News Broadcasting
CNBC crowns Honda City as the ‘Car of the year’
MUMBAI: The results are out and the business news channel has awarded Honda City as the car of the year for 2003.
The third CNBC Autocar auto awards, adjudged the Ford Endeavour as the SUV of the Year, while Bajaj Wind was announced as the Bike of the Year.
The awards across 10 categories was presented by Chief Minister Sheila, in the presence of eminent personalities from the Indian auto industry, says a company release.
Maruti Udyog Limited was awarded the Manufacturer of the Year award for its overall performance in 2003. Bharat Forge, MICO and Anand Group were recognized for their exemplary performance in product development and manufacturing of auto components. It is for the first time ever, that the auto ancillary Industry was acknowledged at the CNBC Autocar Auto Awards, says the release.
The first ever ‘Viewer Choice Award’ was awarded to General Motors’ Chevrolet Optra. ‘ The winners at the CNBC Autocar Auto Awards 2003 are:
Award
Winner
The Car Of The Year Award Honda City
Bike Of The Year Bajaj Wind
SUV Of The Year Ford Endeavour
Best Value For Money Car Chevrolet Optra
Most Technologically Advanced Car Mercedes SL 500
Best Design & Styling Mercedes SL 500
Manufacturer Of The Year Maruti udyog Ltd
Most Improved Car Of The Year Tata Safari EXi
Best Driver’s Car Chevrolet Forester
The event boasted of good attendence from industry with the likes of CMD-Apollo Tyres’ Onkar Kanwar, HDFC’s Aditya Puri, Tata Motors executive director Dr Sumantran, Maruti Udyog ltd MD Jagdish Khattar, General Motors MD Aditya Vij, Mahindra & Mahindra’s MD Bharat Forge, Baba Kalyani, CEO Alan Durante, Daimler Chrysler India MD & CEO Hans-Michael Huber making appearance.
The performance of the event included the fusion world music by Taufiq Qureshi, Louis Banks and Vikku Vinayak Ram and Shiamak Davar and his troupe’s vibrant contemporary modern dance routine.
Speaking on the occasion, CNBC-TV18, CEO, Haresh Chawla, “Across the world, the auto industry is the yardstick to gauge the economy of a country. These are indeed exciting times for the Indian auto industry and the car buyer. The discerning Indian consumer today views a vehicle more than just a functional product, while making a purchase decision, style, comfort and technology are on his priority list. CNBC and Autocar continue to keep a pulse on the changing needs of the consumer. Through the CNBC Autocar Auto Awards we celebrate the resilient spirit of India’s Auto Industry.”
The auto magazine Auto Car India provided the technical support for road testing and evaluating the technical performance of the nominees, using sophisticated evaluation procedures and testing equipment, says the release.
The judges then rated the nominees on the basis of the performance and the scores were audited and evaluated by Ernst & Young. According to the release, stringent guidelines and eligibility criteria were applied to ensure that the process is benchmarked against international standards.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Kolkata Town Hall on Hooghly River
‘Bhalobasa Bengal Inspiring Bharat’ event on April 20 brings cultural icons, trailblazing women and leaders aboard a cruise to celebrate Bengal’s enduring influence.
MUMBAI: Bengal is about to make fresh waves on the Hooghly and this time the current is pure conversation. CNN-News18 is taking its iconic Town Hall format to the waters of the iconic Hooghly River on 20 April 2026 with a special edition titled ‘Bhalobasa Bengal – Inspiring Bharat’. The floating event will celebrate the state’s rich cultural legacy and how its ideas, creativity and spirit continue to shape the rest of the country.
The unique riverside setting draws on Bengal’s history as a cradle of reform, art and intellectual thought. The speaker line-up mirrors that diversity: cultural heavyweights Mithun Chakraborty and Sreenanda Shankar will share the stage with trailblazing “Devis” such as Tanya Sanyal (India’s first woman firefighter in aviation), Ipsita Chakraborty (Kolkata’s first woman bartender) and Reshma Nilofer Visalakshi (Nari Shakti awardee and marine pilot). Music will flow through the celebrated pianist-vocalist duo Sourendro and Soumyojit, while public life and governance will be represented by Smriti Irani, Leander Paes, Saira Shah Halim, Keya Ghosh, Rekha Patra, Roopa Ganguly and Babul Supriyo.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director, Rahul Shivshankar, said the event honours voices that carry Bengal’s legacy forward. Smriti Mehra, CEO – English & Business News, Network18, added that Bengal’s stories resonate far beyond its borders, especially as the state heads into polls.
From the first woman to battle flames in the skies to legendary actors who shaped Indian cinema, the gathering promises a rich mix of inspiration, courage and candid dialogue. In a city where culture has always flowed as freely as the river itself, CNN-News18 is turning the Hooghly into a floating forum for ideas that matter.
Tune in on 20 April on CNN-News18, CTV and YouTube to catch Bengal’s heartbeat in full flow.
