MUMBAI: Zee TV and Balaji Telefilms Pavitra Rishta is surely getting much appreciation from the critics and viewers alike. A month ago, it was a recipient of the recent ?Jury‘s Special Prize? at the recent Seoul International Drama Awards 2010 which was held in South Korea. That wasn‘t all....Last week, it has also recieved a nomination to represent the Indian television industry at the International Drama Awards that was recently held in Tokyo. If the nomination itself wasn?t an honour enough, the show also picked up the Best Foreign Drama award beating nominations from five other countries!

On viewers demand, actresses Savita Prabhune (Sulochana Karanjakar) & Pooja Pihal (Shravani) from the cast of Pavitra Rishta were specially invited to the awards ceremony in Tokyo where they had the special privilege to hoist the Indian flag as well. It was an indeed a proud moment for both of them on international soil.

Pooja Pihal was bubbling with excitement on her return from Tokyo. "It was a wonderful experience to be at Tokyo and meet the lovely people there. The award function itself was a wonderful experience with the most delightful audience at the venue. It was a great honour to be able to represent the entire team and the Indian television industry as a whole in Tokyo. It is absolutely wonderful to be associated with Pavitra Rishta and I hope we continue to wow the audiences," she ended.

MUMBAI: On August 6, 2010, a massive cloudburst ravaged capital of Ladakh and its outlying areas, causing massive damage. The devastating cloud burst killed more than 200 people and orphaned scores of children in Ladakh.

To extend a helping hand, NDTV Lifestyle Foundation, initiated SOS Ladakh - a campaign to raise funds for the people of Ladakh who have been badly affected by the flash floods in the region. This initiative aims to rehabilitate the people devastated by the natural calamity by organising television and ground events to raise funds.

NDTV Lifestyle Foundation organized Photo Exhibitions in New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru. These hugely successful photo exhibitions have garnered unflinching support from famous artists, celebrities and people from all walks of life. Amit Parischa, Vikram Bawa, Daboo Ratnani and Bollywood stars Arshad Warsi and Neil Nitin Mukesh too contributed their pictures to raise funds.

The culmination of this whole campaign to raise funds for the affected victims took place in the form of a ticketed charity dinner at Kainoosh, DLF Promenade, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi on November 1, 2010. The charges were pegged at Rs.6000 for two and Rs. 3000 per head (plus taxes). Some of the star guests at this dinner were the Zangoora cast - Shivani Wazir Pasrich, Hussain Kuwajerwala and Kashmira Irani

The funds raised by the sale of photographs from the exhibition and the ticketed charity dinner will be used for relief work in Leh, by The NDTV Hope Trust which is spearheading this charity project.
 
 

MUMBAI: 9XM - India‘s ultimate Bollywood music destination, is completely geared up with a series of special programs and contests to celebrate Diwali with its fans and viewers. The channel will present the viewers with multiple opportunities to win super cool prizes and goodies, ensuring everyone have a phatakedar Diwali while watching the best and latest hit Bollywood songs.

For starters, 9XM has created a very special Diwali song with all the popular animated characters of the channel. Titled 9XM Musical Pathaka, this is a very special Diwali treat created by the team that has the ensemble cast of the channel wishing the viewers for a Happy and safe Diwali. This Pathaka song also presents the viewers with a chance to takeaway a Wynncom mobile phone every hour by participating in the 9XM Musical Pathaka contest and completing the lyrics of the specially created 9XM Diwali song.

Besides the 9XM Musical Pathaka contest the viewers will have numerous other opportunities to win super cool prizes including LCD television sets, Holiday packages and 9XM merchandise autographed by Bollywood super star Akshay Kumar.

9XM Vacation Ka Location
The participants of this contest will need to guess the locations where the famous Bollywood songs were shot. The winner of this contest will get a holiday package for two courtesy, Radisson.

9XM - 70‘s Ka Jhatka contest in association with the forthcoming movie - Action Replayy
Action Replayy‘s lead star Akshay Kumar asked 9XM‘s cool cat Bheegi Billi to take the 70‘s test before he gets to rock and roll back into the 70‘s era. The participants of this contest will need to answer questions that will help Bheegi Billi to pass this test and they will win the Panasonic Viera LCD Television set.

Speaking of the Diwali initiatives Amar Tidke, Head of Programming, 9XM said "Diwali is all about celebrating and bonding with your family and friends. 9XM‘s family and friends are all the loyal viewers and fans who shower their affection on the Channel each day of the year. We want to celebrate this special festival with them by offering loads of opportunities to win prizes like paid holidays, free mobile phones and LCD‘s. Along with these contests our popular dudes will encourage viewers to have a safe Diwali with their very own special Diwali edition of Bakwaas Bandh Kar. We assure that this is going to be the most Patakhedaar Diwali for our viewers and that too truly in 9XM‘s musical style!!!"

Starting 30th October 2010, 9XM will also air a special Diwali Bakwas Greetings which will showcase the popular jodi of Bade & Chote wishing the viewers with a special Diwali edition of Bakwaas Bandh Kar.

Sharing his views on exclusive partnerships for this special occasion Mr. Pawan Jailkhani, EVP Sales, 9X Media said "Our consistent efforts have been to work towards innovative ways to gift our viewers not only with the best Bollywood music content but also prizes that they can enjoy with their families. This Diwali we want our viewers to enjoy the festival with their families therefore we have partnered with Wynncom‘s most attractive wireless handheld devices that will help them to be able to share joys with the loved ones. There is one mobile phone to win every hour right up till Diwali all you need to do is participate in the various contests that are created on air and on our Website www.9XM.in"

So come celebrate this Diwali in musical ishtyle with the super-hit animated characters of 9XM and win super cool prizes Haq Se!!!
 

MUMBAI: India?s No.1 English News Channel, has yet again reiterated its credibility and popular choice by bagging the Best English News Channel Award for the fourth time in the last five years at the prestigious ?Indian Television Academy Awards, 2010?. CNN-IBN also won accolades for its astounding and intelligent exertion in the following award categories:

? ?Rajdeep Sardesai? - Best Anchor News/Current Affair Show for ?Ground Zero Bhopal?

? ?Children‘s Day Special at 7 RCR? - Best Talk/Chat Show

? ?Killed in the name of Honour ? 30 Minutes? - Best News/Current Affairs Show

Rajdeep Sardesai, Editor-in-Chief, CNN-IBN, IBN7 & IBN Lokmat was conferred the Best Anchor - News/Current Affairs for Ground Zero Bhopal. Rajdeep Sardesai in the special, talks to the survivors and victims of the tragedy in the city‘s JP Nagar area. CNN-IBN being a socially conscious channel had showcased a feature on honor killings, ?Killed in the name of Honor ? 30 Minutes?, for addressing this rampant social issue. The weekly newscast, 30 Minutes, won the award for the Best News/Current Affairs show. Also, the Best Talk/Chat Show award was bagged by CNN-IBN for its special programme Children?s Day at 7 RCR. This show was one of the most ambitious and unusual shows attempted on Indian television in the past few decades with the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur.

CNN-IBN has also won the most number of Best English News Channel award in the recent five years. The channel has won since its inception, the Best English News Channel award at the Indian Television Academy Awards (‘06, ‘07, ‘08 & ?10); News Television Awards (‘07, ‘08 & ?10), Indian Telly Awards ‘07 and at the Asia Brand Congress ‘08. These awards are a symbol of the excellence and exemplary work showcased by the channel over the years.

The awards represent popular choice and CNN-IBN?s commitment to present the most plausible news to its viewers. The channel and its dedicated team of journalists truly personify the brand essence and ensure that they will do whatever it takes for presenting insightful and credible news to its viewers. The programming on the channel addresses real issues impacting the lives of real people, providing news that is prompt, topical and at the same time discerning.

Enumerating on the award, Rajdeep Sardesai, Editor-in-Chief, CNN-IBN, IBN7 & IBN Lokmat, aptly remarked, ?Being recognized as the Best English News channel for the fourth time in five years is indeed a very proud feeling for the entire team at Network18. We would like to dedicate the awards to our valuable viewers who have always bequeathed us with their love and support.?
 

MUMBAI: Portfolio Penguin USA made available Raghav Bahl?s first book, ?Superpower? : The Amazing Race Between China?s Hare and India?s Tortoise,? in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada in a simultaneous launch today. The book was released in India on August 17 and immediately went into Penguin?s bestseller list. It is now into its first reprint.

?Superpower?? is a comparative study of India and China by Raghav Bahl, a business journalist and TV anchor turned serial entrepreneur. He is the founder of Network 18, India?s largest TV news and entertainment groups that has joint ventures with NBC Universal, Viacom, Time Warner and Forbes. The World Economic Forum has named Bahl as a Global Leader of Tomorrow. In 2007, Ernst & Young selected him as Entrepreneur of the Year for Business Transformation. A self-confessed India bull, Bahl argues that though China?s economy is four times larger, India today is where China was 10 years ago. He says India?s institutional strengths, demographic advantages and creative talent can propel it forward if the government does not restrain the enterprise of its people. Using analogies from the realm of physics, Bahl says despite imbalances in its economy revealed starkly by the global financial meltdown, China cannot be written off. Predictions of imminent doom aside, China could be a scripting a new trajectory of growth defying conventional economic theory. As the world order is redrawn, Bahl makes a compelling case for ?natural allies,? the United States and India, to work closer together.

Speaking on the occasion, Bahl said, ?The response that the book has got indicates that the subject deeply engages the readers. The rise of India and China is of interest not only to strategic observers but also those who are interested in the human condition and the future of democracy.?

Bahl will talk about the book at the Council of Foreign Relations in Washington DC on November 1, 2010 and also at the London School of Economics, London, on November 15.

?Superpower?? is priced at $26.95 in USA and Canada and at ?20 in the UK. Advance copies can be booked on www.amazon.com
 

MUMBAI: Aaj Tak was awarded the prestigious Indian Television Academy Award for the Best Hindi News Channel at a glittering function in Mumbai. This is the tenth year in a row that Aaj Tak has achieved this feat. Aaj Tak completes a decade of absolute leadership in terms of viewership and accolades.

By winning the award for a record tenth years in a row, Aaj Tak once again stamped its dominance in the Hindi News Space in India. At a time when the news space in India is becoming increasingly cluttered, Aaj Tak continues to be the preferred choice for the serious news viewer.

Speaking on the occasion, TV Today Chairman and Managing Director Mr. Aroon Purie commented, "It is indeed a proud moment for Aaj Tak and the entire TV Today team. Winning the ‘Best News Channel Award‘ for tenth years in a row reflects Aaj Tak‘s dominance in the last decade. Our passion for news and the impact we create is unmatched not only in India but also internationally."

Mr G Krishnan, CEO and Executive Director of TV Today said - "This is indeed an extraordinary achievement for Aaj Tak. Over the years we have grown from strength to strength by setting new benchmarks in the news space. The award for the 10th consecutive year is testimony of the fact that as a brand and as an organization we continue to innovate and raise the bar to ensure we remain relevant to the viewers"