Indiantelevision.com Team

(25 March 2009 11:30 pm)

MUMBAI: News channel NDTV, in association with the Ministry of Tourism's Incredible India campaign, will announce the final chosen seven wonders of India on 30 March in the capital.

The event will be marked by a fashion show by Sabyasachi Mukherjee. The show will exhibit contemporary outfits using textiles from various Indian states. Also performing at the ceremony will be actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan along with Shiamak Davar’s dance troupe.

The initiative, which commenced in September 2008, acknowledges the natural and man-made marvels of the country. The campaign is supported by State Bank of India and Tata Indicom.

The Seven Wonders of India initiative was held nationwide with states clubbed under 16 clusters. After the commencement of this campaign, seven top wonders in each state cluster were declared. A top wonder was then chosen as a nominee from each of these states for the final seven wonders of India. 20 top wonders are in contention for the final honours.

NDTV chairman Prannoy Roy said, “India is a land of incredible wonders and the campaign has brought forward some majestic monuments, places of worship, a mausoleum, a university - all representing India’s rich and varied heritage. It is encouraging to see how people across the country have come out to vote for their favourite places, not only recognising our heritage properties but also taking a pledge to safeguard them”.

The selection process for 'The 7 Wonders of India' involved the common mass. It also included jury members - Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar, chairman and MD of HRH Group of Hotels; Raja Jigmed Wangchuk Namgyal, King of Ladakh; Shama Pawar, founder of The Kishkinda Trust and an artist who restored Hampi; Abha Narain Lamba, donservation architect; travel experts Hugh and Collen Gantzer; OP Jain, president of Sanskriti Pratishthan and former convenor of INTACH; artist Anjolie Ela Menon and Sarod Maestro Amjad Ali Khan.

A mass media campaign through television, print, radio and the internet invited NDTV viewers to vote for their favourite wonder via online, Wap or sms service. The campaign also telecast documentaries on each of the monument on NDTV news channels. The state governments across the country also supported the campaign through on-ground activities and took this initiative to the grassroots.

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