Saturday, February 28, 2009

BWI: Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé Debuts in New Delhi

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
Saturday, February 28, 2009 04:56 PM IST (11:26 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, Lifestyle, Sports; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Automotives, Media & entertainment; Automotive
Release no: 19355
--------------------------------------------------
Rolls-Royce Phantom Coupé Debuts in New Delhi


New Delhi, Delhi, India, Saturday, February 28, 2009 -- (Business Wire India) -- Rolls-Royce Motor Cars(Headquarters: Goodwood, West Sussex, United Kingdom)previewed its two-door, four-seat, Phantom Coupé in New Delhi today (28 February) for the first time to a select audience.

The Coupé, the fourth new model from Rolls-Royce under BMW Group ownership, is the most driver-oriented model in the current line-up, in the context of Rolls-Royce luxury values. This two-door, four-seater model completes the Phantom family, adding to Phantom, Phantom Extended Wheelbase (four door saloons) and Phantom Drophead Coupé (convertible). .

A luxurious, modern grand touring coupé in the finest tradition, this car is powered by the Phantom's 6.75-litre V12 engine, producing 460hp and 720Nm of torque making it the definitive choice for all-day, long distance driving. With its engine tuned for immense low down torque, the new Rolls-Royce effortlessly achieves the 0-100 km/h sprint in 5.8 seconds, and continues rapidly towards an electronically governed top speed of 250km/h.

A combination of segment-leading fuel economy and a 25 percent increase in fuel capacity, compared to the Drophead Coupé, increases driving range to more than 600 kilometres. A spacious picnic boot with split tail compartment gives easy access to 395 litres of space or four sets of golf bags. The lower part of the tailgate provides a comfortable seating platform for two adults when lowered.

The highly advanced spaceframe aluminium chassis endows the Coupé with the marque's legendary ride comfort, handling and safety. It is the most torsionally rigid Rolls-Royce ever built. The unique architecture of the car is further augmented by the rear-hinged coach doors, allowing the easiest possible access to the rear lounge seat. To ensure a perfect balance of refinement and driver involvement, Rolls-Royce developed a new gearbox programme, stiffer rear dampers and modified spring rates. In addition, a thicker rear anti-roll bar, modified brake response and tuned steering offer more feel over other Phantom models. As with every Rolls-Royce car, the finely hand-crafted interior of the Coupé can be personalised via the Bespoke programme, allowing for any number of features, each tailored to the taste of the individual. For example, customers can choose from more than 44,000 different colours.

The Phantom Coupé's cabin can be ordered with an optional, full-length starlight headlining, incorporating 1,600 tiny fibre optics to create the ambience of a star-filled night sky. The new model is also available with a brushed steel bonnet and A-pillar surround previously seen on its experimental predecessor, the 101EX.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars General Manager for South and East Asia Pacific, Dr Matthew Bennett said:

"Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is pleased to present the Phantom Coupé to New Delhi with the support of our dealer partner, Select Cars. We received numerous expressions of interest with our tour of three cars, a rare sight in New Delhi. Our presence here reflects our long-term commitment since we opened the showroom last year."

"Phantom Coupé follows the tremendous response worldwide to '101EX', the 2006 experimental car. The Coupé has seen excellent demand with two thirds of the pre-orders placed by customers who are new to the brand, indicating that the new model is broadening Rolls-Royce brand appeal to customers," he added.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars saw global sales in 2008 increase by 20 per cent, compared to 2007, with retails of 1212 cars.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars is undertaking its first nationwide tour with the Phantom Coupé that includes visits to Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi.

Notes to Editors:

1. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars showrooms in India are located at

North India
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars New Delhi
Shangri La Hotel, 19, Ashoka Road,New Delhi 110 001
Tel : +91 143505888 Fax: +91 11 4168 2555
Chief Executive Officer: Yadur Kapur

South India
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Mumbai
Navnit Motors Pvt. Ltd.
48, Atria Millennium Mall, Annie Basent Road, Worli, Mumbai 400 018
Tel: +91 22 2481 3326 / 35 Fax: +91 22 2481 3336
Sales and Marketing Director: Sharad Kachalia

2. 1212 Phantom series cars were retailed around the world in 2008, marking five years of continued growth under BMW Group ownership and the highest Rolls-Royce sales figures for 18 years.

3. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has recently invested a further £40milion (2.8 billion rupees) into its UK based manufacturing and head office facility at Goodwood in preparation for production of a new model that will sit alongside the current Phantom range.

4. A new Rolls-Royce model, codenamed RR4, will begin production in the UK in 2010.

5. Rolls-Royce 2008 top five worldwide dealers in alphabetical order:

Further information:

You can also find all our press releases and press packs, as well as a wide selection of high resolution, downloadable photographs at our media website, called PressClub. The address is:
www.press.rolls-roycemotorcars.com

Broadcasters can access the latest Rolls-Royce Motor Cars footage at: www.thenewsmarket.com/rolls-roycemotorcars or e-mail journalisthelp@thenewsmarket.com

To view the photographs, please click on the links given below:

Dr. Matthew Bennett, General Manager, South and East Asia Pacific Region, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars & Mr. Yadur Kapur, CEO, Select Cars Private Ltd

Mr. Yadur Kapur, CEO, Select Cars Private Ltd. & Dr. Matthew Bennett, General Manager, South and East Asia Pacific Region, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
For picture(s)/data to illustrate this release click below:

http://www.BusinessWireIndia.com/attachments/Rolls-Royce_Picture_1.JPG
Dr. Matthew Bennett, General Manager, South and East Asia Pacific Region, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars & Mr. Yadur Kapur, CEO, Select Cars Private Ltd
http://www.BusinessWireIndia.com/attachments/Rolls-Royce_Picture_2.JPG
Dr. Matthew Bennett, General Manager, South and East Asia Pacific Region, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars & Mr. Yadur Kapur, CEO, Select Cars Private Ltd


CONTACT DETAILS
Hal Serudin, Corporate Communications Manager, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, Asia Pacific, +65 6838 9675, hal.serudin@rolls-roycemotorcars.com
Neha Sharma, Senior Management Associate, IPAN, +919810080128, neha.sharma1@ipan.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, LIFESTYLE, SPORTS, MARKETING, AUTOMOTIVE, MEDIA, AUTOMOTIVE

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Friday, February 27, 2009

BWI: A R Rahman to Soon Knock on Airtel DigitalTV Customers’ Door

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Bharti Airtel Limited
Friday, February 27, 2009 06:01 PM IST (12:31 PM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, Entertainment, Lifestyle; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Business services, Information technology, Media & entertainment, Telecommunications; Technology
Release no: 19352
--------------------------------------------------
A R Rahman to Soon Knock on Airtel DigitalTV Customers' Door
Airtel's DTH Service brings Home Magical Entertainment

New Delhi, Delhi, India, Friday, February 27, 2009 -- (Business Wire India) -- -- Buy a digitalTV from Airtel at just Rs. 1750 and win a chance to bring home not only Rahman but also Saif, Kareena, Zaheer and Gautam

-- Other exciting prizes - 60 Samsung 37 inch LCD TVs, 600 Samsung MP3 players, 1200 Nokia phones and 12000 Cash Backs vouchers of Rs. 250 each

Bharti Airtel Limited today announced a mega promotion for its DTH service - digitalTV - offering its customers the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to win a chance to bring home A R Rahman, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Zaheer Khan and Gautam Gambhir. In addition, customers stand a chance to win a number of other exciting prizes. The offer is valid till 31st May 2009.

Announcing this offer, Mr. Deepak Srivastava, CEO - DTH, Bharti Airtel, said, "Airtel digitalTV has redefined the digital home entertainment experience in the country, bringing in many firsts like a Universal Remote for operating both the set top box and TV and the only MPEG4 standard with DVB S2 technology that gives exceptional picture clarity and consistently high quality audio. With this unique offer, we are giving our customers a never-before opportunity to bring home their favourite stars and thousands of other exciting prizes - and to experience magical entertainment at home."

All that a participant needs to do is to buy a digitalTV from Airtel, send an SMS to 53030 with the message 'digitaltv' followed by space and the Consumer ID number. In response, an SMS will be sent to the customer to complete the slogan, "I love 'digitalTV' because." The entry will be complete once the slogan is filled out and sent back to 53030. An eminent jury will then examine the completed entries and choose the winners periodically. This offer is open to customers across the country, except in Tamil Nadu.

The Airtel digitalTV service is available across the country and is supported by 24x7 customer care available in 8 different languages and a team of 800 professionally trained service engineers. For further details, call us at 1800-102-8080 or visit us at www.airtel.in/digitaltv.

About Bharti Airtel Limited:

Bharti Airtel Limited, a group company of Bharti Enterprises, is Asia's leading integrated telecom services provider with operations in India and Sri Lanka with an aggregate of over 91 million customers as of end of January 2009, consisting of 88.38 million mobile customers. Bharti Airtel Limited has been voted as India's most innovative company, in a survey conducted by The Wall Street Journal.

Bharti Airtel is structured into three strategic business units - Mobile services, Telemedia services and Enterprise services. The mobile business offers services in India and Sri Lanka. The Telemedia business provides broadband and telephone services in 95 cities, DTH services and has recently forayed into the IPTV services. The Enterprise business provides end-to-end telecom solutions to corporate customers and national and international long distance services to carriers. All these services are provided under the Airtel brand. Airtel's high-speed optic fibre network currently spans over 90,205 kms covering all the major cities in the country. The company has two international landing stations in Chennai that connects two submarine cable systems - i2i to Singapore and SEA-ME-WE-4 to Europe. For more information, visit www.bhartiairtel.in.


CONTACT DETAILS
Pichong Misao, Bharti Airtel Limited, +91 9810369015, pichong.misao@airtel.in
Shilpa Gupta, Comma Consulting, +91 9818180180, sgupta@comma.in
Kaveri Bhartia, Comma Consulting, +91 9810006580, kbhartia@comma.in

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, ENTERTAINMENT, LIFESTYLE, MARKETING, BUSINESS SERVICES, IT, MEDIA, TELECOMMUNICATIONS, TECHNOLOGY

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BWI: UKIBC and UKIBAN Organise Plenary Session for Indian Ventures Seeking Global Footprint

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: UK INDIA Business Council
Friday, February 27, 2009 04:35 PM IST (11:05 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Economy; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Banking & financial services, Business services, Financial Analyst
Release no: 19351
--------------------------------------------------
UKIBC and UKIBAN Organise Plenary Session for Indian Ventures Seeking Global Footprint


Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, Friday, February 27, 2009 -- (Business Wire India) -- The UK India Business Council's UK India Business Angel Network (UKIBAN) organised angel investment events in Mumbai last week attended by over 100 individuals comprising angel investors and young entrepreneurs, many of whom were seeking investment to grow their business.

At the event, seven young Indian businesses pitched their business plan to angel investors for investment from the UK. The businesses ranged from IT and clean technologies to publishing. All of the pitches had a UK strategy and were seeking capital to finance their global ambitions. The Angels were impressed and seem keen to take the discussions forward with some of them.

They also discussed the issues and challenges faced by both countries in this area and how best UK angels can support Indian entrepreneurs seeking to globalise their technology and media ventures through the UK.

Sharon Bamford, CEO, UKIBC said, "The United Kingdom with an extensive network and expertise in 'bringing innovation to market' is the ideal destination for Indian businesses seeking a footprint globally. The angel community in the UK is working closely with their counterparts in India to ensure a 'softlanding' for high potential Indian ventures.

Alpesh Patel, Director and Deal Maker, UKIBC said, "Despite the credit crunch, there is an outstanding array of Indian businesses looking to go global. We are sure that the UKIBC and the Dealmaker program will be able to aid them in their global endeavours."

Keeping in mind the current economic scenario, the panel urged Indian businesses seeking angel funding to asses valuation based on market conditions. They also stressed on the importance of execution in a business plan and the need for good housekeeping and compliances.

The panellists included Alpesh Patel, Chairman, UK India Business Angel Network; Dealmaker, UKTI and Principal, Praefenium Group, Bob Taylor, Partner, Envestors; Member British Business Angels Association, D.K. Chaudhuri, CEO, SynergieAvant, Sharon Bamford, CEO, UKIBC, Satya Narayan Bansal, CEO India, Barclays Wealth; Member Indian Angel Network, Ajay Garg, MD, Equirus Capital Pvt. Ltd; Member, Indian Angel Network, Sajith Pai, Deputy General Manager, Times Private Treaties; Vandana Saxena Poria OBE, CEO Get Through Guides

The key messages and advice given to Indian entrepreneurs on various aspects of raising capital using angel networks included:

-- Due diligence:

Angels would normally do this through a two stage process the first part of which is an informal due diligence whereby the entrepreneurs win the trust and confidence of the Angels through their approach and presentation. The more formal part of the due diligence might involve the past record of success/failure, other investors involved, credentials of people involved, etc.

-- Valuation:

All the panellists agreed that valuation was one area of the business plan which involved 'more Art than Science'. However, it was advised that entrepreneurs should consider the market conditions and be as prudent as possible in their valuation. An unnecessarily high valuation might make the proposal less attractive to the Angels despite other merits. On the other hand with a lower valuation, the entrepreneur might end up giving a larger chunk of the business away.

-- Amount of investment:

Though most UK Angels would invest in the range of around £200,000 to £2m they also commented that this is indeed the most difficult amount to raise as normally companies raising capital within this range are still at an early stage and the riskiness of the venture is also quite high. Some of the risks can be mitigated by achieving some sales and acquiring customers before approaching the Angels, thereby establishing a proof of concept. Also it is best to approach the Angels once alternative sources of funding have been explored and availed.

-- Management team:

Management team is a crucial aspect of the proposal as most Angels invest in people rather than the product. It's important to have the right management team and showcase the same to the investors. If there are gaps in the team, the same needs to be recognised by the entrepreneurs and mention the steps planned to address the same.

-- Pitching for investment:

Entrepreneurs pitching for investment were advised to keep their pitches short and simple. For a 10 minute pitch, it was advised that there should be no more than 8 PowerPoint slides. Rather than focussing too much on the product, it was important to keep the audience in mind and talk more about the business model, market potential, execution plans, management team, financials, valuation, funding sought, etc.

About UKIBC

The UK India Business Council (UKIBC) is the lead organisation supporting the British Government in the promotion of bilateral trade, business and investment between the two countries. UKIBC seeks to play an influential role in creating and sustaining an environment in which free-trade and investment flourishes. A key objective in this regard is the highlighting, and dismantling, of bureaucratic and regulatory barriers to entry. Through the facilitation of partnerships, and with the support of an extensive network of influential corporate and individual members, UKIBC provides the resource, knowledge and infrastructure support vital for UK companies to make the most of emerging opportunities in India.

About UKIBAN

UK India Business Angel Network (UKIBAN) was set up in January 2008 by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to connect Angel and VC networks in India and the UK to increase the number of Indian early stage, high growth, IP rich companies looking to go global through the UK and possibly access Angel and VC funding.

To view the photograph, click the link below:

UKIBC Plenary Session
For picture(s)/data to illustrate this release click below:

http://www.BusinessWireIndia.com/attachments/Pic1(52).JPG
Photo : (L to R ) - D.K. Chaudhuri, CEO, SynergieAvant, Bob Taylor, Partner, Envestors; Member British Business Angels Association, Sharon Bamford, CEO, UKIBC, Alpesh Patel, Chairman, UK India Business Angel Network; Dealmaker, UKTI, Vandana Saxena Poria OBE, CEO Get Through Guides and Sajith Pai, Deputy General Manager, Times Private Treaties at the UKIBC plenary session


CONTACT DETAILS
Jimmy Mathew, Alaaya Media, +91 (022) 32485456 / +91 9820292545, jimmy@alaaya.com

KEYWORDS
ECONOMY, MARKETING, BANKING, BUSINESS SERVICES, Financial Analyst

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BWI: Somfy Announces Benoit Thouvenin as New General Manager for India

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Somfy
Friday, February 27, 2009 02:49 PM IST (09:19 AM GMT)
Editors: General: People; Business: Accounting & management consultancy services, Business services, Construction; Technology
Release no: 19349
--------------------------------------------------
Somfy Announces Benoit Thouvenin as New General Manager for India


New Delhi, Delhi, India, Friday, February 27, 2009 -- (Business Wire India) -- SOMFY has announced the appointment of Mr Benoit Thouvenin as the new General Manager for the company's India operations. Prior to this, Mr Thouvenin was the Country Manager, SOMFY Pte Ltd, Bangkok and was responsible for the company's business for Thailand, Laos, Combodia and Vietnam. In yr. 2005 he opened the Bankok office followed by office in Vietnam in 2008. In his new role, he will drive the company to greater heights in India and other South Asian markets. Mr. Thouvenin brings a wealth of experience and strategic insight to SOMFY India. He has had a good exposure of developing business in South East Asian markets. His deep understanding of managing and developing channel (both OEMs & High end Retail), will add great value to the company's Indian operations.

Mr. Thouvenin, during the last 20 years has played a critical role with different organizations. He joined SOMFY in 1993 as an Sales Engineer. In the year 2000 he became the Export Manager and was responsible for six French territorial divisions. And in 2005 he became the Country Manager, SOMFY Bangkok. During his long tenure with SOMFY, he has closely seen the development of the Automation products and solutions for the openings of homes and buildings. With his knowledge on technology coupled with understanding of markets, Mr. Benoit looks forward to being a part of the technological revolution happening in India.

Way back in 1989, Mr Thouvenin started his career as a Commercial Assistant with Transports CHARY and before joining SOMFY, he was working with KARCHER as sales engineer.

About Somfy

Somfy is the world leader in motors and controls for openings and closures in residential and commercial buildings. Somfy has a very strong presence in markets like France, Southern Europe, Germany, Northern Europe and America. The company is expanding and is currently present in 51 countries, via a network of 52 subsidiaries and 26 offices in seven Business Areas (BA). Somfy uses this local presence to anticipate consumer needs and guide innovation programs. Eight factories constitute an industrial assembly machine geared towards mass production.


CONTACT DETAILS
Manisha Chaudhry, Precision PR, +91 9899797810, manisha@precisionpr.org
Shivani Malhotra, Precision PR, +91 9891340342, shivani@precisionpr.org

KEYWORDS
PEOPLE, CONSULTANCY SERVICES, BUSINESS SERVICES, CONSTRUCTION, TECHNOLOGY

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BWI: JWT Launches AnxietyIndex.com

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: JWT
Friday, February 27, 2009 02:23 PM IST (08:53 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, Economy, Social issues; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Business services, Media & entertainment
Release no: 19348
--------------------------------------------------
JWT Launches AnxietyIndex.com
Web site Explores how Brands and Consumers are Navigating this Global Recession

New Delhi, Delhi, India, Friday, February 27, 2009 -- (Business Wire India) -- JWT, one of the largest advertising agencies in the U.S. and the fourth-largest in the world, has launched AnxietyIndex.com, an interactive site to help brands understand and navigate today's consumer anxiety.

With daily content updates and major research and trend reports added frequently, the site is intended as a place to discover and discuss how brands and consumers are responding to and coping with the current global recession. And with contributions from around JWT's global network-from Shanghai, Sao Paulo and Mumbai to New York, London and Cape Town-AnxietyIndex.com offers a truly geographically diverse perspective.

"At 145 years old, we have a proven track record of leading brands through pivotal times like this," says JWT Chairman and CEO Bob Jeffrey. "We understand that this recession is unlike any other, and it's more important than ever to provide tools like our AnxietyIndex to help brands succeed in this new world order."

The site is an evolution of JWT's six-year-old proprietary AnxietyIndex, launched during the run-up to the Iraq war to track the level and intensity of consumer anxiety and, importantly, the drivers of it. Since then, JWT has run 15 waves of the AnxietyIndex across multiple markets.

"AnxietyIndex.com is a uniquely forward-thinking effort that goes well beyond making a case for marketing in a recession or reviewing historical recession data," says Guy Murphy, JWT Global Planning Director. "It provides real-time data, answers to new questions and a point of view on the types of businesses and business practices that will emerge from these turbulent times."

Reports available on AnxietyIndex.com include trendletters like "Rethinking Aspirations," and quantitative analyses like "American Dream in the Balance" and "Weathering the Storm: The Financial Crisis." Current research and analysis will be added regularly.

ABOUT THE JWT ANXIETY INDEX

JWT launched the AnxietyIndex in February 2003 during the run-up to the war in Iraq. It tracks the level and intensity of consumer anxiety and, importantly, the drivers of anxiety, including safety and security concerns-the threat of terrorism, potential and current military hostilities, crime, etc.-and economic worries, such as the cost of health care, the cost of living and job security. The AnxietyIndex is designed to uncover consumer insights that can help inform strategies for marketing during times of high or low anxiety.

ABOUT JWT

JWT is the world's best-known marketing communications brand. Headquartered in New York, JWT is a true global network with more than 200 offices in over 90 countries employing nearly 10,000 marketing professionals.

JWT consistently ranks among the top agency networks in the world and continues its dominant presence in the industry by staying on the leading edge-from producing the first-ever TV commercial in 1939 to developing award-winning branded content for brands such as Freixenet, Ford and HSBC.

JWT's pioneering spirit enables the agency to forge deep relationships with clients including Bayer, Cadbury, Diageo, DTC, Ford, HSBC, Johnson & Johnson, Kellogg's, Kimberly-Clark, Kraft, Nestlé, Nokia, Rolex, Schick, Shell, Unilever, Vodafone and many others. JWT's parent company is WPP (NASDAQ: WPPGY).


CONTACT DETAILS
Aparna Srivastava, IPAN, +91 (11) 42492108, Aparna.srivastava@ipan.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, ECONOMY, SOCIAL, MARKETING, BUSINESS SERVICES, MEDIA

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BWI: Rediff.com Announces Maps Functionality for LocalAds in 64 Indian Cities

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Rediff.com (India) Ltd.
Friday, February 27, 2009 01:46 PM IST (08:16 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Business services, Information technology, Telecommunications
Release no: 19347
--------------------------------------------------
Rediff.com Announces Maps Functionality for LocalAds in 64 Indian Cities
Supports Location Based Services

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, Friday, February 27, 2009 -- (Business Wire India) -- Rediff.com India Limited (NASDAQ: REDF), India's leading online portal, today announced the addition of maps feature to LocalAds, a service for small and local advertisers.

Advertisers can use the visually intuitive maps to pinpoint their exact location within a locality. This enables users to effortlessly locate advertisers. The maps feature, in beta, is accessible from the web and currently covers 64 cities and towns in India. The feature is powered by Rediff's own maps service.

The Rediff Local ads service is available at http://localads.rediff.com

About Rediff.com

Rediff.com (Nasdaq: REDF) is one of the premier worldwide online providers of news, information, communication, entertainment and shopping service.

Rediff.com provides a platform for Indians worldwide to connect with one another online. Rediff.com is committed to offering a personalized and secure user experience. Founded in 1996, Rediff.com is headquartered in Mumbai, India, with offices in New Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and New York, USA.

Safe Harbor

Except for historical information and discussions contained herein, statements included in this release may constitute "forward-looking statements." These statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those that may be projected by these forward looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to the slowdown in the U.S. and Indian economies and in the sectors in which our clients are based, the slowdown in the Internet and IT sectors world-wide, competition, success of our past and future acquisitions, attracting, recruiting and retaining highly skilled employees, technology, legal and regulatory policy, managing risks associated with customer products, the wide spread acceptance of the Internet as well as other risks detailed in the reports filed by Rediff.com India Limited with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Rediff.com India Limited and its subsidiaries may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in its filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and its reports to shareholders. Rediff.com India Limited does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by it or on its behalf.



CONTACT DETAILS
Mandar Narvekar, Associate Director, Rediff.com (India) Ltd., +91 (022) 2444 9144, mandarn@rediff.co.in

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, MARKETING, BUSINESS SERVICES, IT, TELECOMMUNICATIONS, REDF.O

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Thursday, February 26, 2009

BWI: Audi Quattro Cup 2009 to Enthrall Golf Enthusiasts Across India

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Audi
Thursday, February 26, 2009 07:04 PM IST (01:34 PM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, Sports; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Automotives, Sports; Automotive
Release no: 19346
--------------------------------------------------
Audi Quattro Cup 2009 to Enthrall Golf Enthusiasts Across India


Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, Thursday, February 26, 2009 -- (Business Wire India) --
-- 2nd season of the famous amateur golf tournament 'Audi quattro Cup' in India from February to April

-- Five cities to be part of the Audi quattro Cup; Indian finals in October and World Finals to be held in December in Sydney

-- Audi quattro Cup 2008 saw involvement from 52 countries and 86,000 players from all across the world.

Audi quattro Cup 2009 will begin its second season in India at Chandigarh from February 28th, 2009. Given the overwhelming response to the inaugural golf tournament last year, this year's Audi quattro Cup will include apart from Chandigarh also New Delhi, Pune, Mumbai and Bangalore.

"The Audi quattro Cup received an excellent response in India making it an obvious decision for us to scale up the tournament by adding three more centres across the country. Audi has been involved with golf sport for almost two decades. Worldwide, the Audi quattro Cup ranks among the biggest and most popular amateur golf tournaments. The Audi quattro Cup epitomizes Audi's philosophy of 'Vorsprung durch Technik' and this is closely connected to the elegant sport of golf", said Benoit Tiers, Managing Director, Audi India.

The Audi quattro Cup 2009 will feature 500 golf enthusiasts across Chandigarh Golf Club, (February 28th, 2009), Delhi Golf Club (April 6th, 2009), Poona Golf Course (March 2009), Willingdon Golf Club, Mumbai (April 4th, 2009) and Eagleton Golf Resort, Bangalore (April 11th, 2009).

Three top teams from each of these five cities will participate in the Audi India quattro Cup finals to be held in October. The team that wins the Audi India tournament will head to New South Wales Golf Club in Sydney, Australia, one of the world's most beautiful golf courses, for the 19th Audi quattro Cup world finals from December 14th to 18th, 2009.

The Audi quattro Cup tournament series, established in 1991, has become one of the most celebrated amateur golf tournaments in the world.

Audi quattro Cup 2008:

-- 52 countries were part of the tournament

-- 750 tournaments in total worldwide

-- 86,000 golfers from all across the globe participated

-- More information available on www.audi.in or www.audiquattrocup.com

AUDI AG

AUDI AG develops and produces luxury cars and sold worldwide a total of 1,003,000 cars in 2008 and thus achieved its thirteenth consecutive record year. Audi produces vehicles in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm (Germany), Györ (Hungary), Changchun (China) and Brussels (Belgium). Aurangabad in India saw the start of local production of the Audi A6 at the end of 2007 and of the Audi A4 in early October 2008. The company is active in more than 100 markets worldwide. AUDI AG's wholly owned subsidiaries include Automobili Lamborghini Holding S.p.A. in Sant'Agata Bolognese (Italy) and Quattro GmbH in Neckarsulm. Audi currently employs around 57,000 people worldwide, including 45,000 in Germany. The brand with the four rings invests more than ?2 billion each year in order to sustain the company's technological lead embodied in its "Vorsprung durch Technik" slogan. Audi plans to significantly increase the number of models in its portfolio by 2015 to 40. The Audi brand celebrates its 100th birthday in 2009. The company was founded by August Horch in Zwickau on July 16, 1909; he named it Audi after the Latin translation of his surname ("hark!").

Authorized Dealer Showrooms:

Audi Ahmedabad - Rudra-Path, S.G. Road, Ahmedabad
Audi Bangalore - Survey No. 6/1, Beratana Agrahara, 15th KM, Hosur Main Road
Audi Chandigarh - Plot No. 171, Industrial Area, Phase I
Audi Delhi - F 85, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase I
Audi Gurgaon - Orchid Centre, Sector - 54, Golf Course Road
Audi Hyderabad - 8-2-684/A, Road No.12, Banjara Hills
Audi Mumbai - 81, Dr. Annie Besant Road
Audi Pune - Pro1 Business Centre, Plot No. 395 + 396, Senapati Bapat Road, Shivajinagar

Authorized Dealer Sales Office:

Audi Chennai
Audi Kochi
Audi Kolkata
Audi Ludhiana


CONTACT DETAILS
Bettina Bernhardt, General Manager, Audi, +91 (022) 4054 7210, bettina.bernhardt@audi.de
Gaurav Sinha, Manager, Audi, +91 (012) 4471 1813, gaurav.sinha@audi.in
Abhishek Mahapatra, Comma Consulting, +91 (011) 46003200 / +91 9811667727, amahapatra@comma.in
Abhinav Srivastava, Comma Consulting, +91 (022) 4056 2503 / +91 9892323750, abhinav.srivastava@comma.in

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, SPORTS, MARKETING, AUTOMOTIVE, AUTOMOTIVE

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BWI: Citi India Appoints Nikhil Nagle as Head of Equities

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Citi
Thursday, February 26, 2009 06:32 PM IST (01:02 PM GMT)
Editors: General: People; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Banking & financial services, Business services, Financial Analyst
Release no: 19345
--------------------------------------------------
Citi India Appoints Nikhil Nagle as Head of Equities


Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, Thursday, February 26, 2009 -- (Business Wire India) -- Citi has appointed Nikhil Nagle as the Head of the India Equities covering both Sales & Trading business. An experienced markets professional with a strong background in cash equities and derivatives, Nikhil returns to Mumbai from Hong Kong where he was leading Citi's South Asian trading desk and delivered very strong revenue growth over the years and across market cycles.

In his new role, Nikhil will report in the country into V Srikanth, Head of Markets South Asia and regionally into Justin Kennedy, Head of Equities Asia Pacific.

Nikhil, an electrical engineer from VJTI, Mumbai and an MBA from the Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, has 14 years of relevant industry experience and has been with Citi since 2002.

About Citi:

Citi, the leading global financial services company, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 140 countries. Through its two operating units, Citicorp and Citi Holdings, Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, and wealth management. Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com or www.citi.com.


CONTACT DETAILS
Sudeep Bhalla, Citi India, + 91 (022) 4001 5009, sudeep.bhalla@citi.com
Indu Anand, Citi India, +91 (0124) 4186766, indu.anand@citi.com
Shreela Roy, IPAN, +91 9820149119, shreela.roy@ipan.com

KEYWORDS
PEOPLE, MARKETING, BANKING, BUSINESS SERVICES, Financial Analyst

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BWI: Reliance Implements New Mobile Marketing Platform from Flytxt

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Flytxt
Thursday, February 26, 2009 02:00 PM IST (08:30 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Business services, Information technology, Telecommunications; Technology
Release no: 19343
--------------------------------------------------
Reliance Implements New Mobile Marketing Platform from Flytxt
Underscores Reliance's Commitment to Growth of Mobile Marketing in India, Reliance is only Indian Operator to be on Asia Pacific Board of Mobile Marketing Association (MMA)

New Delhi, Delhi, India, Thursday, February 26, 2009 -- (Business Wire India) -- Reliance Communications, India's leading telecom player today announced implementation of an integrated carrier-class mobile marketing software platform called Neon on its Network as part of its tie-up with Flytxt, a leading mobile advertising and marketing technology provider. Neon is built on Flytxt's decade-long experience in mobile marketing in various global markets. It features a sophisticated mobile CRM database and all the mobile applications required to conduct large-scale mobile customer engagement programs.

Announcing the tie-up Krishna Durbha, Head - VAS Business & Marketing, Reliance Communications said "Implementation of Neon System will give us a competitive edge in stimulating brand awareness and driving sales by reaching out to millions of customers in a cost effective manner through targeting."

Endorsing his view, Tim Williams, Executive VP-Worldwide Sales, Flytxt, said, "We are proud to partner with Reliance Communications, a telecom industry leader, in this transformational approach to customer-centric mobile marketing."

So, with Flytxt Neon in place Reliance Communications will be able to leverage its existing business data and boost voice and VAS revenues through intelligent mobile marketing.

Reliance Communications has been pioneer in Mobile Marketing & Advertising. Apart from using the mobile marketing for existing products Reliance also offers mobile advertising solutions for other companies. More than 50 well known brands in various sectors like FMCG, Finance, and Automotive have benefitted from mobile marketing solutions on Reliance Network. Reliance has also won many accolades for these initiatives like Cannes Lion in 2006, Mobile Marketing Associations Award in 2007 & TM Forum Excellence Award in 2008.

About Flytxt

Flytxt is the leading technology provider for Mobile Marketing 2.0. Neon, the carrier-class integrated mobile marketing platform from Flytxt enables mobile operators and service providers to unlock the huge potential of mobile as a customer engagement channel.

Flytxt was founded by mobile marketing experts with over nine years of domain experience. They pioneered mobile marketing agency business with many successful projects including Orange Wednesdays and Cadbury Txt 'n' Wins.

Flytxt, incorporated in The Netherlands, has its main development centre in India and offices in UK Germany and India. Flytxt is currently serving customers in UK, South Africa and India.

To know more about Flytxt, please visit www.flytxt.com.

About Reliance Communications

Reliance Communications Limited founded by the late Shri Dhirubhai H Ambani (1932-2002) is the flagship company of the Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group. The Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group currently has a net worth in excess of Rs. 63,000 crore (US$ 14 billion), cash flows of Rs. 12,000 crore (US$ 3 billion), net profit of Rs. 8,000 crore (US$ 2 billion) and zero net debt.

Reliance Communications is India's foremost and truly integrated telecommunications service provider. The Company, with a customer base of over 65 million including over 2 million individual overseas retail customers, ranks among the Top 10 Telecom companies in the world by number of customers in a single country. Reliance Communications corporate clientele includes 2,100 Indian and multinational corporations, and over 800 global, regional and domestic carriers.

Reliance Communications has established a pan-India, next generation, integrated (wireless and wireline), convergent (voice, data and video) digital network that is capable of supporting best-of-class services spanning the entire communications value chain, covering over 20,000 towns and 450,000 villages. Reliance Communications owns and operates the world's largest next generation IP enabled connectivity infrastructure, comprising over 175,000 kilometers of fiber optic cable systems in India, USA, Europe, Middle East and the Asia Pacific region.


CONTACT DETAILS
Lakshman Sundar, Reliance Communication, +91 9324110166, Lakshman.Aiyar@relianceada.com
Chaitra Harihar, Reliance Communication, +91 9323861167, Chaitra.Harihar@relianceada.com
Megha Tripathi, 20:20 India, +91 9899186411, megha@2020india.com
Lakshita Sogani, 20:20 India, +91 9899200649, lakshita@2020india.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, MARKETING, BUSINESS SERVICES, IT, TELECOMMUNICATIONS, TECHNOLOGY

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BWI: BMW India Announces the Opening of Infinity Cars Showroom in Worli, Mumbai

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: BMW India
Thursday, February 26, 2009 12:30 PM IST (07:00 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, Entertainment, Lifestyle; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Automotives, Media & entertainment, Retailers; Automotive
Release no: 19341
--------------------------------------------------
BMW India Announces the Opening of Infinity Cars Showroom in Worli, Mumbai


Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, Thursday, February 26, 2009 -- (Business Wire India) -- BMW India announced the opening of Infinity Cars showroom in Worli, its dealership facility in Mumbai.

Infinity Cars brings to Mumbai the BMW standards of sales and service and the same international experience as any BMW dealership worldwide. The new showroom is located at Seth Motilal Sanghi Marg, opposite Nehru Planetarium in Worli and the workshop is located in Chembur. The showroom and workshop are headed by Ms. Pooja Choudary, Managing Director, Infinity Cars.

Commenting on the occasion, Mr. Peter Kronschnabl, President, BMW India said, "Today we are proud to launch an innovative concept of a car showroom in India. This BMW showroom will be the first of its kind, split in two levels with a reception area on the ground floor, and a car display on the first floor that has evolved on the signature-BMW concept of street display and the pavement flanking alongside the customer area."

"Our partnership with Infinity Cars in Mumbai has been very successful and is reflective of BMW's efforts to connect with its consumers and provide high quality services that are at par with international standards. We are confident that this partnership in Mumbai, the financial capital of India, will significantly add momentum to our ambitions in India," Mr. Kronschnabl added further.

The Infinity Cars showroom covers nearly 7000 sq ft of space and offers the customers a unique retail environment. All operations related to sales are efficiently covered from the space, which ensures comfort to the customer at the point of sales.

The approximate area of the Infinity Cars workshop in Chembur is 18,000 sq ft and has 9 service bays that can service 35 to 40 vehicles a day.

Ms. Pooja Choudary, Managing Director, Infinity Cars said, "Working with BMW in Mumbai for the last two years has been a very enriching experience. It is an exciting opportunity for us as BMW symbolizes dynamic forward moving people and is among the most coveted premium brands in India. We are fully committed to this partnership and look forward to an exciting time ahead."

As with every other BMW dealership, Infinity Cars has provided its staff intense training in management of sales, service, spare parts and business systems to ensure customers receive best-in-class pre and post sales ownership experience. A team of service engineers have also been trained at BMW's training centers in Singapore, Malaysia and Germany.

BMW India

Headquartered in Gurgaon (National Capital Region) BMW India is a 100% subsidiary of the BMW Group. The initial investment in India is 1.1 billion Indian Rupees.

The wide range of BMW in India include the establishment of a production plant in Chennai (Tamil Nadu) and development of a dealer organisation across major metropolitan centres of the country.

In medium term, BMW India will employ around 200 people; up to 600 additional jobs will be created in the dealer and service network.

On 29 March 2007, BMW India officially opened its production plant in Chennai. The BMW Plant Chennai produces the BMW 3 Series and BMW 5 Series Sedans in petrol and diesel variants and has a capacity to produce 3000 units per year on a single shift basis.

Presently, 12 dealers represent BMW in the Indian market; Bird Automotive (Gurgaon, NCR), Deutschen Motoren (New Delhi); Navnit Motors (Mumbai), Infinity Cars (South Mumbai); Krishna Automobiles (Chandigarh); Navnit Motors (Bangalore), Delta Motors (Hyderabad), Kun Exclusive (Chennai), Bavaria Motors (Pune), OSL Prestige (Kolkata), Parsoli Motors (Ahmedabad) and Platino Classic (Kochi). Owing to an exuberant growth potential, BMW is hopeful of multiplying its annual sales volume and has already chalked out an extensive dealer strategy to support its plans.

BMW India will further strengthen the dealer network by stepping into Phase II, by expanding into the markets of Ludhiana, Bhubaneshwar, Jaipur and Coimbatore, by the end of 2009.

BMW dealerships presently display the BMW 3 Series (325i, 320i and 320d, 320d Highline) and BMW 5 Series (525i, 530i, 520d, 530d and 530d Highline) that are produced at the BMW Plant Chennai. BMW dealerships also display the BMW 6 Series (650i Coupé and 650i Convertible), BMW 7 Series (750Li), BMW X3 (X3 xDrive25i, X3 xDrive20d), the BMW X5 (X5 xDrive48i and X5 xDrive30d) and the BMW X6 (X6 xDrive50i and X6 xDrive30d) which are available in the country as CBU's (completely built-up units). The BMW M3 Coupé, BMW M3 Convertible, BMW M5, BMW M6 Coupé, BMW M6 Convertible, BMW 6 Series Individual and BMW 7 Series Individual can also be ordered at BMW India dealerships.

BMW India has also established an International Purchasing Office (IPO) at its Headquarters in Gurgaon. The IPO will focus on the development of exports from India to the BMW Group International Production Network and there work towards increasing the sourcing share from India over the next years. The activities include the identification and assessment of potential suppliers taking into account BMW's requirements for quality, technology and logistics. The IPO will explore procurement of production material (components) as well as IT and Engineering Services.

BMW Financial Services

BMW Financial Services is currently active in more than 50 countries worldwide offering competitive financial solutions for BMW and MINI customers. In 20 countries, BMW Financial Services offers its services through leading local banking and insurance partners.

BMW India has partnered with Bajaj Allianz General Insurance for offering motor insurance and with ICICI Bank to offer customised financial solutions and ORIX Auto Infrastructure Services Limited for leasing services for its customers. These products and services are offered through the BMW Financial Services.

To view the photograph, please click on the link given below:

Pooja Choudary Peter Kronschnabl, President BMW India
For picture(s)/data to illustrate this release click below:

http://www.BusinessWireIndia.com/attachments/Pooja Chourdary Peter Kronschnabl President BMW India.JPG
Pooja Choudary Peter Kronschnabl, President BMW India


CONTACT DETAILS
Abhay Dange, General Manager Press and Corporate Affairs, BMW India, +91 9910481013, +91 (124) 4566600, +91 (124) 4566612, Abhay.Dange@bmw.in
Preeti Gupta, Vox Public Relations, +91 9871401722, +91 (11) 40613003, +91 (11) 40163011, Preetig@voxpr.co.in
Shailesh Kasbe, +91 9869951801, Kshailesh@yahoo.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, ENTERTAINMENT, LIFESTYLE, MARKETING, AUTOMOTIVE, MEDIA, RETAIL, AUTOMOTIVE

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BWI: BMW Launches World’s First Sports Activity Coupé in India

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: BMW India
Thursday, February 26, 2009 12:30 PM IST (07:00 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Sports; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Automotives, Media & entertainment; Technology; Automotive
Release no: 19342
--------------------------------------------------
BMW Launches World's First Sports Activity Coupé in India
Combining the Agility, Performance and Athletic Design of a Large BMW Coupé with the Versatility of an Sports Activity Vehicle, the BMW X6 Offers Dynamic Performance Control and the All-New Twin Turbo Engine

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, Thursday, February 26, 2009 -- (Business Wire India) -- BMW India launched the BMW X6 at Infinity Cars, a new dealership facility in Mumbai.

The BMW X6 will be available on the Indian roads in two variants - X6 xDrive50i (petrol) and X6 xDrive30d (diesel). These cars are available in the country as Completely Built-up Units (CBU) and can be ordered across all BMW dealerships in India.

The new BMW X6 has all the agility and elegance of a coupé plus the impressive versatility of an SAV. The BMW X6 draws its strength from two exclusive automotive worlds to create a new one. The first Sports Activity Coupé. Equipped with BMW Dynamic Performance Control, this is a coupé that knows no limits, especially in terms of driving dynamics.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Peter Kronschnabl, President, BMW India said, "We are proud to introduce the world's first Sports Activity Coupé, the new BMW X6 in India. With xDrive all-wheel drive technology, the BMW X6 premiers in India with the newly developed Twin Turbo engine and is the first vehicle in the world to offer Dynamic Performance Control. It is our goal to provide the Indian market with an entirely new type of car that continues to provide our customers with the highest standards of all-round quality, safety, and perfection to ensure the highest levels of comfort and luxury."

The ex-showroom prices of the new BMW X6 in INR are as follows.

BMW X6 xDrive50i: 82,90,000
BMW X6 xDrive30d: 65,90,000

Note: Ex-showroom price excludes RTO registration charges, tax, insurance, handling charges; Octroi and entry tax (if applicable). Prices and options are subject to change.

The all-wheel xDrive system provides better traction, higher stability and more safety. If the sensors detect that the car is about to drift off course the system reacts in milliseconds. By adjusting the amount of power that goes to the front and rear wheels, xDrive effectively nips over or under steering in the bud.

For the first time in a BMW, Dynamic Performance Control gives the BMW X6 unique new cornering qualities. Seamless drive distribution to the left- and right-hand rear wheels improves track stability, allowing the driver to enter bends more precisely and cross-accelerate faster with optimised grip when accelerating out. On slippery or uneven surfaces, Dynamic Performance Control provides the further advantage of an even safer and more stable traction.

And when xDrive and Dynamic Performance Control join forces, the result is a whole new dimension in driving dynamics.

The new V8 power unit with Twin Turbo technology and direct injection in the BMW X6 makes it the most powerful drive unit ever seen in a BMW X Model. The new eight-cylinder is impressive not only through its outstanding thrust and pulling force, but also through its compact dimensions.

To the very last detail, the BMW X6 offers a unique synthesis of exclusive luxury, sporting dynamics, and powerful style. A wide range of colours and materials highlight the sporting character of the BMW X6 and add to the individual style and personality of this unique vehicle.

To view the photograph, please click on the link given below:

Peter Kronschnabl, President BMW India
For picture(s)/data to illustrate this release click below:

http://www.BusinessWireIndia.com/attachments/Peter Kronschnabl President BMW India.JPG
Peter Kronschnabl, President BMW India


CONTACT DETAILS
Abhay Dange, General Manager Press and Corporate Affairs, BMW India, +91 9910481013, +91 (124) 4566600, +91 (124) 4566612, Abhay.Dange@bmw.in
Preeti Gupta, Vox Public Relations, +91 9871401722, +91 (11) 40613003, Preetig@voxpr.co.in
Shailesh Kasbe, +91 9869951801, Kshailesh@yahoo.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, ENTERTAINMENT, LIFESTYLE, SPORTS, MARKETING, AUTOMOTIVE, MEDIA, TECHNOLOGY, AUTOMOTIVE

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BWI: 17th Convergence India 2009, A Platfrom Enabling Business Strategies for Merging Applications

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Exhibitions India Group
Thursday, February 26, 2009 11:37 AM IST (06:07 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Business services, Information technology, Media & entertainment, Telecommunications; Technology
Release no: 19340
--------------------------------------------------
17th Convergence India 2009, A Platfrom Enabling Business Strategies for Merging Applications
Digital Convergence... Empowering a Billion Lives

New Delhi, Delhi, India, Thursday, February 26, 2009 -- (Business Wire India) -- The 17th Convergence India 2009 exhibition and conference showcases converging technologies providing faster, easier access to information and multiple services. Organizations are evolving business models to maximize on the opportunities in the emerging digital communications landscape. The event will play a pivotal role in enabling companies to get the optimum value from cutting edge technologies and increase operational efficiencies.

The 17th Convergence India 2009 concurrent international conference brings you insights into new strategies in telecommunications, IT and broadcasting. Prominent international speakers will debate on the trends, challenges and solutions for progress in the ICT sector.

Sessions titled 'Broadband: Capturing the Indian market','Mobile Information Society: Strategy & New Business Models', 'The Place of WiMAX in the Mobile Broadband Revolution','VAS in India's Telecom Industry: Successful Growth Strategies' and 'The Info-Security Challenge: How do the good guys win?' all form part of a comprehensive debate on Telecom, IT and Info Security.

On a parallel track, a panel discussion on 'Regulatory Aspects of the Indian Broadcast Industry' and sessions on 'DTH, MSOs & Cable: The Battle for Supremacy', 'Satellite Broadcasting: Emerging Technologies', 'Animation & Gaming Industry', and 'Transition to a New Television Experience: Indian Perspective on IPTV', successfully capture the major developments in India's broadcasting and entertainment sectors.

Two technical workshops on 'Digital watermarking and fingerprinting at the BCA' by the Center for Content Protection (CCP, Asia Pacific; and one on 'Migrating the Backhaul Network - Technology Alternatives and Transition Paths' conducted by ECI Telecom, complete this informative and valuable conference.

The event is supported by the Ministry of Communications & IT, Govt. of India and the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Govt. of India, and certified by the US Commercial Service.

South Asia's premium ICT event, 17th Convergence India 2009 will focus on empowering businesses with well-informed and practical insights into managing technologies and reducing costs in the converging world.

About us:

The Exhibitions India Group, established in 1987, is a trade promotion group with the objective of attracting investment into India by organizing focused international exhibitions and seminars, and enhancing India's foreign exchange earnings by promoting participation of Indian companies at leading tradeshows worldwide.

To learn more about EI Group, visit http://www.exhibitionsindiagroup.com.


CONTACT DETAILS
Hena Ahmad, Exhibitions India Group, +91 9999600622, henaa@eigroup.in
Gitanjali Lal, Exhibitions India Group, +91 9899648388, gitanjalil@eigroup.in
Arvind Kaur, Exhibitions India Group, +91 9953305133, arvindkaur@eigroup.in

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, MARKETING, BUSINESS SERVICES, IT, MEDIA, TELECOMMUNICATIONS, TECHNOLOGY

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BWI: blinkx to Power Video Search for Sagoon

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Sagoon Inc.
Thursday, February 26, 2009 10:06 AM IST (04:36 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Business services, Information technology; Technology
Release no: 19337
--------------------------------------------------
blinkx to Power Video Search for Sagoon
Semantic Search Expert Sagoon Signs Red Label Deal with blinkx

San Francisco, California, United States, Thursday, February 26, 2009 -- (Business Wire India) -- blinkx, the world's largest and most advanced video search engine, today announced that it has signed a Red Label agreement with Sagoon (www.sagoon.com), a newly launched Internet search engine. Under the terms of the agreement, blinkx will power video search for Sagoon, providing their users with easy, efficient access to blinkx's massive index of 35 million hours of online video.

Based in Washington, D.C., Sagoon is a Web search engine founded by IT professionals Govinda Giri and Shiba Dhakal. Sagoon applies semantic over lexical search to offer users the most meaningful results possible. The technology itself was developed by Elixir Web Solutions, a New Delhi-based interactive media and technology company, and combines Web index with content-based relevance methods and organized results to process search. Sagoon provides various services to its users, including Web, news, and video searches. The Web search engine's video search capabilities will now be powered by blinkx's expert technology that includes language-agnostic speech recognition and visual analysis software, producing the most accurate, relevant results possible.

"We're delighted to partner with Sagoon, a new company with big ideas and novel technology," said Suranga Chandratillake, founder and CEO, blinkx. "We're passionate about search and excited to provide engines like Sagoon with the technology to extend their abilities beyond text."

"We're pleased to partner with blinkx and to have access to the industry's leading video search technology," said Govinda Giri, founder and chief executive officer, Sagoon. "We are continuously adding unique new features to Sagoon, and are thrilled to offer our users the most accurate, efficient way to search rich media online."

As the pioneer in video search technology, blinkx has built a reputation as the smartest way to search new forms of online content such as video. With more than 450 partners and 35 million hours of indexed video and audio content, including favorite TV moments, news clips, short documentaries, music videos, video blogs and more, blinkx uses advanced speech-recognition technology to deliver results that are more accurate and reliable than standard metadata-based keyword searches.

About blinkx

blinkx plc (LSE AIM: BLNX) is the world's largest and most advanced video search engine. Today, blinkx has indexed more than 35 million hours of audio; video, viral and TV content, and made it fully searchable and available on demand. Blinkx's founders set out to solve a significant challenge - as TV and user-generated content on the Web explode; keyword-based search technologies only scratch the surface. Blinkx's patented search technologies listen to - and even see - the Web, helping users enjoy a breadth and accuracy of search results not available elsewhere. In addition, blinkx powers the video search for many of the world's most frequented sites. blinkx is based in San Francisco and London. More information is available at www.blinkx.com.

About Sagoon

Sagoon is a privately owned company based in Washington DC. It is dedicated to providing a new window for web search that combines the largest Web index with content-based relevance methods and organized results. Sagoon derives its name from Sanskrit "Shakuna" meaning "auspicious or ushering good results". This christening reflects Sagoon's sincere wish that the exploration of information and resources on the site ushers in "good luck" and augurs well for all businesses and users. For more information, please visit http://www.sagoon.com/.


CONTACT DETAILS
Tim Turpin, Sparkpr, +1 (415) 321 1894, tim.turpin@sparkpr.com
NOMAD for blinkx, Charles Lytle, Citi
Govinda Giri, Sagoon Inc. Washington DC, 571-239-4710, girig@sagoon.com
Maneesh Thareja, Sagoon Inc. India, +91 (11) 40719928, maneesht@elixirweb.in

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, MARKETING, BUSINESS SERVICES, IT, TECHNOLOGY

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BWI: The Pussycat Dolls go Bollywood again Exclusively on DesiHits.com

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Desi Hits Inc.
Thursday, February 26, 2009 10:01 AM IST (04:31 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, Entertainment; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Information technology, Media & entertainment; Technology
Release no: 19336
--------------------------------------------------
The Pussycat Dolls go Bollywood again Exclusively on DesiHits.com
Remixing the Oscar Winning Song, "Jai Ho" from Slumdog Millionaire

New York, United States, Thursday, February 26, 2009 -- (Business Wire India) -- The Pussycat Dolls go bollywood yet again by releasing a desi remix of "Jai Ho", which is the now-famous song played during the credits of the Academy Award winning film, Slumdog Millionaire. Last night during the 2009 Academy Awards, "Jai Ho" won an Oscar for "Best Original Song" beating out WALL-E's "Down to Earth", by Peter Gabriel, and "O.Saya", also of Slumdog Millionaire and by A.R. Rahman.

As the leader of all things desi, DesiHits.com is again the exclusive outlet to feature The Pussycat Dolls bollywood remix of "Jai Ho" and make it available to their audience worldwide. This isn't the first time that DesiHits.com has helped The Pussycat Dolls along with many other top western artists, go bollywood. During New York Fashion Week's "Fashion Rocks" event in September 2008, The Pussycat Dolls also brought attention to the growing Desi phenomenon by strutting the red carpet in Indian sarees designed by Rocky S, a fashion designer invited by DesiHits.com who has carved a niche in the Indian fashion industry.

"With the release of The Pussycat Dolls new remix of "Jai Ho", they are continuing to join this popular, international trend by fusing what's hot in the east with the west. DesiHits.com is excited to share this exclusive track and reiterate once again, that Hollywood is going Bollywood" said Anjula Acharia-Bath, CEO of Desi Hits.com.

About Desi Hits!

Redefining Desi1 to reflect the diversity of today's coolest and trendsetting global South Asians. Desi Hits! is the creator and hub for fusion east/west entertainment distributed through a global multiplatform network including the wildly addictive www.desihits.com. The website features original streaming audio/video shows, editorial, artist profiles and exclusive celebrity interviews, music/movie reviews all accessible anytime, anywhere, on the go. DesiHits.com is also home to the first official Desi iTunes music storefront, here you can discover both east/west, new and established artists in a one stop shop for all your music needs! The multiplatform media company caters to a cosmopolitan community that craves fresh, bi-cultural content from Los Angeles, London, Bollywood and beyond. Founded in January 2006 with headquarters in New York and London, Desi Hits! is dedicated to creating and encouraging exciting, edgy content and has already gained a global following. Has Desi HIT you yet? Love it, live it @ www.desihits.com.


CONTACT DETAILS
Sabrina Levine, Lizzie Grubman PR, 212.966.5000 x102, Sabrinal@grubmanpr.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, ENTERTAINMENT, MARKETING, IT, MEDIA, TECHNOLOGY

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Wednesday, February 25, 2009

BWI: Brickwork Ratings has Assigned BWR A+/BWR P1 for Long/Short Term Debentures of Golden Jubilee Hotels Limited

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Brickwork Ratings
Wednesday, February 25, 2009 06:16 PM IST (12:46 PM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Banking & financial services, Business services, Financial Analyst, Hospitality, Stock exchanges
Release no: 19334
--------------------------------------------------
Brickwork Ratings has Assigned BWR A+/BWR P1 for Long/Short Term Debentures of Golden Jubilee Hotels Limited
Instrument: Secured Redeemable Non-Convertible Debentures of INR 3.5 Billion

Bangalore, Karnataka, India, Wednesday, February 25, 2009 -- (Business Wire India) -- Brickwork Ratings has assigned BWR A+ (Pronounced BWR A+) for Long term and BWR P1 for short term to Golden Jubilee Hotels Ltd for Secured Redeemable Non-Convertible Debentures of INR 3.5 Billion or Rs.350 Crores with additional green shoe option of 0.5 billion or Rs. 50 Crores.

The rating considers favorably the brand name of "The Oberoi" and "Trident", equity participation by EIH Ltd., investment by JP Morgan India Property Mauritius Company in Core Hotels Ventures P Ltd., ideal location of the hotel and growth of Hyderabad as an attractive business and tourist destination.

The rating is however, constrained by risk associated with the project implementation, cyclical nature of the hotel industry, existing down-turn in the Indian economy and global meltdown, new additional capacity coming up in Hyderabad.

Company Profile

Golden Jubilee Hotels Limited (GJHL) was incorporated under companies act, 1956 on December 18th, 1996 under the name of "Golden Jubilee Estates Limited". The name of the company was changed to its present name on December 5th, 2006. It currently acts as a special purpose vehicle (SPV) for the construction and management of two Five star hotels namely The Oberoi, Hyderabad and Trident, Hyderabad, at Shilpakalavedika, Madhapur, Hyderabad. The SPV is a consortium between Maha Hotel Projects P Ltd), Basil Infrastructure Projects Ltd and EIH Ltd. The company has, vide a letter of intent (LOI) dated 20th March, 2006 issued by Department of Youth Advancement, Tourism and Culture, Government of Andhra Pradesh (YATC), been awarded the construction and development of the hotel project on a plot of land measuring 4.337 acres situated at, Shilpakalavedika, Madhapur Hyderabad on a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis.

Business Prospects:

The proposed hotel site is located opposite the first tower of Hitec City (called Cyber Tower). It is conveniently accessible from Hyderabad city and is about 38 km's from the new international airport at Shamshabad. The new international convention centre (ICC) and from the HITEX exhibition grounds are located nearby.

Several commercial developments like 28 notified Special Economic Zones catering to the IT, biotechnology and manufacturing sectors, Hyderabad Financial District, Hyderabad International Convention Centre and HITEX Exhibition centre are some of the demand inducing factors. In addition, Hyderabad is already a well known tourist destination.

The Public Private Partnership project has the land lease from the YATC, a government body which is a comforting factor. Trident is expected to be operational by March, 2011 and 'The Oberoi' by July, 2011. Oberoi and Trident will add 221 and 324 rooms to the existing capacity in Hyderabad. These additions compare favorably to the present demand and supply situation particularly in the hi-tech city area. We believe the site location, proximity to key demand areas and the brand are critical success factors in the project.

Project Team:

The management team for the project is highly experienced. The team consists of professionals with rich experience in handling hotel projects across the country including Park Hyatt Goa and Grand Hyatt, New Delhi. The civil construction team has experience working with The Park Hyatt Resorts and SPA, Goa, Calcutta Metro Rail, Nagarjuna Construction, JMC Projects (India) Ltd. Shapoorji Pallonji & Co Ltd, Indu Projects Ltd.

Financials:

The authorised capital of the company is Rs. 2500 Million and the Paid-Up capital is Rs. 432.70 million. Golden Jubilee hotels projected capital expenditure (Capex) of INR 5834.9 Million, is reasonable for 545 rooms. Capex per room for the Golden Jubilee comes at INR 10.7 Million per room. The company has already incurred INR 721.80 Million on the project as at 20th December 2008. The fact that equity funds were brought in for this expenditure is a comforting factor.

Projections for both the hotels were undertaken from its operational year 2011 to FY 2021. FY 2015 will be the stabilisation year for both the hotels. Both the hotels together are projected to generate revenue of INR 2084 Million in FY-2012 and subsequently grow at an average rate 6%. Operating profit for the FY-2009 is expected to be INR 420.10 Million and reach INR 874.70 Million in the stabilization year of 2015. Profit after Tax for both the hotels has been projected INR 82.7 Million initially and INR 358.00 Million in FY 2015.

EIH Ltd:

We see the equity participation of EIH Ltd as a comforting factor; EIH Ltd is the technical member and is responsible for providing inputs on the conceptualization of the design and development of the project to match world class standards. The company has also entered into a separate agreement with Oberoi Hotels P Ltd for the use of the name "The Oberoi" in addition to "Trident" for a period of 20 years form the start of the project plus extendable to 10 years each subsequent three times.

Project Completion:

The rating is constrained with the risks associated with the timely completion of the project. Risk associated with the fluctuation in the foreign exchange rate is also taken negatively.

As on 20th Dec, 2008, the company has spent INR 721.80 million on the project. The company expects to complete the project within 30 months. In case of delay the company shall be liable to pay a penalty of Rs.50,000 per day for every day of delay subject to maximum of Rs. 6 million. Further, if the hotel project is not completed within 120 days from the scheduled project completion date, the government has the right to terminate the said development agreement with the company.

Rating Outlook:

The participation of Oberoi group, experienced management, Public-Private Partnership nature of project, the Government of Andhra Pradesh covenants for early completion of project, substantial commitment of equity funds on the ground are comforting factors responsible for stable rating outlook. The continuing financial crisis that can affect both tourist and IT growth are concerns. The detailed rationale is enclosed as Annexure A.

Copyright ©, 2008, Brickwork Ratings.

All rights are reserved and Brickwork receives fee from issuer for assigning the rating.

Brickwork Ratings has assigned the rating based on the information obtained from issuer and other reliable sources, which are deemed to be accurate. Brickwork has taken considerable steps to avoid any data distortion; however, it does not examine the precision or completeness of the information obtained. And hence, the information in this report is presented "as is" without any express or implied warranty of any kind. Brickwork does not make any representation in respect to the truth or accuracy of any such information. The rating assigned by Brickwork should be treated as an opinion rather than a recommendation to buy, sell or hold the rated instrument. Brickwork has the right to change, suspend or withdraw the ratings at any time for any reasons. Further, Brickwork should not be held responsible for any losses incurred from publishing or reproducing this report.

To view the Golden Jubilee Hotels Limited - Rating Rationale, please click on the link given below:

Golden Jubilee Hotels Limited- Rating Rationale
For picture(s)/data to illustrate this release click below:

http://www.BusinessWireIndia.com/attachments/Golden Jubilee Hotels Limited - Rating Rationale.pdf
Golden Jubilee Hotels Limited - Rating Rationale.pdf


CONTACT DETAILS
Praveen Prakash, Analyst, Brickwork Ratings, +91 (80) 40409940, praveen.prakash@brickworkratings.com
Rajesh Pai, Analyst, Brickwork Ratings, +91 (80) 40409940, rajesh.pai@brickworkratings.com
Anitha G, Media, Brickwork Ratings, +91 (80) 40409940, media@brickworkratings.com
Ramaswamy Annam, Relationship, Director - Business Development, Brickwork Ratings, +91 (80) 40409940, ramaswamy@brickworkratings.com
Rajender S. Walia, Relationship, Director - Business Development, Brickwork Ratings, +91 (80) 40409940, rajender.walia@brickworkratings.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, MARKETING, BANKING, BUSINESS SERVICES, Financial Analyst, HOSPITALITY, STOCK EXCHANGES

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BWI: Young Woman Enterpreneur Launches Automobile Portal BIGgaddi.com for the Carlovers

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: BIGgaddi.com
Wednesday, February 25, 2009 03:00 PM IST (09:30 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Automotives, Information technology; Technology; Automotive
Release no: 19332
--------------------------------------------------
Young Woman Enterpreneur Launches Automobile Portal BIGgaddi.com for the Carlovers
Unique Portal Promises to help with Novel Features

Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, Wednesday, February 25, 2009 -- (Business Wire India) -- BIGgaddi.com,a unique and informative automobile portal today launched by young woman enterpreneur Ms Jainee P. Gordhandas. The unique portal promises to help carlovers with its novel features. Mrs Parul Mehta,co-founder,Motif.Inc was also present on this occasion.

BIGgaddi.com is a unique automobile website catering to the A-Z of the automobile world specializing in Online Buying and Selling of used and new cars and two-wheelers. Now, with just a few clicks you can search for used vehicle or post your vehicle for selling, for all to see. The USP of the portal is : Buying and Selling of used vehicles made easy.

Commenting on the launch of the portal ,Ms Jainee P. Gordhandas, Founder,BIGgaddi.com said "With the rapidly increasing number of vehicles plying our streets everyday and a plethora of new vehicle launches lined up in the coming year, the used vehicle industry is expanding at unprecedented levels. According to a study, for every new vehicle bought, there is a sale/purchase of 2 used vehicles. This ratio shows the business opportunity available in the used vehicle business."

"At present the used vehicle business is not well developed and organized. For a person who wishes to sell his vehicle the only avenue is his garage or a few relatives and friends. The issue is more difficult when you wish to buy a used two wheeler or used car. We aim to cater to the needs of used vehicle market. The portal will not only help the car buyers or car sellers,but it will also prove to be a catalyst for car lovers for technical information,comparison between different makes and models and automobile industry news and events. This is the only website which allows the seller to upload the video/photo of the vehicle he wants to sell.",she further added.

Another unique feature of this automobile portal is that it is supported by offline franchise and collection network. In India, still a large number of vehicle users are not net savvy. The offline collection centers and franchises help such people in buying and selling of their vehicles. This data is then made available on the website to get quicker response. This is the only automobile portal which works in co-operation with used car dealers.

Mrs Parul Mehta,co-founder,Motif.Inc said "It's a great pride for all of us that a young woman enterpreneur has come out with such brilliant idea. We wish the portal will become a grand success."

BIGgaddi.com has many attractions and industry firsts to its credit. Apart from this users/Members of BIGgaddi.com can avail a mélange of features that include:-

-- Comparitive Analysis - This is the only automobile portal which enables the buyer to compare features,specifications and prices of different makes and models

-- Mileage Calculator - Wondering what mileage your car has been giving you? Well just fill the fuel filling date, fuel quantity and your meter reading and you will have your car's mileage within seconds

-- Insurance Payment Reminders - Just give us your payment schedule and we will send the reminders to your inbox

-- Service Reminders - Oops! Did you just miss your vehicle service appointment? Not anymore. Plug in a couple of details and we will make sure your vehicle does not go uncared for by sending the service reminders to your inbox

-- Latest news - We bring you the latest news and scoops from the automobile industry in India and around the world

-- EMI Calculator - Fretting over EMIs is a thing of past once you are a member of BIGgaddi. Just plug in your loan amount along with the interest rate and loan term. Then sit back while we do all the calculations for you to verify

-- Future cars and concept car - Want first-hand information about the upcoming cars in the automobile market? Simply browse through our extensive database of future and concept cars and get your facts right!

-- Auto Shows - Paris, Geneva, New York, and India. Check out the cars launched and read reviews of the cars that created a stir and also about the ones that went unnoticed

-- Gallery - Auto enthusiasts can view and upload amazing pictures and videos of automobiles

-- Dealer and Service center locator - Buying a new 'gaddi'? Or facing problems with your 'gaddi'? Just enter you city and area and find a dealer and an authorized service center that is nearest to you! We also give you the ratings given to the dealers by other users

-- Accessories - Rev up your 'gaddi' and set the roads on fire with a host of accessories that are creating a rage in the automobile world

-- Reviews Read and post reviews and ratings regarding vehicle experiences


CONTACT DETAILS
Ms Jainee P. Gordhandas, BIGgaddi.com, +91 9824600744, Mail:feedback@biggaddi.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, MARKETING, AUTOMOTIVE, IT, TECHNOLOGY, AUTOMOTIVE

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BWI: Syntel Promotes Keshav Murugesh to Chief Executive Officer

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Syntel, Inc.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009 10:21 AM IST (04:51 AM GMT)
Editors: General: People; Business: Accounting & management consultancy services, Business services, Information technology; Technology
Release no: 19331
--------------------------------------------------
Syntel Promotes Keshav Murugesh to Chief Executive Officer


Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, Wednesday, February 25, 2009 -- (Business Wire India) -- Syntel, a global information technology services and Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) firm, today announced that the Syntel Board of Directors has promoted Keshav R. Murugesh to the post of Chief Executive Officer of the Company, effective immediately. Bharat Desai will continue as Chairman of the Board.

"Since joining Syntel, Keshav has consistently demonstrated strong leadership and has been a driving force behind Syntel's success. He has a proven track record of performance and has consistently delivered results in challenging situations," said Bharat Desai. "As Keshav assumes the role of CEO, as Chairman I will continue to work with Syntel's leadership in driving our market strategy and serving all stakeholders."

"I am honored to accept this opportunity to lead Syntel," said Keshav Murugesh. "For nearly 30 years, Bharat's leadership has transformed Syntel into a premier provider of IT and KPO services. I look forward to working closely with the Board and my team to ensure that Syntel continues to deliver innovative solutions to help our clients win in the marketplace."

Keshav Murugesh, 45, joined Syntel in 2002 as Chief Financial Officer. In 2004, he was promoted to the role of Chief Operating Officer and was named President and COO in 2006.

About Syntel

Syntel (NASDAQ: SYNT) is a leading global provider of integrated information technology and Knowledge Process Outsourcing (KPO) solutions spanning the entire lifecycle of business and information systems and processes. The Company is driven by its mission to create new opportunities for clients by harnessing the passion, talent and innovation of Syntel employees worldwide. Syntel leverages dedicated Centers of Excellence, a flexible Global Delivery Model, and a strong track record of building collaborative client partnerships to create sustainable business advantage for Global 2000 organizations. Recently named one of the "50 Best Managed Global Outsourcing Vendors" by The Black Book of Outsourcing, Syntel has over 12,300 employees worldwide, is assessed at SEI CMMi Level 5, and is ISO 27001 and ISO 9001:2000 certified. To learn more, visit us at: www.syntelinc.com.

Safe Harbor Provision

This news release includes forward-looking statements, including with respect to the future level of business for Syntel, Inc. These statements are necessarily subject to risk and uncertainty. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain risk factors set forth in the Company's Annual Form 10-K document dated March 11, 2008 and the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ending September 30, 2008.


CONTACT DETAILS
Sudhanshu Patni, Syntel, Inc., +91 9930313192, sudhanshu_patni@syntelinc.com

KEYWORDS
PEOPLE, CONSULTANCY SERVICES, BUSINESS SERVICES, IT, TECHNOLOGY, SYNT.O

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Tuesday, February 24, 2009

BWI: Ceat Announces a Fresh Round of Price Cuts

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Ceat Ltd
Tuesday, February 24, 2009 07:15 PM IST (01:45 PM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, Economy; Business: Automotives, Commodities & materials; Automotive
Release no: 19329
--------------------------------------------------
Ceat Announces a Fresh Round of Price Cuts
Passes on full Benefits of Excise Duty cut by Government to Consumers

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, Tuesday, February 24, 2009 -- (Business Wire India) -- Ceat Ltd has announced another round of reduction in the prices of its truck tyres, thus passing on to the customers the entire benefit of the 2 per cent excise duty reduction announced by the government.

This is the third round of price cuts announced by Ceat within a span of 3 months, the first tyre manufacturer to do so. The new prices will be effective all India with immediate affect.

Speaking about this initiative Arnab Banerjee, VP - Marketing & sales Ceat Ltd said, "Ceat's decision to further reduce the cost of its tyres is part of the company's belief of giving optimum benefit to its consumers.

ABOUT CEAT

CEAT Tyres, the flagship company of RPG Enterprises, with an annual turnover of Rs. 2,600 crore, was established in 1958. Today, CEAT is one of India's leading tyre manufacturers and has a strong presence in both domestic & international markets. The company manufactures over 10 million tyres every year and enjoys a major market share in the light truck & truck tyre market. CEAT tyres, tubes and flaps are renowned for their superior quality and durability. CEAT offers the widest range of tyres to all user segments and manufacture world-class radials for all Indian vehicles including: Heavy-duty Trucks and Buses, Light Commercial Vehicles, Earthmovers, Forklifts, Tractors, Trailers, Cars, Motorcycles and Scooters, Auto-rickshaws.

CEAT has three manufacturing plants - Mumbai (Bhandup), Nasik & Sri Lanka. The company currently exports tyres to nearly 110 countries across USA, Europe, Africa & other parts of Asia. CEAT has a robust network consisting of over 3,500 dealers, 33 regional offices and more that 100 C & F agents. CEAT also has a branded franchisee network 'CEAT Shoppe'. These Shoppes are retail tyre outlets, providing comprehensive expertise in tyres and tyre services -- all under one roof. The company has a dedicated Customer Service department, comprising Customer Service Managers in all four divisional offices, assisted by 50 Service Engineers. The board of the company is headed by Mr. R P Goenka, Chairman Emeritus and Mr. Harsh Goenka, Chairman, RPG Enterprises. Mr. Paras K Chowdhary is the Managing Director of CEAT Ltd and Mr. Arnab Banerjee heads the Sales & Marketing division.



CONTACT DETAILS
Kavita K Bhaskaran, Sampark Public Relations, 99873 55009, kavita.bhaskaran@sampark.com
Sunita Libera, Sampark Public Relations, +91 9821992518, sunita.libera@sampark.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, ECONOMY, AUTOMOTIVE, COMMODITIES, AUTOMOTIVE

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BWI: Wipro Announces the Launch of Insurance Claims Analytics Solution

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: WIPRO
Tuesday, February 24, 2009 05:46 PM IST (12:16 PM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Banking & financial services, Business services, Information technology; Technology
Release no: 19328
--------------------------------------------------
Wipro Announces the Launch of Insurance Claims Analytics Solution
Business Intelligence Solution to Address Performance Challenges in the Claim Units of Property & Casualty Insurance Carriers

Bangalore, Karnataka, India, Tuesday, February 24, 2009 -- (Business Wire India) -- Wipro Technologies, the Global IT Services business of Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT), today announced the launch of Insurance Claims Analytics (ICA) - an integrated business intelligence (BI) offering targeted at property and casualty (P&C) insurance carriers.

Built on the SAP® BusinessObjectsT XI 3.1 intelligence platform, this solution leverages SAP BusinessObjects BI solutions. The offering combines Wipro's strong knowledge of global insurance markets and experience in BI with the market-leading BI capabilities of the SAP BusinessObjects portfolio and SAP's insurance experience.

With up to 80 percent of P&C carriers' costs concentrated in the claims area1, BI and analytics solutions can have tremendous impact on the carriers' future profitability, competitiveness and compliance levels. Wipro recognizes that carriers need support in developing the right decision support systems to address their unique and unprecedented business challenges.

"Wipro is harvesting its extensive insurance and BI experience and knowledge to create solutions that will enable the P&C carriers to be more competitive, profitable and compliant," said Ajoy Menon, global insurance head, Wipro Technologies. "Due to its strategic importance, claims are the first area in which we would like to concentrate and help our clients become more successful. We are committed to pursuing business solutions as a major line of business and the Integrated Claims Analytics solution is a major step in this direction."

"Customers are demanding a proactive, insightful way to manage their claims processes more effectively," said Leo Schneider, senior vice president, IBU Insurance, SAP AG. "Building the solution on SAP BusinessObjects XI provides an integrated approach to claims analytics, enabling insurance companies to retain customers, reduce claims cost and improve competitiveness."

Research shows that the opportunity cost of ineffective claims management is extremely high; for instance over 50 percent of the insolvencies that happened between 1994 and 2004 in the U.S. P&C industry is attributed to poor reserves management2. Given the global inflationary trends contributing up to 12 percent rise3 in loss adjustment expenses, the efficiency gains in the Claims units directly contribute to the bottom line.

Wipro's ICA solution features integrated dashboards and predictive analytics to analyze and report the performance of Claims units. Wipro has created a large library of 500+ key performance indicators that covers all aspects of claims handling operations classified under approximately 70 CXO-level strategic priorities to allow the clients to choose the right set of metrics to effectively track and improve the performance of their claims units. It also provides powerful interactive what-if analysis capabilities supported by Xcelsius® software. An integrated predictive analytics workbench from SAP BusinessObjects helps in performance improvement in critical areas such as fraud prediction, subrogation handling and litigation management.

Demos of the ICA solution integrated with SAP BusinessObjects XI will be built and made available in the SAP Co-Innovation Lab.

About Wipro

Wipro Technologies, a division of Wipro Limited (NYSE:WIT) is the first PCMM Level 5 and SEI CMM Level 5 certified global IT services organization. Wipro Technologies was recently assessed at Level 5 for CMMI V 1.2 across offshore and onsite development centers. Wipro is one of the largest product engineering and support service providers worldwide. Wipro provides comprehensive research and development services, IT solutions and services, including systems integration, information systems outsourcing, package implementation, software application development, and maintenance services to corporations globally.

In the Indian market, Wipro is a leader in providing IT solutions and services for the corporate segment in India, offering system integration, network integration, software solutions and IT services.

Wipro also has a profitable presence in niche market segments of consumer products and lighting. In the Asia-Pacific and Middle East markets, Wipro provides IT solutions and services for global corporations. Wipro's ADS' are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, and its equity shares are listed in India on the Stock Exchange - Mumbai, and the National Stock Exchange. For more information, please visit our websites at www.wipro.com and www.wiprocorporate.com.

SAP and all SAP logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP AG in Germany and in several other countries. BusinessObjects and Xcelsius are trademarks or registered trademarks of Business Objects in the United States and/or other countries. Business Objects is an SAP company.

All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies.

SAP Forward-looking Statement

Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "intend," "may," "plan," "project," "predict," "should" and "will" and similar expressions as they relate to SAP are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. SAP undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations The factors that could affect SAP's future financial results are discussed more fully in SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including SAP's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates.

Forward-looking and Cautionary Statements

Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements, which involve a number of risks, and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in our earnings, revenue and profits, our ability to generate and manage growth, intense competition in IT services, our ability to maintain our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which we make strategic investments, withdrawal of fiscal governmental incentives, political instability, war, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property, and general economic conditions affecting our business and industry. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. We may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf.

1 Source: National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)
2 Source: SwissRe, August 2008
3 Source: Insurance Information Institute, October 2008

Media Contacts:

Wipro Technologies

India:

Radhika Mahadevan
Wipro Technologies
+91- 9945042603
radhika.mahadevan@wipro.com

Purvika Anand
Gutenberg Communications
+91 9901134441
purvika@gutenbergpr.com

US:

Lavanya DJ
Gutenberg Communications
+ 212.239.8740
lavanya@gutenbergpr.com

Eric Belove
Wipro Technologies
+ 1 (732).216.6242
eric.belove@wipro.com

UK:

Rahul Kadavakolu
Wipro Technologies
+44 792 020 5496
rahul.kadavakolu@wipro.com

Shalini Siromani
Gutenberg Communications
+44.79.6066.3200
shalini@gutenbergpr.com



KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, MARKETING, BANKING, BUSINESS SERVICES, IT, TECHNOLOGY, 507685.BO

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