MAM
ETC, Gilbey’s join hands for music talent show contest
MUMBAI: ETC Networks channel etc and Gilbey’s Green Tea, will present the talent search, named Sur Milao Kuch Dikhao. The inter state level competition will provide a platform for talented individuals who want to make it big in the world of music. The show will allow them to showcase their talent to millions of viewers.
A press release says that this talent search was conducted across 18 cities in five states by Gilbey’s. It claims that each contest had an average entry of about two hundred aspirants. It says that the winner was selected from each state after an extensive and exhausting competition. These five state level winners went through extensive rounds of auditions followed by city level competition where they competed with other contestants and proved themselves to be the cut above the rest to enter the state level round.
The release also claims that each of the zonal winners will be put through the acid test of final selection by public. For 15 days, beginning 1 September 2003, etc will telecast capsules of the five winners all through the day.
Viewers of etc will watch these winners of the contest Sur Milao Kuch Kar Dikhao and in the end cast their vote to select the “richest and smoothest” voice of India. It is for the first time ever the national winner would be selected by the viewers of etc channel. Viewers can either send their preference through SMS on 303 or email their choice on feedback@entertainmenttv.com.
The channel will showcase the various winners as follows:
* Santosh Kshatriya, the winner from Maharashtra and Goa, is a commerce student who always nurtured the dream to come on a channel.
* Subhan Haider won from MP and Chattisgarh, who sings as the lead singer with Harmony Group in Raipur. He was trained in music by his father.
* Amit, an engineering student, is from Bihar and he has been winning awards at inter-university level.
* Bhanu Pratap from North is singing form 6th standard and trains in classical with three hours of Riyaaz everyday.
* Bijoy Bhatarcharjee, winner from West Bengal, is known as Abhijeet junior and dreams of meeting Abhijeet.
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33 per cent of women believe the salary scale is rigged: Naukri report
Voices @ Work study finds rising calls for equal pay audits and lingering bias
MUMBAI: Progress may be visible in India’s workplaces, but many women still feel the need to tread carefully. A new report by Naukri reveals that one in two women hesitate to disclose marriage or maternity plans during job interviews, worried that such information could influence hiring decisions.
The findings come from the second edition of Naukri’s annual Voices @ Work International Women’s Day report, titled “What Women Professionals Want.” Drawing insights from more than 50,000 women across over 50 industries, the survey sheds light on evolving workplace aspirations alongside the biases that continue to hold women back.
One of the report’s most striking insights is the growing demand for equal pay audits. The share of women calling for regular pay parity checks has climbed to 27 per cent this year, up from 19 per cent a year ago. The demand now stands alongside menstrual leave as the most sought after workplace policy.
Interestingly, the call for pay transparency grows louder higher up the income ladder. Nearly half of women earning between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore annually say equal pay audits are a priority, suggesting that pay gaps become more visible as women move up the career ladder.
At the same time, confidence and ambition appear to be rising. About 83 per cent of women say they feel encouraged to pursue leadership roles, a significant jump from 66 per cent last year. Cities in southern India appear particularly supportive, with Hyderabad leading the way as 86 per cent of respondents there reported encouragement to step into leadership positions. The education sector recorded the highest sense of encouragement at 87 per cent.
Yet the report also highlights a growing trust deficit around pay equity. Nearly one in three women, or 33 per cent, say they do not believe men and women are paid equally at their workplace. That figure has risen from 25 per cent last year, pointing to widening perceptions of disparity as careers progress.
Bias in hiring and promotions continues to be the biggest hurdle. About 42 per cent of respondents say workplace bias is the main challenge for women from diverse backgrounds. The concern is consistent across major metros, with Chennai and Delhi NCR reporting similar levels.
Reluctance to discuss personal milestones during hiring processes is also widespread. While 34 per cent overall said they hesitate to share marriage or maternity plans in interviews, the anxiety increases with experience. Among professionals with 10 to 15 years of work experience, the figure rises to 40 per cent.
Info Edge group CMO Sumeet Singh, said the data reflects both progress and unfinished work. “Behind every data point in this report is a woman who is ambitious. The fact that 83 per cent feel encouraged to lead is something to celebrate. However, the fact that one in two still hide their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is far from done. As India’s leading career platform, it felt not just important but necessary for us to shine a light on these gaps through the second edition of our report,” he said.
The report suggests that while ambition among women professionals is growing, structural changes around pay transparency, fair hiring and supportive policies will be key if workplaces hope to keep pace.
