Birthday bash  Popular TV channel Colors is the flagship entertainment brand of Viacom 18, a joint venture operation in India between Viacom Inc. and the Network 18 group. With an attractive combination of ‘emotions’ and ‘variety’, Colors – launched on July 21, 2008 – offers an entire spectrum of emotions to its viewers. From fiction shows to format shows to reality shows to blockbuster movies, the Colors basket contains all. The channel is dedicated to promoting ‘cohesive viewing’ through programmes like Sabki Jodi Wohi Banata... Bhagyavidhata, Bandhan Saath Janmon Ka, Jai Shri Krishna, Uttaran, Balika Vadhu – Kacchi Umar Ke Pakke Rishtey, Jeevan Saathi, Is Des Na Aana Laado, Mere Ghar Aye Ek Nanhi Pari, Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi Level 2, India’s Got Talent and Big Boss Season 3 among others. Colors, the pay channel available as a part of the ‘One Alliance’ bouquet, recently celebrated a month-long nationwide campaign billed Shukriya India to commemorate its maiden birthday from June 29 till mid-July last. Guwahati was also part of the celebrations. Colors marketing head Rameet Arora says: “With Shukriya India we at Colors thank all our viewers and give back to the communities through talent hunt shows which is a truly grass-root campaign.” Echoing similar feelings, Colors programming head Ashvim Yardi says: “When we started a year ago, we knew we had a major task on our hands. We were entering a market that was already cluttered. People wanted something fresh and we are glad that we were able to fulfil their expectations. But the response we received for our work was beyond phenomenal.” While Colors celebrated its birthday bash, the Northeast too had its moment of joy with Guwahati-based music band M-Sonic making it to the finals of the channel’s popular programme India’s Got Talent that showcases the varied talents of Indians from across the country. After some highly competitive preliminary rounds and then a series of semifinals, the band comprising Mainak Nandi (lead guitar and vocals), Mantu Basfor (drums and percussion) and Simanta Bodo (bass guitar and backing vocals) will now vie for the top prize worth Rs 50 lakh that will be decided through audience vote. The voting lines will open from August 16 through August 21. Our best wishes to the musical trio.

George goals  George Educare is the latest offshoot of the George Telegraph Training Institute which, from just one training centre in Sealdah, Kolkata in 1920 has expanded to 40 centres by 2008-end across the eastern states of India in a bid to make available the fruits of its unique vocational curriculum to the most needed in the non-metro areas. George Educare helps in fulfilling the dreams of those who want to study abroad by providing guidance for computer adaptive tests like GRE, GMAT and TOEFL and other entrance examinations like SAT and IELTS. With its expertise in training and complete admission assistance till the visa interview, George Educare has helped over 4,500 students to study abroad with full scholarship. It is also venturing in the field of direct associations with universities in UK, Canada, Singapore and Australia, informs George Telegraph group director Subrata Dutta, adding that George Educare has now come up with a centre in Guwahati to provide the students of the Northeast with complete support to crack the highly competitive exams besides offering them necessary allied support. The current leadership has expanded the gamut of the group’s activities through George Group of Colleges, George School of Professional Excellence and the George School of Competitive Examination, obviously providing courses as the names suggest. And to keep up with the growing demand for trained manpower in the highly demanding and technologically advanced automobile service centres, the GTTI and the Mukesh Himmatsingka Group have joined hands to come up with a unique institute-industry partnership to set up the George Telegraph Institute of Automobile Engineering.

Simanta / Mridumoloy