Duracell got families running for Mumbai’s first family run- Durathon

Mumbai, November 12, 2017 - Duracell, the iconic consumer battery company and the leading manufacturer of high performance alkaline batteries worldwide launched  ‘Durathon’ – Mumbai’s first family run; on Sunday, November 12, 2017 at Bandstand Bandra, Mumbai.

Mandira Bedi, actress, anchor, designer initiated the run with her energetic son, Vir. She said, “It was such an amazing experience to run with Vir. I have always promoted fitness and well-being and this time, my son got to join me in my objective. My son, immensely inspired by the energy of the Duracell Bunny ran with great enthusiasm at the event. A family that runs together has fun together and that is the uniqueness of Durathon”

Being an early morning start, participants were surprisingly energetic and enthusiastic for the run. Like the famous running Duracell Bunny, kids and parents ran together to show how they can go stronger for longer as they unlocked their inner power when finishing together the 2 KM or 5 KM run. Duracell celebrated this run with more than 200 families with 700 participants along with Children’s Day which is on November 14, 2017.

David Abraham, Duracell Marketing Director for Middle East and India explains, “We are very happy to have initiated Mumbai’s first family run, Durathon. Such experiential marketing makes Duracell contextually and emotionally relevant. People simply love the Duracell Bunny that runs stronger for longer and always graciously wins. It was a great experience to see so many families unlock their power during Durathon when they ran together, stronger for longer. Just like the Bunny, just like our Duracell batteries.”

Zee Marathi launches musical extravaganza ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa – Ghe Panga Kar Danga’

~ Show to go on-air starting 13th November 2017, every Monday and Tuesday at 9:30 PM ~

Mumbai, 10th November 2017: Music connects hearts and souls, surpassing barriers and external factors alike. Connecting lives across Maharashtra and Goa with music, Zee Marathi launches Indian television’s most successful musical franchise, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa. Themed as ‘Ghe Panga, Kar Danga’, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa gives Marathi musical talent from Maharashtra and Goa the perfect platform to showcase their singing prowess and wow audiences. As challenges galore raise the bar on entertainment, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, this season, will be judged by ace director Ravi Jadhav and chartbusting singer Bela Shende. Urging the contestants to put their best foot forward at every stage of the competition will be host Rohit Raut who will motivate and inspire them. Sa Re Ga Ma Pa will go on-air on 13th November 2017 at 9:30 PM and will air every Monday and Tuesday on Zee Marathi.

A widely acclaimed show, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa illustrates the raw singing talent that makes Maharashtra the ultimate powerhouse. Providing a platform for the singers willing to go the extra mile to pursue a career in music, this edition of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa will be bigger, better and grander than ever before. Through the theme ‘Ghe Panga, Kar Danga’, the show promises to create tons of surprises for contestants and viewers alike. Auditions for Sa Re Ga Ma Pa have been conducted in 6 markets including Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Aurangabad, Kolhapur and Goa urging budding singers between 16-30 years of age to live their dreams. From every market, 10 singers will be shortlisted to travel to Mumbai for the final auditions of which 24 handpicked contestants will proceed to the Galas. These contestants will undergo a series of challenges and musical tests from which the ultimate winner of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa will be selected.

Judging the show this season will be popular film director Ravi Jadhav and multiple award-winning Marathi singer Bela Shende. Joining the celebrity brigade as the show’s host is young singer Rohit Raut.

Commenting on the launch of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’s latest season, Nilesh Mayekar, Business Head – Zee Marathi said, “Carrying on a legacy of excellence right since the launch of the show, Zee Marathi’s Sa Re Ga Ma Pa has contributed a lot towards the prosperous musical journey of Maharashtra so far. Zee Marathi has given an established platform to aspiring singers, giving the country some of its most acclaimed singers. The latest season of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa is the season of newness and viewers are surely going to thoroughly enjoy the show as there is a slight change in the format of it. I’m sure that the musical journey of the latest season of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa will be a memorable one for everyone.”

While expressing his opinion, National award winner and one of the leading directors from the Marathi and Bollywood film fraternity, Ravi Jadhav said, “First of all I’m very excited to don the judge’s hat. Since today’s young generation is aware and passionate about music and after witnessing their extraordinary performances it has become really challenging for us to hunt and bring together the best untapped talent across Maharashtra. Through this season of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, I will try my level best to hunt the finest gem for the music fraternity, whose melodious voice will rule over millions of hearts.”

A renowned singer from Marathi film fraternity who has made the audiences go gaga over her phenomenal performances in various languages, Bela Shende said, “Sa Re Ga Ma Pa is not just reality show, it a larger than life musical journey. Sa Re Ga Ma Pa is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to discovering the hidden talent and providing them with a prestigious platform to showcase their skills. I was stunned after seeing the kind of energy and enthusiasm amongst the contestant from Maharashtra. I’m learning a lot while knowing the contestant and guiding them for their further journey. I’m really enjoying the role of a Judge. I’m sure the contestants will set fire on the stage with their extraordinary performance. This season of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa will amaze everyone for sure.”

Undoubtedly one of the biggest shows on Indian television, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa has been known to provide the ideal platform to aspiring singers, to cultivate them into singing superstars. With widespread national and international appeal, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa entices music lovers to not only audition for the show, but also watch true talent’s journey on television. With every passing season, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa has surpassed previously set benchmarks defining newer standards of entertainment.

Watch musical talent flourish on Sa Re Ga Ma Pa as the show goes on-air starting 13th November 2017, every Monday and Tuesday at 9:30 PM on Zee Marathi!

Global leadership guru – Randy Slechta delivers leadership sessions across India

Mumbai, New Delhi and Vadodara were a part of the tour

National, November 10, 2017: Randy Slechta, the global leadership guru, creator of the Total Leader® Concept and co-author of ‘The 5 Pillars of Leadership’ successfully concluded his three day India tour today. In his sessions, aptly called “Business For Breakfast”, Randy addressed leaders across Mumbai, New Delhi and Vadodara on ‘Managing Leadership During Turbulent Times’. The breakfast sessions saw active participation from senior management representing leading private and public sector organisations including Citibank India, Ecole Hotelier and Shaman Wheels.

During the sessions, Randy also addressed various concerns and challenges that often arise among leaders and suggested efficient techniques to tackle them. He shared statistics with regards to LMI's Indian market, and how companies need to address and invest in leadership training. Randy also shared details from his experience running LMI for over 30 years.  He highlighted a comparative trend analysis in the L&D industry from 15 years ago to now, as to how industries globally have imbibed leadership development as part of their training.  Post the session, there was an interactive Q & A session with the CEO's wherein Randy addressed real-life instances and recommended solutions to lead better in such scenarios.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Randy Slechta, President & CEO, LMI said, “We have been looking forward to hosting a seminar in India for a long time. There is tremendous growth potential in the country, which can be optimised with good leadership. We are hoping to fill this leadership deficit. We are taking back a lot of learning's about the Indian market which we will work on and put an international perspective too. And of course, we look forward to a continued association with our delegates.”

Dr. Hiru Bijlani, Master Licensee, LMI India added, “Our team in India has been working towards this for a while now and we are glad we could tap into the markets that we did. While Mumbai is a prime business hub, we felt markets like Vadodara and Delhi have potential, but need the right guidance. It was an honour having Randy Slechta help leaders gain insights from his over 30 year journey at LMI and we hope to continue his works across the country.”

‘ट्रेंडी टेस्टी ट्रीट’

खमंग,चमचमीत,खुमासदार,चटपटीत,लज्जतदार हे शब्द कानावर पडले की तोंडाला पाणी सुटल्याशिवाय राहतच नाही पण प्रश्न हा आहे की आपल्यासाठी हे पूर्णब्रम्ह बनवणार कोण? कूकिंग म्हटलं तर दोन हात लांबच असा विषय मानला जातो.डब्यात काय द्यायचं ह्या पेक्षा मोठा प्रश्न उरलेल्या अन्नच काय करायचं? असा प्रश्न अगदी घरात असलेल्या सामान्य स्त्रीला देखील पडतो.

     असेच काही प्रश्न सोडवण्यासाठी व उत्तम प्रकारे सोप्या व कमी वेळेत वेगवेगळ्या प्रकारचे पदार्थ शिकवण्यासाठी व ते उत्तम प्रकारे कसे बनवायचे ह्यासाठी मराठीतील अभिनेत्री 'भार्गवी चिरमुले' तिची पहिली वेबसीरीस 'ट्रेंडी टेस्टी ट्रीट' या नावाने घेऊन येत आहे.

     ‘ट्रेंडी टेस्टी ट्रीट’ चा पहिला प्रोमो ७ नोव्हेंबर ला यूट्यूब वर ट्रेंडी टेस्टी ट्रीट च्या चॅनेल वर लाँच करण्यात आला व पहिला एपिसोड १० नोव्हेंबर ला प्रसारित केला त्यात भार्गवी ने प्रोमो मध्ये विचारलेला पहिला प्रश्न ‘कॅन मेन कूक?’ च उत्तर शेफ सचिन जोशी यांच्यासोबत शोधल.पहिल्या एपिसोड मध्ये शेफ सचिन जोशी यांनी ‘टोमॅटो ब्रूसचेता’ असा सोप्पा व सुंदर पदार्थ बनवला.सचिन जोशी गेली २५ वर्षां पेक्षा जास्त आंतरराष्ट्रीय व्यासपीठावर सक्रिय आहेत व कार्निवल क्रूसलॅन्डस ही अमेरिकेतली नामांकित कंपनी आहे त्यासाठी सचिन यांनी काम केलंय आणि सध्या पुण्यात मल्टि-कुसीन रेस्टॉरंट चालवत आहे. त्याचप्रमाणे ते हॉटेल मॅनेजमेंट फॅकल्टी सुद्धा आहे.

         शेफ सोबत भार्गवी कूकिंग ह्या विषयावर अनेक प्रश्नांची उत्तरे ह्या कार्यक्रमा दरम्यान शोधणार आहे.भार्गवी म्हणते 'सध्याच्या ह्या करियर ओरिएंटेड जगात स्त्रिया देखिल जेवण बनवण्यापासून दोन हाथ लांब राहतात. कूकिंग हा प्रत्येक माणसाचा महत्वाचा विषय आहे आणि मी स्वतः त्यात खूप वाईट आहे.आपल्याला वेगवेगळ्या प्रकारचे खाद्यपदार्थ खायला आवडतात परंतु ते कसे बनवले जातात हे माहिती नसतं तसेच खाद्यात देखील फ्युजण हा प्रकार आम्ही खूप वेगळ्या पद्धतीने लोकांसमोर आणणार आहोत व अगदी अवघड पदार्थ सोप्या पद्धतीने करून सांगणार आहोत.'

Glenmark aims to transform the treatment for Psoriasis in India Launches Apremilast – a revolutionary advanced Oral Treatment for Psoriasis in India

·      Glenmark is the first company to launch the breakthrough oral drug Apremilast for the management of Psoriasis in India

·      Glenmark is the first company to receive the DCGI approval and marketing authorization for Apremilast in India

·      Apremilast is an oral therapy which addresses various limitations of the current therapies available in India

·      Apremilast will be manufactured by Glenmark in India from API to formulations

Mumbai, India; November 10, 2017: Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Limited, a research-led global integrated pharmaceutical company, announced the launch of Apremilast in India. Apremilast is the first advanced Oral Systemic treatment for Psoriasis in India. Apremilast is a phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitor which is indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe Psoriasis. The launch of Apremilast will revolutionize the treatment of Psoriasis impacting close to 33 million Indians suffering from the condition.

Apremilast is an advanced oral treatment for Psoriasis which addresses the limitations of the current available therapies in India. It acts in a targeted manner at an early stage of the disease progression. Also, it is an immunomodulator whereas the other available drugs in the country are immunosuppressant including biologics and are mostly indicated for the treatment of oncological conditions. Immunosuppressants suppress the immune system thereby making the body susceptible to various infections. Apremilast being an immunomodulator does not suppress the immune system and treats the condition of psoriasis at an intracellular level which will benefit psoriasis patients across the country.

Apremilast is an oral therapy which can be self-administered unlike some of the currently available injectable therapy which have to be administered by paramedics. Further, Apremilast is a safer drug having no effects on other organs like the liver and kidney and does not require routine laboratory diagnostic tests like CBC, liver & Kidney test or TB screening as required in the case of other therapies used currently.

Glenmark has launched Apremilast under the brand name ‘Aprezo’ indicated for the treatment of Psoriasis.Glenmark received approval from DCGI for Apremilast after conducting clinical trials on the molecule as per the regulatory requirements.

Sujesh Vasudevan, President and Head – India, Middle East and Africa, “Glenmark is proud to be the first player to introduce Apremilast, an advanced oral and safe treatment for Psoriasis, in India. Glenmark has been in the field of Dermatology for 4 decades bringing advanced therapies to Indian patients. With the launch of Apremilast, we are aiming to transform the treatment paradigm for millions of Psoriasis patients in the country.”

Rajesh Kapur, Senior Vice President – Sales & Marketing, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, said, “Apremilast is a safer and efficacious treatment compared to the existing treatment available in the country. Apremilast is the only oral medicine available in the country exclusively for Psoriasis. In addition to this, it also addresses the several limitations of existing treatments like routine laboratory monitoring. We hope that millions of patients in India will now be able to live a better quality of life with this revolutionary treatment.”

Globally, about 3% of the world population has some form of Psoriasis. Another study reveals that the prevalence of psoriasis in countries ranges between 0.09% and 11.43%, making psoriasis as one of the serious issues.

India has now become one of the largest patient pool in the world and is estimated to have around 33 million psoriasis patients. As per a study on psoriasis in India, based on data collected across various medical colleges located in Lucknow, Dibrugarh, Calcutta, Patna, Darbhanga, New Delhi and Amritsar, it was found that the incidence of psoriasis among total skin patients ranged between 0.44 and 2.2%. It was also found that the ratio of male to female (2.46:1) was very high and the highest incidence was noted in the age group of 20-39 years.

Apremilast will revolutionize the treatment for 33 million psoriasis patients in the country. Apremilast is the first oral treatment in India specific for psoriasis treatment; it is convenient to administer, it is safer compared to existing therapies and will transform the psoriasis treatment regime in the country.

Nelito Systems Bags Multi-Country Contract From Indian Overseas Bank for Archiving & Retrieval of Data

Mumbai, November 7 2017: Nelito Systems Limited, India’s prominent financial software and services Company catering to Banking and Non-banking Financial Institutions, has bagged a  multi-country contract from Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) to automate the process of archiving and retrieving decades old financial transactions for their clients and customers.

IOB has major presence in Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Hong Kong and has migrated their core banking solutions across these countries. The bank frequently receives requests from their corporate and retail customers to provide them with historical data be it transactions, master entries, reference details for various purposes which at times becomes difficult as it is a tedious consuming physical activity.

IOB was using different core banking solutions where it wanted to maintain and manage the data residing in the legacy applications. With Nelito’s FinDart™ solution, the Bank would be able to archive all types of legacy database and schemas. It would also make the process much more customer centric and economical along with maintaining all regulatory compliance across countries.

Commenting on this engagement, Mr. Ashish Varun, Head-International Sales, Nelito Systems Limited said, “We are glad to win the confidence of Indian Overseas Bank, which has presence in some of the key markets across Asia. With increased importance of conserving archived data, the bank wanted someone who understands their business requirements and has experience in handling such projects internationally. Nelito's expertise and experience in building and executing global mandates has been a major reason for this business win.”

Nelito’s expertise in data extraction, archival and management solutions has already helped major banking groups like HDFC Bank, UCO Bank (Hong Kong & Singapore), United Bank of India, Syndicate Bank (London) and many more for similar projects. Once the process is completed, the Bank’s customers would be able to access the archived data online. Although due to non-disclosure agreement between the companies, the financial details on the size of the deal could not be known.

In March 2017, Japan’s DTS Corporation had acquired 44.5% stake in Nelito Systems. The Company had chalked out ambitious plans to expand its global footprint, especially in the US and South Asian markets post selling the stake to DTS Corporation.

David Chang, Global Sales Director, Gionee to spearhead India operations

·         In a bid to become the leading smartphone player in India, Gionee strengthens its leadership team

·         Aims to double the market share by end of next financial year

India, November 6, 2017:  Gionee India, the ace smartphone manufacturer,  announced that Mr. David Chang, Global Sales Director, Gionee Communication Equipment Co., Ltd will now lead the India operations for the brand.

The strategic announcement comes at a time when Gionee with a loyal customer base of 1.25 crore in the country is bullish on strengthening  its regional penetration. With its retail presence in over 42,000 stores and with 600 exclusive service centers, the brand targets to be in the top five smartphones of the country.

Speaking on his appointment, Mr. David Chang, Global Sales Director, Gionee Communication Equipment Co., Ltd said, “India as a nation, has been exhibiting a great deal of potential for the smartphone business. As part of our global marketing strategy, India ranks number one and the success witnessed in a span of last five years has given us immense optimism to further invest and expand our presence in the market. I am profoundly honoured to be a part of the India growth story and maximise Gionee’s impeccable trajectory advancing our customer base as well as being among the top 5 phone brands by the next fiscal.”

Gionee India has already established its leadership in the Indian smartphone market and with Mr. Chang’s skilled management the company aims to further consolidate its ranking amongst the top-selling brand in the country. Ranked at No. 10 globally, Mr. Chang has been instrumental in taking the brand to this position.

He has 13 years of robust industrial experience, and has been associated with Gionee Communication Equipment Co., Ltd for over a decade. In his earlier capacity he has been responsible for driving global sales of the organization. With his strong experience, Mr. Chang has led his team through several significant accomplishments.

In his new role, Mr. Chang will lead Gionee India’s next phase of growth in the country, wherein he will drive the overall operations and reinforce the brand positioning in the country, with emphasis on retail expansion, sales volumes and after sales establishing the connect with customers.

Sidharth Malhotra as a new brand ambassador of OPPO F5

OPPO launches the F5, a Selfie Expert with Groundbreaking A.I. Beauty technology that will ‘Capture the Real You’

• Sports an industry first Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology for selfies in India and the first full screen device from OPPO
• Appoints Sidharth Malhotra as a new brand ambassador in addition to the current ambassador, Deepika Padukone
• Announces a new brand slogan – The Selfie Expert and Leader

Mumbai, 2^nd November 2017 – OPPO, the Selfie Expert & Leader, today unveiled the OPPO F5, the brand’s first FHD+ full screen display model in India, featuring the groundbreaking A.I. Beauty technology – a technology designed to personalize beautification for subjects on a selfie image. The A.I. Beauty technology will take selfie photography to a whole new level of quality. Priced at INR 19,990 the F5 (Gold and Black Edition) will go on sale from November 9^th and will be available both online and offline. Two other models were also launched at the event, the F5 6GB edition INR 24,990 (Red and Black Edition) and the F5 Youth (Black and Gold Edition) to give OPPO fans and the youth more choices to suit their needs. These two variants will be available in December.

OPPO F5

“Our focus has always been on bringing the best photography and Selfie experience to the Indian consumers. We have been leading the Selfie industry in the Indian market with our Selfie Expert F series for which we have received immense response, especially from the youth. With the launch of F5 that offers the first A.I. Beauty technology in India, we are confident of going further ahead in this journey. Thus, the new brand slogan, The Selfie Expert and Leader, truly represents our ambition to continue being the leaders in the market.” said Sky Li, Global VP, OPPO and President of OPPO India.

OPPO also announced a new brand ambassador, youth icon and Bollywood superstar– Sidharth Malhotra in addition to Deepika Padukone. Sidharth and Renowned Photographer – Rohan Shrestha shared their own selfie experience with OPPO F5 during the event.

A.I. Beauty technology and camera

A.I. Beauty technology

OPPO F5 is the first smart phone that brings Artificial Intelligence into selfie feature in India with years R&D. It identifies shapes and facial structures based on a global database. Professional photographers and make-up artists were consulted during the R&D process, resulting in the A.I. technology having the ability to emulate those professional skills that can help selfies look more real and nature.

Global image database of human faces

With more than 200 facial recognition spots that reference the image against a global database of human faces to learn facial features, shapes and structures, F5 can distinguish each person’s face features from skin tone and type, gender, age and more.

After facial recognition, the AI Beauty technology will customize beautify based on one’s features from skin, eyes, lips, to face shape. The feature will also have personalization for specific subjects. For example, enhancements will not be soft or feminine for male subjects. Children or babies will not receive enhancements that make them look like adults.

OPPO F5 comes installed with a 20MP front camera with an ultra-sensitive F2.0 aperture and 1/2.8” sensor. Both features allow the camera to gain more information to produce better images with less noise in low light conditions. The front-camera Portrait mode also applies a Bokeh effect to the background, creating better gradation and making you the focus of the selfie shot, every time.

And for the rear camera, the 16MP rear camera is excellent for all day and night shots. Along with the F1.8 aperture in the back camera also performs brilliantly for brighter and more precise shots in darker settings.

The First FHD+ Full-Screen Smartphone with streamlined design philosophy

6.0- inch FHD+ full-screen display

The F5 will be OPPO’s first 6.0-inch FHD+ full-screen display device, giving the user a vivid visual enjoyment without the need to increase the size of the phone. It features a high-resolution 2160 x 1080 dpi screen with 18:9 aspect ratio. F5 is also the first phone equipped with FHD+ full screen display in its price segment.

Sleek unibody

The F5 follows OPPO’s streamlined design philosophy - the sleek unibody offers a visually slim appearance without any cut-offs, with a gracefully curved body that fits well in the palm, expressing a simple and elegant look. A user’s palm will not feel tired even after using the phone for a long time, either from playing games or chatting. The 0.4mm laser string is carved onto the phone – a delicate linear finish that adds detail to the phone body.

Facial and Fingerprint Unlock

The F5 comes with Facial Unlock, the new face recognition technology that will recognize its user and unlock the phone. If the user prefers to use the fingerprint unlock function, the fingerprint reader is now on the back of the phone, giving way to a full front screen.

Updated operating system with powerful hardware

OPPO’s Color OS 3.2, together with 4G RAM + 32GB ROM memory gives the operating system a much smoother user experience. A triple slot tray supports two Nano cards and one TF card simultaneously. The Octa-core CPU processor uses less energy, produces less heat while giving a higher performance speed (40% increased performance compared to the previous Color OS versions).

The F5 battery life is exceptional, thanks to the 3200Ah battery and the Continuous Optimizing technology which manages the apps running on the device, allowing the user up to 12 hours of continuous use (in a simulated test).

Other Unique Features – Simpler and Humanized

OPPO F5 also has some special features for the consumers such as Game Acceleration specially targeted at Gamers. This feature will offer a smoother game experience apart from optimizing the game display configuration to fully utilize hardware resource, This will also ensure minimal disturbance while gaming with incoming calls being shown in the form of a banner and not interrupting your game.

The O-share file sharing technology is 100 times faster than Bluetooth – 8 to 10 pictures (3MB each) can be transferred between OPP/O phones within 1 second.

Another feature that will ensure you have a smooth experience is the Split Screen feature which means easy multi-tasking – chat, listen to songs or surf social media.

The Ahimsa Festival 2017 Begins

 

26^th October 2017, Mumbai: The second edition of The Ahimsa Festival opened at St. Andrew’s Auditorium in the city. The Ahimsa Festival is the first event across India, and perhaps the world, to be based on ahimsa or compassion. The festivities will run across 18 days and create awareness about the power of compassion and inspire people towards making lifestyle changes towards health and animal cruelty-free choices.

Convener of the event Dr. Rupa Shah who–is part of the six-member Ahimsa Parmo Dharma Group (APDG)–and has co-founded the annual Ahimsa Festival series stated, “The basic meaning of the word ‘ahimsa’ is–Do no injury, cause no harm. Ahimsa means non-violence, or to put it in a positive way–Compassion. Ahimsa is a universal concept that applies to all living beings, including all animals. All living beings have the spark of the divine spiritual energy; therefore, to hurt another being is to hurt oneself. The primary aspect of ahimsa is towards oneself–in particular towards one’s health.”

Chief Guest of the Opening Ceremony, Amruta Devendra Fadnavis, wife of Maharashtra CM, Devendra Fadnavis, commented, ”As Gandhiji said - Non Violence is a weapon of the strong; it is a sword that heals. A number of resources utilized for a non-vegetarian diet are much higher than a vegetarian one. It takes about 2500 gallons of water to produce half a kg of meat whereas it takes less than 25 gallons of water to produce the same quantity of wheat. This gives an idea that by turning vegan how drastically we can reduce water footprints.  Those who cannot immediately change their lifestyles should try reducing the consumption of meat; a small step will go a long way in saving our planet and of course, add to health benefits. Our beloved Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a vegetarian at the age of 67; he works so hard and his enthusiasm is viral.”

Dr. Will Tuttle, author of the international bestseller ‘The World Peace Diet’ and Chief Guest of the festival lit the candle along with Chief Guests Amruta Fadnavis and Dr. Nandita Shah. In his talk, he shared his vision of creating a peaceful global civilization with the world peace diet. He said, “This is my first day in India and I can already see the light and positivity all around me. India has been radiating this light for centuries and the same light touched me when I became a vegan 40 years back. My message is that veganism is a philosophy and practice of radical inclusion and that going vegan is the most positive, uplifting, and transformative action any human being can make in our culture today. If you could sum my message up in a simple phrase, it would be Respect for all life. I teach that veganism is coming home into one’s true heart, and seeing beings as beings, and respecting them as equally sacred manifestations of divine life.” He mesmerized the audiences with his talk interspersed with playing the piano, while his wife accompanied him by playing the flute.

Founder of SHARAN, Dr Nandita Shah, who is the recipient of the prestigious Nari Shakti Award 2016 the highest award for women in India, for her pioneering work in the field of health and nutrition stated, “I have been a homeopath for many years - the concept of veganism brings health, environment, and animals together. A non-vegetarian person is responsible for the life of 70 land animals a year on an average; then there are sea animals as well. I believe that everyone can become vegan if they have the opportunity to make an initial connection. Over the years I have seen people go from cynics to passionate vegan advocates once they had made the switch to a plant-based diet. I think it’s because just one initial shift can help people go beyond denial and justifications to then go onto making the complete connection. Veganism aligns us with our true values, which are compassion and oneness.”

The event also witnessed Kuntal Joisher who is the first vegan to conquer Mount Everest in 2016 and Rohit Ingle who is covering 18,000+km across the country for one year, to spread awareness about animal cruelty. Rohit was flagged off after the event. Sharmila Oswal, International Water Diplomat also extended her support to the event. Moreover, PETA and FIAPO have been strong supporters of The Ahimsa Festival since inception last year.

The following 2 weeks will comprise more than 100 satellite events–ranging from film workshops, talks, webinars and seminars to treks, a run and cyclothon, and potlucks–to spark curiosity and awareness about Ahimsa and compassionate lifestyle across the city. The festival will conclude with an Ahimsa Carnival. 

KAUNIS WINS ‘COSMETIC START UP OF THE YEAR AWARD’ AT ASSOCHAM 2017

Mumbai, October 2017- KAUNIS Marketing Services Pvt ltd - a PE-backed organization impassioned about developing effective strategies for the entry of world-class brands into the Indian beauty market is proud to announce their win as ‘COSMETIC START UP OF THE YEAR 2017’ at the recently concluded ASSOCHAM forum held at Shangri-La Hotel in Delhi on 5^th October, 2017.  With a vision to be the most trusted gateway partner to India for all the world-class premium brands from across the globe, this award is a great motivation to the new start-up. It strengthens their belief to become a leading player in the business of beauty in India.

With less than a year of operations in India, Kaunis has already launched two German beauty brands - Beyu in March 2017 and Malu Wilz in October 2017. Headed by Ajay Ghooli, Kaunis acts as an anchor for these International brands in the Indian beauty market by devising and implementing strategic plans that cover all spheres of its businesses: Distribution, Sales & Marketing, Operations – and defines the road-map ahead for their development and growth. The team takes ownership for all aspects of building the brands in the Indian market.

Speaking about the much-acclaimed award by a reputed body like ASSOCHAM, Ajay Ghooli, MD, Kaunis Marketing Services Pvt Ltd added, “This award is a big boost for our efforts by the team and our partners. We aspire to revolutionize the way beauty is perceived. With a promise of high quality and exceptional price-performance ratio, Kaunis will bring brands that will endeavor to make women look more beautiful and confident.”

Ajay Ghooli received the award on behalf of Kaunis Marketing. He was presented with an award by Mr. B.K.Rao ( Chairman of Health care council - ASSOCHAM) and Mr. C.R Chaudhary ( Honourable Minister of State – Consumer affairs, Food and Public Distribution).

सहकलाकाराच्या भूमिकांना प्रतिष्ठा मिळवून देणारा चतुरस्त्र कलाकार : विजय चव्हाण !

पूर्वी नाटक-चित्रपटांमधून पुरुषांनी स्त्री-पार्टी भूमिका कराव्या लागणं ही काळाची गरज होती. सामाजिक स्थिती सुधारल्यावर स्त्रिया नाटक-चित्रपटात भूमिका करू लागल्या आणि पुरुषांनी स्त्रीवेष धारण करणं हे केवळ विनोद निर्मितीपुरतं उरलं. किंबहुना काळ असा आला की पुरुषांनी स्त्रीवेषातील भूमिका करणं कमीपणाचं लेखलं जाऊ लागलं. परंतु रंगभूमीवर आलेल्या 'मोरूची मावशी' या नाटकाने इतिहास बदलला. त्यातील मावशी ची भूमिका करणारे विजय चव्हाण यांनी वरील समज पुसून काढला. कुठल्याही प्रकारचा ओंगळपणा न करता या नाटकात स्त्रीपार्टी भूमिका करत त्यांनी प्रेक्षकांची वाहवाही मिळवली. स्पर्धात्मक एकांकिका आणि नाटकांतून अभिनय करत विजय चव्हाण यांनी 'टूर टूर' या नाटकातर्फे व्यावसायिक रंगभूमीवर प्रवेश केला. नंतरच्या मोरूची मावशी ने तर त्यांना प्रेक्षकांच्या गळ्यातील ताईत बनवले ते आजतागायत. त्यांनी ३००० हून अधिक या नाटकाचे प्रयोग केले यावरून त्यांच्यावरील प्रेक्षकांच्या प्रेमाची कल्पना येईल. या सुरुवातीच्या काळापासून ते अलीकडच्या 'श्रीमंत दामोदरपंत' नाटकांच्या दरम्यान त्यांनी अनेक नाटकांतून सुंदर-सुंदर भूमिका साकारल्या.
नाटकांबरोबरच विजय चव्हाण यांनी छोटा आणि मोठ्या पडद्यावर पण आपल्या अभिनयाची वेगळी छाप उमटवली. जत्रा, नाना मामा, झपाटलेला १ आणि २, पछाडलेला, अगं बाई अरेच्चा, जबरदस्त, सांगतो ऐका, जिगर, शुभ मंगल सावधान, नो प्रॉब्लेम, बलिदान, नाथा पुरे आता, चल लवकर, सावट, मुंबईचा डबेवाला सारख्या अडीचशेहून अधिक चित्रपटांमधून काम करत त्यांनी रसिकांचे मनोरंजन केले. उस्फुर्त विनोदासाठी प्रसिद्ध असलेल्या अशोक सराफ आणि लक्ष्मीकांत बेर्डे या विनोदवीर नायकांनंतर विजय चव्हाण या सहकलाकाराचे नाव प्रामुख्याने घेतले जाते. त्यांच्यातील सळसळत्या ऊर्जेने इतर कलाकारांच्याही उत्साह वाढायचा. त्यांनी विनोदी भूमिकांबरोबरच गंभीर भूमिकांनाही योग्य न्याय दिला. 'गोल गोल डब्यातल्या', 'वन रूम किचन' आणि नुकत्याच प्रदर्शित झालेल्या 'हलाल' याची साक्ष देतात व त्यांच्या चतुरस्रपणावर मोहोर उमटवतात. महेश कोठारेंच्या 'शुभ मंगल सावधान' मधील त्यांच्या भूमिकेमुळे त्यांच्या करियरला कलाटणी मिळाली आणि सहकलाकारांच्या भूमिकांना महत्व प्राप्त करून दिले. महेश कोठारेंच्या नंतरच्या प्रत्येक चित्रपटाचा ते भाग राहिले.
प्रसिद्धीपासून दूर राहणाऱ्या विजय चव्हाण या चतुरस्त्र कलाकाराने गेली चार दशकं प्रेक्षकांचं मनोरंजन केलंय आणि त्यांची भूमिका असलेला एक नवीन सिनेमा येऊ घातलाय ज्याचं नाव आहे 'हुंटाश' ! 'मी आजतागायत अनेक विनोदी भूमिका केल्या आहेत परंतु 'हुंटाश' या चित्रपटातील भूमिका करताना एक वेगळ्या धाटणीची विनोदी भूमिका करण्याचा आनंद मिळाला. दिग्दर्शक तरुण असल्यामुळे नवनवीन विचारांची देवाण घेवाण झाली व भूमिका साकारताना फायदा झाला. अपर्णा प्रमोद आणि अवधूत नावलेकर नवीन सारख्या निर्मात्यांचं कौतुक करायला हवं कारण मराठी सिनेमाच्या प्रेमापोटी ते निर्मितीक्षेत्रात उतरत आहेत आणि आम्हा सर्व सिनियर कलाकारांची उत्तम काळजी घेतल्याबद्दल त्यांना सर्वांतर्फे धन्यवाद देतो. माझी ग्वाही आहे की 'हुंटाश' सर्वांचं भरपूर मनोरंजन करेल' विजय चव्हाण कृतज्ञता व्यक्त करत म्हणाले.
निर्माते अपर्णा प्रमोद आणि अच्च्युत नावलेकर आणि दिग्दर्शक अंकुश ठाकूर यांचा धमाल विनोदी चित्रपट 'हुंटाश' १० नोव्हेंबर २०१७ ला महाराष्ट्रभर प्रदर्शित होणार आहे.

सई ताम्हणकरने स्वीकारला तिचा पहिला फिल्मफेर अवार्ड फॅमिली कट्टासाठी

नेसको आयटी पार्क येथे २७ ऑक्टोबर २०१७ रोजी जिओ फिल्मफेअर  अवॉर्ड्स २०१७  हा सोहळा अगदी दिमाखात पार पडला. विविध प्रकारचे परफॉर्मन्स हा सोहळ्याचा नेहमीचा प्लस पॉईंट असला तरी देखील, ह्या वेळेसचे रेडकार्पेट हि जोरदार होते. 

सई ताम्हणकरचा ब्लु गाऊन विथ डायमंड नेकलेस विशेष लक्षवेधी ठरला हे नक्कीच! या व्यतिरिक्त सईसाठी  फिल्मफेअरच हे तिसरं वर्ष विशेष ठरलं आहे! 

 ह्या वेळेस चा जिओ फिल्मफेअर  अवॉर्ड्स सई ताम्हणकर साठी नक्कीच विशेष होता. कारण जिओ फिल्मफेअर २०१७ मध्ये सईला  दोन चित्रपटांसाठी नामांकन होती - उत्कृष्ट अभिनेत्री, वजनदार आणि उत्कृष्ट सहाय्यक अभिनेत्री, फॅमिली कट्टा!  

सई ताम्हणकरला फॅमिली कट्टासाठी उत्कृष्ट सहाय्यकअभिनेत्रीचा पुरस्कार मिळाला . सईच्या सिनेमातील वाटचालीमधला हा पहिला फिल्मफेअर अवॉर्ड आहे. फिल्मफेअरचे हे तिसरे वर्ष आहे आणि  त्यामुळे तिच्यासाठी हा विशेष होता. हा अवॉर्ड स्वीकारताना सई खूप भारावून गेली होती. ह्या बाबत सई म्हणाली, 'हो हा  माझा पहिला फिल्मफेर आहे आणि मला खरंच खूप छान वाटतंय. हा फिल्मफेर आणखी खास आहे कारण मला हा अवॉर्ड फॅमिली कट्टासाठी मिळाला आहे. हा चित्रपट माझ्यासाठी अनेक पर्सनल कारणांसाठी खास होता, खूप जवळचा होता, आणि त्या चित्रपटासाठी पुरस्कार मिळणं आणि ते हि पहिला फिल्मफेर मिळणं हे तर नक्कीच फार आनंददायी आहे. पण  मी ह्या सेलेब्रेशनवर जास्त वेळ रमणार नाहीये, पुढच्या कामासाठी लगेच तयार होणार आहे. इनफॅक्ट माझा डेली रुटीन सुरु  झालंय.'

२०१६ मध्ये प्रदर्शित झालेल्या फॅमिली कट्टा ह्या चित्रपटात सईने 'मंजू' नावाची भूमिका साकारली होती.  चित्रपटातला तिचा वावर अवघा काही मिनिटांचा असला तरी तिने आपल्या उत्कृष्ट अभिनयाने कायम लक्षात राहिलं असा प्रभाव प्रेक्षकांवर नक्कीच पाडला होता. आणि या तिच्या भूमिकेसाठी  तिला उत्कृष्ट सहाय्यक अभिनेत्रीचा पुरस्कार मिळाला.  

BBC.com Named India’s Top International News Website

25th October 2017, Mumbai.  New research shows that BBC.com is the number one choice for international online news in India.

According to the latest Ipsos Affluent Survey*, the corporation’s digital news services - BBC.com and the BBC News app - are the top destinations for India’s affluent audience seeking impartial, high quality global news, sport and features content.  The independent research, which looks at media consumption amongst affluent adults in the Asia Pacific region, shows that the BBC’s online news services are used by more of this group than any other international news brand in India.

The survey also reveals that the BBC’s 24 hour international television news channel, BBC World News, is the top international English news channel for reaching influential opinion leaders on a weekly basis.**

Welcoming the results of the new research, Jim Egan, CEO for BBC Global News Ltd, said: “In an age of increasing fake news, these findings show that Indian audiences want access to the trustworthy, impartial and world-class journalism that only the BBC can supply.  Following recent investment, India is now home to our second largest bureau, after our London headquarters, and remains an important market for us.  To see our commitment here paying dividends is great news, especially with such a coveted, premium audience.”