And the winner is....

Soumya Jain!!

Congratulations Soumya, for your well thought out and brilliant design.

Design Competition - Were you shortlisted?

Having received over 30 brilliant entries for our design competition, our panel needs a little more time to come to a final decision.

The shortlisted entries (in no particular order):

1. Prateek Singh
2. Rohit Lonkar
3. Soumya Jain
4. Jash

Stay tuned, the winner will be announced on Wednesday, 18 November 2009.

Join Us

Are you bright, young and energetic?

We are looking for interns and trainees with common sense and who can take the initiative.

Work will involve fact-checking and co-ordination.

Apply with your resume and references to raintreemedia@gmail.com

Design the cover for Allen’s novel!

Calling all creative minds…

Want to see your work on the cover of the first novel written by one of India’s most acclaimed journalists? Raintree Media is publishing a dramatic novel by Allen Mendonca and is inviting all creative minds to send in cover design entries.

Set against a century of the triumph and turmoil of India’s political and economical struggle, this book chronicles the internecine drama of India’s most powerful media house. Spurred on by ruthless ambition, media baron Harivanshrai Kumar spins a web of betrayal and deceit that slowly embroils his family, friends and colleagues in an intriguing twist of events. Packed with a cutting-edge journalistic view of historical events and palpable emotions ranging from lust to piety, this book is a must-read!

The working title of the book is 'Sentinel House'

Book Specifications:

5 inches (w) x 7.5 inches (h)

Must-have:

Title of book and the author’s name

Format:

Send your entries in PDF, JPEG or TIFF format. But hold on to your working design file and we will contact you if you are chosen.

What you get:

A cash prize of Rupees ten thousand, credit in the book, an invitation to the launch and hopefully many more assignments :)

Deadline:

Send your entries in to raintreemedia@gmail.com by November 10, 2009

Some tips to help you get started:

•A web of interconnecting stories involving romance, politics, corporate rivalry and the new economy is spun around the central theme of a media house that has grown to dominate the print media industry in India.

•The book incorporates four generations of the Kumars, their wives and lovers.

•The book spans a timeline from an India pre-independence to the contemporary India of today.

Keywords that may help with the design: Mumbai, India, Newspapers, Journalism, Independence, Murder, Betrayal, Anger, Lust, Deceit, Love and Hope.

Allen Mendonca

With deep sorrow, we note the demise of Allen Mendonca, Founder- Director, Raintree Media. He passed away in his sleep on Sept 28, 2009. He was 49.

In a career spanning over 25 years, he had written on diverse subjects – crime, political commentary, theatre, music and film reviews and travel features. He was most famous for his hard-hitting style of taking on errant powers-that-be in public life.

He started his career while in college, working for Southern Speaker, then moved to City Tab and Evening Herald, before joining Indian Express. This publication’s crusading zeal was right up his alley and he soon gained a reputation for gutsy reporting.

He next joined the Times of India, Bangalore as Head of the Business Bureau before taking over as the Head of the Metro Bureau. His pithy column 'Metro Matters’ took up cudgels for the travails of the city. His Sunday columns where he interviewed writers, artists and their ilk brought to splendid life his felicity with words.

He was the Editor of Bangalore Times and was responsible for its remarkable growth in a short period.

In 2005, he co-founded Raintree Media and continued to be Director. He was simultaneously Editorial Director of Explocity group of multi-city publications. He continued to write for several national and international magazines and books.

He had just commenced a final revision of his first novel which Raintree Media will soon be publishing.

Team Raintree derived great strength from his wealth of knowledge, his ability to focus on the basics, his keen eye for detail and his inimitable writing. His genial smile did not mean that we could ever do anything that was less than excellent. We miss him sorely; and are determined to forge ahead and achieve our fullest potential as our tribute to his life.

Celebrating The Glory Years

125 years is a glorious run for an institution and fittingly for erudite Chennai, the Madras Gymkhana Club chose to commemorate the grand achievement with a coffee table book. Time was short, but once they commissioned us, we did the near- impossible: researched, photographed, wrote, edited, designed, printed and delivered in 125 days.

‘The Glory Years', an insight into the Club’s culture, society and the journey of its members, was launched at a crisply conducted event by Governor Surjit Singh Barnala with Andrew P Simkin, Consul General, US on September 5, 2009 at the Madras Gymkhana Club.

The coffee table book delves into the history of the Club since it’s inception in 1884 and tells the story of the Club’s formation and growth from the days of the British Raj and post-independence to the present. Interspersed with colourful anecdotes are eye-catching illustrations. The book chronicles the challenges and triumphs of like-minded and successful individuals that are a part of the Madras Gymkhana Club.

Speaking at the event, Governor Surjit Singh Barnala said "Books are a piece of priceless treasure. That too coffee table books are a class by themselves. They are referred to as illustrative or pictorial books. Coffee table books are usually visual oriented. They are for a light read and the analysis is often more basic. I congratulate Sandhya Mendonca and the Rain Tree Media for bringing a master piece “The Glory Years” on the Madras Gymkhana Club."



Governor Surjit Singh Barnala with Andrew P Simkin, Consul General, US launching ‘The Glory Years’.


US Consul General, Andrew P Simkin, autographing a copy of Madras Gymkhana Club’s ‘The Glory Years’ for chef extraordinaire Sanjay Matta.


Deputy Consul General, Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany, Chennai, Axel Saurer and his wife at the launch of Madras Gymkhana Club’s ‘The Glory Years’.

Best of Chennai - A scintillating amalgam

On a snug Chennai evening, amidst mounting anticipation, the third book in the ‘Best of…’ series in India, ‘Best of Chennai’, was launched at a dazzling event on June 6, 2009, at the Taj Coromandel. With the Consul General of Australia for South India, Aminur Rahman and eminent author Sivasankari presiding as chief guests, the elegant book was revealed to a select section of Chennai that justly represented the city’s cultural and business elite. Mrs. Sandhya Mendonca, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Global Village Publications India, handed over one of the first copies of the book to The Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M K Stalin.

The guests at the event candidly exemplified the character of the city. In attendance were a wide range of business heads like Nalli’s Nalli Kuppusami Chetty, Sri Krishna Sweets’ M Murali, Akshaya Homes’ Chitti Babu, Ramesh Reddy from Chaitanya Shantiniketan, Sangeeta Prasad, COO, Mahindra World City Developers Ltd, Hemu Ramaiah founder of landmark, and Tan Ngaronga, COO of Sathya Cinemas.

The city’s cultural scene was represented by dancer Chitra Visweswaran and Sivasankari, while designer Chaitanya Rao, socialites Jules Idi Amin and Minnie Menon added glamour to the party that followed the launch.

As wine glasses clinked and spirits soared well into the night, the launch drew to a close on a high note; a befitting beginning for a new journey that the book is all set to embark on.

‘Best of Chennai’ is now available at all top bookstores, ready to be employed as a definitive guide to the best that Chennai has to offer.

'Best of Chennai' Media Coverage

Times of India
Chennai Times
Deccan Chronicle
The Hindu

Best of Goa launched

True to its moniker, Best of Goa, our guide to the classic Goan experience, was launched in a picture postcard locale complete with a full moon illuminated sea view, at an event attended by some of the state's most recognised faces.

Veteran cartoonist Mario Miranda released the international coffee table book with Sandhya Mendonca, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Global Village Publications India at the Fort Aguada Beach Resort on December 12. The first copy was presented to musician Remo Fernandes, and the GMs of the Taj properties, Nick Israel, Ian Dubier and Allwyn Drego.

The event had a distinct Goan flavour, with Orlando and his troupe serenading guests like architect Gerard da Cunha, historian Prajal Sakhardande, architect Sarto Almeida and his wife Therese Almeida, Habiba Miranda, President of the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa Ralph D'Souza, Diviya Kapur of Literati, Marius Monteiro of Cavala, and Amardipta Biswas of Loungefly.

Amongst the very first to buy the book immediately upon its release were the Chancellor of Portugal Antonio Sousa, Managing Director of Marine Technologies Dominico E Serra, who then presented it to the Honorary Consul of the Italian Consulate Antonio Dal Negro, General Manager of the Leela Kempinski Goa, Pascal Dupuis, and Chairman of GKB, KG Gupta.


Singing duo Newton and Ness soon got guests up on their feet, swinging in rhythm to retro hits
in between quick bites of the delectable dinner spread.

Best of Goa is now available at all leading bookstores. With breathtaking visuals and analytical articles, the book is 148 pages full of the Goan spirit.

View the Best of Goa e-book on www.gvpedia.com

The Indian Idea

Get a sneak peek into Infosys Co-Chairman Nandan Nilekani’s bestseller in the making, Imagining India, in this month’s 080.

Say cheese!

From high-rises to high office, Best of Bangalore is the city's latest must-have coffee table accessory. Bangalore's not-so-little black book has now made its way to the Raj Bhavan. The book was presented to His Excellency Rameshwar Thakur, the Governor of Karnataka, by Business Development Associate Pooja Goswami and Assistant Editor Kavita Mohandas last week. Now here's one for the records.

On stands now!

Hot off the press and setting Bangalore abuzz, Best of Bangalore Vol. 1 was launched on June 7.
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Chairperson & Managing Director, Biocon, released the book at the Taj Residency’s Trinity Hall which was packed with the city’s newsmakers, all prominently featured in the book.


Deccan Aviation’s Capt. Gopi delivered the keynote address on how entrepreneurship can take Brand Bangalore forward; Vittalamurthy, Principal Secretary, Tourism, Information and Kannada & Culture, and Vijay Rekhi, President & Managing Director, USL, were guests of honour at the launch.

Kamsale performers from Mandya kept guests glued to their seats. Amid bubbly and scrumptious coastal cuisine whipped up by Chef Selvaraj, they also squeezed in words of praise for this quintessential book. Here’s what the A Listers said:

“I am very glad that the Best of Bangalore focuses on the positive side of the city, and look forward to the other books in the series.” – Kiran Mazumdar Shaw

“This book epitomizes the best in Bangalore because it is very well produced and of course all the companies and products which are displayed are world class.” - Vijay Rekhi

“This book is fantastic, the production and quality - awesome! The best.” – Oum Pradutt, MD, Phase 1

“I think it will be a very interesting coffee table reading and will see a lot more reprints…it’s a new idea and a brilliant one!” - Mahapara Ali, Chief General Manager of State Bank of India

“I think it’s a fantastic book and we are very proud to be a part of it.” - Christine Jamal VP Corporate, Tata Coffee

Gratified by the incredible response that the book’s receiving, we’re kicking off work on Best Destinations Goa, Best of Chennai & Puducherry, and of course, Best of Bangalore & Karnataka. Good things do come in threes!