Thursday, December 29, 2011

BWI: Tap, Turn, Tilt and Swipe your Way with JOY into the BMW World: Experience the BMW Magazine on your iPad

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: BMW India
Thursday, December 29, 2011 08:15 PM IST (02:45 PM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest; Business: Automotives, Business services, Information technology, Media & entertainment, Telecommunications; Automotive
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Tap, Turn, Tilt and Swipe your Way with JOY into the BMW World: Experience the BMW Magazine on your iPad
Be connected with JOY at Auto Expo 2012

New Delhi, Delhi, India, Thursday, December 29, 2011 -- (Business Wire India) -- The BMW Magazine app - winner of multiple awards, including the renowned 'red dot: best of the best' is now available at Auto Expo 2012.

The BMW Magazine app opens up a comprehensive multimedia brand experience to readers, above and beyond the printed version. Photo series, videos and sound files integrated into the layout along with a 'Find the Pair' game offer clear added value over the print magazine. Thanks to a clever navigation system, you can tap, turn, tilt and swipe your way through this lively mix of themes. Plus, there are exciting video clips, entertaining animations and direct links to the internet for guaranteed interactive reading, viewing and listening pleasure.

BMW Applications such as Mobile Car Configurator will be available for users on the iPad and available for download from the Apple AppStore (Indian version available from April 2012). The Mobile Car Configurator enables users to individualise the car using a wide range of parts inventory like color, upholstery, wheel rims and more. With convenience of the iPad, the users can virtually configure the car of their choice in a fun and interactive manner.

Visitors at the BMW Pavilion will also have the opportunity to connect to their online friends and share their offline experience by using the BMW Connect Card. Using the Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, the BMW Connect Card will enable visitors to connect to their Facebook account and post their pictures or 'Like' their favourite BMW cars on their Facebook wall.

The BMW Pavilion will also allow guests to download content directly on their phones via Bluetooth. As soon as Bluetooth is switched on, it will connect visitors to the BMW network inside the BMW Pavilion and provide options to download wallpapers and videos of BMW cars.

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

The New BMW X3

BMW Magazine

TOUCH ME
For picture(s)/data to illustrate this release click below:

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CONTACT DETAILS
Abhay Dange, Press and Corporate Affairs, BMW India, +91 9910481013/+ 91 (124) 4566600, abhay.dange@bmw.in
Richa Sharma, Press and Corporate Affairs, BMW India, +91 9910022148/ +91 (124) 4566655, richa.sharma@bmw.in

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, AUTOMOTIVE, BUSINESS SERVICES, IT, MEDIA, TELECOMMUNICATIONS, AUTOMOTIVE

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BWI: Future Competency Launch Event - Renowned International Serial Entrepreneurs Jeff & Kane – Founders of Industry Rockstar System - in India

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Future Competency
Thursday, December 29, 2011 05:45 PM IST (12:15 PM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, Entertainment; Business: Business services, Education & training, Media & entertainment
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Future Competency Launch Event - Renowned International Serial Entrepreneurs Jeff & Kane - Founders of Industry Rockstar System - in India


Bangalore, Karnataka and Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, Thursday, December 29, 2011 -- (Business Wire India) -- Future Competency, a skill sharing organization, post its recent launch with an objective to provide cutting edge training & knowledge to Indian entrepreneurs and the leading business community, has started the countdown to the New Year with 2012's most anticipated event, in five major cities of India. These events will be led by renowned business gurus Jeff Slayter & Kane Minkus, named 'Untold Secrets of Industry Rockstars' these will be one day sessions are for all business leaders, consultants and professionals on the path to become high achievers. Early bird registrations are to be received by the first week of January 2012 and the registration process is available via website on - www.kyazoonga.com/jeff&kane or customerservice@kyazoonga.com.

"The Industry Rockstar System is the start of something very special for the Indian Industry and an opportunity to create a profitable business out of something one is passionate about, increase current revenue to 6-7 figures, or simply add another revenue stream to current successful business or practice" says Shabbir Wahid, Director, Future Competency and former Australian Consul-General & Trade Commissioner to India.

Jeff & Kane's Industry Rockstar tour will begin January 21, 2012 in Mumbai at Intercontinental The Lalit, Pune will host the show on January 22 at Hyatt Regency, it will move south to Hyderabad on January 26 at Novotel & HICC Complex, Chennai on January 28 at Le Royal Meridien and conclude at Bangalore on January 29, 2012, held at Taj Vivanta.

For over a decade, Jeff & Kane have been true serial entrepreneurs and Industry Rockstars. Together, they founded 9 companies, growing 5 of them to 7 figures or more - and 2 of which became internationally leading brands. Their endeavors spanned several industries including entertainment, technology, real estate, internet, education and retail. They managed close to $100M of investment capital for investors and learned secrets of other Industry Rockstars from having top mentors, coaches and trainers, taking risks, making big mistakes and having huge successes.

YVS Vinod, Director, Future Competency said "This is a call for all Consultants, Coaches, Speakers, Practitioners, Authors, Professionals, Business Owners, and anyone looking to become a highly paid, high profile Industry Rockstar. We urge them to take this step and learn from Jeff & Kane to become sought after top executives".

In addition to starting their own multi-million dollar businesses, in the last 5 years Jeff & Kane have taught 100,000 people around the world how to break free of the pack and become leaders in their fields by unlocking their million dollar message. Jeff Slayter & Kane Minkus have worked with top executives and teams at Fortune 500 and large corporations like Apple, SanDisk, Disney, Lucas Arts, etc. They are known for providing engaging and thought provoking presentations that cause massive business breakthroughs, resulting in millions of dollars being created.

Jeff and Kane run multi-million dollar and multi-national companies in their 30s, and bring their expertise by combining over 7 years of intensive study and application of NLP & Neuro Science, traditional and nontraditional psychology, western and eastern philosophies, and have worked with the largest training and development companies in the world, like Landmark Education. They have studied world religions, philosophers and languages and combine these modalities in their program. Having consulted in 22 different countries, spent time with some of the world leaders in Internet Marketing like Frank Kern, Austin Walsh, Eben Pagan, world leaders like ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair, Sir Richard Branson, Tim Ferriss, they are geared to bring change and opportunities to India.

"We have been most impressed with enthusiasm and eagerness for learning in India. We have got great feedback and look forward to sharing our lessons with future Industry Rockstars at our events!" said Jeff and Kane.

About Future Competency

'Future Competency Seminars & Events LLP' is a part of the Auditax Enterprise Facilitation business group, a team with over 150 man-years of experience over 35 countries and 10 industries. Auditax has facilitated many Financial Institutions, Manufacturers, R&D Houses and other consulting firms and sought to provide innovative and efficient solutions, to accelerate the pace at which new ideas can be transformed into products that can access new markets and help markets expand. Having rewritten the rule book on consulting and coaching business, Auditax is now facilitating the creation of entrepreneurs and new economies through them.

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

Jeff & Kane in Jpeg format (Jeff Slayter & Kane Minkus, - Founders of Rockstar System)
For picture(s)/data to illustrate this release click below:

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CONTACT DETAILS
COMMSTRAT, +91 (80) 32948754/9342583323, commstrat.ind@gmail.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, ENTERTAINMENT, BUSINESS SERVICES, EDUCATION, MEDIA

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BWI: Band Akcent Rocked Mood Indigo 2011-Asia’s Biggest College Festival

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: AOL India
Thursday, December 29, 2011 05:38 PM IST (12:08 PM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest; Business: Business services, Education & training, Information technology, Media & entertainment; Technology
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Band Akcent Rocked Mood Indigo 2011-Asia's Biggest College Festival


Bangalore, Karnataka, India, Thursday, December 29, 2011 -- (Business Wire India) -- -- CoolAge was the online media partner of Mood Indigo 2011 and presenting sponsor of Band Akcent
-- Mood Indigo 2011 Microsite on CoolAge.In- a first for any college fest in the country


CoolAge the online and mobile-web product launched by AOL for Indian colleges, created a history by bringing down the renowned international band "Akcent" to India as the presenting sponsor for "Mood Indigo 2011"- the IIT Bombay college fest, considered as Asia's largest college festival. Akcent's performance rocked the final day of Mood Indigo with over 10,000 fans dancing away to the music. It was an even bigger treat for the 15 lucky winners of the Akcent CoolAge super fan quiz contest when the 15 students met Akcent personally and received autographed merchandise from them.

As the online media partner for Mood Indigo 2011, CoolAge also captured the various events and contests held over the four-day fest on the Mood Indigo microsite created on Coolage.in, which was also a first for any college fest in the country. The microsite was updated constantly- through the duration of the fest with photographs, articles, contest schedules, winner details amongst others.

"CoolAge celebrates college life and college festivals. Pronites and music are central to college fests and we felt bringing the biggest music sensation Akcent was the perfect way to pave way for year-end parties for the college going youth across the country. It is our way of thanking millions of college students who have made CoolAge a success in its debut year," shared Parthasarathy Madhukar, CoolAge, AOL.

"We are planning for more such innovative partnerships with colleges considering the overwhelming response we received from the participating students and organizers of Mood Indigo," added Madhukar.

CoolAge is a web, mobile product and platform that allow colleges to publish articles, stories, pictures and videos of all the activities that happen in their respective colleges. CoolAge celebrated non-academic achievements of colleges in India. CoolAge was borne out of a research that AOL India conducted last year with young Indians in 18 cities seeking to find out their internet / mobile web consumption pattern and their need for hyper-local content.

Be it a college debate, quiz, theatre festival or a music gig, paper presentation CoolAge provides students and colleges an opportunity to present news and goings on their campuses. Madhukar says, "CoolAge also empowers students by providing them jobs opportunities and training on the latest publishing systems and technologies, creating workshops for marketing, e-learning and conducting corporate speaker sessions."

CoolAge is also an online magazine for every college and brings together all these colleges under one website, enabling the students to track other colleges' activities across India from anywhere in the world. Editorial teams from colleges, prolific student writers, and students with a creative streak, have signed up on the platform to cover campus activities, news, buzz and events from their colleges. IIMs, IITs, BITs, NITs, LSR, Xavier's, St. Andrews, St. Stephens, MCC, Ethiraj and over 200 other colleges from India are part of www.coolage.in.

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

The Winners of the Akcent CoolAge Super Quiz Contest with Band Akcent and CoolAge Team
For picture(s)/data to illustrate this release click below:

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CONTACT DETAILS
Saleela Kappan, RED Communications, +91 9980188938, redcommunications07@gmail.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, BUSINESS SERVICES, EDUCATION, IT, MEDIA, TECHNOLOGY

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BWI: TERI’S LaBL Programme Launches Technology Resource Centre Scheme in Bihar

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)
Thursday, December 29, 2011 05:00 PM IST (11:30 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest; Business: Business services, Energy companies, Media & entertainment; Technology
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TERI'S LaBL Programme Launches Technology Resource Centre Scheme in Bihar
Overall aim of the programme is to achieve country's long term energy security and ecological sustainable growth, thereby enabling an environment for solar technology penetration in rural India

Patna, Bihar, India, Thursday, December 29, 2011 -- (Business Wire India) -- In order to bridge the existing gap between implementation and sustenance of rural energy projects, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) has launched a new institution today in Bihar, called Technology Resource Centre (TRC). TERI's Lighting a Billion Lives (LaBL) initiative has been touching hearts and expanding, thereby empowering the rural India. TRC is a local level enterprise (under the LaBL program) which provides after-sales service support to LaBL solar charging stations and is also authorised to market and sell LaBL solar products in the covered territory.

Apart from providing next door and reliable after-sales support, the TRC network also aids in imparting training and local capacity building for the execution and expansion of other rural solar energy access projects. The TRC personnel are provided training on not only LaBL technical servicing, but also on broader aspects of solar energy and technology application. A network of incubation centers such as the TRC would not only ensure quick adaptation of newer technologies in rural areas but also its long term sustenance and usage.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Bijendra Prasad Yadav, Minister, Department of Energy, Government of Bihar said, "The overall aim of the programme is to achieve the country's long term energy security and its ecologically sustainable growth. These programmes also enable an environment solar technology penetration in the country."

Highlighting the importance of such initiatives, Dr Akanksha Chaurey, Director, Decentralized Electricity Solutions, TERI, said, "This programme uniquely addresses the call for simultaneous and corresponding balance in technically qualified human resources in the solar sector, especially the rural areas. There is a need to engage rural workforce like technicians for undergoing training programmes and specialised courses to meet the requirement of skilled manpower for field installations and after sales service network to meet this challenge."

These centres are aided by UK's Department for International Development (DFID). DFID is supporting TERI to set up more than 400 such centers across the country by 2015.

The LaBL TRC programme provides an opportunity to become a certified and authorised LaBL- TRC that can earn regular income by providing after-sales service support and quality assurance to LaBL solar charging stations. LaBL TRCs personnel would regularly visits to LaBL solar charging stations for operation and maintenance besides providing repair services for solar lanterns using tools and spare parts.

The programme would also support charging station entrepreneurs by answering queries and providing Best-Practices, and would become a sales channel for quality solar products by active local marketing.

One can earn incremental income through the sale of a range of LaBL approved solar lanterns by acting as the local retailer and also enhance skill-sets through additional training on other clean energy programs in the area.

One of the key features of the programme is to get connected to the solar energy industry network through TERI's partners; ensuring back-end support from leading companies for additional livelihood opportunities.

TERI's approach towards training as part of its LaBL initiative has been at the multi-stakeholder level - the initiative imparts training at the user, operator and partner NGO levels to ensure overall sustainability. In the last two years, TERI has organised about 60 such programmes, to train and sensitise users (called LaBL Choupal); charging station operators (called Prakashdoot Prashikshan); and also developed institutional capacity of grassroots NGOs (called Aao Saath Chalein), in implementing decentralised solar programmes.

LaBL has till now distributed around 55,660 lanterns in the field covering over 1100 villages across 19 States in India, including 500 lanterns in Myanmar and 100 in Sierra Leone. More than 278,300 lives have been benefited so far, and 1100 plus green jobs have been created.

About Lighting a Billion Lives (LaBL)

LaBL is a unique and measurable sustainability initiative that effectively demonstrates how public-private-people partnership easily supports developmental schemes and initiatives particularly in the area of rural energy access. LaBL is a TERI initiative that aims to enable energy-impoverished communities across the globe to access clean and reliable sources of lighting through solar technologies in an attempt to improving their quality of life. LaBL provides a flexible entrepreneurship based energy service model in which solar charging stations (SCS) are set up in energy poor villages.

About: The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)

From microbiology to global climate change, from smoke-filled rural kitchens to plush corporate boardrooms, from schoolchildren to heads of state-no sphere of human endeavor is unfamiliar to TERI. Headed by world-renowned economist and Head of the Nobel Prize winning UN Climate panel, Dr. R K Pachauri, TERI is best described as an independent, not-for-profit research institute focused on energy, environment, and sustainable development and devoted to efficient and sustainable use of natural resources.

A dynamic and flexible organisation established in 1974, all activities in TERI move from formulating local and national level strategies to suggesting global solutions to critical energy and environment-related issues. Headquartered in New Delhi, TERI has established regional offices in Mumbai, Bangalore, Goa, Guwahati and Mukhteshwer in the Himalaya's and International centers in Japan, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, Washington DC, London and Utrecht, The Netherlands.


CONTACT DETAILS
Manish Kumar Pandey, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), + 91 9650103222, manish.pandey@teri.res.in

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, BUSINESS SERVICES, ENERGY, MEDIA, TECHNOLOGY

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BWI: IDBI Federal Heralds New Year with Childsurance

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: IDBI Federal Life Insurance Co Ltd
Thursday, December 29, 2011 04:30 PM IST (11:00 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, Economy, People; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Banking & financial services, Business services, Financial Analyst, Information technology, Retailers; Technology
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IDBI Federal Heralds New Year with Childsurance
Innovative child plan with five unique features for parents to safeguard their child's future

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, Thursday, December 29, 2011 -- (Business Wire India) -- Heralding the New Year, private insurer IDBI Federal Life Insurance today announced the launch of its premier Child Plan, IDBI Federal Childsurance® Dreambuilder Insurance Plan, ideal for parents of children aged one month to 17 years.

Childsurance® is a Unit Linked Insurance Plan with innovative features that ensure a perfect combination of optimum returns and safety. The plan includes features such as Joint Life Cover, Guaranteed Loyalty Additions, Education Support Benefit, Lumpsum Payment of Future Premiums (on death) and Systematic Allocator Fund that help create a child plan that does not fail.

Announcing the launch of 'Childsurance Dreambuilder Plan', Mr. G V Nageswara Rao, Managing Director and CEO of IDBI Federal Life Insurance, said: "Children are the foundation of our future and therefore planning for them, needs to be done carefully and successfully. We at IDBI Federal Life Insurance have created yet another innovative product with Childsurance Dreambuilder plan which manages the twin expectations of growth to counter rising education costs and protection to ensure the plan doesn't get derailed. The plan has five unique features for parents to ensure their child's future and education would remain unaffected under any circumstances or exigencies."

Five Unique Features:

1. Systematic Allocator: Systematically transfers fund from Equity Growth Fund to the Income Fund over the policy term to protect the corpus from equity market volatility closer to maturity

2. Joint Life Cover: Since both parents are contributors to the household income, on death of any one parent, future premiums are waived. Sum insured being paid when both parents die

3. Lumpsum Payment of Future Premiums: In case of death of the parent, all future premiums are waived and invested in the plan as a lumpsum in the plan

4. Guaranteed Loyalty Additions: At the end of the 10th policy year and every five years thereafter to boost the child plan corpus

5. Education Support benefit: In case of death of the policy holder, this feature will ensure systematic withdrawals in the last 5 years of the plan to support child's education

The plan provides a wide range of fund options for investment with an option of a unique 'Systematic Allocator' that systematically allocates funds from an Equity Growth Fund to the Income Fund over the policy term to protect the corpus as it nears maturity. While Childsurance builds the corpus over a period of time, it also allows liquidity with partial withdrawals and surrender options in case of need for funds.

Emphasizing on the objective of a Child plan, Mr. Aneesh Khanna - Senior Vice President Head - Marketing and Product Management of IDBI Federal Life Insurance said, "Planning for the children's future is a challenging yet an essential task for every parent. Whatever their child decides, they will certainly need good quality education to succeed in their chosen line of work. Our Systematic Allocator and Lumpsum Payment of Future Premiums are features that combine the benefits of growth and protection in the interest of the customer."

The policy term can be conveniently chosen to coincide with the age when the child will require the corpus for his education, marriage or any other career goals, any policy term between 10 and 25 years is available. The plan starts with a minimum annual premium of Rs 25,000 and maximum Rs 100,000. Additional top ups of minimum Rs 5,000 can be made at any time to help accumulate the child's education corpus faster.

The plan comes with dual tax benefits - premiums paid are eligible for deduction from taxable income under section 80C and the maturity amount is exempt from tax under section 10(10D). Thus the benefits are fully available to meet the financial needs of the child or to take care of expenses as in the case of crisis.

About IDBI Federal Life Insurance

IDBI Federal Life Insurance Co Ltd is a joint-venture of IDBI Bank, India's premier development and commercial bank, Federal Bank, one of India's leading private sector banks and Ageas, a multinational insurance giant based out of Europe. In this venture, IDBI Bank owns 48% equity while Federal Bank and Ageas own 26% equity each. At IDBI Federal, we endeavor to deliver products that provide value and convenience to the customer. Through a continuous process of innovation in product and service delivery we intend to deliver world-class wealth management, protection and retirement solutions to Indian customers. Having started in March 2008, in just five months of inception we became one of the fastest growing new insurance companies to garner Rs 100 Cr in premiums. The company offers its services through a vast nationwide network across the branches of IDBI Bank and Federal Bank in addition to a sizeable network of advisors and partners. As on November 30th, 2011, the company has issued over 3.35 lakh policies with over Rs 18783 Cr in Sum Assured. Do visit www.idbifederal.com to know more.

About the sponsors of IDBI Federal Life Insurance Co Ltd

IDBI Bank Ltd. continues to be, since its inception, India's premier industrial development bank. Created in 1956 to support India's industrial backbone, IDBI Bank has since evolved into a powerhouse of industrial and retail finance. Today, it is amongst India's foremost commercial banks, with a wide range of innovative products and services, serving retail and corporate customers in all corners of the country from 908 branches and 1514 ATMs. The Bank offers its customers an extensive range of diversified services including project financing, term lending, working capital facilities, lease finance, venture capital, loan syndication, corporate advisory services and legal and technical advisory services to its corporate clients as well as mortgages and personal loans to its retail clients. As part of its development activities, IDBI Bank has been instrumental in sponsoring the development of key institutions involved in India's financial sector -National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE) and National Securities Depository Ltd, SHCIL (Stock Holding Corporation of India Ltd), CARE (Credit Analysis and Research Ltd). Please visit www.idbibank.com to know more.

Federal Bank is one of India's leading private sector banks, with a dominant presence in the state of Kerala. It has a strong network of over 832 branches and 880 ATMs spread across India. The bank provides over four million retail customers with a wide variety of financial products. Federal Bank is one of the first large Indian banks to have an entirely automated and interconnected branch network. In addition to interconnected branches and ATMs, the Bank has a wide range of services like Internet Banking, Mobile Banking, Tele Banking, Any Where Banking, debit cards, online bill payment and call centre facilities to offer round the clock banking convenience to its customers. The Bank has been a pioneer in providing innovative technological solutions to its customers and the Bank has won several awards and recommendations. Please visit www.federalbank.co.in to know more.

Ageas is an international insurance company with a heritage spanning more than 180 years. Ranked among the top 20 insurance companies in Europe, Ageas has chosen to concentrate its business activities in Europe and Asia, which together make up the largest share of the global insurance market. These are grouped around four segments: Belgium, United Kingdom, Continental Europe and Asia and served through a combination of wholly owned subsidiaries and partnerships with strong financial institutions and key distributors around the world. Ageas operates successful partnerships in Belgium, UK, Luxembourg, Italy, Portugal, Turkey, China, Malaysia, India and Thailand and has subsidiaries in France, Germany, Hong Kong and UK. It is the market leader in Belgium for individual life and employee benefits, as well as a leading non-life player, through AG Insurance, and in the UK, it has a strong presence as the third largest player in private car insurance and the over 50's market. It employs more than 13,000 people and has annual inflows of almost EUR 18 billion. Please visit www.ageas.com to know more.

Additional information:

Download Product Brochure:
http://www.idbifederal.com/Download/Brochures/Pages/default.aspx

Product Section on the Website:
http://www.idbifederal.com/Products/Childsurance/Pages/default.aspx

Download Logos:
http://www.idbifederal.com/Press/Pages/Download-Logos.aspx





CONTACT DETAILS
Anilkumar Yadav, Concept PR, +91 9869632008 /9769808828, anil@conceptpr.com
Aarti Raina, Concept PR, +91 8879123914, aarti.r@conceptpr.com
Nida Paloba, IDBI Federal Life Insurance Co Ltd, +91 (22) 2490 8170/ 9821017561, nida.paloba@idbifederal.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, ECONOMY, PEOPLE, MARKETING, BANKING, BUSINESS SERVICES, Financial Analyst, IT, RETAIL, TECHNOLOGY

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BWI: Ajmera Global School Initiates Save Tiger Campaign on their Annual Sports Meet

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Ajmera Global School
Thursday, December 29, 2011 01:00 PM IST (07:30 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, Economy, Entertainment, Environment, People; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Education & training, Media & entertainment, Sports
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Ajmera Global School Initiates Save Tiger Campaign on their Annual Sports Meet


Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, Thursday, December 29, 2011 -- (Business Wire India) -- Ajmera Global School celebrated its 6th Annual Sports and Games function on 17th December, 2011. The event was graced by the presence of former Indian Cricketer Mr. Balvinder Singh Sandhu who played a major role in bringing the 1983 Cricket World Cup to our country. AGS Sports Day, was just not about promoting games and sports, it also had social message of "Save Tigers" which was a collaborative brainchild of the school staff. Ms. Hima Doshi, Principal, Ajmera Global School addressed AGS's agenda was to make children aware about how important it is to save wild life, more importantly tigers, as their number is depleting rapidly. It was not like a regular Sports Day; it had an edge to it.

School playground wore the festive look with colorful flags. The torch of flame was brought by the students in a rally from liberty point by the captain of the school full of energy and amidst the cheers and was handed over to the Chief Guest, Mr. Balvinder who lighted the torch lamp and hoisted the AGS flag. Students of the school saluted the dignitaries. Sports meet was declared open by the Chief Guest. Games like 100 mtrs relay race, skipping race were well conducted. Ajmera Global School has tied up with Sports Gurukul for all its sports activities. Also Mr. Jay Shah, Head, Sports Gurukul along with his team was seeing putting a lot of efforts making this event a huge success.

Mr. Dhaval Ajmera and Mrs. Prachi Ajmera, Directors, Ajmera Global School congratulated the students on this occasion and expressed hope that the school flourished to even greater heights. She congratulated the students and expressed that they were lucky to have such a lovely atmosphere and hoped that the students may make role models like Mr. Balvinder and make our country proud.

Programs like aerobics, martial arts were performed by the students on this occasion followed by final games and races. Many prizes were given to the students for their excellent performance in many games & sports. Mr. Balvinder felt honored to be with the future citizens of India. He felt that nothing comes easy so he advised the students to work hard and concentrate on the mental toughness and achieve their respective goals.

Log onto http: //www.ajmeraglobalschool.com/ for more information

To view the photograph, please click on the link given below:
Mr. Balvinder Singh Sandhu, Former Indian Cricketer and Mrs. Prachi Ajmera, Director, Ajmera Global School
For picture(s)/data to illustrate this release click below:

http://www.BusinessWireIndia.com/attachments/Mr. Balvinder Singh Sandhu & Mrs. Prachi Ajmera with the students.JPG
Mr. Balvinder Singh Sandhu & Mrs. Prachi Ajmera with the students.JPG


CONTACT DETAILS
Ms. Bhagyashri Bandekar, Aria PR, +91 9167082414, infoariapr@gmail.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, ECONOMY, ENTERTAINMENT, ENVIRONMENT, PEOPLE, MARKETING, EDUCATION, MEDIA, SPORTS

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Wednesday, December 28, 2011

BWI: Clingle Partners with Red Bull to Provide the Latest Updates from Sunburn Goa 2011

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Clingle
Wednesday, December 28, 2011 05:37 PM IST (12:07 PM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, Lifestyle; Business: Business services, Information technology, Telecommunications; Technology
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Clingle Partners with Red Bull to Provide the Latest Updates from Sunburn Goa 2011
iOS, Android and Blackberry users could get updates by following Red Bull on Clingle

New Delhi, Delhi, India, Wednesday, December 28, 2011 -- (Business Wire India) -- Clingle, the geo-social mobile app that enables users to send location based personal messages with a picture or video or "Clings," has partnered with Red Bull to provide the latest updates from Sunburn Goa 2011.

Clingle allows its users to send "Clings," with texts and/ or pictures and/ or videos across people in their network to interactively capture check-in moments. The app was launched in November this year from the makers of MyCityWay, the world's most preferred urban mobility app, and is already available to iOS, Android and Blackberry users. The app, Clingle, is steadily gaining traction in the Indian market because of its rich features.

Red Bull has partnered with Clingle to bring spectators closer to the magic via their iPhone, Android and Blackberry applications. People at the Sunburn event or those seeking updates on the same can get the Clingle app from iTunes app store, Android market or the Blackberry app world and follow Red Bull. Followers could avail themselves of the following benefits:

-- Live updates of the event through interactive videos, audios and photos
-- Tips on the most happening places and real time updates from various festival venues.
Users can add their friends and capture and share their festival experiences with Red Bull through "Clings"

Mr. Vijay Ramkumar, Vice President, MyCityWay Systems Pvt Ltd, commented on the partnership, "We're very excited with this partnership and thank Red Bull for the opportunity. We believe in the power of location based conversations and what better location to showcase the same than Sunburn Goa 2011!"

He further added, "By following Red Bull on Clingle, people at Sunburn and those who want to be updated with the latest developments will be constantly apprised on all the crazy fun that's happening at this festival."

The other benefits that people in and around Sunburn Goa 2011 could avail by using Clingle are as follows:
-- Users can use Clingle to explore venues in Goa, right from coffee shops to night clubs and also share their experiences at the venues by check-ing in and sharing it in their social stream, across Twitter and Facebook.
-- With over 95 DJs playing this year, spectators can use Clingle to plan out their day by sharing the DJ line up, a festival map, Red Bull gig alerts, tips and an interactive map that can help explore the festival grounds for dining, bars, restrooms and places to head for the best after parties!

About Clingle

Clingle is built by MyCityWay Systems Pvt ltd, a company headquartered in Coimbatore, India. The company has also previously built another app called MyCityWay, which is the world's most preferred urban mobility app, with presence over 60+ International cities. Find us on twitter @Clingleapp. Clingle can be downloaded on Android, iPhone and Blackberry.


CONTACT DETAILS
Karan Bhujbal, 20:20 MSL, +91 9818092091, karan.bhujbal@2020msl.com

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

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BWI: BMW Group to Present Strategic Car Models at Auto Expo 2012

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: BMW India
Wednesday, December 28, 2011 04:40 PM IST (11:10 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, Lifestyle; Business: Automotives, Business services, Media & entertainment; Automotive
--------------------------------------------------
BMW Group to Present Strategic Car Models at Auto Expo 2012
JOY grows with excitement

Gurgaon, Haryana, India, Wednesday, December 28, 2011 -- (Business Wire India) -- BMW Group will participate in Auto Expo 2012 with its two brands BMW and MINI exclusively at Hall No. 9.

MINI will debut as a premium brand in India at Auto Expo 2012 with the launch of MINI, MINI Convertible and MINI Countryman exclusively at the MINI Pavilion.

BMW India will unveil the BMW Vision ConnectedDrive concept study and launch the new BMW M5 in India. BMW India will also present the exclusive limited-edition BMW Individual 7 Series Composition inspired by piano manufacturer Steinway & Sons.

The time for the press conferences on 5 January 2012 are as below:

BMW 5.10 pm
MINI 5.30 pm

Dr. Kay Segler, Senior Vice President, MINI Business Coordination and Brand Management
will address the press briefing for MINI.

Dr. Andreas Schaaf, President, BMW India will address the press briefings for BMW and MINI and will share the market strategy in India for the year 2012.

The BMW Pavilion will also display the BMW 3 Series, the BMW 3 Series Convertible, the BMW 5 Series, the new BMW 6 Series Coupe, the new 6 Series Convertible, the BMW X1, the new BMW X3, the BMW X5 and the BMW X6.

BMW Group in India

With its three brands, BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, the BMW Group has its sights set firmly on the premium sector of the Indian automobile market. Along with its automotive concerns, the BMW Group's activities in India comprise the marketing of motorcycles, as well as financial services for its premium clientele.

BMW India

Headquartered in Gurgaon (National Capital Region), BMW India is a 100% subsidiary of the BMW Group. Till date, BMW Group has invested 1.8 billion Indian Rupees. The wide range of BMW activities in India include the establishment of a production plant in Chennai, parts warehouse in Mumbai and development of a dealer organisation across major metropolitan centres of the country. The BMW Plant Chennai produces the BMW 3 Series, the BMW 5 Series and the BMW X1 in petrol and diesel variants. The new BMW X3 is produced in diesel variants. The BMW Plant Chennai has the capacity to produce 11,000 units per year on a double shift basis. The total number of employees at BMW India is 650. More than 1200 additional jobs have been created in the dealer and service network. By end of 2012, BMW India will aggressively expand its dealer network by increasing the number of outlets to 40 across major metropolitan centers and emerging markets in India (from the present 25 outlets).

MINI India

The BMW Group will introduce MINI as a premium brand in India in January 2012. MINI will be introduced in India as a CBU (completely built-up) unit with the launch of MINI, MINI Convertible and MINI Countryman. An exclusive MINI dealer network will be established in India for this purpose. In the start-up phase, BMW Group will concentrate on successfully establishing the MINI brand in India.

The BMW Group

The BMW Group is one of the most successful manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles in the world with its BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 25 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

During the year 2010, the BMW Group sold 1.46 million cars and more than 110,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for 2010 was euro 4.8 billion on revenues amounting to euro 60.5 billion. On 31 December 2010, the BMW Group had a workforce of approximately 95,500 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been built on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy. As a result of its efforts, the BMW Group has been ranked industry leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes for the last seven years.

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

BMW Vision ConnectedDrive

The new BMW M5

MINI
For picture(s)/data to illustrate this release click below:

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CONTACT DETAILS
Abhay Dange, Press and Corporate Affairs, BMW India, +91 9910481013/ + 91 (124) 4566 600, abhay.dange@bmw.in

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, LIFESTYLE, AUTOMOTIVE, BUSINESS SERVICES, MEDIA, AUTOMOTIVE

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BWI: Online Home Loan Transfer Calculator Launched by Deal4loans.com for Customers to Save by Switching their Home Loan

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Deal4loans.com
Wednesday, December 28, 2011 10:30 AM IST (05:00 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest; Business: Banking & financial services, Business services, Construction, Information technology, Real estate; Technology
--------------------------------------------------
Online Home Loan Transfer Calculator Launched by Deal4loans.com for Customers to Save by Switching their Home Loan


New Delhi, Delhi, India, Wednesday, December 28, 2011 -- (Business Wire India) -- Deal4loans.com has launched an online home loan balance transfer calculator which instantly calculates how much you can save by switching your home loan.

All you need to do is insert your existing home loan rate and prepayment charges and based on that it gives you instant quote of four other bank rates and tells you how much you can save.

With prepayment charges being reduced to nil- the opportunity for the customer to save by changing the home loan bank is big.

You can check how much you can save by transferring your existing loans to some other bank at lower rates with a simple calculation available in Deal4loans.com.

Switch to save is a phenomenon that is rapidly gaining in popularity, particularly as consumers search for ways to limit their spending during these financially challenging times. By accessing the Home Loan Balance Transfer Calculator you can save in your hard earned money. Even a 1.0% reduction in the interest rate can save you more money than Rs.1.5 lakh on a loan of 10 lakh over a 20 yr period. This is very much simple as you just need make a few calculations and check out the difference.

Example. If a person takes a loan from X bank at a interest rate of 14.65% for a tenure of 20years for a loan amount (30 lacs) his EMI would amount to Rs. 38,731 while another Y bank lends at a rate of 10.75% his new EMI would amount to Rs.31,065.

Here, as a thumb rule, one should go for switching in the loans, only if the difference in interest rates is at least 1.5-2 per cent, with remaining loan tenure of around 8-10 years.

About us:

Deal4loans.com is a completely independent Loan comparison service and gives online quote for various Banks. With tie ups with all major Banks we are India s leading online retail distribution channel.

Deal4loans.com has added four banks/Nbfc in this quarter and has now maximum tie ups with Banks in the online aggregation space.Deal4loans.com get more than 1.5 lac customer requests per month for loans and credit cards.


CONTACT DETAILS
Nidhi Khanna, Deal4loans.com, +91 9873315553, nidhi@deal4loans.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, BANKING, BUSINESS SERVICES, CONSTRUCTION, IT, REAL ESTATE, TECHNOLOGY

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Tuesday, December 27, 2011

BWI: Homeshop18.com and Microsoft Collaborate to Offer Consumers a Unique Shopping Experience

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: HomeShop18
Tuesday, December 27, 2011 05:22 PM IST (11:52 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest; Business: Business services, Household & personal care products & services, Information technology; Technology
--------------------------------------------------
Homeshop18.com and Microsoft Collaborate to Offer Consumers a Unique Shopping Experience
HomeShop18.com offers unique benefits brought alive by Windows 7 and Internet Explorer 9

New Delhi, Delhi, India, Tuesday, December 27, 2011 -- (Business Wire India) -- This holiday season, HomeShop18.com, India's largest virtual shopping portal, teams up with Microsoft to bring its best selling offers closer to its devoted customers. HomeShop18.com users can browse the website faster through a one click access system, using Windows 7 and Internet Explorer 9. All customers who upgrade to Internet Explorer 9 and pin HomeShop18.com to their IE9 browser will get a free gift voucher and easy access to their favourite shopping portal from their desktop taskbar. Windows Internet Explorer 9 can be downloaded free from www.homeshop18.com or from www.beautyoftheweb.in.

Commenting on the association, Sundeep Malhotra, Founder and CEO, HomeShop18 says, "We feel proud to partner with Microsoft to offer easy access to our e-commerce portal HomeShop18.com. With this association, we wish to introduce further unique technological benefits in order to strengthen our customer interface. Keeping all the consumer needs in mind, we have announced the association with Microsoft.''

"We are very excited about our partnership with HomeShop18.com, one of India's fastest growing web destinations Through this association, we have made it simple and fun for Homeshop18.com subscribers to get one-click access to their favorite shopping site with Internet Explorer 9. We are confident that Indians will love this all new immersive browsing experience", said Senthilkumar Sundaram, Director - Product Marketing, Microsoft India.


This association will help Homeshop18.com users to easily 'Pin' the website to their Windows 7 taskbar and get one-click access to their favorite shopping site. Additionally, users can simply right click the taskbar icon for quick access lists, also called Jumplists. Users can avail these benefits by upgrading their browser for free to Internet Explorer 9, and in the process use the world's most secure browser (as proven by independent tests conducted by NSS Labs).

Going forward, Microsoft & HomeShop18.com plan to collaboratively offer advanced applications and features like offering HTML5 based premium online shopping delight to the consumers.

About HomeShop18:

HomeShop18 is Network18 group's online and television retail marketing and distribution venture.

HomeShop18.com is India's fastest growing e-commerce website (traffic growing at the rate of 400% YoY) with a monthly reach of over 2.5 million unique visitors (ComScore: October 2011), each spending over 8 minutes (avg.) on the website. Adding a new customer every 6 seconds, HomeShop18's robust distribution set-up helps it reach out to over 3000 locations in the country. HomeShop18 offers a complete product range across all major categories; including digital, fashion & lifestyle, beauty products, jewellery, kitchen essentials, home & furnishings, kids' gear, books and many more. HomeShop18 has partnered with more than 500 established brands and marquee labels such as Reebok, Lee, Peter England, Nokia, Canon, Samsung, Whirlpool, Videocon, Spice and Sia among many others, giving its millions of customers over 70 lakh products to choose from.

HomeShop18's 6.1 million CRM base is supported by a trained and customer focused 24X7 call centre manned by 750 executives catering to over 35,000 calls a day.

About Microsoft India

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software - any time, any place and on any device. Microsoft Corporation (India) Private Ltd is a subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation, USA. It has had a presence in India since 1990 and currently has offices in 13 cities - Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune.

For more information on Microsoft Internet Explorer 9, visit www.microsoft.com/ie or www.beautyoftheweb.in


CONTACT DETAILS
Siddharth Bijpuria, PR Pundit, +91 8800922828, siddharth.b@prpundit.com
Ritika Kashyap, PR Pundit, +91 9654283809, ritika.k@prpundit.com
Soumya Chandran, HomeShop18, +91 9811376648, soumya.chandran@network18online.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, BUSINESS SERVICES, HOUSEHOLD, IT, TECHNOLOGY

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BWI: ESPN STAR Sports Launches HD Channels on Cable Networks

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: ESPN STAR Sports
Tuesday, December 27, 2011 03:22 PM IST (09:52 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, Sports; Business: Business services, Media & entertainment, Sports
--------------------------------------------------
ESPN STAR Sports Launches HD Channels on Cable Networks
Signs contract with leading MSOs including Incable, Seven Star & UCN

New Delhi, Delhi, India, Tuesday, December 27, 2011 -- (Business Wire India) -- ESPN STAR Sports, Asia's leading sports broadcaster, today announced the launch of services of its HD channels ESPN HD & STAR Cricket HD on the cable networks. The broadcaster announced that it has signed distribution contracts of HD channels with 3 leading national level MSOs including IndusInd Media Communications Ltd (Incable), Seven Star network in Mumbai and UCN in Central India. Services of ESPN HD and STAR cricket HD were hitherto available on almost all leading DTH players but this it will be the first time that the HD sports channels would be made available to the cable viewers in the country.

Speaking on the occasion, TS Panesar, Vice President - Affiliate Sales, ESPN Software India Pvt Ltd, said, "We are delighted that cable viewers would now have the opportunity to watch the highly anticipated India Australia cricket series in high definition. We are extremely confident about the future prospects of our HD offerings and this is just a start. With the digitization of the entire distribution industry in cable fraternity on the anvil, this deal with the leading MSOs is a harbinger of what is in store in the future."

"We have a very content heavy year in front us. The Australian tour will keep us busy till March 2012. It is a long tour with more than 37 days of live international content. The tour will be followed by the broadcast of the London 2012 Summer Olympic Games. As the official broadcaster of the London 2012 Games, we will showcase the complete Olympics experience for the first time to sports fans across the region, with coverage on ESPN STAR Sports' multiple platforms. The live telecast of ICC T20 World Cup in Sri Lanka follows on our networks in September to be followed by the telecast of Nokia Champions League Twenty20 in October, " added Panesar.

Nagesh Chhabria, CEO, Incable, said, "We are delighted to sign the distribution contract for HD channels from ESPN STAR Sports bouquet. Even though the number of subscribers of HD channels are currently low, we are confident that the base would grow at a very healthy pace. This is the future and as always, we wanted to be at the forefront."

Nadir Ali, Director, Seven Star, added, "It is interesting to note how the industry is shaping up. We are ready with the backend infrastructure to support and infact lead these new changes that are happening in the cable distribution sector. HD channels have huge potential and we are delighted to add ESPN HD and STAR Cricket HD in our product offering."

Jagdish Paliya, Director, UCN Nagpur, said, "We have always believed in giving maximum options to our consumers and the addition of ESPN HD and STAR Cricket HD is a step in that direction. India Australia tour should give a fillip to the HD subscriber base in the country."


CONTACT DETAILS
Sameer Bajaj, Associate Director - Corporate Communications, ESPN Software India Pvt. Ltd, +91 (124) 4147777/ +91 9811222700, sameerb@espnstar.co.in
Sukriti Kalra, IPAN Hill & Knowlton, +91 9910393262, skalra@ipanhillandknowlton.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, SPORTS, BUSINESS SERVICES, MEDIA

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BWI: Micromax Strengthens its Core Team / Management in India

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Micromax
Tuesday, December 27, 2011 03:09 PM IST (09:39 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest; Business: Accounting & management consultancy services, Business services, Information technology, Telecommunications; Technology
--------------------------------------------------
Micromax Strengthens its Core Team / Management in India


New Delhi, Delhi, India, Tuesday, December 27, 2011 -- (Business Wire India) -- -- Mr. Deepak Mehrotra joins as the new CEO from Bharti Airtel
-- Mr. Khaja Muzaffarullah joins as the Feature phone division head from Sony Ericsson
-- Appoints Mr. Ajay Sharma, Ex Country Head from HTC to lead the Smart phone division

Micromax, the leading Indian mobile brand, in its endeavor to further firm up its leadership position in the market, today announced appointment of key positions further strengthening its management team in India. At the helm of affairs will now be Deepak Mehrotra, joining as the new Micromax CEO. His last assignment in Bharti was as the operations directors- mobility business, handling a large part of the country.

The brand is already a key player in the feature phone segment and is now aggressively looking to capture the smartphone market share as well. The focus going forward will be to have two separate divisions, the 'Feature Phone division' to be led by Mr. Khaja Muzaffarullah and Smart phone division' to be headed by Mr. Ajay Sharma.

Commenting on the development, Rahul Sharma, Executive Director, Micromax said, "We are a brand that's admired for its different thinking and challenging the conventional. The new team brings with them wealth of experience by virtue of their long-standing association and in-depth understanding of the overall mobility market globally."

Considering the way Micromax has taken the unprecedented leap in the mobile ecosystem in India and globally, the appointments are a testimony to a great future in coming times as well. Says Deepak Mehrotra, CEO, Micromax Informatics Ltd, "These are exciting times not only for the brand but for the industry as a whole. We are witnessing technology advancements every day and that further excites us at Micromax. The Indian mobile industry is growing at a rate of 12% and we would like to capture this opportunity and drive the next phase of growth for the brand. We would further leverage brand's success in this high potential Indian market and build new capabilities.

He added, "The Indian market will witness a smart phone revolution which has only just begin, we would want to script this story in the typical Micromax way"

The innovative feature phones from Micromax have already changed the game in the industry. In the next 2 years, as India gears up become the largest mobile market, Micromax aims to double its reach as well and strengthen its distribution network. Leading this vision will be Khaja Muzaffarullah, Head of sales for feature phone division, as he leverages his expertise on emerging markets. Khaja Muzaffarullah, was earlier with Sony Ericsson at a leadership position.

Commenting on his new role, Muzaffarullah said, "The channels partners are a key to our business model and form the backbone of our strong presence in the country. We would be strengthing our distribution across the country and work towards creating a robust network that brings us closer to the customer.

Micromax has already established its leadership in the feature phone market in India and as India witnesses adoption of android, Micromax aims to build a strong portfolio of smartphones for the discerning Indian consumers.

Commenting about the potential of smartphones, Ajay Sharma, who is leading the Smart phone division at Micromax says, "Micromax would aspire a 10% of the market share at the earliest.

About Micromax

Micromax,
is the largest Indian mobile handset company, in terms of units shipped during the quarter ended March 31, 2010 and the third largest mobile handset seller as at March 31, 2010 (Source: IDC's India Quarterly Mobile Handsets Tracker, 1Q 2010, June 2010 release). Micromax has sales presence across India and global presence in Hong Kong, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri-Lanka, Maldives, UAE, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Afghanistan and Brazil.


CONTACT DETAILS
Sheetal Singh, 20:20 MSL, +91 9891462813, sheetal.singh@2020msl.com
Anubha Prakash, 20:20 MSL, +91 9958002883, anubha.prakash@2020msl.com

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

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BWI: Dell Looks to Manage Business Costs of SMBs through its Laser Printer Range

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Dell India
Tuesday, December 27, 2011 01:07 PM IST (07:37 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest; Business: Business services, Information technology; Technology
--------------------------------------------------
Dell Looks to Manage Business Costs of SMBs through its Laser Printer Range
Hansa Research findings reveal speed, cost and efficiency as key differentiators of Dell Laser printers

Bangalore, Karnataka, India, Tuesday, December 27, 2011 -- (Business Wire India) -- Dell today revealed the findings of a study conducted by Hansa Research, which involved not only a comparison of claims made by leading printer manufacturers but also a survey conducted amongst resellers to determine the cost per page (CPP) & cost of operation (COO) for various Laser printer models. This study is aimed at understanding the commercial laser printer options that could help Small and Medium Businesses ("SMBs") optimize their total cost of operation. The study highlights efficiencies of Dell laser printers in terms of speed and cost, thereby reiterating Dell's claim of its commercial printers manage business costs, by reducing the total cost of operations.

SMBs need to maximize every resource as they strive for business growth. Printing is one such expenditure that when managed proactively, can help reduce business costs and hence this study serves as a reference point to all small and medium businesses that are exploring printing options.

Commenting on the report, Mr. Shishir Singh, Director - Product Marketing, CSMB, Dell India, stated, "At Dell, we are focused on helping businesses operate efficiently and making the most of their IT, so they can simplify day-to-day tasks, increase productivity, and focus on innovation. This study carried out by Hansa Research reiterates our commitment to serve SMBs with products that are best suited for them."

He further added, "Our Laser printers help SMBs maximize their investment and achieve exceptional long term value, with feature rich products at affordable purchase prices and low total cost of printing. This along with our commitment towards improving the customer experience for all products while giving our customers the power to do more is what makes Dell a formidable player across categories, including printers."

Key findings of the study based on a comparative evaluation of the claims made by laser printer manufacturers on tech specification, cost per page (CPP) and total cost of operation (COO) are as detailed below:

-- Dell 1130 printer scores highest, amongst competing models of other companies, in terms of speed, paper maximum output capacity and maximum duty per cycle
-- Dell 1130N laser printer scored highest, amongst competing models of other companies, in terms of paper maximum output capacity.
-- Dell 1133 printer has the best maximum duty cycle, in terms of pages per minute and paper maximum output capacity, when compared to competing models of other companies
-- Dell 1135 printer scores the highest, amongst competing models of other companies, in terms of speed, paper maximum output capacity and shipped toner cartridge capacity (black). The printer also has the lowest cost per page and cost of operation, when compared to competing models, of other companies
-- Dell 2230D laser printer scores the highest amongst competing models, of other companies, in terms of paper maximum output capacity

Dell entered the printer business in India in January this year to provide the Indian market with a comprehensive range of printers that would provide a powerful combination of speed, quality, energy efficiency and size, which translates into increased productivity for business and at exceptional value.

About Dell

Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services that give them the power to do more. For more information, visit www.dell.com.


CONTACT DETAILS
Dechama Uthappa, Dell, +91 9663405836, Dechama_Uthappa@Dell.com
Shubhra Sinha, 20:20 MSL, +91 9873545458, shubhra.sinha@2020msl.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, BUSINESS SERVICES, IT, TECHNOLOGY

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BWI: DENSO to Exhibit for the First Time at the 11th Auto Expo 2012, New Delhi, India

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Business Wire
Tuesday, December 27, 2011 11:20 AM IST (05:50 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Environment; Business: Business services, Information technology; Technology; Automotive
--------------------------------------------------
(BW)(DENSO-CORPORATION)(6902)DENSO to Exhibit for the First Time at the 11th Auto Expo 2012, New Delhi, India
- Introducing its wide range of advanced technologies in the fields of environment, safety, comfort and convenience -

Kariya, Japan and New Delhi, Delhi, India, Tuesday, December 27, 2011 -- (Business Wire India) --

DENSO Corporation will exhibit for the first time at the 11th Auto Expo 2012, in New Delhi, India, from Jan. 5 to 11, 2012. To introduce its wide range of advanced technologies, DENSO will exhibit its products in the fields of environment, safety, comfort and convenience.

"We regard India as one of the most important market with high growth potential, and we are expanding our business in the country," said Yasushi Nei, Chairman of DENSO International India Pvt. Ltd. and DENSO's Executive Director. "The company has decided to increase production capacity and to establish a technical center to begin developing products in the region and for the region. Now, DENSO has decided to participate in Auto Expo 2012, which is the largest motor show in the country, to publicize its technical strengths in India."

Exhibit Contents:
Among its exhibits, DENSO will present Resonance 2021, which is a cockpit simulator envisioned for the 2021 automobile. The Resonance 2021 exhibit will allow visitors to experience how people, vehicles, and communities will "connect" to each other in real time to make driving more safe, convenient and enjoyable.

DENSO's exhibits in the field of environment, or fuel efficiency, include diesel common rail systems and starters for stop/start systems, which can contribute to meet India's next generation emissions standard. And DENSO will showcase one of its safety-related exhibits, which is a full-color, full-screen TFT liquid crystal instrumental cluster with night-view system that will display pedestrians or other obstacles in the roadway at night or under other poor-visibility conditions. To keep end-users cool on a hot day, but also help improve fuel efficiency, DENSO will show its air conditioning system that uses an ejector. Other DENSO products related to convenience will include a remote touch controller that allows the driver to operate the car navigation system or the controls with little arm movement.

DENSO will continue to participate in global shows around the world to increase its recognition and understanding.

DENSO Corporation, headquartered in Kariya, Aichi prefecture, Japan, is a leading global automotive supplier of advanced technology, systems and components in the areas of thermal, powertrain control, electric, electronics and information and safety. Its customers include all the world's major carmakers. Worldwide, the company has more than 200 subsidiaries and affiliates in 35 countries and regions (including Japan) and employs approximately 120,000 people.
Consolidated global sales for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2011, totaled US$37.7 billion. Last fiscal year, DENSO spent 9.3 percent of its global consolidated sales on research and development. DENSO common stock is traded on the Tokyo and Nagoya stock exchanges. For more information, go to www.globaldenso.com, or visit our media website at www.densomediacenter.com.

In India, DENSO started operations in 1984. It now has six subsidiaries including four production companies, which produce automotive air conditioning systems, fuel injectors, engine ECUs, starters, alternators and other devices. The company employs more than 2,300 people in India. For more information, go to www.denso.co.in.

Please contact us if you would like an image for this release.



CONTACT DETAILS
CONTACTS :
DENSO CORPORATION
Sadayoshi Yokoyama,
Goro Kanemasu
Phone: +81-566-25-5594
Fax: +81-566-25-4509
sadayoshi_yokoyama@denso.co.jp
goro_kanemasu@denso.co.jp


KEYWORDS
ENVIRONMENT, BUSINESS SERVICES, IT, TECHNOLOGY, AUTOMOTIVE

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BWI: Ramco Systems Addresses on Cloud for the Government at the 3rd International Conference on Advanced Computing

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Ramco Systems Limited
Tuesday, December 27, 2011 10:00 AM IST (04:30 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, Economy, People; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Business services, Information technology, Major diversified industrial groups; Technology
--------------------------------------------------
Ramco Systems Addresses on Cloud for the Government at the 3rd International Conference on Advanced Computing
Organized by Anna University & IEEE from 14-16 December, 2011

Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, Tuesday, December 27, 2011 -- (Business Wire India) -- Ramco Systems (BSE - 532370, NSE - RAMCOSYS, MSE - RSST); an enterprise software company focused on consulting, products and managed services, participated in the 3rd International Conference on Advanced Computing organized jointly by Anna University, Asia's largest technical university and IEEE, the world's largest professional association for technology advancement. The prestigious conference held between 14 -16 December, 2011 was attended by 150+ international researchers, industrial experts and academicians.

Mr. Shyaam Sunder, Chief Knowledge Officer, Ramco Systems delivered the plenary talk on "Cloud Technologies for the Government". A detailed research paper on the same topic will be published as part of conference proceedings in IEEE Xplore, IEEE's digital library comprising the world's highest quality technical literature in engineering and technology. In line with the conference's objective of stimulating discussions on current research and development in latest trends in Information Technology (IT), the plenary staged a platform for brining industry perspectives on cloud computing, one of the hottest IT trends listed among the top CIO priorities.

Summing up Ramco's address in the conference, Mr. Shyaam says, "Of the many cultural attributes associated with a government - such as diplomacy, empathy, or tact - the one that is often questioned is the attribute of execution. Questions are raised and frustrations are voiced, all demanding to know information about the forthcoming policies, enabling projects, infrastructure projects as an example, and/or sometimes the status of a demanded service. Cloud technologies can play a vital role (read means) in making this information available through its fundamental capacities". His talk was evidenced with Ramco's experiences in large government projects and how cloud technologies have proved effective for the Government and its community.

Mr. Shyaam was also the session chair for research paper presentations on "Data Mining / Data Clustering". Sharing his session experiences, he commented, "The subjects chosen were apt and the research methodologies employed allow for an in-depth and conclusive analysis. Students must develop a simple framework through which the outside world may easily comprehend and learn from their endeavours".

Overall, the conference provided a successful forum for the international community to contribute, discuss and debate on the developments in the cutting edge computing technologies. Being a pioneer in developing complex enterprise solutions on the cloud, Ramco played its part in sharing the industry knowledge and experiences with the academicians.

About Ramco Systems:

Ramco Systems, a part of the USD 952 million Ramco Group, is a leading software company focused on consulting, product and managed services business. Headquartered in Chennai, Ramco Systems was started as an R&D division of Ramco Industries Limited in 1992, and later established as an independent company in 1999. The company focuses on providing innovative business solutions that can be delivered quickly and cost-effectively in complex environments. Globally, Ramco has over 140,000 users from 950+ customer organizations since inception. The company currently has offices spread across India, USA, Canada, Europe, Middle East, South Africa and APAC and employs over 1,800 employees.

Ramco's key differentiator is its innovative approach to develop products through its revolutionary enterprise application assembly and delivery platform - Ramco VirtualWorksT. Ramco Systems has seven major product suites - Ramco Enterprise Suite, Ramco Enterprise Asset Management Suite, Ramco Aviation, Ramco OnDemand ERP (ERP on Cloud), Ramco Enterprise Information Management Suite, Ramco Advanced Process Control, and Ramco Mine Management. Strong domain knowledge coupled with proven implementation expertise enables Ramco to provide specialized solutions in verticals such as Manufacturing, Real Estate & Construction, Energy & Utilities, Logistics, Services, Banking & Financial Services, Aviation, Government and Defense.

Ramco Systems has been assessed for ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 27001:2005 information security standards. Ramco's BPO unit is SAS 70 Type II certified.

For more information, please visit www.ramco.com

Follow Ramco on Twitter @ramcosystems / read latest news & updates on http://www.ramcoblog.com/



CONTACT DETAILS
Vinitha Ramani , Ramco Systems Limited, +91 9840368048, vinitharamani@rsi.ramco.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, ECONOMY, PEOPLE, MARKETING, BUSINESS SERVICES, IT, GROUPS, TECHNOLOGY

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Monday, December 26, 2011

BWI: Dicitex Furnishing Ltd. Bags Leader of Tomorrow Award (Home Decor & Handicrafts)

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: IndiaMART
Monday, December 26, 2011 07:45 PM IST (02:15 PM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, Entertainment, Fashion, Lifestyle, People; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Business services, Hospitality, Household & personal care products & services, Retailers
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Dicitex Furnishing Ltd. Bags Leader of Tomorrow Award (Home Decor & Handicrafts)
ML Arora, Chairman, Dicitex Furnishing Ltd. rejoices over this accomplishment

New Delhi, Delhi, India, Monday, December 26, 2011 -- (Business Wire India) -- The first generation laid the foundation stone, the second generation designed the blueprint and the third generation is catapulting this architecture to a promising future. Dicitex Furnishing Ltd. is blessed to have generations devoted to its growth. Recently, it got another reason to bask in the glory of success when it received 'ET NOW-IndiaMART Leaders of Tomorrow Award 2011' at the felicitation ceremony in Mumbai. The second generation entrepreneur and Chairman of Dicitex Furnishing Ltd., Mr. ML Arora, was presented this prestigious award by Mr. NR Narayana Murthy, Chairman Emeritus, Infosys Technologies, who was the honourable Chief Guest at the Awards Ceremony.

Acknowledging the well deserved feat of the winner, Mr. Dinesh Agarwal, Founder & CEO, IndiaMART.com, said, "It is definitely a life transforming experience to emerge as a strong contender out of thousands of nominations, making it to the grand finale and eventually clinching the winner's trophy. The journey in itself is full of so many learnings and excitements that winning appears like a cherry on the cake. Cheers to the winner Dicitex Furnishing on relishing this cherry and all the best for many more to come."

Fresh from success at India's most trusted awards in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) domain, Mr. ML Arora, Chairman, Dicitex Furnishing Ltd. said, "This award reflects our relentless pursuit to excel in the business and constantly updating it with the latest & innovative technology. Today, we proudly represent ourselves as India's one of the largest manufactures and exporters of curtains and upholstery fabric. Having marked our global presence in as many as 50 countries, we are truly motivated and are expanding with fervor encompassing the far ends of the globe".

Dicitex Furnishing Ltd. was incorporated in the year 1999 after a family restructuring. Backed with an experience of almost five decades, it grew manifolds in the field of textiles and home furnishings under the able leadership of Mr. ML Arora despite the initial business hardships. It brought a revolution in the furnishings market with its versatile and competitive range of curtains, bath & bedroom and living room furnishings. Today, the company boasts of annual turnover close to Rs. 300 crore and exports its products to 60 countries across the globe. Equipped with a state-of-the-art 'design studio' in Italy, Dicitex churns out innovative designs that define luxury par excellence in a perfect blend of quality, innovation and competitive price.

Dreams are the tiny seeds of our desired future. If we nurture them with the manure of grit and perseverance, they surely grow big and give ripened fruits that taste real sweet. Mr. Arora's long cherished dream turned into a reality at 'ET NOW-IndiaMART Leaders of Tomorrow Awards 2011' and invited every MSME dreamer to dream and achieve big with small steps.

About Dicitex Furnishing Ltd.

Dicitex Furnishing is one of the largest furnishings company in the world with over 50 years of experience in textile & home furnishings industry. The company boasts of annual turnover close to 300 crores and exports across 60 countries. The company distributes its furnishings to major player in India like, J.C.Penny, Bed Bath & Beyond, Marks and Spencer, Casamance, etc. It also supplies furnishings to luxury hotels like Westin Hotel, Marriott Hotels, etc. Dicitex offers a wide and innovative range which begins at the yarn preparatory stage, includes from exquisite jacquards to high-end yarn dyed, woven from sateen to premium dobby, from refined prints to sophisticated damask, elegant velvets, mesmerizing sheers & embroidered curtains and high quality decorative Bed, Bath & Table linen.

About IndiaMART.com

IndiaMART.com is India's largest online B2B marketplace for Small & Medium Size Businesses, connecting global buyers with suppliers. The company offers a platform & tools to over 1 million suppliers to generate business leads from over 5 million buyers, who use the platform to find reliable & competitive suppliers. The company has over 4500 employees located across 90+ offices in the country. Its existing investors include Intel Capital and Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.

Products & Services

IndiaMART.com offers products that enable small & medium size businesses generate business leads (online catalogs/store-fronts), establish their credibility (third party verified trust profile) and use business information (finance, news, trade shows, tenders) for their business promotion.
For more information, please visit: www.indiamart.com/corporate/press-section.html
For picture(s)/data to illustrate this release click below:

http://www.BusinessWireIndia.com/attachments/Dicitex.JPG
Dicitex.JPG


CONTACT DETAILS
Pawandeep Kaur, IndiaMART, +91-120-3911000, corpcomm@indiamart.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, ENTERTAINMENT, FASHION, LIFESTYLE, PEOPLE, MARKETING, BUSINESS SERVICES, HOSPITALITY, HOUSEHOLD, RETAIL

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BWI: Ameyo Enables Efficient Customer Support Operations for a Leading Retail Company

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Drishti-Soft Solution Pvt. Ltd.
Monday, December 26, 2011 05:12 PM IST (11:42 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest; Business: Business services, Information technology, Media & entertainment, Retailers; Technology
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Ameyo Enables Efficient Customer Support Operations for a Leading Retail Company
Delyver.com - a Bangalore-based company ropes in Ameyo Communications Suite for effective customer interactions Management

Gurgaon, Haryana, India, Monday, December 26, 2011 -- (Business Wire India) -- Ameyo automates and enables centrally-managed customer interactions for Delyver.com. The latter being an e-commerce business provides home delivery of consumer goods via dial-n-deliver mode. The website is a single window where customers can view the products online and order by dialing on to a centralized number.

Most of the daily customer interactions at Delyver.com comprise of order-placements and inquires of the order status. In such e-commerce businesses, call traffic is at its peak on special days like holidays, festivals etc. The primary challenge is managing high call volume while ensuring that not even a single customer call is missed because every missed call means a lost business opportunity or an even annoying situation, an already dissatisfied customer.

"As our customer base increased, we experienced a direct increase in the incoming calls and decided to automate the call handling. However, our earlier solution could not help us in managing the missed calls and identify repeat customers. During peak hours, the solution totally failed to perform. Now, with Ameyo as our technology backbone, we are able to manage the entire customer experience impeccably. In fact, within the first 60 days of using Ameyo, we have been successful in achieving a 95% conversion of hitherto missed calls to orders and a non-quantifiable increase in customer satisfaction." - says Afsal Salu, CTO at Delyver.com.

Talking about the future value-adds being planned around Ameyo, Girisha R, Sales Manager at Drishti-Soft says - "Currently Ameyo is powering the call center operations and also managing message distribution across multiple delivery centers in the city. Further to this, Delyver.com team also plans to broaden its horizons through web integration which would facilitate online ordering of products."

About Delyver Retail Networks Pvt. Ltd.:

Delyver Retail Network Pvt. Ltd. is a leading e-commerce firm that provides home shopping services within Bangalore city. Their website delyver.com is an online catalog of various products and services of their partners across categories like Laundry & Dry cleaning, Flowers, Books, Cakes, Spirits & Wines and Restaurant Food. The central idea behind the concept of Delyver Retail Network is to provide ease of shopping from home to customers through a central number - 080 6555 5555 for any order.

About Drishti:

Drishti is a leading provider of Contact Center Software and Enterprise Communications Applications. Drishti offers communications solutions that empower enterprises to dynamically manage Business Processes, Interactions, Workforce and Service Levels on emerging Unified Communications (IP Telephony, Unified Messaging, Conferencing, Presence Management, and Application Collaboration), SOA (Service Oriented Architecture), and SaaS (Software as a service). Cutting-edge technologies from Drishti have been designed to add value to the businesses and pave way for a structured growth. Their customers enjoy significant benefits in terms of increase in efficiency levels, reduction in operational costs, flexibility to grow, consistent user experience and a demonstrable ROI.


CONTACT DETAILS
Kshiti Garg, Drishti-Soft Solution Pvt. Ltd., +91 (124) 4771000 Ext: 1043/ +91 8860941931

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, BUSINESS SERVICES, IT, MEDIA, RETAIL, TECHNOLOGY

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BWI: Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance Company Releases HSBC Study ‘Future of Retirement: Why Family Matters’

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance Company Limited
Monday, December 26, 2011 04:39 PM IST (11:09 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest; Business: Banking & financial services, Business services, Financial Analyst
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Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance Company Releases HSBC Study 'Future of Retirement: Why Family Matters'


New Delhi, Delhi, India, Monday, December 26, 2011 -- (Business Wire India) -- -- 'Why Family Matters', is a part of 'The Future of Retirement' series released earlier this year
-- Presence of children makes a difference to people's sense of well-being and impacts positively on people's outlook for the future; However in India, even though 79% of those with children expect to be better off in retirement than their parents' generation, 24% are less inclined to see retirement as a time of happiness but rather more a time of financial hardship
-- Even in this age, where women have entered the world of paid employment, worldwide, men (65%) still take the lead with sole responsibility when it comes to planning for their family's long-term financial needs, leaving women (53%) at greater risk of financial hardship in later life; Bucking the global trend, slightly more men (30%) than women (27%) in India take sole charge of household budgeting in contrast to the picture globally, again leaving women less involved in financial matters
-- Nearly half the world's families are putting themselves at risk by failing to take responsible steps to safeguard their future and a gender gap is again evident with 54% of men having a financial plan compared to just 44% of women; Out of 76% of Indian respondents surveyed who have a financial plan, 35% of planners in their fifties are not saving for retirement and 32% of parents don't have a life insurance policy in their financial plans


Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance Company Limited - a joint venture between two of India's largest public sector banks, Canara Bank and Oriental Bank of Commerce, and HSBC Insurance (Asia Pacific) Holdings Limited today released HSBC study 'Future of Retirement: Why Family Matters' in India. This is a supplementary report to the main 2011 report released earlier this year, 'The Power of Planning', the sixth in 'The Future of Retirement' series.

The report looks at people's outlook on retirement, some important differences in how people plan for it and other financial needs within different types of households. In particular, it examines the gender gap between how men and women plan and how that gap might be influenced by the onset of children and differences in working patterns.

Looking broadly at the global findings, those without children are more likely to have negative associations with retirement. This picture contrasts sharply with the Middle East and Asia, where the family unit still plays a strong role in providing a safety net in later life. For example, India, has the highest number of respondents (32%) who wish to live with their children and other family members in retirement, more than twice the global average (14%) and 10 times higher than the USA and the UK and 85% respondent thought that the 'joint family system' will remain either very or quite important in Indian society. Here, even though 79% of those with children expect to be better off in retirement than their parents' generation, they are less inclined to see retirement as a time of happiness (37%). In fact parents in India associate retirement with financial hardship (24%) than those without children (19%).

According to Mr. John Holden, Chief Executive Officer, Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance Company, "From the example of India it emerges that while people in these countries might be generally quite positive about their retirement prospects, parenthood is not the source of this optimism because people are not taking the necessary steps to ensure financial security for their families, which is a major cause of concern. It does not make people happier as living with extended family in retirement is possibly borne of financial dependence and necessity rather than choice."

Another global trend that emerged from the study is that even in today's time when women have entered the world of paid employment, worldwide, men (65%) still take the lead with sole responsibility when it comes to planning for their family's long-term financial needs, leaving women (53%) at greater risk of financial hardship in later life. When it comes to retirement planning, globally men are much more proactive (39%), being twice as likely to take charge of this financial decision solely than women (25%); the trend is mirrored in India with men at 43% and women at 21% taking sole responsibility for retirement planning. Crucially, this means that globally women are much more focused on short-term financial matters and are more likely to be overlooking the importance of planning for retirement in their own right. Further, women are more likely to focus on managing the household budget, with 37% of women taking sole responsibility compared to 34% of men. This was the only area in financial planning where women said they were more likely to take sole responsibility. However, in India, slightly more men (30%) than women (27%) in India take sole charge of household budgeting in contrast to the picture globally, again leaving women less involved in financial matters.

Only 50% of respondents globally say they have a financial plan in place for their own or their family's future and even here, significant gaps were evident. A gender gap also emerges with 54% of men having a financial plan compared to just 44% of women. From the 50% of people surveyed who stated they had a financial plan in place, nearly half (47%) of them are not saving for retirement, and this remains high even among those in the immediate pre-retirement age (37% of 50 to 59 year olds).

The study also highlighted the presence of a major protection gap evident in all 17 countries surveyed. Many parents seem not to understand the consequences of no insurance - which exposes them to risk of being unable to cope if there is a change in their circumstances, by way of ill health and consequent loss of an income. Less than half of parents had individual term insurance in 14 of the 17 countries surveyed. Only India, South Korea and Taiwan scored above 50% in terms of families having term life insurance with India topping the list with 59%. Surprisingly, there was virtually no difference in life insurance penetration in families with or without children - Only 55% of parents with financial plans have some sort of life insurance contained in it. This compares to 52% of those who did not have children.

Some of the key responses from the 76% of Indian respondents surveyed who have a financial plan in place highlighted some major gaps - for example, 35% of planners in their fifties are not saving for retirement and despite the fact that life insurance is widely available and all working parents have a need for this kind of protection, 32% of parents do not have a life insurance policy in their financial plans.

Households in the East are less risk-averse than their counterparts in the West, and are more likely to pursue long-term investing instead of security in the short term. There is a greater proportion of risk-averse households in developed markets such as France (51%), Canada (42%), the US (45%) and the UK (39%). One reason why households in Eastern markets - like (12%) China and India (21%) - have a higher risk tolerance is that they have to deal with higher levels of inflation (typically around 6-8% per annum), and therefore, need to seek out higher returns in order to protect the real value of their savings and investments.

Mr Holden said, "Many financial needs are driven by key life events - including getting married and having children - and as the family is central to these life events, it is an important consideration in building a picture of an individual's long-term financial needs. What emerges from the study however is that people both globally and in India are putting their families at risk by failing to make a proper financial plan in accordance with their needs. At the same time, people who have financial plans in place, have evident gaps with large numbers of younger families without life insurance in place, while many still overlook the need to build retirement savings especially women across all age groups who continue to lag behind their male peers and women are left exposed to financial hardship in later life. Regarding consumer attitudes to financial risk, it is evident that investment risks are not understood well and gender differences exist that may again disadvantage women. Many people still prefer to apply a do-it-yourself approach to financial planning. Whilst this is positive that people are taking greater personal responsibility for their finances, people shouldn't see this as a substitute for getting expert financial advice on how to make their money work as hard as possible."

Basis this fact and the findings, the research identifies four actions households can take to improve their future financial well-being:
-- Share your financial decision-making - retirement and protection needs should be discussed with the partner to ensure that both are better prepared for retirement and other life goals
-- Use life events to start and review your financial plan - understand the importance of life events and life stages (having children, saving for college, bereavement etc); it is important to consider the needs of the whole family
-- Review your financial plan with a professional adviser - sense-check financial decisions and plans with an expert to ensure that all eventualities are covered
-- Take a balanced approach to managing investment risk - balance the need to protect your investments in the short and medium term to generate an adequate retirement income in the long term

There is an urgent need to raise basic levels of financial literacy among people, a key to encourage and ensure financial planning within households. As the Internet is fuelling greater financial engagement especially among young consumers, financial service providers should develop sophisticated tools and online resources to create more interest and awareness among consumers and empower them by providing information. Further, as 43% respondents have not sought professional financial advice, there is an opportunity for financial service providers especially banks to ensure engagement through financial education and awareness campaigns especially for women so that they are less vulnerable to the risk of financial hardship in later life.

Mr Holden added, "Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance Company, which operates a bancassurance model, is at an advantageous position because of the bank partners' financial strength, expertise, distribution reach and most importantly, trust. Customer education and need-based advice has been our focus right from the beginning. We have taken proactive steps to educate customers on the need for protection, disciplined savings and retirement planning through around 990 customer meets where both the husband and wife are invited. Further, specific events have been organised for women customers of our partner banks as well as for women from the underserved communities through our partner NGOs as part of our corporate social responsibility."

Taking insights from the key findings of the study, the Company launched Life Insurance Simulator (LIS), an interactive online planning tool that takes the customers through a series of simple steps to assess whether their current savings and investments are adequate to fulfill their needs. LIS is available on www.canarahsbclife.com in English, Hindi, Punjabi and Kannada. This has been a big hit with our customers in creating awareness and interest in their own financial planning needs and solutions. "
To ensure that general optimism towards financial planning and retirement should not lead to complacency, Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance will continue to focus on promoting financial discipline and retirement planning through life insurance, guiding customers to prepare and plan to enjoy an extended period of later life.

Notes to Editors

The Future of Retirement: Why Family Matters


This report, Why Family Matters, is a supplementary report to the main 2011 report, The Power of Planning, the sixth in 'The Future of Retirement' series. Both reports highlight findings from a survey of more than 17,000 people in 17 countries.

The report surveyed 17,849 'financial trendsetters' of working age (mostly between 30 and 60 years) in 17 countries - India, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Mexico, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, UAE, UK, and the USA. Financial trendsetters tend to be more educated than average, live in urban areas and have greater access to the internet. Those in developing economies tend to share the same attitudes and behaviour of those in the developed world, including attitudes towards retirement planning.

The research was conducted online in December 2010 and some survey data was collected on both a household and individual basis.

The report refers to three distinct income groups: high income with gross annual household income over US$100,000 (20% of sample); middle income with gross annual household income of US$30,000 to US$100,000 (30% of sample); and low income with gross annual household earnings below US$30,000 (50% of sample).

*India Sample Size: 1028
. 778 men surveyed and 250 women
. Three age bands:
- 30-39: 392 = 39%
- 40-49: 368 = 37%
- 50-70*: 240 =24%
(we had 1 respondent aged between 60-70)

The Future of Retirement 2011: The Power of Planning

The Power of Planning was the first report produced from the research which surveyed over 17,000 people from 17 countries in December 2010. It focused on the importance of planning for a happy retirement, and the steps people can take towards building an effective financial plan. Key findings included:
-- Nearly 1-in-5 respondents (19%) did not know what their main source of retirement income would be
-- Respondents in the West believe they will be worse off than their parents' generation, while in emerging markets, people believe they will be better off
-- 50% of respondents worldwide did not have a financial plan in place
-- On average, those with financial plans amassed nearly two-and-a-half times more in retirement savings compared to those without plans, a 'planning premium'

The Future of Retirement Programme

HSBC's The Future of Retirement programme is a world-leading independent study into global retirement trends. It provides authoritative insights into the key issues associated with ageing populations and increasing life expectancy around the world.

Since the Future of Retirement programme began in 2005, more than 110,000 people worldwide have been surveyed. The research findings help HSBC and its partners around the world to understand and meet the needs of its 89 million customers worldwide. The programme has helped advance retirement thought leadership, and raised awareness of HSBC as a leader in the growing retirement services market.

The supplementary report - The Future of Retirement: Why Family Matters and the India Fact Sheet can be downloaded from www.canarahsbclife.com

The main report - The Future of Retirement: The power of planning and the India Report can also be downloaded from www.canarahsbclife.com

For further information on the Future of Retirement Programme and previous reports, visit www.hsbc.com/retirement

About Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance Company Limited (www.canarahsbclife.com)

Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance Company Limited was launched in June 2008 and is jointly owned by two of India's largest public sector banks - Canara Bank (holding 51%) and Oriental Bank of Commerce (23%) - and HSBC Insurance (Asia Pacific) Holdings Limited (26%), the Asian insurance arm of one of the world's largest banking and financial services groups - HSBC.

The Company has exclusive access to around 53 million customers and a pan-India network of over 4800 branches of Canara Bank, HSBC and Oriental Bank of Commerce. The formidable distribution strength and in-depth local market knowledge of Canara Bank and Oriental Bank of Commerce coupled with the considerable insurance experience, product range and proven bancassurance capabilities of HSBC make this an unparalleled union of financial strength, expertise and most importantly, trust.

To deliver affordable insurance solutions to address the needs of the rural population, the social sector and economically weaker sections of the society, especially those who have no or very little access to organised financial services, the Company tied up with three Rural Regional Banks (RRBs) - Pragathi Gramin Bank in Karnataka, Shreyas Gramin Bank in Uttar Pradesh and South Malabar Gramin Bank in Kerala that have a network of around 790 branches and reach out to more than 7 million customers.

Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance Company understands that today innovation is a key differentiator. Based on market demand and customer preferences, the Company currently offers 12 products - 4 unit-linked and 8 traditional; 7 out of these are individual and 5 are group products.

Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance Company is the fastest Indian life insurance company to cross Rs 500 crore, Rs 1000 crore, Rs 1500 crore and Rs 2000 crore in weighted premium income till date. Since launch on June 16, 2008 to November 30, 2011, the Company's business in terms of Gross Written Premium (GWP) stood at Rs 3,800.3 crore and the number of policies sold are 288,473. As on November 30, 2011, the Company's assets under management (AUM) stood at Rs 3467.16 crore.


CONTACT DETAILS
Nonika Raj Kumar, Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance Company Limited, +91 (124) 4535658/ +91 9717882227, nonika.rajkumar@canarahsbclife.in
Pinky Singh, IPAN Hill & Knowlton, +91 (124) 4967300, psingh@ipanhillandknowlton.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, BANKING, BUSINESS SERVICES, Financial Analyst

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