MAM
Indian girl outspells rivals in BBC competition
MUMBAI: A UK non resident Indian (NRI) 13 year old Gayathri Kumar has been crowned the first Hard Spell Champion. BBC had organised the competition in the UK.
Kumar managed to correctly spell words as diverse and difficult as apocalypse, mezzanine, troglodyte, claustrophobia, geisha and resuscitate to become Britain’s best young speller. The final round saw five finalists who were whittled down from over 100,000 spellers who took part in school competitions in the UK back in September.
She said, ” When I arrived at Television Centre I was so tense, I was just numb, and I didn’t even think I’d be going through to the finals.”
Hard Spell is developed with BBC Format Entertainment. The executive producer is Karen Smith.
Gayathri won a holiday, £5,000 worth of media equipment for her school and the Hard Spell trophy. Kumar had the following advice to offer for spellers and future Hard Spell contestants. “Write down the words you get wrong and carry the list around with you, looking at it when you have spare time.”
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Samsung India elevates Aditya Babbar to lead mobile business
Exec takes charge of MX sales and marketing after Raju Pullan’s exit
NEW DELHI: Samsung India has elevated Aditya Babbar to lead its mobile phone business, following the exit of Raju Antony Pullan.
Babbar, who previously served as vice president within the mobile division, has been appointed head of sales and marketing for the MX (mobile experience) business, effective May 1. In his new role, he will oversee the company’s sales and marketing operations for smartphones and related categories in India, reporting to the executive vice president of the MX business.
A long-time Samsung executive, Babbar brings over a decade of experience within the organisation, having held multiple leadership roles across product, marketing and category management. Most recently, he led product marketing and e-commerce for the mobile division, following earlier stints as head of product and marketing and senior director roles.
His career within Samsung Electronics and its India operations has also included responsibilities for flagship devices, tablets and wearables, giving him a broad view of the company’s premium and mass-market portfolio.
Babbar succeeds Pullan, who stepped down from the role, marking a leadership transition at a time when India remains a key battleground for global smartphone makers.
The appointment signals continuity within Samsung’s leadership bench, with an internal candidate stepping up to steer one of its most critical business units in a highly competitive market.
