US based leading media and entertainment player, Lafango, the owner of world’s biggest online multimedia talent platform has launched first of its kind innovative international beauty pageant, “Miss eWorld 2010”.

Any female contestant between 18 to 40 years of age from across the world including India is welcome to enter this free of cost contest and win the crown of Miss eWorld 2010 together with prize money of $10,000. The “Miss eWorld 2010” contest will be open for submission till May 15^st, 2010. Contestants can register at www.misseworld.com or www.lafango.com to submit their entries.

There will be four rounds in total, with number of finalists being reduced after each round by way of online voting by the Lafango community. Contestants need to upload their photos. The requirements for these photos will vary for each round and will include; Evening Wear, Casual, and the contestants choice.

Jatinder Singh, President, TalentTrove Inc. and Managing Director, TalentTrove India said, “India has an immense pool of untapped talent and not many opportunities galore for them. As a part of our commitment at Lafango, we wish to provide a global platform to talent in India. “Miss eWorld 2010” is all set to transform the process of selecting a world class beauty. The verdict by the voters and simplicity of the participation process with no entry fee involved makes “Miss eWorld 2010” a unique contest to watch for. Moreover contestants have chance to directly compete and get noticed with participants from across the world.”

Davinder Singh, the US based CEO of TalentTrove Inc. and Head of International Operations said, “With the sheer passion to nurture talent, Lafango has been instrumental in offering a unique way to showcase hidden abilities. Miss eWorld 2010 beauty pageant is another step in this regard and it has changed the traditional style. Miss eWorld 2010 has made it open to girls across the world to share their talent with akin contestants, keeping aside all other barrier. We are hopeful that this is the beginning of a new era and the true talent will be the winner.”

For the first round contestants need to submit 4 photographs each including one head shot, one frontal body shot and two photographs of her choice. Shortlisted 100 contestants then need to submit 3 photographs each for the round two and thereafter 50 selected contestants making it for third round need to upload 3 photographs each for full body shot, side ways shot and photo of contestant choice. The top 10 contestants chosen for the fourth and final round will have to submit a video. This video must be in response to a question that will be provided just prior to the start of this final round. The voter’s choice final contestant with highest numbers of votes will be crowned as Miss eWorld 2010 and will be awarded a prize of $10,000.

Lafango’s “Miss eWorld 2010” contest is different from traditional way of reality talent hunt and offers a level playing field for all the talent living in remote areas and big cities across India, a chance to be discovered, setting aside barriers of time, money and contacts for promotion.

Lafango.com is wholly owned by TalentTrove Inc., a three-year old company in the US, which boasts of 5 million online hits per month and holds the biggest global multimedia platform for talent and talent seekers who scout such communities to find the next big star. Lafango aims to strengthen on the largest internet user base here in India.

Lafango is putting together the required technology to effectively leverage the strong mobile phone user base in India. The company has 24×7 Lafango Radio and Lafango.tv that features only original content uploaded by registered members.

TalentTrove Inc. can be visited on the web at www.lafango.com.

Young adult and children’s books publisher, Ponytale Books, made its formal debut in the world of books with eleven titles at the 19th World Book Fair being organised by the National Book Trust, India at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, from January 30th to February 7th 2010.

Announcing the launch of Ponytale Books, Pranav Singh, Publisher & CEO, said, “Our research pointed to a dearth of India context reading material for mid-level readers, generally in the age-group of 8 to 15. Therefore, our publishing programme aims to provide some options to keep alive a young minds love for books and their own environment.

“We publish books on Indian history, culture and tradition, as well as universal values that entertain, educate and inform. Ponytale Books offers a wide range of books from original fiction on contemporary themes to inspirational non-fiction, and translations of best of literature from Indian languages for young adults. We are confident that our books will appeal to the schools and parents and be loved by children.”

Ponytale Books’ portfolio spans genres as diverse as literary classics, environment, sports, adventure, mysteries and ghost stories, mostly in Indian settings.

Ponytale Books has also translated works of renowned authors such as Munshi Premchand’s classic short stories from Hindi and Sahitya Akademi President, Sunil Gangopadhyay, Sirshendu Mukhopadhyay and Samaresh Basu from Bengali, all brimming with adventure.

New Delhi is all set to witness its 19th edition of the biennial World Book Fair organized by National Book Trust, India is scheduled at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi from January 30 to February 7, 2010.

“Reading Our Common Wealth” will be the theme for this forthcoming World Book Fair. The theme pavilion will showcase this through an “International Rights Exhibition of the Books on Sports in India”. The World Book Fair aspires to bring into focus sports and India as a prelude to the Commonwealth Games- 2010 to be held later this year in the national capital.

The New Delhi World Book Fair’s endeavor is to bring together the partners from the book world to share and exchange ideas, information and trade.  The cultural activities, exhibitions and displays on this occasion offer a first hand international exposure to publishers, book sellers and book lovers.