Doordarshan is launching its sports channel on March 18 by telecasting a cricket match featuring the Indian cricket team.

Significantly, this would also coincide with the completion of one year by the current BJP-led Government. Sources said the channel would be a satellite channel and would initially show three to four hours of programming. The channel is, however, expected to pick up during the forthcoming Cricket World Cup.

Ushafone Tariffs

Ushafone, the cellular licensee for UP (west), has fixed its local and long-distance air-time rates of Rs 2.70/Rs 5.40 per minute respectively while the night air-time rates have been fixed at 18 paise per minute. Both offers, available to new and existing subscribers, are complementary till April 15, 1999, after which subscribers can avail of the same services for a membership fee of Rs 117 per month, a company release said.

Microsoft to sponsor prodigy

Microsoft will sponsor 14-year old GovindJajoo, who became the youngest Microsoft Certified Professional, to be a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, said a company release. Ever since the Microsoft Education and Certification programme began in 1996 in India, 35,000 certifications have been awarded, placing India second after the US.

Rediff launches India's first site for singles

India's premiere online service, rediff.com has launched a new service called The Singles Channel. Launched on the occasion of International Women's day 1999, the service is aimed at the young, single people.

Available at www.rediff.com, the Singles Channel is a new concept for India. The procedure is simple, with users filing in a form detailing their preferences. The profile matcher, which is integral to the entire concept, then scans the database and e-mails the possible options that match the user's requirements. It is then the user's prerogative to decide who he/she wants to contact. Users are assured of total confidentiality.

India's first bridalmagazine on internet

In an effort to keep Indians across the world in touch with their heritage, "Bride and Home", India's first bridal magazine, proposes to have "live chats" with marriage advice experts on its worldwide website.

Besides, a matrimonial introduction service, tailor-made horoscopes and interactive blind dates are part of its long-term plans for those surfing the net at http://www.brideandhome.com, a release from the magazine's publishers, Heathcliff Publications, says.

Vijaya Bank puts up website

Vijaya Bank has put up a website -- www.vijayabank.com -- with the objective of educating a global audience about banks gamut of services and schemes. With a view to attract NRI population, an entire section has been devoted to their cause. NRI's can open an account from anywhere by downloading an application form from the site.

BBC World appoints head of advertising sales for India

BBC World, BBC's 24-hour, international news and information television channel, hasappointed Usha Samuel as head of advertising sales for India. Samuel will oversee all Indian advertising sales activities. Naukri.com adjudged best Indian site

Naukri.com, the career website, has been named the best indian careers website, by bestindiansites.com. Naukri gets over 1,000,000 hits a month. This figure has been increasing every month by 20 per cent, and a press release from Naukri says that it expects to reach 2 million hits a month in a few months.

Oracle Software launches educational programme

Oracle Software India on Wednesday launched an to build software development skills. This is for the first time that Oracle India has built a comprehensive programme which concerns introduction to Oracle Developer, Oracle Designer, Java programming and Oracle Webserver.

According to SV Krishna, general manager (education), Oracle India, the programme is aimed at generating skilled manpower at entry level to meet the global information technology needs.