JioHotstar Sets Record with 300 Million Subscribers in 2025, Just Behind Netflix

By Shamini D: In 2025, JioHotstar, the joint venture of JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar achieved an incredible milestone by surpassing 300 million subscribers putting it close to Netflix’s 301.6 million subscribers worldwide. It is hard to believe that JioHotstar was only at 50 million subscribers as recently as February of 2025. The catalyst for this staggering growth was the highly successful 2025 Tata IPL season.

IPL Powers a Subscription Boom

The 2025 IPL had a new viewership record for digital and television format. JioStar’s report, “A Year of Firsts” indicates 652 million views digitally versus 537 million views on TV contributing to a total viewership of an amazing 1.19 billion and 840 billion minutes watched.

On June 3, during the IPL final between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings, there were a recorded 237 million digital viewers and 189 million TV viewers. JioHotstar had digital peak concurrency of 55.2 million viewers with the IPL 2025 final alone with a resultant 892 million video views on the platform.

Monetisation & Strategic Wins

Sanjog Gupta, CEO of Sports & Live Experiences at JioStar, called IPL 2025 “the most monetised sporting event ever in India” with record ad and subscription revenues. The platform also has over 1.04 billion Android downloads, strong international content and deep penetration in regional markets mainly in Telugu, Kannada and Tamil that contributed to viewer growth. JioHotstar Sets Record with 300 Million Subscribers in 2025, Just Behind Netflix

Read More........ → July 04, 2025

Record-breaking projections light up Tokyo skyscraper

TOKYO - The imposing towers of Tokyo's city government headquarters are now home to the world's largest permanent projection mapping display, which officials hope will become a new tourist draw. Soaring birds, traditional patterns and illustrations of landmarks including Mount Fuji are among the designs adorning the skyscraper in a nightly spectacle. The evening light show began on Monday, the day after an opening event was held with live instrumental music. Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) hopes the bright lights on its twin-towered building in central Shinjuku will "add colour" to the capital's

AFP | Kazuhiro NOGI

skyline year-round. The city government, which already offers free viewing floors with large windows at the top of each tower, also hopes to create a new tourist attraction with the display. Visitor numbers to Japan have surged since pandemic-era border closures ended, with the number of foreign tourists hitting a record for December last year.Guinness World Records has certified the attraction, called "Tokyo Night and Light", as the "largest architectural projection-mapped display (permanent)", TMG said. Record-breaking projections light up Tokyo skyscraper

Read More........ → March 07, 2024

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Powers Up Minnesota’s Largest Solar Energy Project

BY: METROPOLITAN AIRPORTS COMMISSION/AMERESCO, First Airport in the Nation to Construct a Solar Generation Structure of this Kind A 3-megawatt solar installation is now complete on the top deck of two Terminal 1-Lindbergh parking structures at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) – Minnesota’s largest solar generation site. This first-of-its-kind airport project also included converting more than 7,700 metal halide light fixtures in all four parking ramps to energy-saving LED technology. Four additional electric vehicle charging stations were installed in the ramps, bringing the total number of MSP charging stations to 18. It is estimated that the installation will generate close to 20 percent of the airport’s total peak power capacity. “The Metropolitan Airports Commission has worked for decades to operate Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport as sustainably as possible, investing millions in infrastructure to reduce impacts to soil, water and air quality, and spending nearly a half-billion dollars on noise mitigation around MSP,” said Jeff Hamiel, the Commission’s executive director and CEO. “This solar project is a major step forward in use of renewable energy at MSP International Airport.” Ameresco, a leading energy efficiency and renewable energy company, developed the solar infrastructure and LED lighting upgrade. Ameresco also will maintain and operate the system on behalf of the Metropolitan Airports Commission. “Together we celebrate a major step forward in renewable innovation in the state of Minnesota—today the largest solar site in the state to date is now operational,” said George P. Sakellaris, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ameresco. “Ameresco commends the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and applauds its leadership team for its stewardship both in pursuing renewable energy solutions for the airport as well as obtaining public-private financing to support the construction. Ameresco is honored to be a sustainability partner in this innovative project, and we take pride in contributing to local job creation as part of achieving energy savings and sustainability.” This solar project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 6,813 metric tons annually. This is the equivalent of taking 1,434 passengers off the road in one year. As a result, this effort has already been recognized nationally for its innovation and partnership through awards, including the Airports Going Green Award presented by the Chicago Department of Aviation and the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s 2015 Technology and Innovation in Environmental Stewardship Award. Xcel Energy, also a key contributor, provided a $2.1 million grant from its renewable development fund. “We’re pleased to partner with the Metropolitan Airport Commission on its ambitious solar initiative,” said Xcel Energy Regional President Chris Clark. “As a first and last stop for travelers, the airport’s visibility showcases Minnesota’s commitment to increasing renewable energy use and improving the environment.” Source: PV-Magazine

Read More........ → December 05, 2015

Adele sketch sets BBC YouTube record

A sketch from BBC One’s Adele at the BBC special has been viewed more than 37 million times in just two weeks, making it the most-watched video ever on the BBC YouTube channel. The comedy sketch – ‘When Adele wasn’t Adele… but was Jenny! – has broken the previous record of 36.9 million views. It became an instant global hit on the BBC YouTube channel after being featured in the programme, a one-off special broadcast on November 20th on BBC One. The television show has now been watched by 5.8 million people and an extended version featuring previously unseen footage will be shown on BBC One on January 1st. The previous Number 1 clip features Will Smith on The Graham Norton Show performing a song medley, including the theme to 90s sitcom Fresh Prince of Bel Air, with his son Jaden Smith, Alfonso Ribero, who played Carlton in the series, and DJ Jazzy Jeff. It has been on the BBC YouTube Channel for over two years and has now been knocked down to second place. Bob Shennan, Director of BBC Music, says: “I’m delighted to see such a phenomenal response to the show in the UK, and to see the magical sketch gain a huge global audience who are enjoying and sharing the BBC’s content.”Source: Article, Image: Flickr.com

Read More........ → December 05, 2015

Marriot becomes world's largest hotelier with $1.2-bn Starwood acquisition

US hospitality giant Marriot International Inc has struck a deal to buy rival Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Inc, owner of Sheraton and Le Meridien hotel chains, for approximately $12.2 billion in a cash-and-stock deal, aiming to create the world's biggest hotelier. The combination would own over 30 popular global brands comprising 5,500 properties and more than 1.1 million rooms and would push the current leader and rival Hilton Worldwide which has 4,400 properties and about 720,000 rooms to the second spot. Under the terms, Starwood shareholders will get 0.92 shares of Marriot and $2 in cash for each of their shares, valuing the total transaction at around $12.2 billion. Based on the stock price as of 13 November, this comprises $11.9 billion of Marriot stock and a cash portion of $340 million. The total estimated value for Starwood shareholders, including approximately $7.80 per share on account of Starwood timeshare business, works out to around $79.88 per share. The value represents approximately 19-per cent premium based on 20-day volume weighted average price for the stock before the rumours surfaced on 26 October 2015. The merged business will benefit from substantial economies of scale, and improve its competitiveness. Bethesda, Maryland-based Marriot is a hospitality behemoth with more than 4,300 properties in 85 countries and territories. Its brands include Ritz-Carlton, Bylgari, Edition, Marriot, Renaissance Hotels and Delta Hotels and Resorts, among others. The group's fiscal 2014 revenue was nearly $14 billion. Marriot has been on an expansion spree recently. In April, the group bought Canada's Delta Hotels and Resorts, making it biggest hotel company in the country. Starwood, headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut owns over 1,270 properties in 100 countries and its renowned brands include Le Meridien, Sheraton, W, Westin, St Regis, Four Points and others. The hotelier's annual revenue is over $6 billion. Marriot president and chief executive officer Arne Sorenson said, ''The driving force behind this transaction is growth. This is an opportunity to create value by combining the distribution and strengths of Marriott and Starwood, enhancing our competitiveness in a quickly evolving marketplace. '' ''This greater scale should offer a wider choice of brands to consumers, improve economics to owners and franchisees, increase unit growth and enhance long-term value to shareholders,'' he added. ''A combination with Marriott provides the greatest long-term value for our shareholders and the strongest and most certain path forward for our company,'' Starwood chairman Bruce Duncan commented. Upon the completion of the merger, Marriot shareholders would own 63 per cent of the combined entity, while the remaining 37 per cent would be held by Starwood shareholders. The merger will cost approximately $100-$150 million over the next two years, the companies said. Marriot's Sorenson will remain president and chief executive officer of the combined business. The board members will increase from 11 to 14, with three directors joining from Starwood. The deal is expected to close in mid-2016, subject to shareholder approvals and customary closing conditions as well as completion of Starwood's planned disposition of its timeshare business. Starwood ended 3.7 per cent lower at $72.25 yesterday in New York, while Marriot stock moved up 1.4 per cent to $73.22 Deutsche Bank Securities is acting as financial advisor to Marriott while Starwood is advised by Lazard and Citigroup in respect of the transaction. Source: Article, Image: flickr.com

Read More........ → November 19, 2015

2 Indian-Americans among richest entrepreneurs under 40

Photo courtesy: Twitter account of Apoorva Mehta (@apoorva_mehta)

New York, November 19Two Indian-origin businessmen have been ranked by Forbes magazine among the richest entrepreneurs in America under the age of 40, a list that has been topped by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Vivek Ramaswamy, 30, a former hedge fund manager, has been ranked 33rd on the list with a net worth of USD 500 million.  Forbes said his source of wealth is investments. On the 40th spot is 29-year old Apoorva Mehta, the founder and CEO of Instacart, the web-based grocery delivery service. Mehta's net worth is USD 400 million. Zuckerberg leads the pack with a net worth of USD 47.1 billion, more than four times as much as the second person in the ranks, his cofounder and college friend Dustin Moskovitz. At number three is Jan Koum, who came to America at age 16. He started WhatsApp, now the world's biggest mobile messaging service with 800 million users in 2009 and sold it to Facebook for about USD 22 billion in cash and stock in 2014. Forbes said California techies dominate the first ever list of the nation's 40 most successful young entrepreneurs under the age of 40, "reaffirming the American Dream and proving yet again that there is no better way right now to get rich fast than to go west and convince venture investors to back your most ambitious ideas." Elizabeth Holmes is the only woman to make the 'America's Richest Entrepreneurs Under 40'. Holmes quit Stanford at age 19 to start blood testing company Theranos. However, recently in a setback, the FDA told Holmes that her company was using an unapproved blood collection device. All of the young entrepreneurs in the list have net worth of USD 400 million or more and 34 made their money in the tech sector. Twenty-one are billionaires and many either created or work for some of the hottest tech companies, including Uber, AirBnB, Fitbit, GitHub, Instacart and Pinterest. The list's youngest member is Palmer Luckey, who was just 21 years old when he sold his virtual reality equipment company, Oculus, to Facebook for USD 2.3 billion in July 2014. Luckey's net worth is USD 700 million and is one of half a dozen in the ranks who are still in their 20s, Forbes said. —PTI. Source: Article

Read More........ → November 19, 2015

1,800 new satellites over next 10 years

More than 1800 new satellites will be ordered and launched over the next 10 years, according to a report from Northern Sky Research (NSR), and in the process generate $300 billion across global markets. These satellites, ranging from so-called mini-sats weighing more than 50 kgs, up to giant telecommunications craft weighing around 6 tonnes, include entirely new operators. New entrants such as Google and the Richard Branson-backed constellations of Low Earth Orbiting craft. The strong demand experienced in 2013 continued through last year, with 116 satellites launched globally in 2014 and 149 new craft ordered. “Commercial procurements overtook government and military orders for the first time since 2010, a result of restrained government budgets as well as small satellite constellation growth. The growth witnessed in 2014 across multiple segments is expected to continue into 2015,” said NSR. While traditional GEO communications will continue to be the most valuable commercial segment for the manufacturing and launch industry, satellite services are gradually addressing a broader user base and causing a corresponding change in procurement. “Evolving barriers to entry and new platforms – whether small and cheaply produced or featuring higher power, electric propulsion, and flexibility – are facilitating a diversification of application markets and the emergence of new players across the value chain,” noted Carolyn Belle, NSR Analyst and report co-author. Source: Article

Read More........ → February 26, 2015

China launches world’s longest train to Spain

In an initiative to build a new silk road linking Asia and Europe though Central Asia, China launched a cargo train service connecting world’s largest commodity market in Yiwu with the Spanish capital Madrid.

The train with 82 containers was the first to travel the entire course of the cargo line on November 18. The journey marks the longest route taken by a freight train, longer still than Russia’s famed Trans-Siberian Railway. While container-borne trade still moves mostly by sea, the growing appetite of the Chinese market for European luxury goods means that Eurasian railway freight is catching up, according to a report in the the Economist. Source: Article

Read More........ → January 24, 2015

Mumbai University has 12 billionaires

University of Mumbai ranks 9th in list of rich alumni schools

The University of Mumbai has been ranked among the top 10 schools that produce the world’s billionaires and has more number of such undergraduate alumni than London School of Economics. According to this year’s Wealth-X and UBS Billionaire Census, 12 billionaires obtained their bachelor’s degrees from the University of Mumbai, making it one of the top 10 schools in terms of number of billionaire undergraduate alumni. “With 12 billionaire alumni, India’s University of Mumbai has the most billionaire graduates of any university based outside the US,” the report said. The University of Mum-bai was ranked 9th on the list which was topped by the University of Pennsyl-vania as the school had 25 billionaire undergraduate alumni. It has more billionaire alumni than MIT, NYU, University of Colum-bia and Duke University. Besides, University of Mumbai, the London School of Economics and Political Science in the United Kingdom, Lomon-osov Moscow State Univer-sity and ETH Zurich in Switzerland are other scho-ols that made it to the top 20 billionaire schools list. Interestingly, higher education has not been a prerequisite to achieving billionaire status as 35 per cent of the 2,325 billionaires in the world do not have a tertiary-level degree. Among those billionaires who hold a degree, 42 per cent graduated with a bachelors, 26 per cent have masters, 21 per cent finished their MBA, and 11 per cent attained a PhD, the report added. Source: Article

Read More........ → October 25, 2014

Nifty surges past 8,000 to mark record high

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The 50-share broader index marked a record high of 8,011.15

Mumbai: The Nifty surged past the psychologically important 8,000 level for the first time to mark its latest record high as blue-chips such as Larsen & Toubro gained after better than expected quarterly economic growth data. The after-glow of Narendra Modi's election victory nearly four months ago helped India's lumbering economy register its fastest growth in two-and-a-half years for the quarter ending in June, according to data on Friday. The 50-share broader index marked a record high of 8,011.15. L&T gained 1.7 per cent, while ICICI Bank Ltd rose 1.2 per cent. Source: The Asian Age

Read More........ → September 01, 2014

Real Madrid clinch 10th European title

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Gareth Bale helped Real Madrid win their 10th European Cup as they finally overwhelmed arch-rivals Atletico Madrid in a compelling Champions League final in Lisbon. The emphatic scoreline after extra time does no justice to the drama that unfolded at Estadio da Luz as Atletico stood moments from winning the
trophy for the first time only to end exhausted and well beaten. Diego Godin capitalised on an error from Real's veteran goalkeeper Iker Casillas to give Diego Simeone's newly crowned La Liga champions a first-half lead, one they protected with fierce intensity until 90 seconds from the end of five minutes of stoppage time when Sergio Ramos headed in Luka Modric's corner. Atletico wilted visibly after that, and Real ruthlessly completed the job of becoming the first club to claim the trophy 10 times, an achievement known as "La Decima" (the 10th). Bale, who had wasted earlier chances, headed in from an acute angle after goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois blocked Angel Di Maria's shot with 11 minutes left. This was effectively the match-winning moment. The Welshman kept going despite not being at his best and this was the sort of contribution that he and Real had in mind when he made his £86m move from Tottenham last summer. Substitute Marcelo added a third with a shot Courtois should have saved before Cristiano Ronaldo salvaged something from a disappointing personal performance, scoring his 17th goal of this Champions League campaign from the penalty spot after he was fouled by Gabi.It was all too much for the combustible Simeone, the game ending amid chaotic scenes when he raced on to the pitch to confront Real's Raphael Varane and was sent off. In contrast, the calm figure of Real coach Carlo Ancelotti was able to enjoy his own place in history alongside Bob Paisley, joining the former Liverpool manager as the only men to win the trophy three times as a coach having previously secured the crown twice with AC Milan, and twice as a player. - bbc.com, Source: Article

Story of the match:

• Diego Godin opened scoring for Atletico after Iker Casillas error
• Sergio Ramos forced extra time with dramatic 93rd-minute header
• Goals from Gareth Bale, Marcelo and Cristiano Ronaldo seal win
• Real end their search for a 10th European Cup

Read More........ → May 26, 2014

Panasonic Engineering a Better Fan Experience with the Worlds Largest 4K LED Video Board at the Kentucky Derby

By Choi Ju-Ho: SEOUL, KOREA - Panasonic partners with Churchill Downs to engineer a better fan experience with the world’s largest* 4K LED video board, known as the “Big Board,” measuring 171-feet wide by 90-feet tall and sitting 80 feet above the ground. Panasonic Solutions for Fan Excitement: The Kentucky Derby which is known in the United States as “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sport” and “The Run for the Roses”, named for the blanket of roses draped over the winner, was held at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, on May 3rd.  Until last year, tens of thousands of visitors to the Derby who were in the low-lying infield of Churchill Downs usually went home from the event without ever having actually seen the horses or felt the excitement of the race. This year, at the 140th running of the Derby, in front of a crowd of 164,906 people, the second-largest attendance in its history, Churchill Downs unveiled the world's largest 4K ultra high-definition LED Video Board, known as the “Big Board,” engineered by Panasonic to enhance the audience experience. The mammoth display screen, measuring the same size as three full-size basketball courts, sits 80 feet above the ground and offers a wide viewing angle for a superior fan experience everywhere within Churchill Downs. The active display area is 15,224 square feet and it is positioned midway along the backstretch and outside the dirt course to avoid being a distraction to the jockeys and horses. The display is so big that everybody at the Derby can enjoy the race from beginning to end, even those in the infield.  “We‘ve enjoyed this incredible opportunity to partner with Churchill Downs to install the world’s largest, first-of-its-kind 4K video board,” said Jim Doyle, President of Panasonic Enterprise Solutions Company, a regional subsidiary company of Panasonic. “The ‘Big Board’ delivers content unparalleled in its clarity and resolution, allowing tens of thousands of fans to experience the excitement and pageantry of this legendary racetrack up close and personal.”  Regarding the reason behind selecting Panasonic for the project, Ryan Jordan, General Manager of Churchill Downs, commented, “The clarity and quality of the video boards built by Panasonic is unmatched. The Big Board at Churchill Downs is a vehicle to deliver engaging content to fans in a way that we haven’t been able to in the past.” Source: Article

Read More........ → May 25, 2014

Messi signs new Barcelona deal to steal Ronaldos cash crown

After agreeing a new contract, can Argentine win La Liga and add the World Cup to his CV?

LIONEL MESSI should go to the World Cup with a spring in his step after signing a new deal with Barcelona that will make him the world's highest-paid player, leapfrogging his perennial rival Cristiano Ronaldo. News of the new deal, which will tie him to Barcelona until 2019, comes on the eve of the club's Spanish title decider against Champions League finalists Atletico Madrid at Camp Nou. The 26-year-old Argentine, who has scored 41 goals in what has been regarded as a below-par season by his standards, will be paid a minimum of £16.3m a season, with other incentives on top, according to Spanish newspaper Sport. Messi's existing deal, signed only 15 months ago, tied him to Barcelona until 2018, but the new contract has improved terms and runs until 2019, by which time he will be 32. "The announcement follows lengthy negotiations during which it was reported that Messi wanted to surpass Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo as the best-paid player in the world," says the BBC. Although he is only 26, Messi is about to enter his second decade as a first team player at Barcelona, having made his first team debut for the Catalans in November 2004 as a 17-year-old. Messi could celebrate the new deal by inspiring his team to the La Liga title, a feat that looked distinctly unlikely just a few weeks ago as the team's form evaporated. If Barcelona win against league leaders Atletico on Saturday they will snatch the title by the slenderest of margins, claiming the trophy thanks to Barca's superior record in head-to-head matches. It would add a seventh league title to his incredible haul which also includes three Champions League crowns, two Copa del Reys, two Club World Cups and two European Super Cups. The only thing missing from his collection is a World Cup winner's medal, something Messi could remedy in the next few weeks. For further concise, balanced comment and analysis on the week's news, try The Week magazine. Subscribe today and get 6 issues completely free. Source: The Week UK

Read More........ → May 18, 2014

Honda's Mad Mower Now Officially World's Fastest

By Andrei Nedelea: Honda has already announced itself as the builder of the world’s fastest lawn mower, a title, which up until this point, had not been official. Now it is, having been confirmed by a representative of Guinness, who watched the proceedings at the all important high speed run, where the famous mower managed to achieve an average speed of 187.60 km/h or 116.57 mph, the highest ever recorded for a vehicle of its type. It smashed the previous record by quite a large margin: 45 km/h or 28 mph. The speed was measured over a 100-meter speed trap and the above number consists of the average of two runs, in both directions, just like at the Bonneville Salt Flats. All of this was made possible by fitting a 1,000 cc V-twin engine that makes 109 hp. The wheels are special too, and they come right off a tarmac-oriented ATV, pushed out for a wide stance by a completely custom suspension system. Source: Carscoops

Read More........ → April 02, 2014

Dutch Students Take 0-100 KM/H Sprint Record with Homemade EV

If there’s one thing the Tesla Model S has taught us is that electric cars can punch well above their horsepower rating when it comes to acceleration. However, it’s not the most relevant example, and for that we must go to the Netherlands, where a team of students from the Delft University of Technology managed to make an electric single-seater with only 135 hp go from 0-62 mph or 0-100 km/h in 2.15 seconds. In doing so, they took the world record for the fastest accelerating EV, which originally stood at 2.68 seconds. They made the job of beating the record easy for themselves, though, fitting the DUT12 with four independent electric motors, and only making it carry around a total weight of 320 lbs / 145 kg. It’s purpose-built to just shoot off the line with no real wheelspin if the tarmac is dry. Chances are it’s probably geared for acceleration only, so it tops out very quickly, but we’d like to see that race car-like suspension system being put to good use, because when adding in the sticky tires, the DUT12 shouldn’t be half-bad around the corners either. Check it out in the videos below. By Andrei NedeleaStory References: tudelft, Sourc; Carscoops

Read More........ → October 28, 2013

Tendulkar reaches 50,000-run landmark across all formats

Sachin Tendulkar on Saturday reached another landmark by completing an impressive 50,000 runs in competitive cricket across all formats. Needing 26 runs, Tendulkar tucked one towards midwicket for a single off left-arm spinner Yannick Ottley to reach one more milestone in his glorious career spanning close to two-and-a-half decades. The 'little master' now has 50,009 runs in 953 competitive matches, which, includes 551 List A matches, 307 First-class matches and 95 T20 games. Tendulkar has so far scored
25,228 runs in 307 First-class matches which includes a staggering 15,837 runs in 198 Tests. Moreover, the 40-year-old has 21,999 runs in 551 List A matches which includes 18,426 runs in 463 ODIs. The maestro is also standing on the cusp of an additional rare feat of becoming the first player in the history of the game to play 200 Test matches, which in all likelihood will be completed in the upcoming Test series against the West Indies. Some other known batsmen who crossed the 50,000-run mark are WG Grace,

also known as the father of cricket", Mark Ravin Ramprakash, a Middlesex star and presently the team's batting coach and English batsman Jack Hobbs. But, it is Graham Gooch who has the most runs in all three formats combined (67,057). Immediately after Tendulkar's feat Twitter broke loose into "retirement" frenzy. Some wanted him to retire...@ColKGSharma7AAP High time to decide retirement byhim.He may be first cricketer to face ignored selection for all types of games. Some asked him not to...@sherin246 "Just remember that the world loves you. Your retirement has saddened many people. Fact: 40+ gets even juicier. #SaluteTheLegend Some just enjoyed the moment...@MuftiSheikh “Sachin Tendulkar completes 50,000 runs in all recognised cricket.” Legend-wait for it-ary (with PTI inputs). Source: Hindustan Times

Read More........ → October 06, 2013

India tops 44m DTH subs

India has hit record subscriber numbers for pay-TV DTH viewing, says its regulator. The Telecom Regulation Authority of India (TRAI) says there were 44.21 million DTH subscribers at December 31st. There are six major DTH operators slugging it out for viewer loyalty over India, perhaps proving that the combined marketing and sales efforts of the broadcasters is helping all of them gain support. Cable subscriptions are, in contrast, sluggish. TRAI also says that there are now 825 privately operated channels now transmitting, with 163 being pure pay-TV channels, and the rest free-to-air. Source: Advanced Televisiondia

Read More........ → September 21, 2013

One of largest pink diamonds sold at Christie’s for $39 mn

The stone was purchased by an anonymous collector who was bidding by phone, the auction said. The 34.65 carat Princie Diamond is believed to be the third largest pink diamond in the world and was found 300 years ago in the Golconda mines in southern India, the auction said. Among its previous owners was the Nizam of Hyderabad, who was called the richest man in the world by Time magazine in 1937. The record price of $44 was paid out at Sotheby’s in 2010 for another pink diamond known as the Graff pink. Voice of Russia, BBC, Source: The Voice of Russia

Read More........ → April 20, 2013

Modi's 3D speeches during 2012 polls enter Guiness Book

The 3D broadcasts of the speeches of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi during the 2012 assembly elections have entered the Guiness Book of World-Records, he said Thursday. "Gujarat election campaign 2012 becomes even more memorable with the 3D interaction creating a Guinness World," Modi said on Twitter. The Guinness World-Record for most simultaneous shows of the Pepper's Ghost Illusion (a technology) is now held by Raj Kasu Reddy and Mani Shankar of NChant 3D, which telecast, live, a 55 minute speech by Modi to 53 locations across Gujarat on December 10, 2012, Modi said on his blog. Nchant 3D used 3D 'holographic projection technology' for this purpose. This technology is popular in Europe, and has been also used by Hollywood celebrities like Madonna and Mariah Carey. Modi went on to win the 2012 election convincingly, making a hat-trick. Source: Hindustan Times

Read More........ → March 16, 2013

Messi breaks world record as Barca beat Deportivo

Messi 'breaks record' by scoring in 17th consecutive La Liga game

Lionel Messi scored in his 17th successive La Liga game, breaking a world record which has stood since the 1930s, according to his club Barcelona. The 25-year-old came off the bench to register his 40th league goal of the season for Barca in the 88th minute of their 2-0 win over Deportivo La Coruna. The world player of the year chipped in for his 27th goal in 17 matches. Barca said Messi had beaten Pole Teodor Pewterek's 1937-38 record of scoring in 16 straight games for Ruch Chorzow. Magical Messi Messi's 40 goals in La Liga means he has scored more league goals than 16 of the 20 teams in the division "The Argentine player's tally represents a new record in the history of football, something no other player has achieved before," the Spanish club said on their website. There was no immediate confirmation of Barcelona's claim by world governing body Fifa. Messi has now scored 52 goals in all competitions this season, including five in the Champions League. In December, Messi broke another record - that of the most goals in a calendar year - when he surpassed Gerd Mueller's 1972 tally of 85. With Barca seeking to overturn a first-leg deficit when they face AC Milan in the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday, the Catalan giants started their match against Deportivo with several of their biggest stars, including Messi, on the bench. Barcelona never needed to be at their fluid best to see off Deportivo. Alexis Sanchez gave them the lead just before half-time before Messi, who came on in the 59th minute, sealed victory two minutes from time. Speaking about overturning the 2-0 first-leg deficit, Barcelona assistant coach Jordi Roura said: "Tuesday will be an entirely different story. "But there is no doubt that the best way to get ready for a match is having won the previous game." Barcelona's 12th win in 13 home league games extended their lead to 14 points over Atletico Madrid, who meet Real Sociedad on Sunday. "We have the league title in our hands and we are not going to let it slip away," Alexis said. Source: Liocris

Read More........ → March 12, 2013