Sunday, November 30, 2008

BWI: Annik Expands Operations to China

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Annik Technology Services Pvt. Ltd.
Monday, December 01, 2008 11:46 AM IST (06:16 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, Economy; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Business services, Information technology; Technology
Release no: 18634
--------------------------------------------------
Annik Expands Operations to China


Gurgaon, Haryana, India, Monday, December 01, 2008 -- (Business Wire India) -- In another strategic move that allows for broader global coverage and language support, Annik, one of the leading research outsourcing companies in India, has started operations in China. The Shanghai facility will service three major Asian markets - Japan, China and Korea - with local language support capabilities. This strategic investment allows Annik's customers to expand their scope of work with Annik. China has been seen as a strategic location both in terms of the domestic market and the ability to provide support in multiple Asian languages by many large companies. This center is the first initiative in providing such operational capabilities across Asian geographies and languages. Annik has been providing support for some western European languages from the India center. The Shanghai center adds Japanese, Mandarin and Korean to the list of languages now supported by Annik and provides the company an established footprint in key markets where it expects growth for its services.

The Shanghai facility is fully operational and can scale up as required by our customers. "Our customers are all around the world. This operational model helps us provide regional services and quicker turnaround", says Sandeep Bhatia (COO). "As we grow, we will look at an ideal mix of onshore and offshore talent to optimize our service delivery model".

Commenting on this move, Rahul Sahgal, CEO of Annik said "We are proud of this important milestone in the growth of the company. This expansion reaffirms our commitment to our clients to expand our scope and coverage from purely English and Western European countries to other strategically important markets where there is tremendous opportunity for growth of Annik services".

On another note, Annik has been named one of the Fast 50 Technology companies in India in a study conducted by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. This is the second time in 3 years that it has been recognized for this award. It has also been selected in the Fast 500 Technology companies for the entire Asia Pacific region three years in a row.

About Annik

Founded in 2000, Annik has been a pioneer in Market Research Outsourcing and Data Analytics in India. Known for domain expertise and technical knowledge providing creative solutions, Annik has helped researchers work more efficiently and effectively. With more than 400 employees and 24 x 7 operations, we are in a unique position to support clients around the world. For more information, please visit the company's web site at www.anniksystems.com.




CONTACT DETAILS
Sandeep Bhatia, Annik Technology Services Pvt. Ltd., sandeep.bhatia@anniksystems.com

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

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BWI: Astra Microwave Wins INR 570 mn Order from Israel’s ELTA Systems

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Astra Microwave Products Limited
Monday, December 01, 2008 11:09 AM IST (05:39 AM GMT)
Editors: Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Business services, Defence & security, Electronic appliances & components, Information technology, Telecommunications; Technology
Release no: 18632
--------------------------------------------------
Astra Microwave Wins INR 570 mn Order from Israel's ELTA Systems


Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India, Monday, December 01, 2008 -- (Business Wire India) --
-- Astra to supply microwave wireless sub-systems for India's defense radar program.

-- Contract effective between November 2008 and mid-2010.

-- Astra's first contract under offset obligations clause of India's Defence Procurement Policy.

-- "ELTA contract showcases Astra's tech ability and scale to build on offset obligations opportunity": B Malla Reddy, Managing Director.

BSE: 532493
NSE: ASTRAMICRO
Reuters: ASTM.BO
Bloomberg: ASTM.IN

Astra Microwave Products Ltd, India's leading provider of microwave wireless technologies used in defense, space, and telecommunications, today announced that the company has won an order worth INR 570 million (USD 11.5 million) from Israel's ELTA Systems Ltd. A group subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries, ELTA is a world leader in electromagnetic sensors-based advanced defense systems for radar, electronic warfare, and communications.

The order is for the supply of microwave wireless sub-systems for India's defense radar program. The contract is effective between November 2008 and mid-2010.

The order from ELTA is Astra's first contract under the offset obligations clause of India's Defence Procurement Policy, 2006. The offsets clause mandates that 30% of all defense contracts worth INR 3 billion and above must be invested in the Indian defense industry by way of sourcing components, sharing technology, setting up training facilities, or using IT services.

Comment by B Malla Reddy, Managing Director, Astra Microwave Products

The ELTA contract showcases Astra Microwave's global technological capabilities and scale of operations to meet the demand from obligations mandated by the Defence Procurement Policy, said B Malla Reddy, Managing Director, Astra Microwave.

"Offset obligations are a significant opportunity for manufacturers and technology providers in the Indian defense space. Our proven technological expertise, infrastructure, and processes are a strong positive differentiator with global defense suppliers. Going forward, we are confident of forging many such relationships," Mr Malla Reddy said.

About Astra Microwave Products Ltd

Headquartered in Hyderabad, India, Astra Microwave Products Ltd (www.astramwp.com) designs, develops, and manufactures components and sub-systems for microwave wireless communications systems used in defense, space, and civilian applications. Prominent customers include, among others, the Defence Research Development Organization, Bharat Electronics, Hindustan Aeronautics, Bharat Dynamics, Electronics Corporation of India, the Indian Space Research Organization, Reliance Communications, Ericsson, and Tata Teleservices.

In FY08, Astra Microwave gross revenue was INR 1.27 billion on an equity capital of INR 107.5 million.




CONTACT DETAILS
S Gurunatha Reddy, Astra Microwave Products Limited, +91 (040) 30618000 / +91 9849027681, sgr@astramwp.com
Dev Chandrasekhar, Ubiquus, +91 9821070043, d.chandrasekhar@ubiquus.com

KEYWORDS
MARKETING, BUSINESS SERVICES, DEFENCE, ELECTRONICS, IT, TELECOMMUNICATIONS, TECHNOLOGY, ASTRAMICRO.NS, 532493.BO

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BWI: Joint Official Statement from Live Earth Founder Kevin Wall, The Office of the Honorable Al Gore and Dr. R.K. Pachauri, Chairman IPCC Regarding Live Earth India

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Business Wire
Monday, December 01, 2008 10:05 PM IST (04:35 PM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, Entertainment, Environment; Business: Media & entertainment
Release no: 18631
--------------------------------------------------
(BW)(CA-LIVE-EARTH-INDIA)Joint Official Statement from Live Earth Founder Kevin Wall, The Office of the Honorable Al Gore and Dr. R.K. Pachauri, Chairman IPCC Regarding Live Earth India


Los Angeles, United States, Monday, December 01, 2008 -- (Business Wire India) --

Everyone involved with Live Earth India, from our U.S.- and India-based staff, artists and crew to our India-based broadcast, production, non-profit and marketing communications partners, is stunned and saddened by the tragic events of the past few days in our host city Mumbai. We always felt very welcomed and safe as we spent more time on the ground in Mumbai to finalize plans for Live Earth India, scheduled for December 7.

Due to circumstances far beyond our control, we are saddened to announce that Live Earth India has been cancelled. We will continue to work for solutions to the climate crisis for the good of the people of India and around the world. But for now, our thoughts and our prayers are with the victims of this terrible attack, with the bereaved, with the people of Mumbai and with everyone in India. For updated information, please visit www.LiveEarth.org.





CONTACT DETAILS
Live Earth India
US/UK Media:
Ehrin Cummings
310-550-3883
ecummings@controlroom.com
or
Global & India:
Ron Roecker
310-384-5641
rroecker@liveearth.org
or
India Media:
Varun Gambhir
+91 98199 76446
varun.gambhir@edelman.com
Moritz Kaffsack
+91 99202 3461
moritz.kaffsack@edelman.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, ENTERTAINMENT, ENVIRONMENT, MEDIA

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http://www.businesswire.com

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Friday, November 28, 2008

BWI: Voluntary Health Association of India(VHAI) Condemns GoM Decision

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Voluntary Health Association of India
Friday, November 28, 2008 07:32 PM IST (02:02 PM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, Economy, People, Politics; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Household & personal care products & services, Major diversified industrial groups
Release no: 18630
--------------------------------------------------
Voluntary Health Association of India(VHAI) Condemns GoM Decision
Profit before People: Government Bows Down to Tobacco Industry Pressure, Public Health Betrayed for Maximizing Industry Profits

New Delhi, Delhi, India, Friday, November 28, 2008 -- (Business Wire India) -- The tobacco control community and public health organizations strongly condemn the shocking decision taken at a meeting of the GoM on 24 November 2008 to defer the much awaited implementation of pictorial warnings on all tobacco products from 30 November 2008. This decision on has been repeatedly postponed several times since February 2007. (see Annexure 1)

According to Alok Mukhopadhyay, Chief Executive, VHAI, "It is a matter of great shame that the guardians of the largest democracy in the world decide to put aside the critical health concerns of Indian citizens to boost the health and profits of the tobacco industry, particularly the bidi sector". The bidi industry which is talking about lost jobs for its workers if pictorial warnings are implemented is the same which does not pay minimum wages, exploits women and children, constantly exposes its workers to hazardous substances, flouts labour laws and spreads serious illnesses and death. (see Annexure 2)

Ironically, the news of this postponement came in while at Durban, South Africa, India along with nearly 160 nations came together on 22 November 2008 and signed a treaty unanimously adopting the guidelines for Article 11 of the Framework Convention of Tobacco Control (FCTC) which refers to the packaging and labeling of tobacco products. The Government of India was present in that meeting and its decision to implement pack warnings was greatly applauded in the conference of parties.

According to Bhavna B Mukhopadhyay, Senior Director, VHAI, "The government should set up strong and transparent mechanisms at the highest levels to prevent industry interference in the implementation of tobacco control measures and policy making processes. Since the tobacco industry sells a product that kills one million people in India annually, therefore, industry's interests will always be in conflict with the nation's public health and economic aspirations."

Why are picture health warnings important? Are they effective?
Pictorial warnings on tobacco products are intended to increase consumer knowledge of the deadly health effects of tobacco consumption, to encourage cessation and to discourage uptake. In India, they also break the linguistic and cultural barrier, in addition to informing the illiterate population (a large proportion of this segment smoke bidis), about the harms of tobacco use.

Around 17 countries around the world including Brazil, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Uruguay, Chile, Venezuela and a number of other developed nations have successfully introduced picture-based warnings and many of them are stronger with gorier images than the proposed Indian pictures. In a survey in Brazil, 3 months after the introduction of new picture warnings in April 2002, 73% of smokers approved of them, 54% had changed their opinion on the health consequences of smoking and 67% said that the new health warnings made them want to quit the habit. Similar is the experience of countries like Canada and Australia. The evidence is unequivocal that warning labels improve public health.

To view the Annexures, please click on the links below:

Annexure 1

Annexure 2


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

http://www.BusinessWireIndia.com/attachments/ANNEXURE_1.doc
ANNEXURE_1.doc
http://www.BusinessWireIndia.com/attachments/ANNEXURE_2.doc
ANNEXURE_2.doc



CONTACT DETAILS
Bhavna B Mukhopadhyay-Senior Director, Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI), +919810422560/ +91-11-26518071-72 Ext 325, hpdcu@yahoo.co.in

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, ECONOMY, PEOPLE, POLITICS, MARKETING, HOUSEHOLD, GROUPS

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Thursday, November 27, 2008

BWI: Terrorists Ring Up India TV Twice During Siege Using Hostages’ Cellphones

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: India TV
Thursday, November 27, 2008 09:00 PM IST (03:30 PM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, People, Politics; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Business services, Defence & security, Media & entertainment
Release no: 18627
--------------------------------------------------
Terrorists Ring Up India TV Twice During Siege Using Hostages' Cellphones


New Delhi, Delhi, India, Thursday, November 27, 2008 -- (Business Wire India) -- Two terrorists, Shadullah and Imran Babar, rang up India TV twice during the siege on Thursday using cellphones of their hostages to place their points of view.

The first call came in the morning from Shadullah who was holed up in Oberoi Hotel, Mumbai. Using Cellphone no. 09769679723 belonging to a Swedish lady named Lisa Ringner from Room No. 1856, Hotel Oberoi, Shadullah rang up India TV's popular number 93505 93505 and spoke at length about why he and his colleagues carried out the strikes in Mumbai.

Shadullah claimed that he belonged to Deccan Mujahideen, a little known outfit which had claimed responsibility of the terror strikes in Mumbai on Wednesday night. The anchor repeatedly asked whether he was from Hyderabad, India, or from Hyderabad, Pakistan, to which he replied in his heavily Pakistani accent that he belonged to Hyderabad of the Deccan. Shadullah carried on with his litany of perceived injustices meted out Muslims in India. The conversation ran thus :

India TV - What do you want?
Shadullah - When so many of us were killed, who did anything for us? Babri Masjid was demolished. We were not allowed to stay in peace..That time, nobody was with us. You are talking of surrender.. Let these commandos come.. Hum Uski Aisi Chhutti karega ki Who apne bachhey ko yateem kar lega.(We will get rid of them in such a manner that their sons will become orphans)
India TV- You belong to which place? To which faction do you belong?
Shadullah- We belong to Hyderabad.
India TV-Hyderabad of Pakistan?
Shadullah- No, Hyderabad of the Deccan. And we are from Deccan Mujahideen.
India TV-What are your demands?
Shadullah- Wait for a minute ( he consults with somebody)
India TV-Tell us your demands, because the whole of India is listening to you.
Shadullah-Hello, We demand the release of all mujaheddin put in jails. Then will we release these people. Otherwise..Nahin Toh hum Eent se Eent Bajayega (we will destroy this place)..You must have seen, what's happening here.
India TV- Tell us, how many of you are there in Oberoi hotel?
Shahdullah-Why should I tell you?
India TV-No, you tell us because you are claiming that so many people are fighting for you..At least tell us, how many of you are there?
Shadullah - Hum saath hain (We are seven)..saath (seven)
India TV- You are seven there in Oberoi Hotel?
Shahdullah-Yes
India TV-Do you have the single demand that all mujaheddin arrested be released.. or do you have any other demand?
Shahdullah - Yes, release them, and we, the Muslim who live in India, should not be harassed.. Things like demolition of Babri Masjid and killings should stop.
India TV-Shahdullah, we want to tell you that you are yourself a citizen of India.. You yourself say that you belong to Hyderbad. Don't you have love for your own country.. your own Hindustan? Because those who are killed they could be your brothers, or the brothers of others..
Shahdullah--- We love this country.. this is our country..but the issue is this: when our elders, our brothers are killed, didn't these people see all this? OK ..Allah Haafiz.

The second call was from another terrorist Imran Babar from Nariman House, Mumbai, where he used the cellphone no. 9819464530 belonging to Holtzberg Gaverlein, staying at Nariman House Number 3, Hormusji Street, Colaba, Mumbai. Imran Babar also rang up India TV's popular number kept aside for viewers 93505 93505. Time: 17:07:05 hrs.

India TV-Hello, Imran, where are you?
Imran Babar - We are here..You call their (Israeli) Army Staff to visit Kashmir.. why is it so?..Who are they to come to J & K..This is a matter between us and Hindus..the Hindu government..Why does that Israel come here..To say that Israel and Palestine..
India TV-Imran, you claim that you are in Nariman House.. How many of your friends are there in Nariman House?
Imran -We know how to live.. how to snatch our rights.
India TV - Imran, are you able to listen to what I am saying?
Imran-Yes, I can hear you..
India TV-Just reply to my question.. How many of you are there in Nariman House?
Imran-I have five persons with me..
India TV-And when did you come to Mumbai?
Imran-Hum log.. Hum log apne kaam se aaya hai (We have come here for our work)..Raah Dekhte Raha (we waited).Saara maamla aapke samne hai (everything is before you).. Zulm aur zyadati bardasht karke jab hum thak gaya hai, tab humne eisa karne ko majboor ho gaya hai.. Aapke saamne haalaat hai.. Main toh wahi aapko baar baar itihaas bata raha hun..lekin (We are tired of facing tortures and injustice, we are forced to do this.. The situation is in front of you..I am merely repeating history to you, but..) I don't' understand why you people talk like this?
India TV-What's your age, Imran?
Imran-I am 25.
India TV-What's the age of your friends?
Imran-My other friends are also of the same age.young..adults..

Claiming to have worked as a medical representative in a multinational company, Babar said these attacks were to avenge "torture and injustice". He, however, skirted the query as to which place he hails from.

India TV repeatedly appealed to both the terrorists to surrender and release the hostages, but they were adamant. India TV informed the security agencies in Delhi and Mumbai as soon as the calls were received from the terrorists. The details of the cellphones were obtained from security agencies, who were keeping track of these conversations.

About Mr Rajat Sharma, Ms Ritu Dhawan, and Independent News Service Private Limited (INS):

Mr Rajat Sharma is Chairman of Independent News Service (INS) and Editor-in-Chief of India TV. India TV is the flagship service of INS. INS was co-founded by Mr Sharma and Ms Ritu Dhawan in 1998. Mr Sharma edited important publications before entering television in 1992 with the iconic 'Aap Ki Adalat' and India's first private news bulletin. With 20 years of work behind her, Ms Dhawan, Managind Director, INS, is one of India's senior-most television producers. India TV Interactive (ITVI) Pvt Ltd..is their newest foray.

INS launched India TV in August 2004. Today it has a talent pool of 500+ personnel. As per TAM data across 41 weeks this year, India TV has been a leader in the C&S Hindi news market.

INS had investment from Fuse+ Media, an entity of ComVentures, a leading Silicon Valley-based venture capital and private equity group with over $1.5 billion of assets under management. Earlier this year, after another strategic investment, INS's enterprise value stood at Rs 500 crore.






CONTACT DETAILS
India TV, mail@indiatvnews.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, PEOPLE, POLITICS, MARKETING, BUSINESS SERVICES, DEFENCE, MEDIA

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Wednesday, November 26, 2008

BWI: Rediff.com Launches Service that Lets People with Restricted Internet Access to View Web Pages

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Rediff.com (India) Ltd.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008 05:18 PM IST (11:48 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Information technology; Technology
Release no: 18622
--------------------------------------------------
Rediff.com Launches Service that Lets People with Restricted Internet Access to View Web Pages
Simply Send an Email with a URL, and a Reply Arrives with the Web Page

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, Wednesday, November 26, 2008 -- (Business Wire India) -- Rediff.com India Limited (NASDAQ: REDF), India's leading online portal, today launched its new 'Web-in-mail' service, a way to read the web in the mail. Now, users can access internet content using email clients like MS Outlook, Outlook Express and Thunderbird. This is achieved in two simple steps:

-- Sending an email to browse@webinmail.com with the URL (internet address) of the webpage which the user wants to access in the subject line

-- A prompt reply is received with the webpage in the user's inbox

Clicking a hyperlink within the webpage received automatically composes another mail. On sending this mail another reply mail is received with a new webpage.

This service, in its beta version, also allows users to search the internet. Users simply need to send their search query in the subject line and result mail is received via email.

"Web-in-mail will let people with restricted internet access to now access internet content", said Venki Nishtala, CTO, Rediff.com

Details about 'Web-in-mail' can be found at: http://webinmail.rediff.com/

About Rediff.com

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

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




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

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, MARKETING, IT, TECHNOLOGY, REDF.O

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BWI: University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, India Signs Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: University Of Petroleum & Energy Studies (UPES)
Wednesday, November 26, 2008 04:00 PM IST (10:30 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest; Business: Accounting & management consultancy services, Business services, Education & training, Energy companies, Financial Analyst
Release no: 18621
--------------------------------------------------
University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, India Signs Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
For Educational and Scientific Research & Cooperation with the University of Waterloo, Canada and The Centennial Energy Institute (CEI)

New Delhi, Delhi, India, Wednesday, November 26, 2008 -- (Business Wire India) -- University of Petroleum & Energy Studies has taken a step forward and has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with University of Waterloo, Canada and the Centennial Energy Institute (CEI), for Scientific Research and Educational Cooperation with UPES. Both institutions will encourage institutional facilitated contact and cooperation between their students, faculty members, departments and research institutes under provisions of this Memorandum with UPES.

University of Waterloo and UPES have current areas of specialization and the expertise at the two institutions; the institutions have extended their cooperation to each other within the scope of the agreement which comprises of three major elements,

-- Education: Exchange and Placement of students on their co-operative education work-term from the University of Waterloo in departments within UPES or its affiliated organizations in India. Placement of Doctoral Research Students of UPES for carrying out research at University of Waterloo research facilities, under joint supervision of UW and UPES faculty members

-- Research: Both the above said universities will have Joint research activities and Joint development studies and capacity building activities to improve the basis for enhancing energy security, reliability of the energy infrastructure, environmental performance and affordability of energy services to help improve life quality

-- Incubation: Incubation of technology companies at the Research and Technology Park at University of Waterloo

On this occasion Mr. Parag Diwan, Vice chancellor of UPES said, "We are very happy to sign MOU with University of Waterloo, which is Canada's most premium Engineering Research University. This collaboration would lead to joint research for Renewable Energy, Nanotechnology and Nuclear Engineering. This collaboration would also provide opportunities for our students and faculty team members to spend time and attain experience from each others campus for cross fertilizing the ideas".

At this occasion Mr. David Johnston, president Of University of Waterloo said that, "The University of Petroleum & Energy study is the budding name in the field of scientific research and educational sector. We are happy to collaborate with the university and would work very closely in the coming future."

UPES has also signed the MOU with The Centennial Energy Institute (CEI), which is an entity within the School of Engineering Technology and Applied Science (SETAS) of Centennial College and Centre for Alternate Energy Research (CAER), which will explore the potential for cooperation and active collaboration to foster exchanges in education, training and research with University Of Petroleum & Energy studies. CEI & UPES have specific areas of specialization and expertise at the two institutions; the forms of cooperation within the scope of this collaboration would comprise of three major elements, (i) Training, (ii) Projects and (iii) Funded Research Programs, under which both the universities would work to give the best ground to the students and the industry.

About UPES

In today's highly competitive corporate world, companies need a rich foundation of human capital to get the cutting edge. University of Petroleum & Energy Studies is one such name which has immerged in the education sector as the fastest growing University which has successfully raised the benchmark for Indian Education by designing its courses to train its students, as domain specialist professionals. UPES is approved by UGC. Under the governance of the top professionals from the industry, academy and from the govt. like Mr. S. Behuria, Chairman, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., Mr. Ashok Sinha, CMD, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd., Mr. M. B. Lal, Technical Member (Petroleum & Gas) etc, UPES offers 33 specialized programs across Oil & Gas sector, Power sector, Transportation, Infrastructure, Logistics & Supply Chain sectors. It is also the first institute to set Bio-Diesel Laboratory and first to implement SAP.

After considering the competence of UPES, the foreign leading universities have shown interest in the fastest emerging university and have taken a step forward to tie-up with the emerging university of India, UPES which is successfully creating a constant pool of technical and managerial human resources. UPES is ready to deploy its talent in helping companies to quickly roll out their expansion plans and save huge expenditures in creating support training infrastructure.

The foundation of University of Petroleum & Energy studies was laid 5 years ago, when the Indian Energy sectors were breaching the gap and was getting integrated to Global Energy Environment and now UPES offers over 33 graduate, post graduate and doctoral programs to more than 2900 students across its 3 centers Dehradun (Uttaranchal), Gurgaon (NCR) & Rajahmundry (Andhra Pradesh).

For any further details log on to www.upesindia.org.

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

"Dr. Parag Diwan, Vice Chancellor, UPES(R) and Dr. David Johnston, President, UW (L) while Signing the MOU"

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

http://www.BusinessWireIndia.com/attachments/Pic_1(186).JPG
"Dr. Parag Diwan, Vice Chancellor, UPES(R) and Dr. David Johnston, President, UW (L) while Signing the MOU"



CONTACT DETAILS
Ritu Chopra, Sky Public Relations, +91 9811548209, skypublicrelations@gmail.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, CONSULTANCY SERVICES, BUSINESS SERVICES, EDUCATION, ENERGY, Financial Analyst

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BWI: National Geographic Toys Now Exclusively Available at HyperCity

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: HyperCITY
Wednesday, November 26, 2008 12:48 PM IST (07:18 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, Lifestyle; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Household & personal care products & services, Retailers, Toy manufacturers
Release no: 18619
--------------------------------------------------
National Geographic Toys Now Exclusively Available at HyperCity
Bring Dinosaurs to Life, Feel the Human Heartbeat, Create a Raging Volcano, Hold the World in Your Hand with National Geographic Toys!

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, Wednesday, November 26, 2008 -- (Business Wire India) -- Its interactive, it's educative and it's all at HyperCity! Mumbai's most attractive retail store, HyperCity, brings you an innovative range of educational toys from National Geographic that is designed to stimulate the interest and imagination of children. In an exclusive tie-up with Nat Geo, the range of educational toys will be available only at HyperCity stores for a period of one year.

Introduced for children above eight years of age these toys motivate children to learn facts and reap developmental benefits as they play. They are aimed at encouraging kids to think creatively and learn through scientific experimentation.

Starting from Rs.599 onwards these toys build the imagination of kids contributing to the development of their mind and body. A refreshing change from existing toys, this range involves kids in innovative activities and discovery of new things.

The exciting range includes various kits and gear including human eye and human heart kit, electronic lab telescope and microscope, nature exploring kit, and other innovative toys. Worth checking at HyperCity are dinosaur toys, crystal growing kit, volcano & earthquake set, planetarium kit, interactive globes etc that help kids build an interest towards science.

Designed to give a new dimension to learning, these toys engage kids and assist in their overall development. Creating a new niche, these toys are a must-have for children who want to experiment and take learning a step forward!

Available at HyperCity, Malad & Vashi:

-- Colour My World Globe-5"-Rs.599

-- Nature Exploring Kit- Rs.599

-- Magnet Play Set-Rs.699

-- Back pack Trekking Kit-Rs.1299

-- Crystal Growing Kit- Rs.1499

-- Volcano and Earthquake-Rs.1499

-- Planetarium-Rs.1999

-- Electronic Lab-Rs.2499

-- Rock Tumbler-Rs.2499

-- Human Torso-Rs.1599

-- Skin n Bones Dinosaur-Rs.1999

-- Human Heart - Rs. 799

-- Time Station-Rs.999

-- Field and Lab Microscope- Rs.2499

-- Reflector Telescope-Rs. 5999

About HyperCity

HyperCity Retail (India) Pvt. Ltd. is part of the K. Raheja Corp. Group, a leader in the Indian retail sector. HyperCity, a hypermarket in the true sense, covers over 1,20,000 sq feet and stocks an astonishing array of product categories groceries, food, home needs, fresh food, garments and consumer durables and offers time-pressed consumers convenience, variety and value for money, all under roof.

To view the photographs, click the links below:

Volcano and Earthquake

Back pack Trekking Kit

Field and Lab Microscope

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PIC_3(37).JPG



CONTACT DETAILS
Archana Iyer, IPAN, +91 (022) 40661778, archana.iyer@ipan.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, LIFESTYLE, MARKETING, HOUSEHOLD, RETAIL, TOYS

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Tuesday, November 25, 2008

BWI: PlaySpan Announces $16.8 Million in Series B Funding

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: PlaySpan India Pvt Ltd
Wednesday, November 26, 2008 11:29 AM IST (05:59 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, Entertainment; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Banking & financial services, Financial Analyst, Information technology; Technology
Release no: 18614
--------------------------------------------------
PlaySpan Announces $16.8 Million in Series B Funding
Company Emerges as Leading Platform for Digital Goods Monetization thru Micro-Transactions and Global Payments

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, Wednesday, November 26, 2008 -- (Business Wire India) -- PlaySpan, Inc., (www.playspan.com) the leading provider of digital goods micro-transaction and payment solutions, today announced $16.8M in Series B investment from Easton Capital Group, Menlo Ventures, Novel TMT Ventures, STIC and other undisclosed investors. This new capital brings the company's total funding to $24M. The new funding will be used to expand into Europe and Asia and to grow PlaySpan's global publisher and user-base.

"Online games publishers and social media application developers are looking for new sources of revenue beyond traditional advertising and subscriptions. We are enabling a new business model in the form of micro-transactions for users that prefer the pay-as-you-go model," said Karl Mehta, Founder & CEO of PlaySpan. "It is a testament to our market-leading position, demonstrated growth, and the long-term potential of virtual goods and micro-transactions that we have raised a significant round in spite of the current economic climate."

The pay-as-you-go model has gained rapid adoption and is poised for tremendous future growth because it gives consumers more control over their entertainment experience and offers publishers expanded revenue opportunities. PlaySpan offers publishers and developers a complete out-of-the-box platform for managing secure, efficient micro-transactions, virtual goods sales, global alternative payments and peer-to-peer trading. PlaySpan's platform enables any developer to monetize any content at any price for any user in any country, said Mehta.

"The PlaySpan team has made substantial progress in pursuit of a big idea: making small payments in-game and out as easy as a web click," said Shawn Carolan, managing director, Menlo Ventures. "We're thrilled to be able to support their ongoing success with both partners and end-users as they realize their full vision of a universal micro-payments solution."

The PlaySpan micro-transactions monetization platform integrates alternative payment options through its subsidiary PayByCash (TM), which supports more than 70 payment solutions in 180-plus countries. PayByCash's pre-paid ULTIMATE GAME CARD® extends the payment solution offline as it is available in 20,000 retail locations in North America and worldwide, including 7-Eleven, Blockbuster, Rite Aid and Wal-Mart stores and supports more than 200 online games.

The PlaySpan and PayByCash platform supports more than 200 games in aggregate from publishers such as Aeria Games, Eve Online, Gala-Net, GamersFirst, Gravity, Ntreev, Outspark, Saga and YNK and yet-to-be-announced publishers reaching over 100 million online gamers worldwide.

About PLAYSPAN INC.

PlaySpanT is the game industry's first publisher-sponsored in-game commerce network. PlaySpan's patent-pending in-game search, commerce and micropayment technologies enable game publishers and developers to generate new revenues, acquire new users and extend the loyalty of existing users. Leading game providers and virtual world publishers have selected PlaySpan as their official marketplace for virtual goods.

PlaySpan offers global payment solutions through its subsidiary PayByCash®, which has served the games industry for 10 years, supporting over 70 payment methods in over 180 countries. PayByCash's widely distributed ULTIMATE GAME CARD® is the leading pre-paid card supported by over 200 online games and available in more than 20,000 retail locations across North America and soon worldwide.

PlaySpan is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices in Charlottesville, VA, Cincinnati, OH and Mumbai. Investors include Easton Capital, Menlo Ventures, STIC and Novel TMT Ventures




CONTACT DETAILS
Vinayak Rao, PlaySpan India Pvt Ltd, +91 9820045958, vinayak.rao@playspan.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, ENTERTAINMENT, MARKETING, BANKING, Financial Analyst, IT, TECHNOLOGY

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BWI: Akamai’s Third Quarterly “State of the Internet” Report Indicates Growing Internet Penetration in India

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Akamai
Wednesday, November 26, 2008 11:30 AM IST (06:00 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Business services, Information technology, Publishing & printing; Technology
Release no: 18613
--------------------------------------------------
Akamai's Third Quarterly "State of the Internet" Report Indicates Growing Internet Penetration in India
Number of Observed IP Addresses from India Grows to 2.6 mn in Q3 from 2.1 mn in Q2, a Quarterly Growth of 23%

Bangalore, Karnataka, India, Wednesday, November 26, 2008 -- (Business Wire India) -- Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: AKAM), the leader in powering rich media, dynamic transactions and enterprise applications online, today announced the release of the third edition of its quarterly "State of the Internet" report available for download at www.akamai.com/stateoftheinternet. Leveraging published reports and information available on its network, Akamai's quarterly report provides insight into key Internet statistics such as origin of attack traffic, network outages and broadband connectivity levels across the globe. As the Company's third published edition, the report also now provides a quarter-over-quarter view into trends.

Insights on India:

-- India ranked No. 20 in terms of number of observed IP addresses with 2.6 million connections. In Q3, the growth in IP addresses was 23%

- In comparison, China had 38 million and Unites States had 109 million unique IPs, while being ranked at No. 2 and No. 1 respectively

-- India ranks a low No. 153 in terms of number of IP addresses per capita, with 2.3 unique IPs per thousand people

- In comparison, China had 30 unique IPs per thousand people and United States had 360 unique IPs per thousand people, while being ranked at No. 94 and No. 6 respectively

-- The percentage of Internet connections from India with speeds above 256 Kbps was at 74%, indicating gradual shift from dial-up speeds to high speed connectivity

-- The percentage of Internet connections from India with speeds above 2 Mbps was at 5%, growing 16% compared to Q2

- In comparison, China had 4.3% connections above 2 Mbps and United States had 64% connections above 2 Mbps

-- India ranked 12th in terms of global attack traffic origination in Q3, contributing 1.6% to observed global attack traffic - last quarter India was ranked at 15th

Commenting on the report, Sanjay Singh, Managing Director - India, Akamai Technologies, said, "During the third quarter of 2008, Akamai observed web-traffic originating from 179 unique countries around the world. Our global network of 40,000 servers across 70 countries enables us to offer unique insight into how the Internet is being leveraged around the world. In Q3, we saw 23% growth in terms of new IPs from India. This increase may be attributable to more people turning to the World Wide Web for news and video content related to the Beijing Olympic Games, which took place in August. We also noted a gradual improvement in terms of IP per capita which increased to 2.3 unique IPs per 1,000 people, and believe India is moving in the right direction and is poised for significant growth in Internet adoption in the coming years."

Global connectivity saw big advances in the third quarter, with various undersea cable projects getting underway or nearing completion, the commercial launch of WiMAX services in a number of countries, and the announcement of fiber-to-the-premises services that will bring gigabit-speed connections to subscribers in Japan, the Ukraine, and the Netherlands.

Regarding global connection speeds, South Korea had the highest levels of high broadband connectivity for the third straight quarter. In the United States, Delaware also maintained its top position, with 55% of connections to Akamai occurring at 5 Mbps or greater. Looking at observed "narrowband" connections, Mayotte and Equatorial Guinea were the "slowest" countries, with 97% and 94% of connections to Akamai, respectively, occurring at speeds below 256 Kbps.

Akamai's unique level of visibility into the connection speeds of systems issuing requests to the Akamai network has created a one-of-a-kind view into broadband adoption around the globe. Leveraging that data, Akamai's quarterly "State of the Internet" report identifies both the countries and U.S. states with the fastest and slowest average connection speeds exhibited by IP addresses originating from those respective geographies. To learn more, and to access the archive of past reports, please visit www.akamai.com/stateoftheinternet.

The Akamai Difference

Akamai® provides market-leading managed services for powering rich media, dynamic transactions, and enterprise applications online. Having pioneered the content delivery market one decade ago, Akamai's services have been adopted by the world's most recognized brands across diverse industries. The alternative to centralized Web infrastructure, Akamai's global network of tens of thousands of distributed servers provides the scale, reliability, insight and performance for businesses to succeed online. Akamai has transformed the Internet into a more viable place to inform, entertain, interact, and collaborate. To experience The Akamai Difference, visit www.akamai.com.

To view the State of the Internet q3 2008, please click on the link given below:

Akamai State of the Internet q3 2008

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

http://www.BusinessWireIndia.com/attachments/akamai_state_of_the_internet_q3_2008.pdf
akamai_state_of_the_internet_q3_2008.pdf



CONTACT DETAILS
Karthikeyan D S, Akamai, +91 9741100798, ksathura@akamai.com
Priyanka Kalia, 20:20 Media, +91 9980600561, Priyanka.kalia@2020india.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, MARKETING, BUSINESS SERVICES, IT, PUBLISHING, TECHNOLOGY, AKAM.O

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BWI: Indian Wind Turbine Association Pledges For a “Go Green” Campaign at Wind India 2008

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: IWTMA
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 05:27 PM IST (11:57 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Environment, People; Business: Business services, Energy companies, Media & entertainment; Technology
Release no: 18610
--------------------------------------------------
Indian Wind Turbine Association Pledges For a "Go Green" Campaign at Wind India 2008
Coal and Oil will Deplete; The Future is to go Green; A Call for the Nation to Pledge

Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, Tuesday, November 25, 2008 -- (Business Wire India) -- The Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association (IWTMA) today participated in the 'Wind India 2008' conference held on the 25th November 2008 at Chennai Trade Centre, Nandambakkam. As Gold Sponsors for this conference, the core theme of the IWTMA's campaign is to focus efforts on promoting a "go green" renewable energy future in India. Mr. Arcot N Veeraswami, Minister of Tamil Nadu for Electricity was the Chief Guest for the conference.

IWTMA has put up a pledge board "For A Go Green Future" and has invited leading members from the government, media and wind energy senior members to be a part of this signature campaign. Mr. Arcot N Veeraswami, Mr. G.M. Pillai, Director General, WISE and Mr. D .V. Giri, Chairman, IWTMA, are some of the leading members who were present at the signage. The pledge board is a call for the nation to focus towards renewable energy.

Mr. D.V. Giri, Chairman, IWTMA, and Ms. Sara Bryce, Director - Marketing, Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) will be speaking in depth about the challenges pertaining to the Indian and Global Wind Energy scenario.

SPEECH EXCERPTS OF MR. D.V. GIRI, CHAIRMAN, IWTMA include:

-- Synopsis of Indian wind energy scenario: Indian wind energy has a potential of 45,000MW of which only 9,000MW is being generated presently. India stands at the fourth place for wind energy generation in the world

-- Synopsis of South Indian wind energy scenario: Tamil Nadu ranks No.1 in the wind energy generation, with a potential of 5500MW to 7000MW of which 4000MW is generated presently. To bridge the gap between the availability and the potential, replacement of the technologically advanced turbines becomes vital

-- Accelerated Depreciation Vs Generation Based Incentives (GBI): Accelerated Generation is 80% tax benefit enjoyed by the wind turbine owners along with 10 years holiday and indirect tax benefits, such as on custom and excise duties. Due to the loop holes in this system, the government implemented Generation Based Incentive (GBI). GBI is a mechanism by which incentives are provided to the turbine owners based on the wind power generation. IWTMA calls for Generation Based Incentives with the 49 MW cap removed

-- Removal of CAP on the GBI: Ministry for Renewable Energy presently offers incentives only to wind projects up to 49 MW. The CAP on the Generation Based Incentive has to be removed to woo foreign investors to invest in the sector. Presently, several foreign companies are ready to invest in the potential Indian wind farm, on removal of the CAP on GBI.

IWTMA calls for a friendly long term bankable policy, which is valid for a minimum of 10 years with a proper tariff system to woo foreign investors. It requires Government to support in the areas of:

-- Replacement of obsolete wind turbines with technologically advanced wind turbines

-- Raise the wind energy percentage in the Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPO)

-- A paradigm shift from a matured 'Energy Driven Market' rather than 'Financial Driven Market'

About IWTMA:

Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association was founded in 1997 to bridge the gap between demand and supply of power and to complement other forms of energy. IWTMA is presently represented by 10 members certified by Centre for Wind Energy Technology (CWET), who are primarily wind turbine manufacturers. IWTMA is the voice of the industry and the umbrella body of Wind Turbine Manufacturers of India. It is a member of the advisory panel for the Renewable Energy Ministry, governing body member of CWET, and also a member of Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA).

Additional Information on IWTMA is also available at www.indianwindpower.com.




CONTACT DETAILS
Ravishankar, IWTMA, + 91 9789009922, rr@swl.co.in
Anu Lakshman, IPAN, + 91 9841039574, anu.lakshman@ipan.com

KEYWORDS
ENVIRONMENT, PEOPLE, BUSINESS SERVICES, ENERGY, MEDIA, TECHNOLOGY

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BWI: Orient Green Power Raises US$ 55 Million from Invest or Group Led by Olympus Capital Holdings Asia

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Shriram EPC Ltd (SEPC)
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 06:40 PM IST (01:10 PM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, Economy; Business: Banking & financial services, Business services, Energy companies; Technology
Release no: 18611
--------------------------------------------------
Orient Green Power Raises US$ 55 Million from Invest or Group Led by Olympus Capital Holdings Asia


Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, Tuesday, November 25, 2008 -- (Business Wire India) -- Orient Green Power ("OGPL" or "the Company"), a dedicated renewable energy generation company with operations in India, announced completion of a fund raise of US$55 million led by Olympus Capital Holdings Asia ("Olympus Capital"). Olympus Capital is investing US$35 million, and Shriram EPC ("SEPC") and Bessemer Venture Partners ("BVP") have invested US$10 million each on the same terms. With the completion of this round of funding, the Company has access to US$75 million of equity, including funds raised earlier from BVP and SEPC.

This equity infusion is in line with OGPL's business plan to achieve its growth objectives. It will provide OGPL with the capital to implement its operating plan of setting up and acquiring power generation assets based on renewable sources including biomass, cogeneration, wind, small hydro, and biogas. The Company currently operates biomass and wind energy assets with a capacity of 70 MW. It is currently implementing projects of a capacity of 146 MW and aspires to install or acquire renewable energy assets of a total capacity of 500 MW over the next 5 years.

The projects of OGPL are designed to sell power under long-term Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). OGPL's business economics are enhanced by the creation and sale of CERs from the Clean Development Mechanism. The depleting sources of conventional energy, the gap between demand and supply given future requirements of power, and the need to keep global CO2 emissions under check, makes renewable energy very attractive as a long-term business.

Mr. T. Shivaraman, founder of OGPL and Managing Director of SEPC, said, "We remain solidly convinced about the business prospects of renewable energy ventures. Toward that end we have invested tremendous financial and human resources to establish a versatile and robust operating model, and I am glad to share that we have already made noticeable on-the-ground progress in this direction. We believe that we are on the cusp of the next growth wave and would like to be prepared to establish a sizeable footprint in this area.

I believe that renewable energy truly represents a win-win opportunity for both society and business, creating a real long term value proposition for all its stakeholders. Though there are short-term challenges that seem accentuated in the current economic environment, from a medium to long-term viewpoint the prospects are outstanding.

We are delighted to partner with Olympus Capital, which has a strong focus on the environmental services sector, and further strengthen our relationship with Bessemer Venture Partners, both of whom provide more than just capital to our business. They bring with them innovative ideas, a unique vision, and insights that are invaluable when establishing business in a developing sector. With marquee investors and an able management team led by Mr. P. Krishnakumar, Managing Director, I am confident that OGPL is positioned to become a global leader in renewable energy over the next few years."

Mr. Gaurav Malik, Managing Director, Olympus Capital India, commented, "OGPL has the depth and domain expertise needed to capitalize on the significant and growing opportunities in the renewable energy sector in India. The Company offers a strong platform for the consolidation of renewable assets in a country that is short of power. With a strong mandate from our global investor base to invest in the environmental sector in India and other parts of Asia, even in this extremely difficult global scenario, Olympus Capital is pleased to partner with SEPC and BVP in making this investment."

Mr. Rob Chandra, BVP's Managing Partner, commented, "OGPL started as an idea with Shriram EPC two years back and since then we have come a long way to become one of India's leading clean energy generation companies. BVP continues to be committed to OGPL and Shriram EPC and are delighted to have a new partner in Olympus Capital."

About Orient Green Power Company Limited (OGPL):

Overview

OGPL was founded by SEPC in October, 2006 along with Bessemer Venture Partners, with the objective of owning and operating a portfolio of renewable energy projects.

The strategy for OGPL is to own assets and also act as the holding company for subsidiaries that each own and operate power generation projects based on renewable sources. OGPL will increase its capacity through the organic route as well as through strategic acquisitions. Apart from the sustainable revenues from power generation, the Company expects to profit from the sale of CERs.

OGPL currently has 70 MW of assets in operation. This includes two 7.5 MW biomass plants in Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan and multiple wind farms in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

The Company is currently implementing projects totaling to a capacity of 146 MW. It is currently setting up a 15 MW hydroelectric project in Orissa and a 7.5 MW power project based on poultry litter/biomass in Andhra Pradesh. Apart from these two, the Company is setting up several biomass power plants ranging from 7.5 MW to 10 MW in the states of Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Punjab. The company aspires to build assets amounting to 500MW over the next 5 years.

Safe Harbour

Some of the statements in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include our financial and growth projections as well as statements concerning our plans, strategies, intentions and beliefs concerning our business and the markets in which we operate. These statements are based on information currently available to us, and we assume no obligation to update these statements as circumstances change. There are risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events to differ materially from these forward-looking statements. These risks include, but are not limited to, the level of market demand for our services, the highly-competitive market for the types of services that we offer, market conditions that could cause our customers to reduce their spending for our services, our ability to create, acquire and build new businesses and to grow our existing businesses, our ability to attract and retain qualified personnel, currency fluctuations and market conditions in India and elsewhere around the world, and other risks not specifically mentioned herein but those that are common to industry.

Shriram EPC Ltd. (SEPC):

SEPC is one of the leading service providers of integrated design, engineering, procurement, construction and project management services for renewable energy projects, process and metallurgical plants and municipal services sector projects throughout India, and. The engineering, procurement and construction business is focused on providing integrated turnkey solutions for biomass-based power plants, bio-ethanol production plants, process and metallurgy plants (including thermal power plants), water and wastewater treatment plants, water and sewer infrastructure and pipe rehabilitation. The WTG business has been focused on developing, manufacturing, erecting and commissioning 250KW WTGs, and is currently developing megawatt-class WTGs through Leitner Shriram Manufacturing Limited ("Leitner Shriram"), an Associate company.

SEPC is headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, with offices in Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata and Beijing, and WTG and cooling tower factories in Puducherry, Chennai and Umbergaon (Gujarat). The core services include detailed design and engineering, material procurement and overall project and construction management services. The businesses are categorized into two segments - engineering, procurement and construction ("EPC") projects and development, sale and maintenance of WTGs. The EPC business focuses on renewable energy, process and metallurgy and municipal services projects. The EPC project experience and footprint reaches across 16 states in India.

About Olympus Capital Holdings Asia:

Olympus Capital Holdings Asia is an independent investment management firm focused on long-term equity investments in companies operating in Asia. Since its establishment in 1997, Olympus Capital has committed approximately US$1.3 billion to 30 companies throughout Asia. An active manager with special expertise in joint ventures with Asian and western companies, Olympus has entered into over ten joint ventures in the financial, business services and other sectors throughout Asia since 1999. Joint venture partners have included Mizuho Bank, Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Sojitz Corporation, Liberty Media International, Satyam Computer Services, Convergys Corporation and Asurion Corporation. Olympus Capital has a network of experienced investment and operational professionals throughout Asia with executives based in New Delhi, Hong Kong, New York, Seoul, Shanghai, and Tokyo. Olympus Capital has made 5 investments in India including Quatrro BPO Solutions and Sanghvi Movers. A key investment focus of Olympus Capital is environmental services, including renewable energy, waste management, water treatment, energy efficiency, pollution control and prevention, and carbon programs.

About Bessemer Venture Partners (BVP):

Established in 1911, Bessemer is the longest standing venture capital practice in the United States and over the past 100 years has made investments in hundreds of rapidly growing companies, many of which have gone on to become household names such as Skype, Verisign, Veritas, Staples, Ingersoll Rand, W.R. Grace and the Gartner Group. Since 1970, more than 120 companies that BVP has invested in have gone public. Over the past 100 years and continuing into the future, the hallmark of Bessemer has been to provide long-term stable capital with value-added services to innovative individuals that have created many of the world's leading companies.

BVP has been an active investor in India since 2004 and manage India dedicated funds to the tune of half a billion dollars. The 20 investments (both private and in the listed space) to date span multiple segments and include companies such as Shriram EPC, Motilal Oswal Securities, Onmobile Global, Sunil Hitech, Sarovar Hotels, Orient Green Power and Shriram City Union Finance. Today Bessemer India has 11 investment professionals across our two offices in Mumbai and Bangalore.

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

Left to Right Mr Gaurav Malik -Olympus Capital India , Mr T Shivaraman - Shriram EPC , Mr Krishna Kumar - Orient Green power Limited , Mr. Vishal Gupta -
Bessemer Venture Partners


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

http://www.BusinessWireIndia.com/attachments/Pic_1(184).JPG
Left to Right Mr Gaurav Malik - Olympus Capital India , Mr T Shivaraman - Shriram EPC , Mr Krishna Kumar - Orient Green power Limited , Mr. Vishal Gupta - Bessemer Venture Partners



CONTACT DETAILS
Vivek Sharma, Shriram EPC Ltd, +91 (044) 26531592 / 3313 / 3109, investors@shriramepc.com
T. P. Vivekanand, Shriram EPC Ltd, +91 (044) 26531592, tpv@shriramepc.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, ECONOMY, BANKING, BUSINESS SERVICES, ENERGY, TECHNOLOGY

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BWI: “99acres Insite”: A Realty Report that Showcases Trends Across the Top Cities in India Over the Past One Year

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: 99acres.com
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 06:00 PM IST (12:30 PM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Business services, Information technology, Real estate; Technology
Release no: 18612
--------------------------------------------------
"99acres Insite": A Realty Report that Showcases Trends Across the Top Cities in India Over the Past One Year


New Delhi, Delhi, India, Tuesday, November 25, 2008 -- (Business Wire India) -- Highlights of the Report:

-- In Delhi NCR, Gurgaon and Noida remain bearish on realty with marginal increase or decline in prices

-- Mumbai and Kolkata remain stable with asking prices seeing a fluctuation within 10%. Mumbai suburbs see a greater fluctuation, prices in Nerul fall drastically

-- In the IT cities - Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune the sentiment remains low with prices seeing a dip. Hyderabad sees a correction to the tune of 15%

-- Chennai remains the only market bullish on realty with prices appreciating in all localities in the last quarter

According to the report '99acres Insite' released by 99acres.com, India's No.1 Property Portal, Prices in realty have fluctuated over the past year and most localities across cities have seen a dip in prices. The report compiles the asking rates (price demanded by the buyer/broker) for localities across Delhi - NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune.

On the report, Vineet Singh, Business Head, 99acres.com said, "The report is an attempt to keep our stakeholders abreast of the prevailing prices in the market. Especially in the given scenario, with prices fluctuating at a high rate, the report will be a ready reckoner for our users. We will keep this initiative up by releasing reports on various trends regularly.

'99acres Insite' - Metro Property Price Trends is an overview of the prices in the Top cities in India which have a high demand. This quarter the sentiment has been low, and the report states a decline in prices across most localities in India."

The Delhi market includes hot spots in the southern and eastern part of the city as well as other popular investment and housing localities like Noida, Greater Noida and Gurgaon. South Delhi, Vasant Kunj and Lajpat Nagar have seen an appreciation over the year. Dwarka has shown a decline in prices by a margin of 15% when compared to prices in January. It currently exhibits a buyer friendly rate of Rs 5800/sqft. In Noida, prices have shown some volatility in popular sectors such as 50 and 61 with a variation to the tune of 10%. Prices in these regions currently range between Rs 4500/sqft to Rs 6000/sqft. In Gurgaon, prices have declined (July - Sep) by about 10% - 20% in localities such as Golf course road and Sohna Road during the third quarter after appreciating in the second quarter of the year.

Mumbai has been a relatively stable market in the last one year with rates exhibiting marginal increase / decrease in most localities. In Mira Road and Bhayander (East) have shown a very marginal increase in the last two quarters of this year. The rate in here currently stands at Rs 3100/sqft. The Andheri - Dahisar belt, the most attractive realty destination in Mumbai has seen marginal fluctuations. Navi Mumbai has seen declining prices especially in Nerul, prices have fallen from Rs 6677/sqft at the beginning of the year to the prevailing rate of Rs 4607/sq ft.

Kolkata has seen a price decline in popular localities in the southern region of the city. Tollygunj and Ballygunj have seen dips in prices in the last quarter although E M Bypass has seen a slight increase. A popular locality in the eastern part of city - Rajarhat has not witnessed much volatility over the given time period and residential apartments here are priced at around Rs 2800/sqft.

After some volatility during the first quarter of this year, the prices have shown some stability and appreciation in Chennai. Urapakkam saw a near 20% appreciation in price with the prevailing rate at Rs 2100/sqft. The rate here currently stands at Rs 4800/sqft. Valasaravakkam and Madipakkam, also in South Chennai have not experienced much volatility over the last one year with prices currently hovering at Rs 3900/sqft and Rs 3200/sqft respectively. Other localities that have seen an appreciation in the third quarter (July - Sep) of this year vis-à-vis the previous one are Perungudi and Medavakkam.

Bangalore has witnessed volatility in some localities in the given time period. Whitefield, which commanded a price of Rs. 3300/ sqft, has witnessed decline in prices in the last two quarters (April - Sep) of this year and the prices currently stand at Rs 2200/sqft. Marathahalli and Banaswadi, also in the east, showed stability. Maleshpalaya has been steady over the year with prices around the Rs 2100 / sqft mark. In the north, Hebbal has seen a correction this year.

Hyderabad has shown a decline in prices in the localities of Banjara Hills, Nizampet and Kukatpally in the third quarter of this year (July - Sep) vis-à-vis the previous one. In Banjara hills there has been a 10% correction in prices with the figure now standing at Rs 7800/sqft.

With over 3 lakh live listings, 99acres 'Insite' is a unique initiative to provide users and stakeholders of 99acres.com with useful insights about the property market in India. 99acres 'Insite' - Metro Property Price Trends addresses the single most important concern of all be it buyers, sellers, investors or media- 'Price trends'. The report compiles city wise, locality wise price graphs of residential apartments only. The team at 99acres.com has adopted the methodology which ensured that spam listings do not skew the numbers that are present in this report. Since, the figures quoted are asking prices (price demanded by the buyers/ brokers) and not actual transaction prices, it was important to identify entries which were spurious and eliminate them from the data set. Sample size has been carefully chosen to ensure significant number of data points, only properties with high number of user views have been selected for the analysis and outliners have been identified and treated.

About 99acres.com

99acres.com is the no.1 property portal in India. It was launched by Info Edge, in September 2005, as a gateway to the country's property bazaar, and an information 'exchange' for buying, renting and selling of all types of residential and commercial properties anywhere in the country. The website enables easy access to a huge property bank for netizens and allows for direct connect with brokers/builders in cities in urban and remote parts of India. With properties of almost 8000 builders, 60,000 brokers and 1,00,000 individuals, the portal lists over 300000 properties. The website has a registered database of 3,00,000 users.

For more information or to buy, sell or rent property in India, please log to http://www.99acres.com .

To view the 99 acres Reality Insite, please click on the link given below:

99 acres Reality Insite




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

http://www.BusinessWireIndia.com/attachments/99acres_Realty_Insite (3).pdf
99acres_Realty_Insite (3).pdf



CONTACT DETAILS
Anjali Berry, Sampark Public Relations Pvt. Ltd., 9891526436, anjali@sampark.com
Harsh Sinha, Sampark Public Relations Pvt. Ltd., 9971855115, harsh@sampark.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, MARKETING, BUSINESS SERVICES, IT, REAL ESTATE, TECHNOLOGY

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BWI: Max New York Life Crosses over Rs. 3,000 Crore in Collected Premium and Adds 1 Million Policyholders in 2008

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Max New York Life India
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 04:52 PM IST (11:22 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, Economy; Business: Banking & financial services, Business services, Financial Analyst
Release no: 18609
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Max New York Life Crosses over Rs. 3,000 Crore in Collected Premium and Adds 1 Million Policyholders in 2008
Results in Line with Aggressive Growth Plans

New Delhi, Delhi, India, Tuesday, November 25, 2008 -- (Business Wire India) -- Max New York Life Insurance, one of the leading life insurance companies of India, today announced that it has crossed Rs. 3,000 crore in collected premium since January 2008 recording a growth of 61% over the corresponding period last year. Of this, first year premiums contributed Rs. 1,653 crore, while earnings from renewal premium stood at Rs 1,375 crore.

The company has also acquired more than 1 million policies since January 2008, and is ranked number 4 amongst private life insurers in terms of number of policies sold (YTD September). The Assets under Management have also increased to over Rs.4, 185 crore on October 31, 2008 as compared to Rs. 2,851crore on October 31, 2007.

Commenting on the continued high growth of the company, Mr. Rajesh Sud, CEO and Managing Director, Max New York Life Insurance, said, "We have built a robust and value driven business model supported by the best in class agent advisors and distribution partners. We stay focused not only in the quantum of business that we do, but also on the process of how we do it. We have added 1 million policyholders till date during the year through our multi-channel distribution network. India is largely underinsured and it is up to us to harness the untapped potential."

During the period January - October 2008, Max New York Life Insurance has added more than 8500 employees and now has over 15,000 employees. The company agent advisors strength is now touching 61,500 agents.

During the calendar year 2008, Max New York Life Insurance has further strengthened its distribution network. The company has launched more than 250 new offices and now has presence in 295 cities across the country through 475 offices. The rural business of Max New York Life Insurance started its hub and spoke operations in Haryana after witnessing stupendous success in Punjab. The company also strengthened its distribution channel by signing strategic alliance with IndianOil by using their Kisan Sewa Kendra's to reach out to the rural hinterland. During the year the company also Introduced 'MAX VIJAY', a revolutionary business model that not only fulfils the customers' primary need of protection, but also facilitates long-term savings. Max Vijay has been designed specifically for the underserved segment of the society to meet the unique challenges of unpredictability in life and their income flow.

About Max New York Life Insurance ( www.maxnewyorklife.com)

Max New York Life is a joint venture between Max India Ltd., one of India's leading multi-business corporations and New York Life, a Fortune 100 company. Max New York Life Insurance, incorporated in 2000, is one of India's leading private life insurance companies. The company offers both individual and group life insurance solutions. It has established a wide distribution network across India. Through its wide network of highly competent life insurance agent advisors and flexible product solutions, Max New York life Insurance is creating a partnership for life with its customers in India.




CONTACT DETAILS
Arpan Basu, Max New York Life India, +91 9818083556, arpan.basu@maxnewyorklife.com
Priya Badshah, Max New York Life India, +91 9820248172, priya.badshah@maxnewyorklife.com
Aparna Sankaran, IPAN, +91 9899957559, aparna.sankaran@ipan.com
Romita Kumar, IPAN, +91 9871179935, romita.kumar@ipan.com

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

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BWI: BSNL Selects Dilithium for Mobile Video Services

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Business Wire
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 03:44 PM IST (10:14 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, Entertainment; Business: Business services, Information technology, Media & entertainment, Telecommunications; Technology
Release no: 18606
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(BW)(CA-DILITHIUM)BSNL Selects Dilithium for Mobile Video Services


Petaluma, California, United States, Tuesday, November 25, 2008 -- (Business Wire India) --

Dilithium, the global leader in high-quality multimedia delivery over mobile and broadband networks announced today that BSNL, India's largest telecommunications company, has selected Dilithium solutions for the deployment of new mobile video & streaming services over 2G and 3G networks.

BSNL plans to roll out Live TV services in early 2009. Dilithium has partnered with HCL Infosystems Ltd. to provide end to end delivery solutions for BSNL's live mobile video services. The solution includes the Dilithium DTG® 3021 multimedia gateways and the DCA video streaming solution, enabling 2-way video calling and other advanced video services.

"It has been an honor to help BSNL bring mobile video solutions to the India market," said Uno Mehta, Senior VP of Dilithium's Value Added Services Business Unit. "Our ability to provide comprehensive end to end solutions for both circuit switched and packet switched video made us a good fit for BSNL's requirements."

About Dilithium

Dilithium is the global leader in high-quality multimedia delivery over mobile and broadband networks to any device. Dilithium provides the most comprehensive and innovative mobile video solutions, with unmatched breadth of deployments in 60 countries reaching 1 billion subscribers. Dilithium pioneered 3G video communications and our technologies are deployed by the major network operators, content owners, aggregators and equipment providers. For more information please visit, www.dilithiumnetworks.com

About BSNL

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. formed in October, 2000, is World's 7th largest Telecommunications Company providing comprehensive range of telecom services in India: Wireline, CDMA mobile, GSM Mobile, Internet, Broadband, Carrier service, MPLS-VPN, VSAT, VoIP services, IN Services etc. Within a span of five years it has become one of the largest public sector units in India. www.bsnl.co.in





CONTACT DETAILS
CONTACTS :

Dilithium Networks
Karen Birnie
+1-707-792-3927
karen.birnie@dilithiumnetworks.com

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

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BWI: Cisco and Wipro Deliver New B2B Services in India

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Cisco Systems India Pvt. Ltd.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 02:50 PM IST (09:20 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Business services, Information technology; Technology
Release no: 18607
--------------------------------------------------
Cisco and Wipro Deliver New B2B Services in India


Bangalore, Karnataka, India, Tuesday, November 25, 2008 -- (Business Wire India) -- Cisco® and Wipro Infotech, the India and Middle East IT Business of Wipro Ltd., today announced the successful completion of Wipro's full procurement suite of RosettaNet PIPs implementation at Cisco offices in India. This successful B2B procurement suite integration allows sales teams from Cisco and Wipro to access real-time information on pricing and product catalog update, configuration and ordering processes, order status update and shipment notification.

The B2B integration between Cisco and Wipro procurement systems has resulted in multiple benefits:

-- Significant reduction in time taken by Wipro to prepare and submit purchase orders to Cisco, resulting in an increase in Wipro's orders to Cisco

-- Access to real time information, allowing proactive initiatives from Wipro for its customers

To further strengthen the association, both the companies will strategize and focus on areas where Wipro can take advantage of Cisco's internal B2B capabilities. This will enable Wipro to enhance productivity and streamline workflow. Both the parties will tap into the strong mutual understanding derived through B2B engagement to work collaboratively on more mutually beneficial initiatives in other areas. As Cisco and Wipro continue to develop innovative solutions that support specific vertical industry models such as healthcare, financial services, retail, real estate and transportation they will use this integrated B2B procurements solution.

Head of Operations-Wipro Infotech, Mr. Ravi Shankar R said, "Our Internal approval process has been integrated with this system. Once the Purchase Order is released in Wipro SAP system, the Purchase Order is automatically routed to the Cisco server, avoiding dual order logging. The B2B Link Up with Cisco has been a spectacular success, implemented without major disruption in the day to day activities of the Sales & Operations teams. It has ushered in a sea change in the presales activities of not only the Networking Sales Team but the teams from other Lines of Business. Adherence to process has improved across the board - apprehensions on delays have made way to confidence in the accuracy & speed of the ordering system and in the ordering teams. This initiative has been a stepping stone to push automation in to the ordering process and develop competence in IS enabling of Order management - right from forecasting customer requirements to delivering correctly and in time".

This B2B implementation integrates the key business process by uniting the people, suppliers (Cisco), Payment Partner (GE) and Freight Forwarder (Panalpina). By engaging each of these companies in a common set of goals, it helps to achieve a pace and differentiate Wipro in the marketplace, thus enhancing productivity and value addition to all stakeholders.

According to Head of Channels and Commercial Strategy, Cisco India & SAARC, R. Dhamodaran "It is great to work with a Channel Partner who clearly sees the value of B2B. The recent implementation of the status solution is a perfect example to know that doing B2B in a dynamic environment is possible. This alliance will help enable Wipro to have a real time, customized to their needs, eye on the business. This is a huge productivity win for Wipro, and enhances the experience of their staff in doing business with Cisco. The demonstration of the value B2B brings totally aligns with the mutual objectives of growth, productivity and enhanced partner experience".

About Cisco:

Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com. Cisco equipment in India is supplied by Cisco Systems International BV, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cisco Systems, Inc.

About Wipro Infotech

Wipro Infotech, a division of the US$4.93 billion Wipro Limited, provides enterprise customers with high value Information Technology Products, Software Services, Solutions and Consulting Services in India and the Middle East. Headquartered at Bangalore, Wipro Infotech serves customers in India through a network of 22 offices and 170 service locations across the country. It also has regional offices across the Middle East serving the region.

About Wipro Ltd

Wipro Limited (NYSE:WIT) provides comprehensive IT solutions and services, including systems integration, information systems outsourcing, IT enabled services, package implementation, software application development and maintenance, and research and development services to corporations globally. Wipro Limited is the first PCMM Level 5 and SEI CMM Level 5 certified IT Services Company globally. In the Indian market, Wipro is a leader in providing IT solutions and services for the corporate segment in India offering system integration, network integration, software solutions and IT services. In the Asia Pacific and Middle East markets, Wipro provides IT solutions and services for global corporations. Wipro also has profitable presence in niche market segments of consumer products and lighting. Wipro's ADSs are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, and its equity shares are listed in India on the Stock Exchange - Mumbai, and the National Stock Exchange.

For more information, please visit our websites at www.wipro.com, www.wiprocorporate.com, and www.wipro.in

Wipro's forward looking and cautionary statements

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

Cisco, the Cisco logo, and Cisco Systems are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. in the United States and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partnership does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. This document is Cisco Public Information.




CONTACT DETAILS
Vishak Gopinath, Cisco Systems India Pvt. Ltd., +91 (080) 4136 9344, vigopina@cisco.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, MARKETING, BUSINESS SERVICES, IT, TECHNOLOGY, CSCO.O

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BWI: Ocimum Biosolutions to Distribute CLARMON's QAvalid™ Compliance Management Solution

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Ocimum Biosolutions
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 02:00 PM IST (08:30 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest; Business: Accounting & management consultancy services, Advertising, PR & marketing, Business services, Healthcare, biotechnology & pharmaceutical, Information technology; Healthcare
Release no: 18605
--------------------------------------------------
Ocimum Biosolutions to Distribute CLARMON's QAvalidT Compliance Management Solution


Gaithersburg, Maryland, United States, Tuesday, November 25, 2008 -- (Business Wire India) -- Ocimum Biosolutions is proud to announce its partnership with Clarmon Corporation to distribute, implement and support its Compliance Management Solution, QAvalidT. Ocimum Biosolutions' extensive knowledge of Computer Systems Validation requirements and processes as well as its extensive understanding of pharmaceutical and biotechnology laboratories combined with Clarmon's unique solution, QAvalidT, creates a valuable partnership for regulated industries seeking effective and efficient validation solutions for their laboratory systems. "Our partnership with Clarmon will provide a true value-added solution to our customers who are seeking to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their Computer Systems Validation projects", said Anuradha Acharya, CEO of Ocimum Biosolutions. "By leveraging our own experiences in validating our laboratory software systems with the Clarmon QAvalidT solution, we bring real-life expertise to this partnership", Ms. Acharya added. "We are very pleased to begin this partnership with Ocimum Biosolutions, whose first-hand experience with our Compliance Management Solution as well as their world-class sales and technical staff will provide a very powerful experience to our ever-growing global customer base," said Jan Olsen, Chief Operating Officer of Clarmon Corporation. "Ocimum Biosolutions and Clarmon together will revolutionize the computer systems validation process to enable regulated industries reduce their costs in these challenging economic times, while simultaneously improving the quality and consistency of their validation documentation."

QAvalidT is a Web-based software suite designed to manage and automate quality and compliance processes. An alternative to paper based or manual systems, QAvalidT is both efficient and simple to use, combining the control and compliance of traditional tracking databases with the flexibility of manual systems. Proprietary linking technology built into QAvalidT enables users to connect and synchronize electronic content with the relevant regulations, standards or guidelines, making it easier to maintain documents up-do-date. The QAvalidT Add-In for Microsoft Office allows users to perform controlled document writing, reviewing, approving or testing in the familiar Microsoft Office environment. Users can thus perform most of the common tasks in offline mode and can also add traceability references to connect related content. The QAvalidT software suite developed by Clarmon and distributed by Ocimum Biosolutions includes specialized solutions that are focused on specific quality and compliance processes. By integrating and connecting the complementary solutions, companies benefit from a quality process that is streamlined from end to end.

About Ocimum Biosolutions

Ocimum Biosolutions is a leading integrated genomics company providing comprehensive genomic reference databases, life science lab information management solutions, GLP-compliant microarray services and essential research consumables. Over 2/3rd of the top 25 pharma companies, leading research institutes and emerging biotech companies worldwide have chosen us as their preferred outsourcing partner and utilize our expertise for understanding underlying mechanisms of diseases, discovery and prioritization of gene targets and biomarkers.

We are a preferred outsourcing partner for providing integrated biorepository and genomic services for several global pharmaceutical companies. Our global infrastructure, standardized procedures, capacity, expertise and highly skilled staff support drug development programs from pre-clinical target development and toxicogenomic assessment to clinical biomarker identification and patient stratification. In creating the world's largest commercial gene expression databases - BioExpress® and ToxExpress®, we have developed expertise and capabilities that are unparalleled in the genomic services industry. Our specialty LIMS solution, BiotrackerT caters to the growing needs of core labs in global companies and research centers involved in Life Science Research. We provide multiple GLP-compliant platforms for gene expression and SNP genotyping data generation. We also provide full biorepository and genomic services support for the Genetic Alliance, which is an umbrella organization representing ~600 genetic advocacy groups. Besides providing the physical infrastructure for storing thousands of biological samples, we provide services to assist sample accrual, IRB approvals, CRO training, sample collection, clinical data capture and management. For more information, please visit www.ocimumbio.com.

About Clarmon

Clarmon is a provider of Compliance Management & Quality Assurance applications and consulting services for regulated and non-regulated industries, such as Pharmaceutical, Medical Devices, Nuclear Power Generation, and Semiconductor Manufacturing. Clarmon is a privately held company established in 2004 comprised of a group of professionals and advisers with extensive experience in Compliance Management & Quality Assurance who used their knowledge to create fast and efficient ways of resolving Quality Assurance and Regulatory Compliance concerns. Its premier product, QAvalidT, is the most efficient solution for managing Quality Assurance and Regulatory Compliance information for both regulated and non-regulated industries, saving 40% to 60% of the time normally spent on quality assurance, regulatory compliance or validation work. For more information, please visit www.clarmon.com.




CONTACT DETAILS
Anuradha Acharya, Ocimum Biosolutions, ceo@ocimumbio.com
Ashwin Sivakumar, Ocimum Biosolutions, +91 (040) 66627200, pr@ocimumbio.com

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, CONSULTANCY SERVICES, MARKETING, BUSINESS SERVICES, HEALTHCARE, IT, HEALTHCARE

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BWI: Micro-irrigation Systems Launched Jointly by Finolex and Plasson

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Finolex Group
Tuesday, November 25, 2008 01:30 PM IST (08:00 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest, Entertainment; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Agriculture, Business services, Media & entertainment, Water; Technology
Release no: 18604
--------------------------------------------------
Micro-irrigation Systems Launched Jointly by Finolex and Plasson


Pune, Maharashtra, India, Tuesday, November 25, 2008 -- (Business Wire India) -- Using modern technology to extract more produce from agriculture and conserve water resources is the need of the hour, Finolex Group Chairman Mr. Pralhad P. Chhabria told media persons here on Friday. He expressed the confidence that the micro-irrigation systems made jointly by Finolex and Plasson of Israel will be of major benefit to India's farm sector.

Mr. Chhabria was talking to media members on his return from Israel where he was felicitated by the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmut with the "Award of Honour."

Mr. Chhabria said, "Though India has many rivers and receives a fairly good amount of rainfall, we face water scarcity in may parts of the country. Therefore it will be very important to use drip irrigation systems to maximise the use of available water to optimise the output of grain and fruit, " he pointed out.

Finolex was the company that developed drip irrigation technology in India. It is an honour to have been recognised by a country like Israel. Finolex is the only company to receive such recognition. Using PVC pipes for carrying water and sewerage will be extremely advantageous to the country, he said. A proposal in this respect has been sent to the Central Government but there is no response from the government so far, he added. If accepted, the proposal will mean significant saving of water and will also be helpful for health of the country's people, Mr. Chhabria said.

Mr. Chhabria informed media members about the company's new olive oil project. He said the company has planted olive plants in a 210-hectare stretch of barren land in Rajasthan. With this, Finolex will step into the business of olive oil, he said. The distribution of olive oil across the country will begin in a short time from now, he indicated, the project is likely to be extended over 2000 hectare land. The project will be an example of how barren lands can be used for profitable activities, he asserted.

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

Award to Chairman- Israel

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

http://www.BusinessWireIndia.com/attachments/Pic-1(1).JPG
Pic-1(1).JPG



CONTACT DETAILS
Prasad Kulkarni, Maharashtra Media Services & PR Services Pvt Ltd, +91 9923408408, prasad.kulkarni@maharashtramedia.in

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, ENTERTAINMENT, MARKETING, AGRICULTURE, BUSINESS SERVICES, MEDIA, WATER, TECHNOLOGY

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