India Press Release

Sical Logistics Q1 FY 09 logistics profit after tax Rs. 8.98 crore

Ogilvy Public Relations World Wide — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:35:46 +0600

/India PRwire/ - Sical Logistics Ltd, India’s leading provider of integrated multi-modal logistics solutions for bulk and containerized cargo and offshore logistics, today announced that the profit after tax and before extraordinary items of the logistics division for the first fiscal quarter ended 30 June 2008 was Rs 8.98 crore vs. Rs 9.29 crore a year ago while the logistics net sales was Rs 151.81 crore vs. Rs 155.38 crore a year ago.

The un-audited consolidated net profit after tax for the first fiscal quarter was Rs. 9.99 crore vs Rs. 11.95 crore a year ago. Consolidated Q1 net sales were Rs 162.05 crore from Rs 252.13 crore a year ago. The decline in net profit and revenue on a consolidated basis was on account of the demerger of the non logistics businesses and the discontinuing businesses of Sical.

The consolidated profit before tax and extraordinary items was Rs 10.71 crore from Rs 15.17 crore a year ago. The extraordinary items represent the net loss on restating foreign currency convertible bond loan and deposits/ bank balances in foreign currency.

On the results, Ashwin C Muthiah, Chairman, Sical Logistics said, “Our performance in Q1 FY09 is in line with expectations- the logistics business has stabilized and the infrastructure projects are progressing as per schedule.”

“We commenced operations of our container train business in March this year and will receive delivery of the second rake by end July ‘08. Our Nagpur Road terminal is in advanced stages of financial closure, likely to be achieved by end July ‘08. We initiated work on the Sical iron ore terminal with the ground-breaking ceremony at the terminal site in Ennore on 16th July ‘08. The common user terminal will be one of the largest iron ore terminals in Asia with a capacity of 12 million tons.” said Ashwin Muthiah, Chairman, Sical Logistics

“We continue to strengthen our businesses and explore new business opportunities to fuel growth and are confident of achieving our goals for FY 2009.” added Ashwin Muthiah, Chairman, Sical Logistics.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About Sical

Sical Logistics Ltd is India’s leading provider of integrated solutions for multimodal bulk and containerized logistics and offshore logistics, annually handling nearly 22 million tonnes of bulk cargo and 500,000 TEUs of containerized cargo.

Sical provides services in the following segments:

Bulk—stevedoring; port terminals; CHA and shipping agency; trucking; railroad; warehousing
Container—container terminals; ICD; CFS
Offshore—platform supply vessel; cutter suction dredger

Sical's delivery network includes an exclusive walk-in berth at Chennai for ships carrying bulk cargo; a container terminal at Tuticorin; 450,000 square feet of storage across over 100 warehouses; owned and regularly contracted fleet of nearly 2500 transport vehicles; container freight stations at 3 locations across India; Sical Torino, a deepwater capable platform supply vessel in North Sea, and Sical Portofino, a newly built cutter suction dredger.

Tarun Khanna's book BILLIONS OF ENTREPRENEURS How China and India Are Reshaping Their Futures and Yours

vaishnavi corporate communications — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:00:23 +0600

/India PRwire/ - The author who is a Jorge Paulo Lemann Professor at Harvard Business School was in Bangalore on 17th July for a discussion on his book with Rama Bijpurkar,Market Strategist and author of We are Like that Only and Kiran Mazumdar Shaw; Chairperson and MD Biocon Ltd.

For the first time since the rise of Western capitalism, entrepreneurs in China and India can ignore New York and London—and still build companies worth billions. Thanks to social and economic revolutions, Asia has captured the best minds and money from all around the world. Billions of Entrepreneurs is a compelling account of how China and India are reshaping business, politics and society around the world.

In Billions of Entrepreneurs, Tarun Khanna, uses on-the-ground stories and thorough research to show how China and India are embracing the world on their distinct terms. Entrepreneurs are powering change through new business models and bringing models and brining hope to countless people. Through intriguing, often provocative comparisons of triumphs and travails in both countries, the author illuminated critical areas which include the challenges of government 2.4 billion people with entrepreneurial tendencies, need for information accessibility, transparency, reliability, balance between private property rights and public interests, need to encourage and fund indigenous enterprise , role of overseas Chinese and Indians in development back home and rise of medical tourism and the inequality of heath care.

Tarun said China and India are radically different –one was top down and the other bottom – up. “How they will complement each other when they have two different political and cultural systems is a question to analyse and understand. “

“India is argumentative; China is about force. If a road has to be laid, it is laid. In India; you’d have a hundred disputes. But we have to work around these,” Tarun said.

But Kiran Mazumdar – Shaw said India and China must work together. “How when we have different systems do we turn partners in growth? I reason that we are competing when it comes to marketing and manufacturing, but a great opportunity lies in research. How do we synergise when we are countries with a vast cultural divide?”

The book reveals how such differences will influence China’s and India’s future development as well as what the two countries can—and must—learn from each other today. A compelling account, Billion of Entrepreneurs paints a vivid picture of how China and India are reshaping business, politics, and society around the world.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

IMImobile a winner in the AO Global 250 List

2020 MEDIA — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 17:53:42 +0600

/India PRwire/ - IMImobile, the global provider of value-added services to mobile telecom operators and content owners, today announced that it has been selected by AlwaysOn, as one of the AO Global 250 winners. The 6th annual list from the US company recognizes the top private companies and industry leaders demonstrating significant market traction and developing disruptive technology. IMImobile’s inclusion in the prestigious list comes after impressive global growth by the Indian company over the last year. IMImobile was selected on the set of five criteria: innovation, market potential, commercialization, stakeholder value and media buzz.

“The AO Global 250 winners have excelled in key strategic areas in the global technology markets”, said Tony Perkins, founder and CEO of AlwaysOn. “We congratulate them for their success in introducing new tools, services and platforms that are driving the next phase of innovation and creating real value at an economically uncertain time.”

“IMImobile is honored to be a Global 250 winner” said Vishwanath Alluri, CEO and Founder. “The award reflects the fantastic growth the company has achieved over the last year and cements our position as one of the leading providers of cutting edge technology in the mobile space.”

The AO Global 250 were selected from hundreds of companies around the world by a panel of industry experts in the online technology, media, entertainment, enterprise and greentech sectors. IMImobile was the only Indian company to be selected in the mobile sector. IMImobile and the other AlwaysOn Global 250 Top Private Companies, including Facebook, Flixster and Twitter, will be honored at the AlwaysOn & STVP Summit at Stanford University, July 22 -24.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About IMImobile

IMImobile is a leading provider of carrier-grade messaging platforms and gateways, content management systems, and voice platforms through managed services. Services provided by these platforms include interactive portals, community and user generated content applications, caller ring back tone and video streaming. IMImobile delivers managed VAS and content platforms and aggregates content for operators and portals, manages the delivery of content for content partners and manages mobile campaigns for media, advertising and enterprise customers. The customers include operators such asAirtel, Vodafone Essar and Virgin Mobile, enterprise customers such as Google and Reuters, content partners and portal customers such as Yahoo!, Sony, Disney and Universal. IMImobile is a profitable fast-growing global company with 300 employees worldwide, operations in 51 countries supporting 202 operator deployments and over 400 content partners. IMImobile’s differentiation comes from its unique combination of content management, operational model, business model and technology based on own IPRs, to achieve a quality and breadth of solution, cost effective managed services delivery model and high service level availability unmatched in the industry.

LaCie 2big Triple Presented Best Storage Back-Up Solution from the Technical Image Press Association

Alliance PR — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 17:05:02 +0600

/India PRwire/ - LaCie’s innovative 2big Triple hard drive, designed by Neil Poulton, has won a coveted trophy as the Best Storage Back-up Solution from the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA).The annual TIPA Award is recognized as the most prestigious photo and imaging honour in Europe.TIPA is made up of 30 independent publications from 13 European countries. The member publications have no relationship with any manufacturer, which allows neutrality to present awards to the year’s best products. Eligibility is open to any company that manufactures photo,video, and digital products. Submitted products are judged on ease of use, features, and price.TIPA only looks for products that are the very best in their respected areas to win this annual award.

The LaCie 2big Triple is a performance enhanced storage device with separate FireWire 800, FireWire 400, or USB 2.0 interfaces for high-speed data transfer. Available in capacities from 1to 2 terabytes, the 2big Triple is a complete RAID solution that can be individually configured for performance (RAID 0) and safety (RAID 1). When set for RAID 1, the unit is hot-swappable and upon insertion of a new drive, will automatically rebuild data for non-stop data access. The LaCie 2big triple also features an attractive natural cooling, heat sink metal design with a thermoregulated progressive smart fan to ensure long-lasting reliability and quiet operation.

IDLDPL (India Digital Life Style Distributors Pvt. Ltd.) isone of the largest distributors of LaCie hard drives in India. “LaCie 2big Triple HDD being adjudged as the Best Storage Back-Up Solution from the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) is a heartening news for us. It is a confidence building and boosting aspect for the customers who are using LaCie products. LaCie as a brand is known for its ruggedness and style and after winning the TIPA award, it has justified the quality and niche that the product enjoys. I expect the partners will aggressively push the products and the customers will appreciate the fact and start using this brand for better performance.” says, Mr. Vinayendra Singh, (Product Manager, IT), IDLDPL.

Availability

The LaCie 2big Triple is available worldwide via LaCie’s specialized dealer network with a starting suggested retail price of $349.99 for 1TB. For more product information, visit www.lacie.com.

About Neil Poulton

Neil Poulton was born in Thurso, Scotland. A graduate in Industrial Design from Edinburgh University and Milan's Domus Academy, Poulton first came into public view in 1989 as the creator of "the ageing pens,” pens made from a “living,” wearing plastic that changes color and form with use. Today, Neil Poulton designs and develops best-selling, award-winning products for a variety of international clients including LaCie & Artemide. Since 1991, Poulton has lived and worked in Paris, France. www.neilpoulton.com

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About LaCie

Located in the US, Canada, Japan, Australia, Europe, Singapore and Hong Kong, LaCie is the leading manufacturer of computer peripherals for PC, Apple and Linux users. LaCie creates external storage solutions and color monitors that help professionals and everyday users easilymanage their digital lives. LaCie has differentiated its products through original designs and leading-edge technology. Established in France in 1989, LaCie is listed on Euronext under FR0000054314 (LAC). For more information, visit www.lacie.com.

About IDLDPL:

IDLDPL (India Digital Life Style Distributors Pvt. Ltd.) is one of the largest distributors of lifestyle products in India. It is promoted and managed by professionals who have immense experience in this industry. IDLDPL represents some of the world-repute brands like Sony, Pentax, Creative, YES, Lacie, Parrot, Panasonic and Colorvision. Based out of New Delhi, it has presence all across India including metros like Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Bangalore; and non-metro markets in B-and C-class cities. Besides, IDLDPL has tie-ups with all major retail chains including Reliance, Planet-M, Future Bazaar, TV-18, Metro, and Hypercity. IDLDPL also provides multi-location billing facility to its customers. IDLDPL believes in Quality of Services. Part of this, logistics and support are the company's forte.For more information, visit www.idldpl.com

Contact Details:contactus@idldpl.com Ph No: - 01146096400

Corporates join to induct the new batch at ICFP

Imprimis Life — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:58:07 +0600

/India PRwire/ - The International College of Financial Planning, New Delhi organized a daylong Induction program for the new Batch’2008-09 at India Habitat Centre today. The event witnessed the recognition which International College of Financial Planning has received from the industry in the last four years as it saw a major rise in the batch size from 30 students, at the time of its inception in 2002 to 360, enrolled this year for the courses in Financial Planning and Security Analysis and Trade.

Eminent HR thought leaders from finance industry were invited to conduct key sessions on the career prospects in Finance and the increase in the demand of Financial Planners in the Indian Market. Mr. K.K. Bajaj, Chairman, Bajaj Capital motivated the students towards the career in Finance Industry. Mr. Sainesh Dar, MD, Chartered Insurance Institute and Mr. Kapil Mehta, CEO, DLF Pramerica Life Insurance defined the scope of opportunities in Finance while Mr. Ravi Bahl, MD, ChrysCapital highlighted the career prospects in capital market.

Speaking on the occasion Mr. Sanjiv Bajaj MD, International College of Financial Planning, said “In the four years of our existence we have carved a niche for ourselves in the market. The growth in both - the number of mass affluent & high net worth individuals, financial services industry is bound for a massive growth over the next couple of years, thus opening doors of opportunities for students.”

“Even with the Volatile equity market situation in India, there lies a huge demand for knowledgeable Financial Planners, which is a tool that we provide to our students for smooth and enriching career ahead” said, Mr. Anish Wig, CEO, International College of Financial Planning, while highlighting financial planning as right career choice for students.

The students enrolled for the batch 2008-09 belonged to diverse backgrounds with about 16.67 % of students from Humanities background signing up for financial courses. This year also saw a rise in the trend of enrollments of female students at International College of Financial Planning.

Dr. Vinod Kumar, Sr. Dean, International College of Financial Planning emphasizing the academic aspects of the course, said, “We offer globally recognized, specialized finance programs, which are designed to make our students eligible for banks, mutual funds, investment advisory and wealth management companies, stock brokers, consultants, etc.”

The induction program gave students a vivid view of the career prospects post their course in Finance at International College of Financial Planning.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About International College of Financial Planning

International College of Financial Planning is one of India's leading educational institutions specializing in financial services education. The institute was established in the year 2002 to initiate an entirely new platform for Financial Planners of India. The International College of Financial Planning Ltd., is promoted by the Bajaj Capital Group, a renowned Business house in the field of Financial Services in India and a charter member of the Association of Financial Planners of India. The primary objective is to impart world-class knowledge and training to students, working executives and professionals interested in making a career in financial services in India.

About International College of Financial Planning

For further information, please contact: Ms. Sukhwinder Kaur @9999619499 Ms. Mansi Arora @9312354240

South Indian Bank (SIB) Is the First Bank to Go Online- Booking of Offerings to Lord Sree Guruvayurappan

south indian bank — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:21:31 +0600

/India PRwire/ - Facility for Online booking through South Indian Bank payment gateway by devotees of Lord Sree Guruvayurappan was today inaugurated by Mr.Thottathil Ravindran, Chairman, Guruvayur Devaswom Managing Committee. Mr.M.Valsan, Executive Director of SIB presided over the function.

Mr.Valsan in his presidential address stated that being a customer-oriented Bank, SIB is striving hard to render personalised customer service using its technological capabilities.“The new facility launched on the first day of the month of Ramayana for facilitating online booking, free of bank charges, of offerings by the devotees is actually SIB’s offering to Lord Guruvayurappan” , Mr.Valsan also said .” With the launch of the new facility, customers of SIB are facilitated to effect offerings with greater transparency and security at the click of a button” the Executive Director also stated .He also stated that SIB hoped to offer the services of booking of ‘vazhipadu” at any the 511 branches to the general public in the near future.

Mr.Thottathil Ravindran, Chairman, Guruvayur Devaswom Managing Committee in his inaugural address complimented South Indian Bank for being the first bank to come up with such a convenience banking product for the benefit of the devotees of Lord Sree Guruvayurappan .

Mr.V.V.Ratheesan, Administrator, Guruvayur Devaswom, Mr.C.T.Devis, Asst.General Manager & Regional Head and also Mr.M.K.Parameswaran, Senior Manager of the Bank also spoke on the occasion. Guruvayur Devaswom Managing Committee members –Mr.Gokulam Gopalan,Prof.T.R.Hari and Mr.M.Vasudevan.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

THE SOUTH INDIAN BANK LTD :-

CORPORATE PROFILE

South Indian Bank (SIB) is one of the leading scheduled commercial banks in India with a strong focus on technology and service delivery.

A Host of Many Firsts

SIB has many firsts to its credit .

SIB is –

*The first in the private sector in India to open an NRI branch .

*The first private sector bank to start an Industrial Finance branch in India.

*The first Indian traditional Bank to achieve all branch/office inter-connectivity and register 100% CBS .

*The first private sector bank from India to provide managerial support to an Exchange House in the

Middle East .

Business Overview

South Indian Bank has registered an all time high net profit for the financial year 2007-08. The bank has declared a net profit of Rs. 151.62 crore for the current financial year as against Rs. 86.49 crore for the previous year registering a growth of 75.30%. With the advantage of 100% branches covered by Core Banking Solution, South Indian Bank was the first in its peer group to announce audited results for the financial year 2007-08.

The total business of the Bank stood at Rs 25,910 crore as on 31-03-08 registering a growth of 26.10%. While the deposits went up by Rs. 2,917 crore from Rs.12,239 crore to Rs. 15,156 crore registering a growth of 23.83 %, the advances increased by Rs. 2,446 crore from Rs. 8,308 crore to Rs. 10,754 crore registering a growth of 29.45 % .

With this the Bank has exceeded all the three ambitious targets the Bank had set in 2005 for achieving the milestones of Rs15000 crores , Rs 20000 crores and Rs.25000 crores in total business respectively for 2005-06 , 2006-07 and 2007-08 .

Due to effective recovery measures resorted to during the year, the Bank could bring down its Gross NPA percentage from 3.94 to 1.78 and Net NPA from 0.98 % to 0.33 % .

The Bank crossed the milestone of Rs.1000 crore of networth during 2007-08.

The major FIIs in the FII holding of 47% in the Bank’s equity include ,India Capital Fund, International Finance Corporation,Acacia Partners LP,India Fund Inc.,Goldman Sachs Investments(Mauritius),Morgan Stanley(Mauritius),India Institutional Fund,Deutsche Securities Mauritius,FID Funds(Mauritius) etc.

The Capital adequacy ratio of the bank is as high as 13.80% against the regulatory requirement of 9%.

The Bank had declared 2007-08 as the year of youth and has launched a novel deposit scheme “YOUTH PLUS” with technology features focusing the younger generation.

South Indian Bank, has now presence in 23 States/Union Territories having established a network of 502 Core Banking Branches ,26 CBS Extension Counters and 227 online ATM Centres

The Bank is planning to open 28 more branches during the current financial year to take the total number of branches to 530. Our focus during the next financial year will be on increasing the CASA funds as well as non interest income by sale of mutual funds and insurance products.

Another Milestone –Inauguration of the 14th Region

The 14th Regional Office of the bank to give administrative support to the branches in the tech-savvy state of Andhra Pradesh was inaugurated by Mr. K.Rosaiah,Hon:Finance Minister of Andhra Pradesh .Dr.N.Krishna Mohan ,Director,IDRBT will be the Guest of Honour. Mr.M.Valsan ,Executive Director of the Bank presided over the function.

Technology As The Key Driver of Business

The Bank’s ambitious technology up-gradation project named ‘SIBERTECH’ by introducing a Centralized Core Banking Solution ‘Finacle’ in technology partnership with the Infosys Technologies Limited is complete and all the branches/offices all over the country have been linked to the Centralized Data Centre at Kochi and hence 100 % of the Bank’s business is now absolutely on-line .The Disaster Recovery Facility is functioning at Bangalore.

With the up-gradation of technology , SIB now offers a host of hi-tech products which enables the customers bank from anywhere , saving them time , money and hassles . This means that they can avail of a range of solutions and make convenience banking a way of life . For this the Bank has launched various value-added products and services like Global Debit-cum-ATM card, Internet Banking, Mobile Banking etc.

SIB’s Global ATM – cum – Debit Card can be used at over 8 lac ATMs and 120 lac merchant establishments all over the world.The Global ATM – cum – Debit Card of SIB, which recently became the first Kerala based bank to have directly joined the National Financial Switch (NFS) of the Institute for the Development of Research in Banking Technology (the technical arm of the Reserve Bank of India) can also be used at over 20,000 ATMs all over India . 227 On-line ATM Centres have also been set up all over the country.

SIB IS Now A Financial Supermarket

The bank has tied up with ICICI Prudential life insurance for selling of insurance products at over 284 SIB branches in Kerala.This is a major step towards growing the fee-based income of the bank. This partnership, would help, for the first time in the country ,the policyholders of ICICI Prudential to pay their first as well as renewal premiums in cash at over 284 branches in Kerala.The Bank has also a tie up with Bajaj Alliance for distribution of general insurance products.

Recent Developments

South Indian Bank is the first private sector bank from India to provide management support to an exchange house in the Middle East..This enables SIB to provide top quality service, to NRIs looking at remittances to India , in a technology –driven environment .

The Bank very recently could bag a special award for excellence in banking technology from IDRBT which is the technical arm of the Reserve Bank of India .This award was presented to the Bank as a national level recognition to the excellent contribution made in the area of information systems, security policies and practices .The bank has bagged this award by tightly competing with all categories of banks in India such as Foreign Banks, Private sector banks, public sector banks and co-operative banks .

The Bank, as part of the global brand building exercise, has signed mega star Padmashree Bharat Mammootty as its Global Brand Ambassador. His tech savvy image goes hand-in-hand with our bank which has always been in the forefront of embracing technology. South Indian Bank has also unveiled a new corporate logo that demonstrates the major transformation the bank has undergone since its inception .

The Bank has launched a NetBanking initiative to provide real-time fund transaction for the online banking customers through ‘southindian bank.com’ , the online banking channel of the bank. This will make possible for the retail and also corporate customers of the Bank for online debits/credits from/to authorized accounts. This enriched Net-banking product has the potential for utility payments and payment gateway (shopping mall) facilities. This customer- value proposition contains functionalities to support consumer (Retail) e-banking and also corporate e-banking .

Recently the Bank has been rated as a “Top NPA Manager” in “ASSOCHAM- ECO PULSE” study for having reduced Net NPA substantially within one year.

Conscious of the corporate social responsibility , South Indian Bank has launched the ‘Money Lender-Free Village” pilot project at Meloor in Trichur District of Kerala .The main objective of the Project is replace the non-institutional, usurious, exploitative rural credit mechanism of private lending with lending through Self-Help Groups (SHGs)and direct lending by SIB. Under this initiative, SHGs act as extension of SIB to reach out to villages in even the remotest locations. This project though started very recently could garner acclaim from many quarters.

Business Strategy

The Bank is committed to become a technology- driven , customer-oriented bank (the new corporate slogan being -“Experience Next Generation Banking”)where passion for excellence is a way of life , innovation is a tradition , commitment to values unshaken and customer loyalty is abiding .

The long-term corporate objective is to emerge as the most preferred Bank in India, with core competence in fostering relationship banking, garnering core deposit with accent on cost, creating high yielding quality assets through focused marketing, qualitative appraisal and effective monitoring. We are dedicated to provide quality service to our customers and maintain high standards in corporate responsibility.

SIB-A Customer- Oriented Bank

Despite acquiring the latest technological capabilities available to the banking industry in the country, the Bank will continue the emphasis on personalized customer service, which has been the Bank’s core strength for all these 79 years. Incidentally , the Bank had also been selected , in the Outlook Money – C- Fore Survey, as the best private sector Bank in India in the ‘Service Quality ‘ segment .

GTL Infrastructure Q1 result out, registers Y-o-Y growth of 155% in revenue, 198% in EBITDA

GTL — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:10:54 +0600

/India PRwire/ - GTL Infrastructure Limited (BSE: 532775, NSE: GTLINFRA), the pioneer in Shared Passive Telecom Infrastructure in India, announced unaudited results of the Company for the quarter ended June 30, 2008.

Results for the quarter ended June 30, 2008

Revenue for the quarter ended June 30, 2008 stood at Rs.45.77 Crores as against Rs. 17.94 Crores for the corresponding quarter in the previous year, registering a Y-o-Y growth of 155%

Operating Profit for the quarter ended June 30, 2008 stood at Rs. 22.72 Crores (50% of the Revenue) as against Rs. 7.61 Crores (42% of the Revenue) for the corresponding quarter in the previous year, recording a Y-o-Y growth of 198%.

The cost of Infrastructure Operation & Maintenance (Net) is Rs. 11.73 Crores (26% of revenue), Employee’s cost is Rs. 4.21 Crores (9% of revenue) and other expenses (Net) is Rs. 7.10 Crores (15% of revenue). During the quarter ended June 30, 2008, the Company incurred interest and finance charges (net) of Rs. 15.16 Crores. The depreciation for the quarter was Rs. 29.61 Crores. The Depreciation impact on the results is high on account of the capital intensive nature of the business. Other income during the quarter was Rs. 0.49 Crores.

Operations Outlook:

During the quarter the Company established its presence in Himachal Pradesh circle. With this GTL Infra now has spread its tower Network across 16 Telecom circles viz. Maharashtra & Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Kolkata, UP (E), Punjab, West Bengal, UP (W), Haryana, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh.

The tower portfolio of the company consists of 6,360 towers, which are at various stages of completion

The company has seven leading Telecom operators and one WiMAX operator as tenants on its towers. The contracts are typically for a period of 10-15 years.

Awards:

GTL Infra has been recognized as the ‘Best Shared Infrastructure Provider’ by tele.net (A leading Telecom magazine) and has also been rated the ‘Top Independent Infrastructure Provider’ by Voice & Data (A leading Telecom magazine).

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About GTL Infrastructure Ltd.

GTL Infrastructure Limited, a Global Group Enterprise, is in the business of Shared Passive Telecom Infrastructure and has a vision to become the largest Third Party Shared Infrastructure Provider in the world.

GTL Infrastructure Limited, is engineering a Pan India network of over 23,700 towers that will be shared by the Telecom Operators. The towers located across Semi Urban and rural India will help bringing in connectivity at affordable prices to the poorest of poor, creating a positive impact on Indian economy.

Global Holding Corporation Pvt. Ltd. is the holding company of “Global Group” that has 5 operating companies, two of which are listed on Indian Stock Exchanges. The group has executed projects across 35 countries, Revenues in excess of US $601 million and Balance sheet size of over US $1.7 Billion. It employs more than 12,675 professionals of 22 nationalities and supports 18 social causes.

For over 2 decades Global Group has been partnering with leading telecom operators and OEMs offering its expertise in wireless communications. From 2G Networks to 3G and 4G, from WiMAX to IPTV, Global Group provides complete life-cycle solutions around Network Services and infrastructure.

The services include Network Planning and Design, Network Deployment, Network Operations and Maintenance, Infrastructure Management, Energy Management and Professional services.

By 2011, the Group plans to Erect, Engineer and Manage 100,000 Cell Sites across 150 Networks. These Networks are expected to connect more than 100 million subscribers in 50 countries across the world.

Global Group Enterprises have received more than 20 accolades and awards for excellence in Business, Corporate Social Responsibility, Corporate Governance, Human Resources and Entrepreneurship. The group flagship company GTL Limited features amongst Top 10 in the Standard & Poor’s ESG India Index, is the recipient of Golden Peacock Global Award for Corporate Governance 2007 and Golden Peacock Innovation Award for CSR.

Hansiba adds 19 exclusive pieces to the premium 'Varakh' collection

Hanmer & Partners Communications Pvt. Ltd. — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:52:14 +0600

/India PRwire/ - "Hansiba" the premium brand of the rural women artisans of SEWA Trade Facilitation Centre (STFC) announces the addition of 19 excusive pieces to their premium collection - "Varakh". The guest of honour Dr. Maxine Olson, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative unveiled the collection.

The exclusive pieces range from black anarkali evening dress to a uniquely crafted mashruoo Persian blue corset, from a sensuous Indigo blue dress to a hand painted kalamkari saree, from a quilted kalamkari coat to Ajarak design saree.

The 'Varakh' collection highlights the rich heritage of the rural artisan women – the exquisite hand embroideries, the minute and fine tie and dye, the detailed cut work and appliqué. The collection beautifully blends the traditional Gujarati embroideries with western attires making the collection stunning and desirable and giving it an international feel.

'Hansiba' strives to preserve and regenerate the nature while ensuring livelihood security. 'Hansiba' has developed a premium range with organic cotton and herbal dyes. It directly supports the education of girl child and helps in reducing compulsive migration of more than 10,000 rural women artisans.

Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Reema Nanavaty, Chairperson - STFC said " Our aim is to empower the rural artisans. We are working towards improving the quality of life and creating livelihood opportunities for them. Hansiba is a brand created by the artisans, they are the owners of the brand and the profits earned will be spent on their betterment. "

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About Hansiba

'Hansiba' the brand of rural women artisans is unique as the brand ensures livelihood security, access to education for girl children and addresses climate change issues. It has created a niche for itself by marrying age old embroidery techniques with modern designs and contemporary fashion. It signifies the rich embroideries, the traditional skill and heritage of the rural women artisans. The owners of Hansiba are these very rural women artisans themselves, who are the shareholders of STFC. Every Hansiba creation is painstakingly embroidered by the rural artisans of STFC for whom craft is the only source of income and livelihood.

GREYCELLS to acquire 26% stake in Access Atlantech

Concept PR — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:50:59 +0600

/India PRwire/ - Greycells, that operates EMDI vocational institutes in India and middle-east announced its acquisition of 26% stake in another Media and Entertainment vocational education company: AAT.

According to FICCI Pwc 2007, Indian Media and Entertainment industry is growing at a CAGR of 24% and will be Rs. 51900 cr by 2010. Currently 4 of the top 10 career aspirants choose Media and Entertainment. Also the gross enrolment in higher studies is expected to double to 12% in a decade from the present 7 %.This presents a great opportunity to vocational education specialists like Greycells and AAT.

Both the institutes, at present, have combined student strength of 1800. They have aggressive plans to increase to 10,000 levels in next couple of years.

Access Atlantech Edutainment (I) Ltd, headquartered at Chennai runs high end technology based courses in Media and Entertainment domain. It has partnered with world leaders as SAE, Digidesign, Qantm and other world leaders offering education in Sound Engineering, Games and Games design, Digital Filmaking and media management programs. The courses are affiliated to the Dibrugarh University, Assam. AAT has multiple campuses across the country and offers diploma and degree programs

Speaking on the sign up, Mr Deepak Choudhary, Managing Director Greycells said, Its a great synergy in terms of business and technology leveraging. We will look at complementing each other’s strength to maximise locations of presence and verticals in education to reach out to the student community and provide world class education.

Rathish Babu, CEO, AAT remarked, this is a terrific combination of bringing in a technology leader as AAT with Greycells, which excels in management domain of the Entertainment industry. We shall seek to build on strengths and the management expertise we have to build a value based organisation that will come to dominate the media education industry.

The organisations will look at international presence as in locations, collaboration with leading universities and resource/research opportunities globally. This shall mean a multifaceted and multi cultural education imparting entities with focus on world class education and standards.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About Greycells Entertainment Ltd.

Greycells Entertainment, since February 2004, has been building a track record to establish itself in the media and entertainment space. Based out of Mumbai, the company has been marshalling its talent pool and resources to contribute relevant, top-of-the-line work in the field of education, both in India and abroad.

Headquartered at Mumbai, Greycells runs the EMDI brand of media education in India and the middle-east across multiple campuses with a focus on Event Management, Radio education, PR, Advertising and other media based management programs.

About Access Atlantech Edutainment (I) Ltd.

Since inception in 2000 in Chennai, AAT has gradually enhanced its presence in the major metros within a span of 5 years. Today it has campuses in Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Dibrugarh and student information centers at Kochi, Trivandrum and Coimbatore. AAT has roped in global players like SAE, TCMS and Digidesign in its pursuit of offering international media education in India.

Access Atlantech brought SAE - the world’s largest media education college into India in 2000. Together they offer internationally recognized courses in Audio Engineering, Animation, Games Designing and Digital Film-Making.

C. Mahendra Exports Ltd to set up retail outlets, Diamond and jewellery units, Files DRHP

Concept PR — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:49:59 +0600

/India PRwire/ - C. Mahendra Exports Limited (the “Company”), the flagship company of C. Mahendra Group (the “Group”), proposes to set up retail outlets along with setting up of a diamond processing unit at SurSEZ and jewellery manufacturing unit at Mumbai. It further proposes to invest in brand development and infuse funds in the form of equity contribution in its subsidiary C. Mahendra BVBA.

To fund these projects cost the Company proposes to enter the capital markets with a public issue of 13,000,000 Equity shares of Rs 10 each through 100% book building process and has filed its Draft Red Herring Prospectus (“DRHP”) with Securities and Exchange Board of India (“SEBI”) for the purpose. YES Bank Ltd, Anand Rathi Financial Services Ltd and India Infoline Ltd are the BRLMs for the Issue. The equity shares are proposed to be listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange Limited (“BSE”) and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited (“NSE”). The Company may issue up to 1,500,000 Equity Shares with certain investors prior to filing of the Red Herring Prospectus with the RoC (“Pre-Issue Placement”). If the Pre-Issue Placement is completed, the number of Equity Shares issued pursuant to the Pre-Issue Placement, will be reduced from the Issue.

Atleast 50% of the Issue will be available for allocation to qualified institutional bidders on a proportionate basis, of which 5% shall be available to mutual funds only. Further, up to 15% of the Issue shall be available for allocation on a proportionate basis to non-institutional investors and up to 35% of the Issue shall be available for allocation on a proportionate basis to retail individual investors. The Issue will constitute 30.23% of the fully diluted post issue paid-up capital of the Company.

The Group is an integrated diamond and diamond jewellery player encompassing sourcing of rough diamonds, trading of rough and polished diamonds, processing of diamonds and manufacture of diamond jewellery.

The principal activities of C. Mahendra Exports Ltd and its subsidiaries are:

Sourcing and trading in Rough Diamonds
Cutting and polishing of diamonds
Manufacture of diamond jewellery
Marketing and trading in cut and polished diamonds
Marketing of Diamond Jewellery

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About C. MAHENDRA EXPORTS LTD:

The Company was recognized as a DTC Sight holder in 1991 and is one of the first Surat based entities to receive this recognition. Currently it has two facilities for cutting and polishing of diamonds at Surat. Further its subsidiaries, Ciemme Jewels Ltd and C. Mahendra Infojewels own jewellery manufacturing facilities in MIDC, Andheri, Mumbai.

Disclaimer: "C. Mahendra Exports Limited” is proposing, subject to market conditions and other considerations, a public issue of its equity shares and has filed its DRHP with SEBI. The DRHP is available on the website of SEBI at www.sebi.gov.in; and on the respective websites of the Book Running Lead Managers ("BRLMs") at www.yesbank.in, www.rathi.com and www.indiainfoline.com. Investors should note that investment in equity shares involves a high degree of risk and for details relating to the same, see the section titled 'Risk Factors' of the aforementioned DRHP. This announcement has been prepared for publication in India and may not be released in the United States. This announcement does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in any jurisdiction, including the United States, and any securities described in this announcement may not be offered or sold in the United States in the absence of registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 or an exemption from registration."

Former President Clinton Announces New Agreements to Lower Prices and Ensure New Supply of Malaria Drugs

Imprimis Life — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:35:54 +0600

/India PRwire/ - Former President Bill Clinton, joined today by the UN Special Envoy on Malaria and the Chairman and CEO of Novartis, announced agreements with six companies – Calyx Chemicals, Cipla, Holley Pharmaceuticals, Ipca Laboratories, Mangalam Drugs and PIDI Standard – that lower by 30 percent the price of a leading artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) for malaria and that reduce by 70 percent the price volatility of artmesinin, the key raw material for this and other ACTs.

Up to 500 million people around the globe need malaria treatment each year. Today’s agreements make prices for malaria drugs more affordable and sustainable to help meet growing global demand. The prices will be available to the 69 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean that make up the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative (CHAI) purchasing consortium. “Nearly every life lost to malaria could have been saved with access to effective medicines,” President Clinton said. “My Foundation has helped organize markets for HIV/AIDS drugs and green technologies, and I am proud that we have been able to extend this model to malaria. Today's announcement is an important step forward in global efforts to increase access to affordable and effective malaria treatment, and I applaud the commitments of these companies to lower volatility in this market and offer low and sustainable prices that will save more lives.”

The scale up ACT access has been challenged by significant volatility in the artemisinin market. Beginning in 2004, a rapid but uneven increase in ACT demand led to the price of artemesinin fluctuating by more than 700 percent. Novartis, the dominant ACT supplier to date, absorbed much of the financial impact, shielding patients from higher prices which would have decreased access. However, acting alone Novartis cannot meet increased future demand across the globe. Today’s agreements will help to mitigate risk so new suppliers can enter the market.

Under the agreements negotiated by CHAI, Ipca and Cipla (both based in Mumbai, India) will offer a co-blister formulation of artesunate+amodiaquine (AS+AQ)—one of the most widely used ACTs—at or below an average ceiling price of 48 cents per treatment, a reduction of more than 30 percent from current market rates. They also will offer artemether-lumafantrine (AL), the other most common ACT, at or below an average ceiling price of 91 cents, the current price available from Novartis. Among the other manufacturers party to the agreements, Calyx (Mumbai) and Mangalam (Mumbai) are active ingredient suppliers, and Holleypharma (Beijing) and PIDI (Guangzhou) are suppliers of the raw material, artemisinin. “I come from a family of farmers and know first hand about both agricultural production and pharmaceutical production,” said Premchand Godha, Managing Director of Ipca. “Poor planning, bad weather and other factors can dramatically influence price and cause volatility. We appreciate the Clinton Foundation’s holistic approach to reducing that volatility and making lower drug prices sustainable in the long term.” “Since 2001, Novartis has supplied more than 180 million treatments of Coartem® to malaria-endemic countries,” said Daniel Vasella, Chairman and CEO of Novartis. “We know first-hand addressing the health problems of the developing world is challenging and no single player can be successful. To make a meaningful and sustainable impact for patients, governments, international institutions, industry, and civil society must join forces.”

CHAI has taken several additional steps to ensure a sustainable supply of ACTs. In June, CHAI published a global ACT demand forecast to improve the predictability of demand and enable suppliers to make informed production planning decisions. CHAI also has provided extensive technical assistance to partner ACT manufacturers to expedite regulatory approval. As the Global Fund, UNITAID, and the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative increase funding for ACTs, this support will help expand the set of high-quality suppliers able to meet growing demand. In addition to their price commitments, Ipca and Cipla have agreed to pursue rapid development and regulatory approval of a fixed-dose combination for AS+AQ, which is not yet available from any supplier approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) but is preferable to the co-blister form.

CHAI is committed to ensuring that its agreements offer high-quality products at sustainable prices, and these products meet the quality assurance standards of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. Ipca’s AS+AQ formulation has been approved by the WHO. All other formulations included in the agreement have been submitted for review with data establishing bioequivalence, based on studies conducted by contact research organizations that have been successfully audited by the WHO or a stringent regulatory authority. In many countries, half or more of all malaria patients buy their drugs from local shops, where ACT prices include distribution mark-ups and are too expensive despite the low prices offered by

manufacturers. To help ensure these low prices are translated to access for everyone who needs ACTs, CHAI has piloted the use of subsidies to lower prices in these shops. This pilot has had rapid impact, decreasing retail prices from $10 to $0.50 and increasing ACT access among children by 60-fold. CHAI now is helping Tanzania and other countries take this model to scale.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative

Since 2002, the Clinton HIV/AIDS Initiative (CHAI) has assisted countries in implementing integrated and large-scale programs for the treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS. CHAI partners with 22 countries to provide technical assistance, mobilize human and financial resources, and facilitate the application of best practices. CHAI also helps to reduce prices for drugs and diagnostics, which can be accessed by 69 countries in its Procurement Consortium. Today, 1.4 million people are benefiting from medicines purchased under agreements negotiated by CHAI. With the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, CHAI began working on malaria in 2007 with an initial focus on supporting expanded access to ACTs.

Milestone to invest Rs. 1,000 crore in Real Estate projects in Maharashtra

INNOVATORS PR — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:26:19 +0600

/India PRwire/ - Milestone Capital Advisors, India's only truly active management Venture Fund House focusing on tier 2 / tier 3 real estate, has decided to invest up to Rs. 1,000 crore in real estate projects in Maharashtra.

Rs. 300 crore will be invested in commercial projects in Pune and Rs. 300 crore will be invested in affordable housing projects (Rs. 10 lakhs – Rs. 25 lakhs per unit) in Maharashtra (in Nagpur, Nasik, Pune and suburban towns/ districts of Mumbai). In addition, Milestone is also actively considering a few investment proposals from Nasik.

Rs. 200 crore is being earmarked for development of Logistics Parks across Maharashtra.

Elaborating on the choice of cities, Ved Prakash Arya, Managing Director of Milestone Capital Advisors said that Pune has emerged as a favored destination for the IT/ITES sector. This has led to an explosive growth in the real estate markets, with prices rising by almost 200 per cent in three years. “We therefore believe that in Maharashtra, Pune presents among the best opportunities for a good return on our investment. We believe Pune is ripe to have low cost (Rs. 10 – 25 lakhs) affordable housing integrated township projects," Mr. Arya said.

Speaking about Nagpur, Mr. Arya said that Nagpur is among the most desirable, and investment-friendly cities in the country, as far as real estate is concerned. This was borne out by the fact that it featured among India's top ten destinations in a recent survey by international management consulting firm Ernst & Young. "Nagpur has everything it takes to develop into a mini-metro in the near future. It has a developed infrastructure, locational advantages and new mega-projects like MIHAN and associated SEZs. This is creating a vast and as yet under-served market for affordable housing in Nagpur, and we hope to address this market," he said.

Apart from these investments, Milestone is also investing over Rs. 200 crore in warehousing in Mumbai. "The aggressive growth of the retail sector has led to rapid growth in the logistics business. It has also underscored the deficiencies of warehousing. We see this as a huge opportunity, and have aggressive plans to develop this emerging vertical," Arya said.

Milestone has so far raised over Rs.2,400 crore from the domestic/ offshore market. It has the highest deployment ratio in the sector, having so far signed investment deals worth Rs.1,500 crore.

Milestone currently is in the process of raising Rs.1,000 crore for its domestic fund "Milestone Domestic Scheme II".

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About Milestone Capital Advisors

Founded by Mr. Ved Prakash Arya, Milestone Capital Advisors' (www.milestonecapital.in) key objective is to facilitate investments in various areas of the rapidly evolving Indian economy. It is one of the few companies in India that provides a wide variety of real estate investment products to meet individual needs. The company has a key goal of leveraging the strong background of its constituents in investing in India. Milestone prides itself in having a management as well as an employee base that is outstanding operationally as well as in its investing experience.

For details contact: Sunder Iyer: 0923029582, innovatorspr@vsnl.net, Nida Paloba: 09821017561, nida@eschercommunications.com

DKNY all set to capture the hearts of urban India

PR PUNDIT — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:25:17 +0600

/India PRwire/ - Game for life in the city and beyond…

With an energy that reflects the creative urban spirit of Indian metros, the Spring Summer 2008 Watch Collection exudes sophistication with a modern attitude and artistic flare. The collection is sexy, eclectic and infused with unique details.

DKNY, Donna Karan New York, stands out in today’s fashion world as a design driven company representing the international pulse of New York in the design, marketing and delivery of a complete lifestyle system to a global customer. Famous for maintaining the highest standards of creativity, integrity, quality and innovation to products and concepts, DKNY has now landed in India and to begin with has launched their Spring Summer 08 watches collection.

Play of colours, exquisite designs and crystals stands out as the hallmark of this collection. Like the diverse culture prevalent in Indian cities, the watches embrace shades of grey, black, and brown with a mix of vibrant variations including rich champagne, gold, white, and pops of orange. Aluminum, ceramic, and steel finishing play off a city’s urban architectural edge.

Jewelry inspired chain linked bracelets; white mother of pearls, shimmer patent leathers, offset dial mesh pieces, and men’s automatics with silver chronograph on sport bracelet completes the collection. The DKNY Spring Summer 2008 watch collection sets you apart from the crowd and is designed for life lived in the city and on the move.

The price range for the collection is between Rs. 6,295/- and Rs.15, 290/-.

These watches are available at select Lifestyle stores, Time Factory and premium watch retail stores across India.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About Fossil India Pvt. Ltd:

Fossil India Pvt. Ltd. has been set up as a 100% subsidiary of Fossil to introduce the vibrant Fossil portfolio into India that includes DKNY, Burberry, Emporio Armani, Adidas, Zodiac, Diesel and Oyzterbay. Headquartered at Bangalore, the Company has a large and growing presence in India, selling through prestige retailers, department stores and chains. Fossil views India as the next major market and is in the process of setting up local manufacturing facilities.

Established in 1984 in Dallas, It was the first American brand to bring value and style to the watch category transforming the concept of timekeeping from the merely functional to chic and stylish must-haves for the wrist. Since then, the company has moved on to become one of the world’s largest fashion accessory companies. The Company operates a variety of retail formats including concessions, Fossil brand stores, outlets and multi-brand stores.

Tarun Khanna's book BILLIONS OF ENTREPRENEURS

CII Karnataka — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:42:34 +0600

“India is argumentative; China is about force. If a road has to be laid, it is laid. In India; you’d have a hundred disputes. But we have to work around these,” Tarun said.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

CII is a non-government, not-for-profit, industry led and industry managed organisation, playing a proactive role in India’s development process. Founded over 113 years ago, it is India’s premier business association, with a direct membership of over 7500 organisations from the private as well as public sectors, including SMEs and MNCs, and an indirect membership of over 83,000 companies from around 380 national and regional sectoral associations.

CII catalyses change by working closely with government on policy issues, enhancing efficiency, competitiveness and expanding business opportunities for industry through a range of specialised services and global linkages. It also provides a platform for sectoral consensus building and networking. Major emphasis is laid on projecting a positive image of business, assisting industry to identify and execute corporate citizenship programmes. Partnerships with over 120 NGOs across the country carry forward our initiatives in integrated and inclusive development, which include health, education, livelihood, diversity management, skill development and water, to name a few.

Complementing this vision, CII’s theme "India@75: The Emerging Agenda", reflects its aspirational role to facilitate the acceleration in India’s transformation into an economically vital, technologically innovative, socially and ethically vibrant global leader by year 2022.

With 63 offices in India, 8 overseas in Australia, Austria, China, France, Japan, Singapore, UK, USA and institutional partnerships with 271 counterpart organisations in 100 countries, CII serves as a reference point for Indian industry and the international business community

Hikal Q1 Net sales up 63% to Rs. 91.9 crore PAT jumps 23% to Rs. 10.7 crore

CMCGIndia — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:16:41 +0600

/India PRwire/ - Hikal Ltd, the preferred long-term outsourcing partner for leading global life sciences companies, today declared impressive results for the first quarter ended 30th June, 2008. The company posted net sales of Rs. 91.9 crore witnessing a growth of 63% as compared to the first quarter of 2007.

· The net sales are up by 63% to Rs. 91.9 crore compared to net sales of Rs. 56.2 crore in the corresponding quarter of the last year.

· PAT has risen by 23% to Rs 10.7 crore from Rs.8.7 crore the same quarter last year even after providing for Rs. 5.03 crore for foreign currency fluctuations.

· Registering an impressive growth of 145%, the pharma sales have risen to Rs. 60.1 crore in the first quarter of 2008 as against Rs. 24.5 crore in the previous year.

· The EBIDTA for this quarter stood at Rs. 24.8 crore, an increase of 36.2% as compared to Rs 18.2 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year.

Commenting on the results, Mr. Jai Hiremath, Vice Chairman & Managing Director of Hikal Ltd., said, “The long-term contracts signed earlier with leading global life sciences companies is now resulting in increased pharma sales. We expect this trend to continue as a number of our projects will go on stream in the coming quarters.”

Earlier this month, IFC, a member of the World Bank group, agreed to invest US$ 15 million in Hikal by way of equity. Hikal also announced the inauguration of a new multi-purpose agrochemical plant at Taloja for supply of Active Ingredients for Crop Protection Products to Bayer CropScience AG.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About Hikal:

Hikal is a reliable long-term outsourcing partner to companies in the Pharmaceuticals, Crop Protection Products, and Specialty Chemicals industry. The company has been supplying key active ingredients (AI) and intermediates, manufactured using stringent global quality standards, for it’s customers in the United States, Europe and Japan. Hikal’s advanced manufacturing facilities have been inspected and approved by leading global players in Crop protection and Pharmaceutical sectors. The crop protection facilities are located at Taloja and Mahad (Maharashtra). Hikal’s manufacturing activities are supported by state-of-the-art research centers and pilot plant facilities located at Bangalore and Taloja respectively. The API and pharmaceutical intermediates manufacturing facilities are situated in Jigani (Bangalore) and Panoli (Gujarat) respectively.

Seagate technology reports fiscal fourth quarter and year-end 2008 results

MelCole PR — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:02:02 +0600

/India PRwire/ - Seagate Technology (NYSE: STX) reported disc drive unit shipments of approximately 43 million, revenue of $2.9 billion, GAAP net income of $160 million, and diluted net income per share of $0.32 for the quarter ended June 27, 2008. GAAP net income and diluted net income per share includes approximately $23 million of purchased intangibles amortization and other charges associated with Seagate’s recent acquisitions. Excluding these items, non-GAAP net income and diluted net income per share were $183 million and $0.37, respectively. Included in both GAAP and non-GAAP results are restructuring charges of approximately $36 million or approximately $0.07 per share.

For the twelve months ended June 27, 2008, Seagate reported revenue of $12.7 billion, GAAP net income of $1.3 billion, and diluted net income per share of $2.36. GAAP net income and diluted net income per share includes approximately $113 million of purchased intangibles amortization and other charges associated with Seagate’s recent acquisitions and also a net gain from asset sales of approximately $19 million. Excluding these items, non-GAAP net income and diluted net income per share were $1.4 billion and $2.54, respectively. Included in both GAAP and non-GAAP results are restructuring and other charges of approximately $88 million or approximately $0.16 per share.

"We delivered strong growth in fiscal year 2008, with unit volume and revenue up 15% and 12%, respectively over fiscal year 2007, and with net income of $1.3 billion," said Bill Watkins, Seagate chief executive officer. "Sequentially, our market-leading share positions remainedunchanged in the enterprise and desktop markets, we grew our leading share position in the consumer electronics market, and we grew share in the notebook and retail markets. Were it not for some product execution issues in the notebook and nearline markets, we believe we would have delivered an even stronger quarter and year, with improved share positions. We have now made significant strides in reclaiming our product leadership in these areas. While we expect that the residual effects of the previously missed execution will be reflected in the first quarter, we believe that we will grow revenue and improve earnings throughout the remainder of FY2009."

A reconciliation of adjustments made to GAAP net income and diluted net income per share can be found following the financial statements included with this press release. Additional information relating to the financial results for the fourth fiscal quarter of 2008 can be found online at seagate.com.

Business Outlook

For the September quarter, Seagate expects to report revenue of $3.15 - $3.3 billion, and GAAP diluted net income per share of $0.18 - $0.22. Adjusting for approximately $20 million of purchased intangibles amortization and other charges associated with past closed acquisitions, non-GAAP diluted net income per share

for the September quarter is expected to fall within the range of $0.22 - $0.26. The GAAP and non-GAAP outlook for the September quarter does not include restructuring costs or accelerated depreciation charges relating to the previously announced closing of our substrate operations in Limavady and the finished media operations in Milpitas. Additionally, the outlook does not include the impact of any future acquisitions, stock repurchases or potential restructuring activities the company may undertake during the quarter. For fiscal 2009, Seagate believes the demand trends for storage continue to support healthy industry unit growth of 10-15% and industry revenue growth of 5-10%. Specific to Seagate, the company is confident that its performance relative to time-to-market, inventory management and its overall cost structure will improve as it executes the plans that are currently in place. Financial performance improvement will be incremental as the company implements numerous changes across the business during the first half of the fiscal year. As such, Seagate expects gross margins to begin improving with the December quarter and settle into the targeted range of 21-25% for the balance of the fiscal year.

Dividend and Stock Repurchase

The company has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.12 per share to be paid on or before August 15, 2008 to all common shareholders of record as of August 1, 2008. During the quarter ended June 27, 2008 the company purchased, under a 10b5-1 qualified stock repurchase plan, 9.1 million of its common shares at an average cost of $21.36. The company has authorization to purchase approximately $2.0 billion of additional shares under the current stock repurchase program.

SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY
CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(In millions) (Unaudited)

June 27, 2008

June 29, 2007 (a)

ASSETS

Cash and cash equivalents

$ 990

$ 988

Short-term investments

151

156

Accounts receivable, net

1,410

1,383

Inventories

945

794

Deferred income taxes

274

196

Other current assets

502

284

Total Current Assets

4,272

3,801

Property, equipment and leasehold improvements, net

2,464

2,278

Goodwill

2,352

2,300

Other intangible assets

111

188

Deferred income taxes

616

574

Other assets, net

305

331

Total Assets

$ 10,120

$ 9,472

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

Accounts payable

$ 1,652

$ 1,301

Accrued employee compensation

440

157

Accrued expenses, other

825

786

Accrued income taxes

Current portion of long-term debt

360

330

Total Current Liabilities

3,287

2,649

Other non-current liabilities

367

353

Long-term accrued income taxes

210

â€•

Long-term debt, less current portion

1,670

1,733

Total Liabilities

5,534

4,735

Shareholders’ Equity

4,586

4,737

Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity

$ 10,120

$ 9,472

(a) The information in this column was derived from the Company’s audited consolidated balance sheet as of June 29, 2007.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About Seagate

Seagate is the worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of hard disc drives, providing products for a wide-range of applications, including Enterprise, Desktop, Mobile Computing, Consumer Electronics and Branded Solutions. Seagate’s business model leverages technology leadership and world-class manufacturing to deliver industry-leading innovation and quality to its global customers, with the goal of being the low cost producer in all markets in which it participates. The company is committed to providing award-winning products, customer support and reliability to meet the world’s growing demand for information storage. Seagate can be found around the globe and at www.seagate.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements related to the company’s future operating and financial performance, including expected revenue, net income and diluted earnings per share (presented on a GAAP basis as well as on a non-GAAP adjusted basis), price and product competition, customer demand for our products, and general market conditions. These forward-looking statements are based on information available to Seagate as of the date of this press release. Current expectations, forecasts and assumptions involve a number of risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by these forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties, and other factors may be beyond the company's control. In particular, such risks and uncertainties include the impact of the variable demand and the aggressive pricing environment for disc drives, particularly in view of current economic conditions; dependence on Seagate’s ability to successfully qualify, manufacture and sell its disc drive products in increasing volumes on a cost-effective basis and with acceptable quality, particularly the new disc drive products with lower cost structures; the impact of competitive product announcements and possible excess industry supply with respect to particular disc drive products; our ability to achieve projected cost savings in connection with our announced restructuring plans; and market conditions and alternative cash imperatives which could impact our ability to repurchase stock. Information concerning risk, uncertainties and other factors that could cause results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements is contained in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on August 27, 2007 and in the company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on April 29, 2008, which statements are incorporated into this press release by reference. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the company's views as of any subsequent date and Seagate undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made.

Hitachi Data Systems Services Oriented Storage Addresses Storage Growth

Mutual PR — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 16:49:35 +0600

/India PRwire/ - Highlighting the need for flexibility and optimization in storage, Hitachi Data Systems Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (NYSE: HIT) and the only provider of Services Oriented Storage Solutions, noted that a services oriented approach makes it easier for organizations to get the most value out of their existing storage resources.

Hu Yoshida, Vice President and CTO, Hitachi Data Systems, today spoke at a seminar at the Hitachi uVALUE CONVENTION 2008 – the largest annual corporate event hosted by the Information Telecommunication and Systems Group of Hitachi, Ltd. in Tokyo International Forum, Japan on July 17 and 18.

The amount of digital data created and stored continues to grow at an unabated pace in Asia Pacific. New regulatory and compliance requirements are driving organizations to store more data for longer periods of time and retrieval of archive data. A services oriented approach to storage provides customers the agility to align with changing business requirements by leveraging current investments.

“Consolidation, increasing utilization, eliminating redundancies, and archiving of stale data are some of the fundamental ways to address the issue of exploding data and storage growth. Innovation in key Hitachi technologies like controller-based storage virtualization, dynamic provisioning and active archive enables Hitachi Data Systems to offer best-in-class storage services that have tangible customer benefits like cost effectiveness, maximum utilization of existing resources, and business agility to mention a few,” said Hu Yoshida.

Hitachi’s services oriented approach to storage built on a market-proven storage platform, which when combined with Hitachi’s controller-based storage virtualization technology, can be easily deployed to externally attached, multi-vendor storage devices. Customers gain many measurable benefits including storage consolidation, improved utilization of assets, reduced TCO, and a lower environmental footprint, across the enterprise.

Hitachi Data Systems leverages Hitachi’s vast resource pool and as a result of its unique and industry-leading R&D capabilities, it is able to introduce storage products and services that effectively enable customers to do more with less especially in the high-end storage market and in economies of scale.

“In the last couple of years, Hitachi Data Systems has made great strides in expanding into high-growth markets and tapping new revenue streams in Asia Pacific. Much of it has been possible due to the organization’s focus on producing leading-edge technology with the help of its R&D expertise and the services oriented approach that has been extremely successful in solving customer challenges associated with managing the explosive growth of structured and unstructured data in Asia Pacific,” said Hu.

The Hitachi uVALUE CONVENTION 2008 features 85 seminars and panel discussions with themes that most attract attention today such as Green IT, security and next generation networking technologies. The theme for this year ‘Information Society Renaissance with renewed collaboration; aiming for the realization of a more knowledge-focused, secure and sustainable world’ extends to all aspects of Hitachi’s IT business including storage. It exhibits over 100 products and solutions from Hitachi, Ltd., including a world-class, environmentally friendly mini-data center which is achieved by Hitachi’s Harmonious Green Plan and Project CoolCenter50 corporate initiatives aimed at reducing 330,000 tons of carbon emissions and slashing power consumption by as much as 50 percent by 2012.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

About Hitachi Data Systems

Hitachi Data Systems CorporationprovidesServices Oriented Storage Solutions that enable heterogeneous storage to be dynamically provisioned according to business needsand centrally managed via industry-leading Hitachi storage virtualization software. As an integral part of the Hitachi Storage Solutions Group, Hitachi Data Systems deliversstorage infrastructure platforms, storage management software, and storage consulting services through direct and indirect channels in over 170 countries and regions. Its customers includenearly 60-percent of Fortune 100 companies. For more information, visitthe company's Web site at http://www.hds.com.

About Hitachi, Ltd.

Hitachi, Ltd., (NYSE: HIT / TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a leading global electronics company with approximately 390,000 employees worldwide. Fiscal 2007 (ended March 31, 2008) consolidated revenues totaled 11,226 billion yen (US$112.2 billion). The company offers a wide range of systems, products and services in market sectors including information systems, electronic devices, power and industrial systems, consumer products, materials, logistics and financial services. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at http://www.hitachi.com.

Relief for Marketers with New-Age Marketing Tools

Good Relations India — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:52:43 +0600

/India PRwire/ - In these difficult times when money is not only in short supply but the value of money is eroding significantly, measurement of ROI on marketing budgets gains significant importance. Enter tools - tools that allow for strategic interventions in the market place, ensuring relevance in spend and a higher ROI. As a tool, the Pulse Suite provides both breadth and depth of information for the marketers to gauge and benchmark their product category with that of related categories, as well as raise awareness of growing trends. Information provided enables brands to determine product, target market, and regional opportunities and allows them to set their marketing plans accordingly. These quality tools equip brand managers with market driven, empirical data-based insights.

141Sercon, a leading activation brand from the Bates Asia family today unveiled Asia’s first ever bouquet of marketing tools known as the Pulse Suite. These quality online marketing tools - Market Pulse, Shoppers Pulse and Event Pulse – operate on easy-to-understand technology. These tools are aimed at helping the brands to decipher complex consumer behavior and drive communication and consumer engagement. The Pulse Suite range of tools is effective ammunition in a marketer’s arsenal and comes with the assurance of ‘Satisfaction Guaranteed’. With these tools, marketers are reassured of effective tracking of their marketing budgets which in turn allows them to maximize ROI.

Market Pulse leverages technology and advanced research methodology to report “last mile” insights via easy to understand dashboards. It acts as a door opener helping marketers deliver better value to clients and enables them to receive, select and evaluate market-measurement information, integrate it and apply it to specific business issues and situations. Clients can view and analyze information from many perspectives, such as by specific product categories, by geographic area or by retail channel.

Market Pulse, is an on-line field marketing tool to help give you a store/format/region specific, snapshot of your point of sale effectiveness versus that of the competitors. This tool also generates last mile insights which allow the brand to focus it’s marketing budgets on consumer touch points where they would give the best results.

Shoppers’ Pulse measures the impact of point of sale presence of a brand on the conversions of prospect to a customer. The tool also helps in generating last mile insights which allow the brand to focus its marketing budgets where they would get the best results. Shoppers’ Pulse provides brand custodians with many opportunities and techniques to examine trends and understand the impact of the market forces that influence consumers' purchasing decisions.

Event Pulse measures the impact that a strategic promotional event has had on the audience or participant via a vis their propensity to the brand being promoted. This tool helps in generating insights which allow the brand to determine the nature of event related association which has the highest returns in terms of conversion.

Commenting on the launch, Mr. Vijay Singh, Managing Director, 141 Sercon said, “We are excited to bring Pulse Suite to Asia. These tools can be leveraged to break the tyranny of conventional and run-of-the-mill rules which influence brand performance to make them more flexible and consumer friendly. With the launch of Pulse Suite, 141 Sercon has yet again demonstrated its prowess in combining technology with innovation to study the shifts impacting today’s consumer behavior.”

Built on the SaaS model (Software as a service), Pulse Suite allows multiple projects to run at one go without using complex IT infrastructure involving high costs. It is as simple as logging in and accessing your own e-mail account. One needs only a four-hour training to understand the tool. It will also enable the brands to set the parameters and criteria according to their need, as per their brand and market condition.

Source: Press release distribution via India PRwire

141Sercon is one of the leading activation networks in Asia and is part of WPP – World leaders in marketing communications.

141Sercon conceptualizes and executes effective business events and below-the-line marketing initiatives to help clients access markets and engage their channels and customers. 141Sercon currently provides this value offering to more than 70 leading brands and organizations, across FMCG, Consumer Durable, Services and Information Technology verticals across Asia. The team at 141Sercon endeavors to understand the brand’s marketing challenges, its environs, its customer behavior and channel response, and addresses them by using below-the-line marketing techniques, in both the offline and online formats. The absolute focus on core competencies and deliverables for the clients has helped 141Sercon become one of the largest experiential marketing solutions providers across Asia.