MUMBAI

: World Cyber Games India (WCG India / www.wcgindia.com), the organizer of the premier international video game competition in India, will participate in the WCG 2009 Asian Championship for the fourth year running in Singapore. The WCG 2009 Asian Championship will be held on July 4 and 5, 2009 concurrently with the Singapore National Finals which begins on July 3.

The WCG 2009 Asian Championship is a by-invitation-only tournament for 112 WCG 2008 or 2009 National Final champions in 14 countries across Asia. The countries include Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Bangladesh, Vietnam, India, China, Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Korea, Japan, Chinese Taipei and host city Singapore.

‘‘The WCG 2009 Asian Championship has quickly become one of the biggest gaming events in Asia. It is designed to promote eSports in Asia and we look for this year‘s event to be one with strong competition and fair play,‘‘ said Hyoung-Seok Kim, CEO of World Cyber Games. ‘‘We look forward to meet not only hardcore gamers but also casual gamers to compete and enjoy this pan-Asian tournament.‘‘

‘Indiagames Ltd, the Strategic Partner to WCG in India since 2002 firmly believes that The World Cyber Games and the Asian Championship provide an excellent platform to the young gamers from India to compete in an international scenario. The growing popularity for cyber sports in our country indicates that soon they will be huge like any other mainstream sports, said Vishal Gondal, Founder and CEO Indiagames Ltd.

Visitors to the WCG 2009 Asian Championship this year can look forward to a showcase of the highest level of gaming products and numerous activities offered by partners Samsung, Dell and Intel that will entertain them in between the heated tournament competition.

MUMBAI: Considering the huge popularity of IPL, The producer Asit kumarr Modi , who always comes up with innovative ideas to live up to the ever increasing expectation of viewers of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, thought of having IPL in our Gokuldham society too.

Also, soon vacations will be coming to an end and schools will be reopening. So Asitkumarr Modi and the production house Neela Telefilms planned to play the game of cricket in society.

Soon, we will be seeing rocking affair GPL (Gokuldham Premier League) in Gokuldham society. Jabardast Jetha against Bindaas Bhide.

The cast is more than happy about the Gokuldham Premier League. ? We have designed logos for our teams and have also called for sponsors. A winning trophy will be given to the winning team? says Asitkumarr Modi, Neela Telefilms.

Team of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah is pretty much excited about it and is praying that rains don?t disturb the cricket schedule.

MUMBAI: UTVi, UTV‘s business news channel presents PSU Roundtable in association with Dalal Street Journal. This exclusive high powered event that took place in New Delhi on June 11th 2009 will be aired on Wednesday, June 17th at 9.30pm. This event was attended by the likes of:

With the global economy slowly getting back on track and consolidating their positions in the world economy, India is poised to bring in a new era of governance. With the UPA being re-elected at the centre, there is a sense of euphoria that is being reflected in the markets today. In such a scenario, one looks at the leading PSUs, who have sustained the global economic storm and ponder over questions involving the success mantra of the PSU Model. The theme of the discussion was "Leading India Forward". The panel discussion was moderated by Pranjal Sharma, Executive Editor, UTVi and Sunil Damania, Managing Editor, Dalal Street Journal.

UTVi PSU Roundtable‘s discussion throws light on the following topics:
- The Public Sector Unit business model - the most sustainable
- PSUs - major recruiters
- The role reversal of PSUs from Reactive Enterprises to Proactive Enterprises setting the pace and direction for growth and revival of the Indian economy
- PSU as acknowledged leaders of CSR activities.
- PSUs cater to every need of the Indian citizen (Roti /Kapada /Makaan)
- PSUs as the pioneers in the infrastructure industry

Quotes from speakers

R.S. Sharma, CMD, ONGC said, " As we have learnt that don‘t take the decision at the spur of the moment and why this decision making is slow it is because of the fact that the accountability in the public sector is unparallel accountability. There is no doubt that the accountability is providing better governance for PSU as a whole."

Hari Khunteta, Dir. Finance, REC, "Last year we had sanctioned the loan of Rs 45,000 crore and before that we had sanctioned the loan of Rs 46,000 crore and we have a growth of 30%-35 % beyond that we have not faced any problem and because of the check and balances in the system of the internal auditor and the CAG, the employees are also concerned that they have to follow the proper system".

V. RS Natarajan, CMD, BEML said, "Last four years we have made investment of close to 500 crores for modernization of the plant and machinery and replacement of the plant and machinery and reconditioning of the plant and machinery. The kind of growth in this sector is prominent and if you talk of the infrastructure it includes the ports, the roads and the urban development .We are happy to say that we have supplied 220 cars in Broad-gauge metro to Delhi and I am happy to say that India s first indigenously manufactured car is being rolled out and the first has reached Delhi."
N M Bohra, CMD, Oil India Ltd said, "As a fact of the matter rather than curtailing we are expanding".

MUMBAI: Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) Limited (TTML) today announced that its Rest of Maharashtra circle has crossed the 5 million subscriber mark.

The increasing subscriber base stands testimony to Tata Indicom?s constant endeavour to innovate and introduce smart products on a network rated No.1 on overall customer satisfaction in independent surveys commissioned by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

Commenting on the achievement, Mr. Rajesh Puri, President ? Operations, Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) Limited said, ?Rest of Maharashtra is a very important region for us. Our investments in network and consumer care hold us in good stead. We will continue to introduce innovative offerings for both existing and new consumers and be the brand of choice across segments.?

MUMBAI: The week special series of Superstars Superlives is all set to feature all about your favorite star kids and their star parents, they need no introduction; they have made a name in Bollywood backed by their eminent family of Bollywood. The star kids brigade includes Bobby Deol, Esha Deol, Tusshar Kapoor and Twinkle Khanna among others.

Bobby Deol made a name in Bollywood, though coming from the reputed Deol clan. Acting is in his blood and he is known to be the only male from the family who Bollywood regard for his dance and acting talent, from action to a romantic hero he has done it all.

Commenting on his experience being in the limelight, Bobby Deol said, ?People say that because Barsaat was my first film and it was really hyped. It didn?t meet the expectations that the people had but it did well. Because it was the most expensive film sold at that point people expected it to do the phenomenal business but it didn?t. It was a hit and did enough business to be called a hit but not the scale of success people were looking for. So it did well and I was happy?. Esha Deol on the other hand, with her sensuous look is known from her acting talent and versatility. She is the dream girl of the younger generation. She is both trendy and traditional, her looks, style and perfect figure managed her a place in Bollywood as the upcoming star who will soon take forward her parents legacy. Says Esha, ?I am quiet satisfied but I am never 100% satisfied with everything, I am extremely ambitious person, I still have a long way to go?.

They say, life is a bed of roses for star kids and entering Bollywood is a cake walk for them but Tusshar Kapoor proved critics wrong. He created a unique identity for himself in the industry all through hard work and conviction. Says Tusshar on making it big in Bollywood, ?Well I always worked with people who I think have convinced me with the narration or people who believe in me, my talent. I think it is a good trend to believe in people who are not yet successful, taking them to the higher ground and working with them as a team?.

Here is a beauty with chiseled face and feline grace for whom stardom holds little attraction now. Totally committed to her family, she comes across as a woman steeped in traditional roots. She is Twinkle Khanna. ?I would like to describe myself as a very frank girl, who is not carrying around the label of her parents with her every time she talks to someone. I have come to develop an independent way of thinking, which I think parents really love.

Unlike many other hypocritical glamour dolls in the world, who are always carrying their mums along on one pretext or another, I have developed a strong sense of self dependence. I want to remain free, not free of any sense of self discipline, but free in a way that I can live my life richly - the only life that God has given me - the way I would love to?, commented Twinkle on people having the wrong notion about her.

Learn everything you always wished to know about these stars when they discuss their life stories, experiences, controversies, relations etc. all in this one week series. So tune in to the special episode of Superstars Superlives ? ?Daddy Power? this Monday-Friday, June 15-19 2009, 8.30pm only on ZoOm.

MUMBAI: His extraordinary life has encompassed being an internationally-sought fugitive living in a Mumbai slum to a celebrated author with Hollywood calling. On this week?s TALK ASIA, Gregory David Roberts, author of ?Shantaram? shares with host Anjali Rao his life in exile, touring one of India?s poorest communities and the places which inspired the critically-acclaimed novel.

In his 57 years, the Australian author has robbed banks, escaped from prison, been a doctor in a Mumbai slum, joined the Mafia, fought against Soviet forces in Afghanistan and married a princess. The experiences form the basis of ?Shantaram?, a novel loosely based on his life.

Roberts tells Anjali Rao his spiral down began when he lost custody of his daughter: ?I lost it all, lost my way completely, ended up taking a toy gun and doing a robbery to get money for drugs, and I was arguably the most incompetent criminal in the history of crime,? Roberts says. ?I had a three piece suit. I showed this toy pistol and said I?m terribly sorry?I just need a little bit of money to get my heroin?they would look at you and say ok, put more money on the counter and I would say no please stop giving me money."

In 1978 Roberts was sentenced to ten years in prison for armed robbery. He spent some of his prison time teaching inmates how to read and write until his daylight escape in 1980, making him one of the most wanted men in Australia at the time. ?I?ve been through many strange and deadly experiences. But escaping from prison is the thing that puts everything else into a kind of context. There is a moment, of course you are risking your life, if they see you they will shoot you and they will kill you, but when you stand on that wall, there is the exhilaration of freedom,? said Roberts.

Fear and loneliness were major themes in ?Shantaram? based on real events from his own lifetime and in it he draws on a range of his experiences; from being tortured in prison to fighting alongside the mujahedeen. On his nearly 1,000 page book he says: ?Pretty much anybody can write a memoir and tell their own story, but it takes a certain kind of writer to be able to create a novel and that was for me the greatest challenge.?

TALK ASIA also visits some of the novel?s key locations, including the Haji Ali Mosque and Leopold‘s Cafe, a target during last year‘s Mumbai attacks.

Roberts takes Rao through the slums of India where he once lived and ran a medical clinic. He shares with Rao what life was like living there: ?I learned a lot about how people of different faiths can live together really happily, without political pressure, without social pressure.?