New Delhi: Over 5 lakh students from 550 schools across 6 cities in India will get the opportunity to become just like Chhota Bheem - strong, smart and secure with the help of POGO?s new School Contact Program (SCP) ? ?Chhota Bheem ka Fatafat Formula?. This month long initiative has been training young school children basic self-defense techniques to protect themselves and those around them. Through this SCP, POGO aims to empower children and also impress upon them the importance of safety in day-to-day life.

?Chhota Bheem ka Fatafat Formula? will be carried across 80 schools in Delhi until the end of August. Using Chhota Bheem as the inspiration, trained personnel appointed by POGO, will teach kids from Standard 1 to 8 simple maneuvers that will help them to protect themselves and their young friends and escape unharmed from dangerous situations. The session is guaranteed to be fun, interactive and engaging, providing an optimumlearning environment for the children.

The main objective is to teach kids the power of ?Mind over Might? in detrimental situations. At the end of the session, kids will get a certificate from Chhota Bheem and some exciting goodies. Apart from this, POGO has also animated some of the special moves and is playing them out on the channel and the website www.pogo.tv for millions of kids across India to learn and enjoy.

To add to the excitement, Chhota Bheem made a surprise visit at Frank Anthony High School in Lajpat Nagar today and entertained kids with a special performance. Children were thrilled to see their favourite toon star and were eager to learn new techniques from Chhota Bheem himself.

Monica Tata, General Manager, Entertainment Networks, South Asia, Turner International India Pvt. Ltd. said, ?POGO understands the influence that its shows and characters have on children and hence, has always aimed to engage them through various innovative and constructive initiatives. The idea behind this year?s School Contact Program is to not only entertain kids but also teach them simple techniques to protect themselves and their friends from harmful situations just like Chhota Bheem. School Contact Programs are an excellent platform to bridge the gap between kids and their favourite channel and cartoons.?

POGO?s SCP will be conducted across Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Chennai from July 23 ? August 30, 2012. ?Chhota Bheem ka Fatafat Formula? is presented by Candyman Choco Double Eclairs, powered by Johnson and Johnson Band Aid and has associate sponsors Britannia Treat and Ranbaxy Chericof.

Here is a chance for every kid to become the ?Chhota Bheem? of their neighborhood!

Mumbai: The Celebrated ?Hot Seat? of the No. 1 show Kaun Banega Crorepati will now travel across the length and breadth of India giving the common man an opportunity to experience KBC right in his city. The ?Hot Seat Aapke Shehar? was unveiled by the iconic host of the show Mr. Amitabh Bachchan in Mumbai today as part of the promotional activity for KBC.

The promotional van will travel through the following cities - Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Rohtak, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Varanasi, Patna, Howrah, Bhubaneswar, Raipur, Nagpur and Bhopal and in each city the van activity will be on for 2 to 3 days culminating in a small event where the selected lucky participants from the city will get a simulated experience of sitting on the ?Hot Seat? and answer the questions asked by Mr. Bachchan from a recorded video. The lucky winners will win attractive prizes.

Speaking on this occasion, Danish Khan Senior VP and Marketing Head said, ?Hot Seat Aapke Shehar,? is a promotional initiative designed to drive the brand experience of KBC. It will touch millions of our viewers and give them an opportunity to engage with a show they love so much and

experience the magic first hand. We are confident that they will shower the same love this season also.?

So calling all aspiring Crorepatis, get ready to sit on the hot seat as ?Hot Seat Aapke Shehar? is coming to your city soon.

Mumbai: In an exciting revival of the once-popular phenomenon of ?Sunday morning TV viewing for the entire family?, Zee TV launched the country?s most revered mythological series ?Ramayan? on Sunday, August 12 at 11 AM. Audiences have loved the show, with the very first episode opening up to a promising rating of 2.7 TVR. While the other characters were finalised well in advance, the quest for the perfect casting of Ram and Sita was on for months with several actors in the television fraternity auditioning for the lead roles.

After months of speculation about who will land the much-coveted roles, the channel has announced that actors Gagan Malik and Neha Sargam have been roped in to play Lord Ram and Sita respectively. Actor Neil Bhatt who shot to fame as Abhi in Zee TV?s 12/24 Karol Bagh will be playing Lakshman. They will make their first appearance on the show in this Sunday?s episode (August 26) at 11 AM.

Sukesh Motwani, Head- Fiction, Zee TV said, ?Ramayan is fundamental to the cultural fabric of India. Lord Ram and Sita are embodiments of the ideal son and the ideal wife. They have been enshrined over the centuries and worshipped in our country, making the casting of Ram and Sita an extremely critical choice. We wanted actors who looked and acted the part from the moment they entered the frame and with the casting of Gagan and Neha, I think we have the ideal Ram and Sita. They both have the grace, dignity and poise required to play the roles.?

The only team in India truly equipped to make ?Ramayan?, Moti Sagar Productions, is producing the show. Producer Moti Sagar said, ?It?s a pleasure to produce Zee TV?s ?Ramayan?. It?s a grand recreation of the original epic and our focus is on authenticity of representation. ?Ramayan? explores the subtleties of the delicate relationships within one?s family and shows viewers a way of life. The show has opened up to a very positive response. The music by ace composer Ravindra Jain has been widely appreciated. The make-up and costume teams have received rave reviews for recreating the looks of every mythological character with finesse and accuracy. Apt casting, authenticity of the sets, the first-rate cinematography and catchy visual effects only add sheen to our content.?

Gagan Malik is naturally excited about his upcoming role. He says ?I am only beginning to fathom the immense responsibility entrusted to me while being signed on for the role of Ram. I consider myself deeply fortunate to have been selected for this prestigious role and would like to thank Zee TV for this lifetime opportunity. Playing Ram, unlike any other character I have played so far, requires a great deal of preparation, be it in terms of reading up on the finer nuances of the Ramcharitamanas or studying and imbibing everything that Ram stood for. As an actor, it will be my endeavor to get the body language, the demeanour, the tonal quality of my voice and the diction right. I am really hoping that the viewers will appreciate my work!?

The show?s leading lady Neha Sargam was last seen in a cameo on Zee TV?s ?Punarvivaah?. Talking about her upcoming role as Sita, Neha says, ?As a little girl, I remember my grandmother telling us stories from the ?Ramayan?. She would tell us sisters about how each of us should strive to emulate Sita when we grow up. While I don?t know if I have been successful in emulating Sita?s virtues in my personal life, landing this role is the closest I will ever get to living out my granny?s dream for all of us. So I dedicate this role to my grandmother. I look forward to the day when my performance appeals so much to the audience that they only see me as Sita and shower me with love!?

In the two episodes of Ramayan that have gone on air, viewers have seen Dharti Mata approaching Lord Vishnu to put an end to Ravan?s terror in Manav Lok. Lord Vishnu assures her that he will soon assume a human form and relieve her from Ravan?s misdoings. In the meanwhile, Raja Dashrath (Saurabh Shukla) has won a war thanks to wife Kaikeyi (Shikha Swaroop). He thanks her from the bottom of his heart and grants her two wishes, which she humbly refuses. He announces that her wishes will be granted whenever she requests him in the future. A ?Putra Prapti Yagya? is organized whereby Vashishta feeds a special Kheer to Raja Dashrath?s three wives Kaushalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi who give birth to Lord Rama, Lakshman, Bharat and Shatrughan. The second episode sees Ram and his siblings as 12 year olds. Kakbhushandi, the crow known to be the biggest devotee of Lord Vishnu, gets wind of the fact that Vishnu has assumed the form of young Ram and visits them in Ayodhya.

Seeing the young boy being scolded by mother Kaushalya, Kakbhushandi is convinced that Ram is not Lord Vishnu incarnate. As the crow snatches a roti from Ram?s hands and begins to fly away, Ram?s hands begin to extend and follow him through all the Loks. Kakbhushandi realizes that Ram is indeed Lord Vishnu incarnate and profusely apologizes to him. The third episode on Sunday, August 26 will see the four brothers go to Gurukul and learn the lessons life under the tutelage of Vashishta and Guruma. Having finished their education and turned into accomplished young men, Ram (Gagan Malik), Lakshman (Neil Bhatt), Bharat and Shatrughan will return to Ayodhya where their father Raja dashrath and their queen mothers eagerly await their return.

Watch the Ramayan, an eternal classic, every Sunday at 11 AM, only on Zee TV & Doordarshan.

MUMBAI: NDTV brings you a massive opinion poll in a special show with Dr Prannoy Roy, every day LIVE at 9pm from Monday 27 August to Friday 31 August.

The programme will gauge the voting intentions of the nation and seek views on political and social issues. Who each side should choose for prime minister, can Anna forever change how India fights corruption are some questions people of India have answered.

Each day Dr Prannoy Roy, Dorab Sopariwala and a panel of experts will discuss voting patterns in 3-4 states, and predict seats for each, culminating in an All India forecast on Friday 31st. They will also look at 2-3 national issues including corruption, poverty and unemployment, as well as the best Congress and BJP leader and the Prime Minister?s performance.

The daily programme will include the nation?s pulse on social issues. Where does India stand on arranged marriages and dowry, education for daughters and mobile vs TV? The NDTV Poll will wrap up with an exciting top 5 in categories that include national leaders, Prime Minister and Chief Minister choices, and on a lighter note, actors and actresses.

NDTV commissioned Ipsos, a leading market research agency, to conduct fieldwork for this opinion poll from a sample size of almost 30,000, covering as many as 125 out of the 543 Lok Sabha seats in the 18 big states.

The poll was carried out in 125 constituencies spread over 18 states (these account for over 20% of the 543 Lok Sabha seats). Each Lok Sabha constituency was selected using a statistical formula based on voting patterns of 2009 Lok Sabha Elections. In each Lok Sabha constituency, two to three assembly segments were selected at random where approximately 100 interviews were conducted in homes.

For the voting intention question, the respondents were given a mock ballot paper on which the symbols of the parties were set out. They were asked to mark their preference on the ballot paper and then place the ballot paper in a mock ballot box.

What IS the pulse of the nation? Find out every day at 9pm on NDTV 24x7 and NDTV India from Monday 27 August to Friday 31 August.

Mumbai: CNBC AWAAZ is back with ?Travel Awards 2012? ?one of India?s most accredited honors for travel & tourism industry. Slated to take place in the month of September, the award will honor and recognize the best in the travel and tourism industry.

The CNBC Awaaz Travel Awards predict the emerging trends of the industry and honor these trendsetters. In addition to rewarding the best in class travel destinations, it also recognizes ancillary services of the tourism industry like transport, hospitality, tour operators and travel portals among others. Recognizing the need for ecological tourism, CNBC Awaaz Travel Awards have a special category for sustainable tourism.

India, a land of cultural exuberance, diverse landscape and host of myriad travel possibilities, has been a preferred destination for local and foreign travelers. CNBC AWAAZ Travel Awards is an annual event hosted by the channel to identify and reward the ones who have met consumer expectations and industry standards. With accelerating competition between tourist destinations, tourism promotion boards, hundreds of allied services to entice consumers, it becomes imperative to institute benchmarks. In the era when there is no dearth of choices for travelers, this award is a way to ascertain the fundamentals, which can aid consumers and industry players in valuing and choosing from the best in the business.

Executed through a consumer survey, these awards identifies and felicitates the best in the travel industry, discovers India?s travel potential, unveils decision making criterion and understands the consumer mindset. For the very first time, the consumer survey will be entirely online, where people will be able to vote and nominate their preferences in several distinct categories. Consumers can nominate their favorites in the following categories:

? Destinations ? Accommodation ? Travel Companies ? Tourism Board ? Transport ? Lifestyle

People can vote by visiting the following till 31st August, 2012: Travel Awards Website: http://www.travelawards.moneycontrol.com/ Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/CNBCAwaazIndia

New Delhi: Headlines Today, the fastest growing English news channel is changing the landscape of the English News Genre in India. The Channel has been growing steadily over the weeks and the latest ratings are a sign to the Channel?s promising growth with the channel steadily moving towards the leadership position.

In the core news TG of CS 24-44 AB Male, Headlines Today, leads as the leader of the pack with relative channel share of 26.7% (All India), 28.9% (All India 1 Mn +) and 30% (6 Metros) as per the latest Ratings (Source: TAM, TG: CS 25-44 AB MALE, Period: Wk 33‘12, Share%). The trend is quite promising even in the broad News TG of CS 25+M AB, the channel enjoys a channel share of 21.2% (6 Metros) and 22% (All India 1 Mn+) which is substantially ahead of NDTV 24x7 with 19.2% and 19.5% share respectively (Source: TAM, TG: CS 25+ AB MALE, Period: Wk 33‘12, Share%). The channel has also been maintaining a minimum of 2 programmes in top 5 programmes of the genre for the past few weeks.

The change in the content strategy backed by a focussed on air promotional plan has started yielding results for the channel and this trend is all set to change the complete dynamics of the English News space.

Commenting on the latest ratings, Mr. Ashish Bagga, CEO, India Today Group, said, ?We are elated that our continuous effort has been appreciated by viewers across the country. Our endeavor to put across viewer centric content will be carried on with renewed creativity. This is just the beginning and Headlines Today is all set to become a strong leader in the space.?

Headlines Today team has been at the forefront in reaching out to viewers. Driven by strong content, Headlines Today has been crossing new boundaries in news journalism. Recent news coverage around the London Olympics, Team Anna and Baba Ramdev?s campaigns against corruption, presidential elections, the communal violence and threat to people from north east India, India ? Sri Lanka ODI Series, shooting at the US Gurdwara, Geetika Sharma suicide case besides other significant coverage have helped the channel to become a force to reckon with.