CEAT Netranjali screens 2000 BEST drivers for visual disorders

~ Distributes 1774 free spectacles

~ Refers 34 drivers for free treatment & operations

Mumbai, 01st February 2016: CEAT Netranjali, a flagship programme of RPG Group, today announced the completion of special eye screening of 1,970 BEST drivers through 25 camps, across Mumbai. As part of its social initiatives, CEAT’s Project Netranjali aims to prevent avoidable blindness through early stage intervention amongst the needy, especially the elderly, children and vulnerable communities such as truckers and drivers.

CEAT Netranjali eye screening data has revealed some staggering facts--about 90% of BEST bus drivers are in need for eye-care interventions. Tapping the need to diagnose and facilitate cure, CEAT Netranjali screened close to 2,000 drivers and distributed free spectacles to 1,774. Furthermore, they provided cataract referrals to 34 drivers who were identified with severe eye problems. They will now be treated or operated free of cost by a nearby hospital.

Commenting on the initiative, Mr. Anant Goenka, Managing Director, CEAT Limited said, “The purpose of our existence is to make mobility safer and smarter every day. The BEST drivers’ community plays a significant role in our lives and their health should be a matter of prime importance. CEAT Netranjali is one such step which will support them to diagnose and cure eye-related problems, thereby making public transport safer for Mumbaikars.”

Over the past calendar year, eye health check-up camps under CEAT’s Project Netranjali reached out to over 4,00,000 underprivileged individuals. An average of 150-200 beneficiaries are screened per camp, providing free eye screening in the camps to over a total of 70,000 individuals across schools, slum communities and trucker fleets in different cities. Furthermore, CEAT Netranjali also conducted eye check-up for 4,200 truck drivers at 50 camps across Bangalore, Navi Mumbai and Noida. The leading tyre manufacturer also runs a programme called Swayam which trains and empowers economically less-privileged women in driving skills, another step towards promoting CEAT’s goal of road safety.

About CEAT Ltd:

CEAT, the flagship company of RPG Enterprises, was established in 1958. Today, CEAT is one of India’s leading tyre manufacturers and has strong presence in global markets, and has a capacity of over 95,000 tyres per day. CEAT offers the widest range of tyres to all segments and manufactures world-class radials for: Heavy-duty Trucks and Buses, Light Commercial Vehicles, Earthmovers, Forklifts, Tractors, Trailers, Cars, Motorcycles and Scooters as well as Auto-rickshaws. CEAT enjoys a major market share in the light truck & truck tyre market and its tubes and flaps are renowned for their superior quality and durability.

About RPG Foundation:

RPG Foundation, a Public Charitable Trust, has been set up by RPG Enterprises to undertake activities in the field of social welfare and reform, across wide range of areas including education, employability, health including eye health, community development etc. The RPG Foundation is authorized by the various RPG Group Companies to act as a centralized body for the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities of the various group companies of RPG Enterprises or beyond.

About RPG Enterprises:

RPG Enterprises, established in 1979, is one of India's fastest growing business groups with turnover over USD 3 billion. The group has more than fifteen companies managing diverse business interests in the areas of Tyre, Infrastructure, IT and Specialty.

TUBE INVESTMENTS OF INDIA LTD CONSOLIDATED Q3 NET PROFIT UP BY 28%

Chennai, 2 February 2016: The Board of Directors of Tube Investments of India Limited (TII) met today and approved the financial results for the quarter and half year ended 30th September, 2015.

Consolidated Results

The Company’s consolidated Net profit after minority interest and share of profit from associate for the quarter was at INR 112 Crores, against INR 87 Crores for the corresponding quarter in the previous year.

Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Company Ltd., a general insurance subsidiary of the Company registered a Gross Written Premium (GWP) of INR 614 Crores during the quarter as against INR405 Crores, a growth of 52%.  PAT for the quarter was at INR 34 Crores as against INR 39 Crores compared with corresponding quarter in the previous year.

Shanthi Gears Ltd., a subsidiary company in the Gears Business, registered a revenue of INR 43.19 Crores for the quarter as against INR 42.98 Crores for the corresponding quarter in the previous year.  PAT for the quarter was at INR 5 Crores as against INR 4 Crores.

Cholamandalam Investment & Finance Company Ltd, an associate company in the financial service business, disbursed INR 4260 Crores during the quarter compared to INR 3082 Crores in the corresponding quarter of the previous year, a growth of 38%. Consolidated Profit after Tax (PAT) for the quarter was at INR 148 Crores against INR 113 Crores for the corresponding quarter in the previous year, registering a growth of 31%.

Standalone Results

TII’s Revenue for the quarter was at INR 902 Crores as against INR 942 Crores for the corresponding quarter in the previous year.  The profit before interest, exceptional items and tax for the quarter was at INR 53 Crores as against INR 47 Crores for the corresponding quarter in the previous year. The PAT for the quarter was INR 16 Crores as against a loss of INR 0.44 Crores (which includes INR 11.73 Crores of exceptional item pertaining to compensation under Voluntary Retirement Scheme) for the corresponding quarter in the previous year.

During the quarter, the Company sold non-operating assets which generated a profit of INR 1.25 Crores.

Mr. L. Ramkumar, Managing Director said, “The Revenue during the quarter was lower compared with corresponding quarter in the previous year partly due to lower pricing of some of our products. While Bicycle business was affected due to slow down in the market place, the Engineering and Metal Formed Products divisions improved their profitability by cost control and better product mix”.

Review of Businesses

Bicycles

The Bicycle division registered a revenue drop of 10% during the quarter compared to with corresponding quarter in the previous year. The market conditions were muted. Order from a Government agency mitigated the drop to some extent. The revenue for the quarter was INR 287 Crores as against INR 318 Crores for the corresponding quarter in the previous year.  Profit before Interest, Exceptional items and Tax for the quarter was INR 9 Crores as against INR 12 Crores for the corresponding quarter in the previous year.

Engineering

The Engineering division registered a revenue drop of 6% during the quarter compared with corresponding quarter in the previous year largely due to reduction in prices of our products.  The revenue for the quarter was INR 393 Crores as against INR 419 Crores for the corresponding quarter in the previous year.  Profit before Interest and Tax for the quarter was higher at INR 24 Crores as against INR 19 Crores for the corresponding quarter in the previous year.

Metal Formed Products

This division has registered a growth in revenue of 7% during the quarter compared with corresponding quarter in the previous year. The revenue for the quarter was INR 255 Crores as against INR 238 Crores for the corresponding quarter in the previous year.  Profit before Interest, Exceptional Items and Tax for the quarter was higher at INR 23 Crores as against INR 19 Crores for the corresponding quarter in the previous year.

About Murugappa Group

Founded in 1900, the INR 269 Billion Murugappa Group is one of India's leading business conglomerates. The Group has 28 businesses including nine listed Companies traded in NSE & BSE. Headquartered in Chennai, the major Companies of the Group include Carborundum Universal Ltd., Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company Ltd., Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Company Ltd., Coromandel International Ltd., Coromandel Engineering Company Ltd., E.I.D. Parry (India) Ltd., Parry Agro Industries Ltd., Parry Sugar industries Ltd, Shanthi Gears Ltd., Tube Investments of India Ltd., and Wendt (India) Ltd.

Market leaders in served segments including Abrasives, Auto Components, Transmission systems, Cycles, Sugar, Farm Inputs, Fertilisers, Plantations, Bio-products and Nutraceuticals, the Group has forged strong alliances with leading international companies such as Groupe Chimique Tunisien, Foskor, Mitsui Sumitomo, Morgan Advanced Materials, Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile (SQM), Yanmar & Co. and Compagnie Des Phosphat De Gafsa (CPG). The Group has a wide geographical presence all over India and spanning 6 continents.

Renowned brands like BSA, Hercules, Montra, Ballmaster, Ajax, Parry’s, Chola, Gromor, Shanthi Gears and Paramfos are from the Murugappa stable. The Group fosters an environment of professionalism and has a workforce of over 32,000 employees. For more details, visitwww.murugappa.com

Volvo XC90 bagged ‘Luxury SUV of the year’ at BBC Topgear Magazine Awards 2016

Eighth award for XC90 in just eight months of its launch

Delhi, February 2^nd, 2016: Volvo XC90, the Swedish car company’s flagship model has been awarded the ‘Luxury SUV of the year’ by BBC Topgear magazine Awards 2016- a monthly automobile magazine with a flavor of lifestyle consisting of the latest automotive news, car reviews and bike reviews from the Indian automotive industry. This is the 8th award bagged by XC90 after its entry in India. The all-new Volvo XC90 is delivering on its promise to introduce a visually striking Scandinavian Design, luxurious seven-seat SUV with world leading safety features, new powertrain technologies, an unrivalled combination of power and fuel efficiency.

Tom von Bonsdorff, Managing Director, Volvo Auto India, said “We are extremely delighted to receive this award for XC90. It is a matter of pride for Volvo Auto India to receive eighth award for this car. We continuously aim at providing solutions that make people’s lives easier and safer. Delivering on Volvo’s promise of safe, superior cars, XC90 is a testimony to our unrivalled expertise.”

Volvo XC90 is available in D5 Inscription and Momentum trims, 2.0L 4Cylinder, automatic8-Speed AWD with 225HP and a whopping 470Nm torque.

The XC90’s interior is the most luxurious to have been designed for a Volvo. One of the most striking feature is a tablet-like touch screen control console, which forms the heart of an all-new in-car ‘Sensus’ This system is virtually button free and represents an entirely new way for drivers to control their car.

The XC90 features one of the top audio systems available in the automotive world after Volvo Cars audio experts joined forces with their counterparts at the renowned British audio equipment company Bowers & Wilkins. The top-of-the-line system in the XC90 features a 1,400 Watt Class D amplifier and 19 Bowers & Wilkins speakers.

The XC90 comes standard with Air-Suspension to tackle the diversity of Indian road conditions, enveloping its occupants in sublime comfort. Among other World-Class safety features, the XC90 comes with a World-First Run-off-Road Protection system. No wonder it has been adjudged as ‘Top Safety Pick’ for 2015 by the Euro NCAP.

Volvo Auto India

Swedish luxury car company Volvo Auto India (VAI) established its presence in India in 2007 and has since then, worked intensively to market the Swedish brand in this country. Volvo Cars currently markets products through its dealerships in South Delhi, West Delhi, Gurgaon, Ahmedabad, Surat, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore, Kochi, Vishakhapatnam, Pune and Kolkata.

The company sells six luxury models.

Volvo S60 – A sporty sedan

Volvo S80 – An exquisitely elegant saloon

Volvo V40 – Luxury hatchback                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Volvo V40 Cross Country – The adventurous cross country

Volvo XC60 – A technologically advanced luxury SUV, apt for Indian roads

Volvo XC90 - A 7-seater luxury SUV which is sturdy and apt for Indian families

Volvo’s Brand Philosophy

‘Designed Around You’ is the brands translation of going an extra mile to understand customers better. This human-centric approach enables Volvo Cars to know the pulse of the customers and gauge what they desire in a product. With this thought the brand places the customer at the heart of its design. Every Volvo car boasts of cutting-edge technology with engineering that is executed around human values.

For more on Volvo Cars, please visit - www.volvocars.in

डेढ़ करोड़ रुपये में बने 85 साल के ऋषि कपूर

अगर यह कहा जाए कि ऋषि कपूर परफेक्शनिस्ट हैं तो इसमें कुछ भी गलत नहीं होगा. ऋषि कपूर ने एक महीने तक रोजाना पांच घंटे अपने मेकअप पर लगाए हैं और इस पर डेढ़ करोड़ रुपये खर्च हुआ है. ऋषि कपूर 'कपूर एंड संस' फिल्म में 85 वर्षीय बुजुर्ग का किरदार निभा रहे हैं.

सूत्रों के मुताबिक, 'हॉलीवुड के मेकअप आर्टिस्ट ग्रेग कैनम ने उनका मेकअप किया है. वे नौ बार ऑस्कर पुरस्कारों के लिए नामित हुए हैं और तीन बार ऑस्कर पुरस्कार जीत चुके हैं.' वे रोजाना पांच घंटे मेकअप पर खर्च करने के लिए सुबह पांच बजे उठते थे.

ऋषि कपूर कहते हैं , 'जब करन जौहर और शकुन बतरा मुझसे मिलने आए, तो मैंने उन्हें कैनम का नाम सुझाया क्योंकि मैं उसके बारे में सुन चुका था. मुझे नहीं पता था कि वे मानेंगे या नहीं क्योंकि यह काफी पैसा खर्च करने वाला था. लेकिन करन तैयार हो गए. उन्हें पता था कि इसकी लागत डेढ़ से पौन दो करोड़ रु. के बीच आएगी.'

वे कहते हैं कि शकुन और मैं कैनम से मिले थे और लुक के बारे में बातचीत की थी और फैसला किया कि यह ऋषि कपूर और ए.के. हंगल का मिला-जुला रूप होगा.

An ‘ 85- year- old’ Rishi Kapoor

If one says that Rishi Kapoor is a perfectionist then that will be an underrated sentence. Rishi Kapoor spent five hours every day for a month on make up.  And result came out of Rs. 1.5 crore his look right.

Rishi Kapoor is not at all shying away from experimenting with his looks. The actor is playing an 85 year old grouchy, bullying old man in his upcoming film, Kapoor & Sons and this is what he’s going to look like.

According to source “Greg Cannom is a Hollywood special makeup effects artist done make-up for him. Cannom has been nominated for nine Academy Awards and has won three times for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button ( 2008), Mrs Doubtfire ( 1993) and Dracula ( 1992). He has also been nominated for seven Saturn Awards and received one.”

During the shoot, he had to sit for five hours every day for almost a month and he had to wake up at 5 am. He is a drinking man and people say he has no patience, but for him to wake up early every day and sit for five hours straight was a bit

“When Karan ( Johar) and the director Shakun ( Batra) came to meet me, I suggested that they take Cannom because I had heard of him. I was not sure about this suggestion being agreed upon since it would be a costly affair, but Karan agreed even though he knew that this would cost him around Rs 1.5 to Rs 1.75 crore." Said Rishi Kapoor

Shakun and I met up with Cannom and discussed the look and we decided that it would be a mix of Rishi Kapoor and A K Hangal’s look. The actor added 

MANOJ BAJPAI, NEHA & AVA NAYLA WALK THE RAMP ANNOUNCING THE GRAND LAUNCH OF ‘WESTERN BASICS’ KIDS FASHION WEAR

Mumbai: One of the most reputed names in the garments business for over two decades, Pankhi Design Inc. spearheaded by Sudhir Kumar Gupta and Sri Niwas Gupta, forayed into the emerging kids fashion wear segment two years ago. To meet the growing demand for trendy western wear for girls and boys between 1-10 years of age, they announced the launch of their brand ‘Western Basics’ with much fanfare at a specially curated event held today at JW Marriott in Mumbai.

Actor Manoj Bajpai and his wife Neha walked the ramp as showstoppers with their pretty daughter Ava Nayla in tow. Ava Nayla looked super stylish as she sauntered down the ramp with much confidence and charm. Several other kid models showcased the new collection to the audience in attendance that happily cheered on all the kids.

Quipped super-dad Manoj Bajpai, “With the launch of ‘Western Basics’, I’m spoilt for choice shopping for Ava in India. They offer an extensive range of great designs in gorgeous colours at value prices.”

Yummy mummy Neha Bajpai said, “I absolutely loved the kids wear collection I’ve seen here today. Now I’m eagerly looking forward to all my shopping trips with Ava as always.”

Mr. Gupta, owner of the brand, said, “We are extremely elated about our new venture ‘Western Basics’. Our aim is to continually offer on-trend designs that are distinguished and of superior quality. We have an in-house design cell with talented designers who design the entire collection. Our designs are innovative yet very comfortable for children.”

‘Western Basics’ is a unisex brand that specialises in western fashion wear for young girls and boys. Their exhaustive collection comprises of designer frocks, gowns, skirts, tops and shorts for girls and T-shirts, shirts, denims and non-denims for boys. It will be available at major retail stores across India.

E-Week, Asia’s largest entrepreneurship event is back! (20th – 27th February 2016)

National Entrepreneurship Network [NEN] organizes the

9^thE-Week, 2016

~ The Entrepreneurship Week India is Asia’s largest campaign to build public support for entrepreneurship ~

~ Entrepreneurship led activities across campuses over a week will cover30 cities, 5000 events and 7,00,000 participants ~

~The theme of E-Week 2016,“Innovative Ideas for a Better World”aims at enhancing the entrepreneur-friendly environment in India and making it more vibrant  ~

Mumbai, 01 February, 2016: National Entrepreneurship Network [NEN]today announced the roadmap forE-Week 2016, a popular entrepreneurship event in the country amongst a massive students gathering across the country covering 18 states and 30 cities.E-Week, an annual event driven by NEN the flagship initiative of Wadhwani Foundation has created ripples across the country and this year aims over 700,000 participants to participate. The Eweek culminates in four grand finales at four regions, North, South, East& West.

The theme of this E-Week 2016 “Innovative Ideas for a Better World” has focused on encouraging educators and students to become ‘innovation catalysts’ by making deep investments in ideas and innovations that guarantee market success. NEN E-Week is focused to build public awareness and support for entrepreneurship. The initiative further encourages public attention on today's biggest opportunities and persuades participants to reflect on their role as leaders and innovators. The campaign will see active involvement of many organizations that support entrepreneurship - corporate entities; industry captains, experts, non-profits, and faculty leaders to inspire, encourage, and guide students.

“E-Week is a National Entrepreneurship Network [NEN] initiative in its 9^th year now. It is designed to encourage educators and students to become innovation catalysts by making deep investments in ideas and innovations that guarantee market success. With a slew of ‘Startup India’ measures recently announced, we feel that it is the right time to intensify our efforts in encouraging aspiring entrepreneurs to partner with industries that can propel their innovation labs. Our programs have inspired many students to start their own ventures immediately after graduation. We are now planning to expand these programs to over 3000 colleges in the coming years, in partnership with the Government”, says Sashi Chimala, Executive Vice President, National Entrepreneurship Network [NEN], Wadhwani Foundation. 

The E-Week regional qualifiers this year will be held across all zones- North [Jaipur], Central [Indore], South [Bangalore] and East [Calcutta]. Students with the most compelling stories stand a chance to share their stories during the regional rounds and win prizes. Institutes wishing to register can log in at http://eweek.hostedindia.com/

Participating Institutes will be eligible for 3 categories of awards:

1.      E-WEEK PREMIER AWARDS

·         High Impact Institute Award:Displaying exemplary determination and dedication in running high decibel programmes that result in creation of more start-ups

·         Campus Company Award: Identifying and rewarding some of the best campus companies across India

2.       E-WEEK INNOVATION AWARDS

·         Institute Innovation Award:Recognizing efforts of an institute for encouraging its students to come up with innovative solutions to local challenges 

·         School Innovation Award: Rewarding aschool team which has developed innovative project/ideas as a solution to existing problems

3.       E-WEEK SPECIAL AWARDS: Forinstitutes who are committed to promote entrepreneurship and organize various impactful programs and activities on campus throughout the year in addition to organizing impactful thematic events during E-week. 

·         E-Week Champion Award: Overall excellence and leadership in direct creation of quality ventures

This campaign platform is primarily created to recognize and promote creativity where innovative ideas can be proposed, shared and disseminated. This will be a national register of innovations which helps any individual to accentuate his/her remarkable innovations and convert them into viable business opportunities. It will also help these remarkable innovations reach a larger audience, who could take advantage and replicate the benefits of their respective communities.

With the ever growing entrepreneurship ecosystem in India catalysed by National Entrepreneurship Network and India Govt., E-Week India has become a much sought after annual event among the students and entrepreneurs community. It is India’s largest awareness campaign to build public support for entrepreneurship.

The activities include competitions, expositions, educational movie screenings, leadership and motivation talks with successful entrepreneurs, panel discussions, business plan and skill building workshops, business and tech bazaars, awareness campaigns and much more.

The entrepreneur ecosystem in India has come a long way. Despite the challenges and limitations, India’s entrepreneurs have started making a big impact on the global scene. Imagine what could happen if we pull out all the stops and create an entrepreneur-friendly environment in India. The next big Microsoft or Google will will definitely emerge from the innovation labs of an Indian campus.

For more details on E-Week,  please visit http://eweek.nenonline.org/

About Wadhwani Foundation:

Wadhwani Foundation’s primary mission is accelerating economic development in emerging economies through large-scale job creation. Five Initiatives driving innovation, entrepreneurship and skill development cater to this mission. The Foundation is present in India, Indonesia, Pakistan and Malaysia, and has plans to expand to other countries in Southeast Asia, Africa and South America.

National Entrepreneurship Network (NEN) inspires, educates and supports student entrepreneurs, startups and SMEs for creating high-value jobs.

Skills Development Network (SDN) provides vocational training support to educational and training institutes, and employers for entry-level mid-skill jobs through a video based online platform.

Opportunity Network for Disabled (OND) mainstreams the educated disabled into sustainable high quality corporate jobs through a business value proposition.

Research and Innovation Network (RIN) aims to create a world-class innovation ecosystem in India with the goal of propelling India towards the top ten innovative nations in the world.

Policy Research Centre provides data driven research inputs for informed policy action towards accelerating economic growth. The initiative has also established a chair in U.S-India policy at the Center for Strategic & International Studies in Washington, D.C.

Gather your ‘Love Notes’ & be ready for a sweet surprise from Romedy NOW this February

Love Notes – a contest in the 9 pm slot on Romedy NOW, with prizes likeRomantic Dinner Dates, Couple Movie Vouchers, Couple love bands and Spa Vouchers up for grabs

MUMBAI, February 1, 2016: The month for all romantics is here! Romedy NOW, the unique destination of love & laughter, is all set to pamper its viewers and let them surprise their loved ones this month.

The channel launched a contest called ‘Love Notes’ from Monday, 1 February. Viewers need to tune in to Romedy NOW, Monday to Friday at 9pm and not only get to watch their favorite rom-coms, but also get an opportunity to win prizes like Spa Vouchers, Romantic Dinner Dates and Couple Movie Vouchers. In addition to this, one lucky viewer will win premium couple love bands.

Entry to the contest is very simple: an audio/visual clip will be aired any time during the 9 pmmovie every Monday to Friday, from 1^st to 29^th of February, and a question pertaining to the clip will be asked. All that a participant has to do is pick the correct answer from three options given, and send their response by sending an SMS, typing LOVE <space> A/B/C to 56161.

Some of the films scheduled in the month of love include Hitch, which features Will Smith as aprofessional date doctor along with Eva Mendes, Kevin James and Amber Valletta; Fool’s Gold, in which a married couple, Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson – rediscover their passion and love for each other; 50 First dates, romantic comedy film where Adam Sandler finds himself having to win over the heart of her lady love every new day ; My Best Friend's Wedding – in which a scheming ex-girlfriend attends a majestic wedding determined to prevent it from taking place and win back the groom. Along with other romantic and evergreen Hollywood movies likeAddicted to Love, Jerry Maguire and Before Sunrise throughout February, the Valentine Month is when Romedy NOW will shower love on lovers of great rom-com entertainment.

Tune in to Romedy NOW every night @ 9pm from 1^st February to 29^th February and celebrate the month of love!

About Romedy NOW

Romedy NOW, India’s premium English Entertainment Channel, has ushered in ‘Love & Laughter’ together for the first time. It is an exclusive destination for urban women & men offering the best international content, to the delight of its audience.

Siddharth Mahadevan lends his voice for Gemini Arabians anthem

Gemini Arabians – the team participating in the ongoing Masters Champions League featuring cricketing legends such as Virender Sehwag, Saqlain Mushtaq, Kumar Sangakkara, Kyle Mills, Shivnarine Chanderpaul together, has officially launched its team anthem.

Siddharth Mahadevan, son of musical prodigy Shankar Mahadevan, has lent his vocals to the upbeat lyrics by Tanishq Nabar and composer Deepak Dev for the peppy anthem titled Maar Maar.

Attached please find a press release on the same enclosed with a link to the anthem and images of the team.

Please feel free to get in touch incase you require any further information on the same.

The team is captained by former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag and is owned by Mr. Nalin Khaitan of Khaitan Holdings. 

The Esteemed Jury of the 6th Edition of National Jewellery Awards 2015-16 meet up in Mumbai.

……Process Advised by Ernst & Young (EY) – the awards will be given on February 06^th at the Swarovski Gemstones presents National Jewellery Awards 2015-16.

Event Managed by Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

The Final Jury Round for the Jewellery category for the 6th edition of the Swarovski Gemstones Presents National Jewellery Awards 2015-16 (NJA) organized by All India Gems & Jewellery Trade Federation (GJF) was on 31st January 2016, at Hyatt Regency, Mumbai.

The Jury for the NJA comprises of key and leading personalities from the world of Jewellery & Fashion including Fashion Designer Archana Kochhar, Jewellery Designers Poonam Soni, Queenie Singh, Gautam Benerjee, Pallavi Foley and Dinesh Tulsian- Jewellery Head -  e-bay.com were also present at the gathering. After receiving over 1000 entries from all over India, around 130 Jewelleries across categories were showcased at the final jury round.

Queenie Singh – Jewellery Designer says “NJA is a great initiative and opens up channels for competitive and more creative ground for uplifting standards”.

Pallavi Foley – Jewellery Designer says “ The best thing about NJA is the level of authenticity and the systematic methodology to our industry which has been looked up globally since the time of our Maharaja’s, the most amazing designs and the Gemstones that our country has had for centuries and platforms like these will take it to many more places.”

Poonam Soni – CEO, Design Director says “ India’s Jewelllery Industry is the world’s largest but still at nascent stages in terms of Awards & Recognition and NJA will provide a boost to not only the craftsmanship but the entire industry as a whole.

Archana Kochhar – Fashion Designer says “Jewellery is the perfect partner and competes the look for every ensemble and there has been a lot of newer trends and metals now in the jewellery industry with every passing day, thus, motivating them by means of awards is very crucial.”

Mr. G V Sreedhar – Chairman, GJF shared his joy on the 6^th edition saying, “GJF’s unbiased and relentless efforts for the welfare of Gems & Jewellery industry have won itself tributes and an unquestionable credibility of being fair, compassionate and appreciative towards the industry. NJA helps to encourage one’s competence in terms of designs and trends of the industry. NJA opens up an untapped business opportunity for participants in the industry.”

NJA Committee Convener and Director of GJF– Mr. K. Srinivasan is exhilarated and says, “NJA has grown every year and this year right from receiving the entry and nominations, to the versatile and experienced Jury and then to the main event – NJA has set a new benchmark for the industry. It is a perfect platform to recognize and honour talent across the Gems & Jewellery industry”. 

NJA is the Industry’s most prestigious annual award show, organized by GJF and a platform to recognize and honor talent with unbiased and relentless efforts for the welfare of Gems & Jewellery industry in India.  Honouring the works from 29 categories, the Awards comprise of 16 Jewellery Award Categories, Excellence Awards – 9 Categories, Artisan / Craftsman / Designer Awards – 3 Categories, Student Awards* – 1 Category.  The winning Student gets a Scholarship from the Association to pursue a career in Jewellery industry (10 winning students shall be provided with a total scholarship of Rs. 15 lacs), Gem of the year award and Anmol Ratna Award amongst others. The entire category list is available on http://www.gjf.in.

The National Jewellery Awards show will be organized on February 06, 2016 at J W Mariott, International Airport, Mumbai, from 6 pm and the evening will witness leading Jewellers from the industry, Govt. Officials & Ministers, Industrialists and Many Bollywood celebrities. Ace Fashion Designer Archana Kochhar has created a perfect marriage of trendy Jewellery and her collection through a fashion sequence, which will have prominent Bollywood Celebrities as show stoppers. The evening will be hosted by Anchor and Bollywood Actor Manish Paul with performances by co-host Manasi Scott, MJ5 and Lauren Gottlieb amongst others.

The NJA Committee comprises of NJA Committee Convener – Mr. K. Srinivasan , NJA Committee Members – Mr. G V Sreedhar (Chairman of GJF), Mrs. Nirupa Bhatt, Mr. Dinesh Jain, Mr. Rajendra Jain, Mr. Pramod Agarwal, Mr. Ashok Baradia and Mr. DD Karel.

These Awards were started to motivate crafting inspiration, passion, devotion and innovative opportunities to get recognized on a national level.

The Awards are being Presented by Swarovski Gemstones, with other valuable Partnerships from the World Gold Council as Associate Partner, Platinum Evara as Platinum Partner, Logistic Partner: Sequel Logistics, Co-Supporting Partners: GRT Jewellers and MMTC PAMP, Trade Media Partner: Heera Zhaveraat International, Outdoor Media Partner: Art Media Advt.

 About GJF:

The All India Gems and Jewellery Trade Federation (GJF) represents over 6,00,000 players comprising manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, distributors, laboratories, gemologists, designers and allied services to the domestic Gems & Jewellery industry. The Gems & Jewellery industry has over 1 crore strong labour force engaged in the manufacturing of Jewellery, across the country. The Federation’s mission is to support and promote the progress and prosperity of all the members in the Gems and Jewellery industry across India. It also provides regular news & updates pertaining to the industry, rules & regulations declared by the Government. It promotes the trade, by participating in promotional events on a national level. It also counsels educational and research institutes that help in developing superior quality and high standards for effective functioning of the trade. The Gems and Gold Jewellery business has made significant contribution to the Indian economy and society. The sector has grown phenomenally on the National and International front in the last few years. The industry is in transition phase where family owned entrepreneurial businesses are slowly evolving and transforming into organized professional organizations.

From drab to glam

It takes every ounce of hard work and determination to evolve oneself from an ordinary looking 

​girl ​

to a glam diva, and its not just about beauty but the overall packaging from the style, the elegance, the grace

​, the attitude​

 to the oh so perfect body!

There are few young Bollywood actresses who've evolved themselves from drab to glam:

 Parineeti Chopra: The Chopra lass under went a huge transformation apparently to achieve the body she always desired and the ability to dress up as she always wanted to without having fear of any flab coming out. This has also helped her dress better and look more glamorous than ever before.

Bhumi Pednekar: The actress lost oodles of weight to get in the right shape and ever since than has been wowing the paparazzi and media glare with her stunning appearances at various events.

Richa Chadha: The powerhouse of talent Richa Chadha, over the period has evolved her sense of style and worked on her looks and body. The vegan actress who is a health freak too dazzled on the cover page of Verve with her serene beauty. 

Radhika Apte: The 'Shor in the city' actress has come a long long way. Not only in her acting career but also in her fashion and style statement. The actress has just evolved herself so amazingly thereby making it to our list.

Sonakshi Sinha: The Asli Sona - Sonakshi Sinha has been consistently working on her style and body. She has set a unique place for herself not only in B-town but also when it comes to dressing and looking fab. She consistently puts efforts to look great.