MAM
CMM to take the talent search route too
PUNE: It may not figure in the top recall music channels bracket, but CMM is trying to revamp its image.
The music channel is following in Channel V’s footsteps with the announcement of a national level talent competition. Kal Ke Sitare is a contest that CMM will hold in association with Mahavir Audio & Visuals, a music company.
According to an official release, the one of a kind national level talent competition is aimed at promoting young talent in the field of singing, dancing and dramatics, with Pune being the epicenter of the exercise.
The categories in the competition include singing (pop and classical), dancing (Indian and western), playing various musical instruments, dramatics and modeling, with no age or language bar. The preliminary rounds will be held in Pune at various locations.
Outstanding participants will get an opportunity to showcase their talent in over 20 music albums, both audio and video, besides a chance to feature in films and tele serials. The entire event will be aired on CMM for more than two months including pre and post event promotions, a la Popstars that showcased the making of VIVA on Channel V and sister Star channels.
The pre-promotional publicity of the competition is already being aired on CMM every hour. This raw talent will be promoted by MAV in all its forthcoming ventures. Mahavir Productions (of MAV Group), a Pune based production house is a co-venture between Manoj Palrecha and Ankush Mehta. MAV founder Palrecha claims commitment from Bollywood Directors to promote the talent discovered at the competition. From the wings of MAV have come hits like Zindagi (The Life), a pop music album, Koncept, trance music and many devotional albums, claims the release.
Brands
UltraTech Cement appoints Jayant Dua as managing director
Dua will succeed K. C. Jhanwar after his term ends in December 2026
MUMBAI: UltraTech Cement, the flagship cement arm of the Aditya Birla Group, has elevated Jayant Dua as managing director, effective 1 April, 2026.
The company’s board also approved his appointment as additional director, managing director and key managerial personnel, effective 1 January, 2027, following the completion of the current managing director K C Jhanwar’s term on 31 December, 2026, according to a regulatory filing.
Dua will serve as managing director for a four-year term from 1 January, 2027 to 31 December, 2030.
A veteran executive with more than 37 years of professional experience, Dua joined the Aditya Birla Group’s cement business in 1996 and spent nearly a decade in various functional and leadership roles.
Over the past two decades, he has held several profit-and-loss and chief executive responsibilities across multiple group businesses, including insulators, insurance, Century Cement and the chlor-alkali segment. In 2023, he was elevated to lead the group’s renewables and textiles businesses.
Within the group, Dua has received several internal honours, including the chairman’s individual award for exceptional contribution in 2002, the outstanding leader award in 2009 and the leader of leaders recognition in 2022.
He holds an engineering degree from Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, an MBA from International Management Institute and has completed the advanced management programme at Harvard Business School.
