Friday, March 15, 2013




Presents


Premiering March 18th, Monday to Friday, 10 PM only on Zee TV!

Delhi, March 14th 2013: Zee TV, India’s leading Hindi General Entertainment channel is coming soon with yet another gripping saga ‘Badalte Rishton Ki Daastan’. The show is a remake of the hit Bengali show, ‘Khela’ (Game) which was on air on Zee Bangla about a decade back. The show had seen overwhelming success and was the No 1 show across all Bangla GECs. It is remembered even today in Bengali households for its gripping narrative and brilliant characterization.

The makers of the show are now back on Zee TV to recreate the magic of ‘Khela’ for the Hindi GEC viewers in the form of ‘Badalte Rishton Ki Daastan’. Premiering on March 18ththe show will air every Monday to Friday at 10PM. Produced by Ravi Ojha Production Enterprises, the story traces the lives of two contrasting women who unite to fight a highly exploitative and extremely rigid patriarchal household. It will bring two of Indian television’s most adored faces on-screen together for the very first time, Sanjeeda Sheikh and Additi Gupta.  Playing the role of the formidable patriarch is the versatile actor,Kiran Karmarkar.

The vivacious and beautiful Sanjeeda Sheikh will be seen in a very bohemian avatar as Meera. Meera is a free spirited independent girl who lives an idyllic life in the picturesque valley of Shimla. Nandini is duty-bound wife who is coping with the biggest loss and the biggest lie of her life.  The gorgeous Additi Gupta will be playing the role of Nandini.  Balraj, the man who will wreck havoc in the lives of these two women and will go to any lengths for a male heir will be essayed by the very talentedKiran Karmarkar. Abhinav Shukla will play the male lead, AnnirudhThe show will also see Mona Ambegaonkar as the very affectionate and caring & the head of the household, Biji along with Tanushree Kaushal, Abhaas Mehta and Chaitanya Chowdhry in pivotal roles. The story traces the journey of Meera and Nandini who come together in the face of adversity to fight against a greater adversary thus making ‘Badalte Rishton Ki Daastan’ a story of one woman standing up for another… where love and unity triumph against evil!

At the launch, Mr. Ajay Bhalwankar, ZEEL, Content Head (Hindi GECs), said, “There’s nothing more fragile in this world today than relationships. The course of one’s entire life is defined by the relationships one enjoys or is forced to endure due to circumstances.  We are happy to present ‘Badalte Rishton Ki Daastan’, a show that will offer fresh insights into the dynamics of a relationship that one woman will forge with another when a tragic blow of destiny will compel them to cross paths with each other. It is a complete pot-boiler which is very pulp fiction like in terms of its treatment. The viewers will see a family set-up that has never been portrayed on Indian television before.

“For the very first time, the saas or the mother-in-law who is the well established villain in every GEC show will take a backseat and the father-in-law will be the monster in disguise. The show will be high on drama, intensity and intrigue. It’s a mature show that will surely grip the viewers from the very first episode. It is producer Mitali Bhattacharya’s first with us and we have a very impressive star cast. The show had created ripples in West Bengal and we hope the adaptation in Hindi does the same for us.  We have also done an extensive outdoor shoot for the show in places like Delhi, Dhanaulti and Rishikesh. We hope the audiences love this show as much as they have appreciated our other shows,” he adds.

Said Mitali Bhattacharya, the Producer of the show “Badalte Rishton Ki Daastan’ does not follow the usual drama where a woman is a woman’s worst enemy. Nandini and Meera, the two protagonist of the show realise that they are both victims. They join hands and fight against a bigger enemy- a ruthless patriarch. It is his ruthlessness and domination that attempts to make puppets of all the members of his family…and the way they accept or rebel makes ‘Badalte Rishton Ki Daastan’ more of a family saga. This family is a family full of secrets, intrigue and deceit. This show is going to be bold and dramatic and sweeping in its story telling thus making it a story of women power.”

The channel has lined up an extensive marketing plan to promote this prime time property which includes print, television, cable and DTH. Interesting innovations have been lined up in the print medium with some leading newspapers. The promos of the show will be played extensively during the release of the much awaited movie, ‘Himmatwala’ in single screens and multiplexes.

Excited about her role as Meera, Sanjeeda said, “It’s an awesome role and I thank Zee TV for selecting me to play it. ‘Badalte Rishton ki Daastan’ has enough masala to keep the audiences hooked from day one.  Meera is an independent and strong willed girl who lives life on her own terms. She is madly in love with the man of her dreams and imagines her future with him. She is an impulsive, vibrant, charming woman of today who stands strong in the wake of adversity.”
Playing the role of a meek, demure and dutiful wife, Nandini, Additi said, “This is my comeback on Zee TV after Sanjog Se Bani Sangini. I’ll be shown submissive at the outset but one who has a tremendous strength of character. For the first time my fans will see me in a de-glam look sans heavy make-up, jewelry or costume. The role is a challenge for me as I haven’t played anything like this before. My character’s strength and quiet resilience is what appealed to me. My co-stars are amazing and we are hoping that audiences will like our work in this show!”
Kiran Karmarkar says with a quiet chuckle, “I play a deadly character called Balraj in the show. He is a scheming, conniving, opportunistic, cunning and a spiteful man. He can go to any lengths to achieve his ends. My mission will be accomplished the day I start receiving numerous hate mails from the viewers saying how much they hate Balraj!!!”
Badalte Rishton Ki Daastan’ is also a story of binding relationships, strong family ties and the friendship between two women who are very different from each other.  But what happens when you come to know that the man you loved had a whole secret life you knew nothing about? What shatters Meera’s idyllic life?  What is the lie that destroys Nandini’s faith and belief? Can Nandini and Meera trust Balraj? What is Balraj’s  game plan? Why is a male heir so important to him?

Don’t forget to tune into this intriguing tale of love, romance, revenge, hope, despair, dreams and disillusionment. Coming on your television screens from March 18th, Monday to Friday, 10 PM only on Zee TV!

CHARACTER SKETCHES:

Meera (Sanjeeda Sheikh) – Meera is a strong-willed, independent girl who is constantly in search of something new & exciting. Though Meera appears to be tough and strong externally; in reality she is vulnerable, insecure and emotional. She is outspoken and does not believe in mincing words even if the truth will hurt others. She is impulsive, vibrant, charming with an intense desire to live life on her own terms. Meera is a haunted soul, always searching for love. However, whenever she comes close to attaining happiness, the world forsakes her. Life is often cruel to her but Meera never gives up hope. In a world of negativity, pessimism and opportunism, Meera shines like a beacon of goodness, justice and truth.

Nandini (Additi Gupta) – Nandini is warm, sensitive and passionate woman. Though Nandini is silent, demure and apparently submissive, her real strength of character rises to the surface when circumstances so require it. While on the surface Nandini seems to be vulnerable, she actually has nerves of steel. When she sets her mind to something, she ensures that it is successfully completed and done well. Even in her silence, Nandini makes her presence felt through the sheer strength of her character.

Balraj Asthana (Kiran Karmarkar)-  Balraj is the typical patriarch who cannot stand to be disobeyed by his family members. Everyone in the family obeys him more out of fear than respect. A stickler for discipline as far as his family is concerned, he believes that a woman’s place is in the home. His only desire in life was to have more sons who would inherit his huge business empire and so for this reason, he despises his daughters. Both in business and in life, Balraj is unprincipled. Honesty, truth and justice don’t matter at all to him. He does not hesitate to use people as and when required and is quick to thrustthem aside when his task has been accomplished.

Biji (Mona Ambegaonkar)– Biji is the unofficial head of the household. Having been brought to the house as a young child, she is the most loved character in the house. She is the one who brought up the children after their mother’s death. Though she is sentimental and affectionate, she is the only person in the household who dares to talk back to Balraj. She is deeply loyal and devoted to the Asthana household but never lets her loyalty come in the way of justice and truth. 

Shashi Tharoor and Waleed Rashed at India Internet Day 2013

New Delhi, 15th March 2013. TiE Delhi – NCR is bringing to you the second edition of India Internet Day. Arguably the most influential event in the internet industry in India, the objective of the India Internet Day 2013 is to look at the long term horizon and paradigm shifts in the internet industry globally and what that means for the Internet business in India. It is an effort to debate and discuss strategic drivers of the industry. While based in India, the event seeks to have a strong global connect. The forum also explores the shape of things to come in the internet industry with a medium-long term view. That means connecting with the established players, outliers and experimenters – so that everyone in business uses the forum as their point of reference.

IID2013 boasts of an enviable core team lead by Deep Kalra – President TiE Delhi – NCR & Founder CEO, Make My Trip; Alok Mittal – MD, Canaan India; Gautam Gandhi – Head, New Biz. Dev. Google; Arvind Jha – Multipreneur; Rajat Garg - Founder & CEO, SocialAppsHQ.

The IID2013 agenda is an exciting mix of the business landscape as well as the power and diversity of the medium as a transformational tool. High powered keynotes representing the views of thought leaders will fuel the imagination of a whole new generation. Topics of discussion will be Size Matters - Leveraging Big Data Analytics, App Factories - Optimising Digital Revenues, Explosion in Seed Funding – New Paradigms, Social Un-Conference, Showcase of High Potential Start Ups

The confirmed speakers so far include no one less than Shashi Tharoor – Minister of State for HR, Waleed Rashed – Entrepreneur, Speaker, Traveller, Sasha Mirchandani – KAE Capital, Sameer Guglani – The Morpheus, Mukund Mohan – Microsoft Incubator, Manish Dalal - Verisign & many more.

IID is a leadership conference that looks at setting conversations around Vision 2020 for the industry. The attendee response had been in sync with this thought and 70% and the audience consisted of founders/ co-founders / CEOs of all major and relevant technology companies from across the country. The energy of the conference was amazing due to the presence of young internet companies, investors and influencers from the industry.


Company:  TiE Delhi – NCR
Contact: Upasana Sharma, upasana@tienewdelhi.org   91 98100 78395

FireEye Opens R & D Center in Bangalore

FireEye Opens Research and Development Center in Bangalore
Appoints McAfee Veteran Sridhar Jayanthi as Vice President of Research and Development and Managing Director, India Operations
Ramsunder Papineni Named Regional Sales Director, India and SAARC
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BANGALORE, India – March 14, 2013
FireEye®, Inc., the leader in stopping today’s new breed of cyber attacks, today announced plans for a new research and development center in Bangalore. The R&D center is scheduled to officially open on March 14, 2013. Sridhar Jayanthi will head the new R&D center as vice president, research and development and also as managing director, India operations. FireEye also announced the appointment of Ramsunder Papineni as the Regional Sales Director for India and the nations participating in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
The Bangalore facility will serve as a hub for the development and testing of new FireEye products. During its initial phase, the Bangalore based R&D center will employ approximately 50 research and development specialists by the end of the year. Sridhar will contribute to the FireEye product direction and will build the company’s Indian operations. Prior to FireEye, Sridhar was senior vice president of engineering and managing director, India of McAfee. At McAfee, Sridhar established the firm’s largest research and development team.
“The Bangalore office is an important milestone for FireEye’s global expansion. We expect the new Bangalore office to play a key role in maintaining cutting-edge technology and innovation in the FireEye line of security products, “said Ashar Aziz, Founder and CTO at FireEye.”We welcome Sridhar to the FireEye executive team. His extensive experience in building sophisticated product development teams in the U.S. and India is an important addition.”
“I’m very happy to join the FireEye team,” said Sridhar Jayanthi. “It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to assemble a strong R&D team to develop market-leading products and expand the FireEye portfolio.”
Ramsunder Papineni, who has been appointed as Regional Sales Director, Indian and SAARC, has rich technology selling expertise with over 21 years of experience in running large field operations and sales organizations across industry verticals. Prior to joining FireEye Ramsunder was the Deputy Managing Director for McAfee India and was responsible for driving the security solutions across large enterprises across India and SAARC.
“The FireEye technology addresses a critical security threat that Indian enterprises are facing every day. With FireEye, enterprises can put in place an effective defense and improve their overall security posture,”said Ramsunder Papineni, Regional Director – India & SAARC at FireEye.

On second anniversary anti government riot, thousands of protesters have clashed with tear gas firing police near Bahrain’s capital Manama. This  anti-government riots mark the second anniversary of the Saudi-led intervention that quelled the 2011 Shia uprising in Bahrain.Protests have brought traffic in the capital to a standstill. Thousands have taken to the streets in several villages surrounding the city.
Protesters have set up road barricades, burned tires and thrown Molotov cocktails and stones at the riot police. The police tried to disperse the rioters by firing tear gas and throwing percussion grenades into the crowds.
“No, no Saudi Occupier,” “Down with [King] Hamad,” the protesters chanted according to Press TV.
The slogans denounced the crackdown of the 2011 Bahraini uprising, which was quelled two years ago after Saudi forces and other Gulf troops were deployed in the country.
UN Special Rapporteur on torture warns about abuse of solitary confinement in the Americas


WASHINGTON D.C. (13 March 2013) – In a first-ever briefing to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on solitary confinement in the Americas, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture, Juan E. Méndez, yesterday called* on the Commission to investigate the practice of solitary confinement and its harmful effects in the Americas.
Mr. Méndez warned that there are insufficient safeguard mechanisms in the region for preventing, detecting, and responding to the use of solitary confinement, particularly in Latin America, and urged the Commission to push for stronger regulations on the use of solitary confinement.
“Despite the fact that many examples show that the region of the Americas is not an exception to the global trend of abuses in the use of solitary confinement, I am concerned about the general lack of official information and statistics on the use of solitary confinement,” Mr. Méndez said, recalling the harmful effects of this widespread practice he comprehensively documented in his 2011 global report to the UN General Assembly (see below).
“The use of solitary confinement can only be accepted under exceptional circumstances, and should only be applied as a last resort measure in which its length must be as short as possible, it should be duly communicated and it should offer minimum due process guarantees when it is used as a disciplinary sanction,” the Special Rapporteur said.
In response to questions from the Commission regarding the application of solitary confinement to particular categories of prisoners, particularly juveniles and persons with mental disabilities, the human rights expert stressed that solitary confinement “always constitutes cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment and even torture when applied to these categories.”
He called for the absolute prohibition of solitary confinement on juveniles and persons with mental disabilities and for an equally absolute prohibition on indefinite or prolonged solitary confinement. For purposes of defining what constitutes prolonged solitary confinement, he suggested the benchmark of any term exceeding 15 days.
For the Special Rapporteur “persons under solitary confinement should always count with access to adequate remedies to question the reason and the length of the measure, and should always have access to legal counsel and medical assistance.”
“It is important for States to advance in modifying their legislation, policies and practices that are not in accordance with these standards,” the independent expert noted.
“Although the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the Inter-American System in general have a fundamental role in monitoring and guaranteeing the compliance of the penitentiary systems of the region with human rights standards, it is important for Governments to work on documenting and monitoring this issue through their national human rights institutions or similar bodies,” Mr. Méndez emphasized.
Juan E. Méndez (Argentina) was appointed by the UN Human Rights Council as the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in November 2010. He is independent from any government and serves in his individual capacity. Mr. Méndez has dedicated his legal career to the defence of human rights, and has a long and distinguished record of advocacy throughout the Americas. Learn more, log on to: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Torture/SRTorture/Pages/SRTortureIndex.aspx

Competitiveness, climate, security Finn’s priorities Ministry of Finance release Finnish road map of EU presidency. Finland i...