ambassador and permanent representative of India to UN Vienna, Dr Sheel Kant Sharma in close consultation with Dr G Madhavan Nair, Chairman, ISRO and Secretary, Department of Space, and Ministry of External Affairs. Dr Suresh?s election is an important recognition for ISRO?s outstanding achievements in development of space science and technology and their applications to benefit the society.

Mumbai, February 15, 2006? "Fun?funny? surprisingly soft centered and gorgeous‘? is how Simi Garewal describes Bollywood‘s gorgeous new sensation... Priyanka Chopra, as she returns with another exciting episode of her popular chat show- ‘Rendezvous with Simi Garewal‘. Make sure you don‘t miss this sizzling rendezvous on Sunday, February 19th at 9:30 p.m on Star World as Priyanka talks about her take on life before Bollywood, romance and heartbreaks, her hidden talent? and of course Abhishek Bachchan!

Excerpts from the interview:

What us your idea of romance?
Priyanka: Mills and Boon!

Mills and Boon???? Oh come on! (Laughs)
Priyanka: I know? but I‘m the mushiest and I fall for the cheesiest lines in the world!

Are you concerned about what people think of you?
Priyanka: Yes, I always have been, in my life, that they must think I am right and my image must be right, but now I have just reached a point where I think it doesn‘t matter.

Were you ever nervous or insecure about how you looked?
Priyanka: Oh yes! I have the lowest self-esteem in the world. I think I still do! Yeah! I‘m really bad at compliments. I can‘t take them somehow. I get nervous and shy around people. I am quite an introvert. My favorite childhood story was the ugly duckling. Just like her, I hoped I‘ll grow up into this swan.

Have you got used to media gossip?
Priyanka: You can never get used to that! That‘s something as much as people say, you need to get used to because it‘s part of your job. First of all, I don‘t think its part of my job to feed gossip-mongers. Second of all, I just ignore it now. (laughs)

If the price of success is love, can you do without it?
Priyanka: Right now.. at this point.. I‘d go for work. Because I think I‘m too mature and too young to know for sure.. that this is it! But I believe in love so much that I know it will happen to me someday where I won‘t see beyond the person and then I‘ll just give it up!

Do you have any fears in your life?
Priyanka: Well! Stupid fears! But beyond that? Failure! I much rather die successful.. in anything?in terms of a relationship.. in terms of work.. in terms of being a person.. anything! I just want to be good at whatever I take up otherwise, I much rather not!

So this Sunday don‘t miss Priyanka Chopra on Rendezvous with Simi Garewal on Star World, Feb 19th at 9.30 p.m.