WorldTel CEO Mascarenhas dead
Nagpur: Mark Mascarenhas, the marketing agent of cricket star Sachin Tendulkar and head of WorldTel, died on 27 January in a road accident at Kharbi, about 80 kms from here.
Mascrenhas, 44, is survived by his wife, two sons and two daughters.

He was travelling in a Tata Sumo alongwith three others, on his way to Kanha National Park from Mumbai via Nagpur when the front tyre of the vehicle burst at Kharbi.
The vehicle turned turtle and Masacrenhas died on the spot due to severe head injury.

The three others travelling with Mascarenhas, John Pawson, Jonathan Marmagan both from London, Uday Singh and driver Gulam Ali Mansoor Ali sustained minor injuries. They are being treated at the Bhandara civil hospital.

Mascrenhas shot into limelight when he signed a multi-million deal with Tendulkar in 1996 making the batsman the highest paid cricketer ever.

The five-year contract between Tendulkar and WorldTel was renewed late last year for an undisclosed amount, believed to be in excess of Rs 50 crore, setting a new benchmark in cricket.
Mascrenhas was also planning to start a global chain of hotels carrying Tendulkar's name.
Back to News Review index page  

Telecom scam trial begins on 28 Jan
New Delhi: The trial in the Rs 1.68 crore telecom scam case involving former union minister Sukh Ram and two others would begin here on 28 January with the recording of prosecution evidence.

Special Judge R K Gauba would hear the case on a day-to-day basis to complete the trial in the shortest possible time.
The supreme court had reversed the Delhi high court order quashing the trial court decision to frame charges against Sukh Ram, the then director (finance and accounts) in the communications ministry Runu Ghosh and the managing director of Hyderabad-based M/S Advanced Radio Masts Pvt Ltd P Rama Rao in the case.

The then special judge Ajit Bharihoke had framed charges against the three accused under Section 120B of IPC (criminal conspiracy) read with Section 13(2) and 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
Back to News Review index page  

BSNL objects to revenue sharing on default calls
New Delhi: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited has objected to the arrangement proposed by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for revenue sharing with Bharti on alternate days as impractical.

The proposed sharing of default traffic revenue amongst national long distance operators is a deviation from the consistent stand taken by the TRAI in the past and was impracticable, BSNL chairman cum managing director D P S Seth is understood to have stated in a letter to the telecom regulator.

The proposal implied that an operator with a limited investment and only a dozen points of presence was handed over 50 per cent of the traffic.

The proposal would require a manual or software controlled change-over on alternate days and will imply that choice of the long distance operator lies with access provider and not with the customer.
Back to News Review index page  
ETV launches six channels
New Delhi: Ramoji Rao-controlled ETV has launched six new channels covering Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Orissa.

With the launch, ETV now has 11 channels covering different parts of the country. The south Indian media conglomerate, which also owns the Newstime daily, already had state-wise channels covering Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Karnataka, besides an Urdu channel.
Back to News Review index page  

Commission on auto insurance to go up
New Delhi: The general insurers may raise the agency commission on motor policies from the next fiscal.

The general insurance council is set to review the bar of 5 per cent at its next meeting once the tariff advisory committee has taken a view on the Ansari panel report on motor tariff restructuring. The council comprises private and public sector companies and includes representation from the regulator as well.
Back to News Review index page