Well, you can’t say British Asians can’t spot a marketing angle when it presents itself. Popular England cricketer Monty Panesar has launched his own website and merchandise. A press release sent to us states:

Monty, who is currently on the England Ashes tour in Australia, is the first Sikh ever to represent England at this prestigious level and made his historic debut in March 2006 against India. His new website www.monty-panesar.com comes to life on 15th December 2006 giving his fan base the opportunity to interact with their favourite cricket star.

Fans will be treated to – up to the minute national and international cricket news, register to receive regular e-newsletters and become a part of Monty’s online community. Pictures and wallpapers will be available to download at a later date. There will be opportunities for fans to view exclusive interviews with the man himself, post their own comments about Monty or cricket in general and take part in competitions to win prizes.

Media contact: minaxi@monty-panesar.com

Rakhee Gokani has moved on from F-NIK PR, she confirmed in an email to friends and colleagues this week.

The account executive is moving to greener pastures she said, and her relationship with Pedro Carvalho, who runs F-NIK, remains as strong as ever. The PR firm’s accounts include The Community Channel, The Football Association, Kiss 100 presenter Neev and music artist ‘D-Boy’. We wish Rakhee all the best.

BBC Asian Network wants to find the image which best represents Asian Britain Today. And they want your pictures to tell the story.

Whether it’s a picture of yourself, your family, food, lifestyle, music or even the street you live, between Monday 11th and Friday 15th December – tons of your snaps will be displayed online at www.bbc.co.uk/asiannetwork

There are top prizes for the best pictures including a chance to meet Sonia Deol on the Asian Network Breakfast show.

To send your pictures, email anphotos@bbc.co.uk or send them by mobile phone to 81869.

Breakfast presenter Sonia Deol says: “The picture for me has got to be the one I took when I was hosting BhangraFest. At one point I just picked up the camera and took a picture of the audience. We’ve got families, people hanging out with their mates, just SUCH a mixture and a variety of people. The energy and the passion and the real sense of the identity that was coming through on this picture completely sums up Asian Britain today for me!”

Bafta has teamed up with the mobile network Orange to create 60 Seconds of Fame – a new short film competition that celebrates creativity in grass roots film.

The winning film, on the theme of “celebrate”, will be featured during the BBC One coverage of
The Orange British Academy Film Awards ceremony on 11 February 2007 – when it will be
seen by millions of people. Regional winners will attend the awards ceremony, rubbing shoulders
with some of the world’s most famous actors, writers, producers and directors.

If you’re over 16 and you’ve got access to film making equipment, you’re in. You can submit your mini-masterpiece until 4 January 2007.

orange.co.uk/bafta

Compiled by Radio 1 DJs Bobby Friction and Nihal, the newly released soundtrack for the film Mischief Night features the likes of: Nitin Sawhney, Raghav, Swami, Ges-e, Uk Apachi, Swami and Mentor Kolektiv.

This is combined with the urban beats of Jungle Brothers, Lethal Bizzle and Aphrodite as well as the catchy Asian version of the Gloria Gaynor classic ‘I will survive’ by Usha Uthup.

More on the film here.

The new Asiana magazine features a list of the 50 most eligible Asian bachelors in the country.

A charity appeal to bring a smile to Children in Hospital this Christmas by donating to the Santa’s Toy Sack Challenge is being supported by actors Sanjeev Bhaskar and Meera Syal.

The appeal is calling for Londoners to help them fill the largest Toy Sack ever, which will be presented to children at the Evelina Children’s Hospital – one of London’s busiest hospitals.

For a donation of £1.50 (standard network charges apply), Londoners can text ‘toys’ to 85099 and help buy a range of toys and games for children in the Evelina Children’s Hospital and care homes making sure that this is a Christmas they will not forget.

www.santastoysack.org

Last month, London based Panjab Radio celebrated three years broadcasting on DAB digital radio. To commemorate the anniversary, Panjab Radio has a special offer on a selection of its DAB digital radios for readers to purchase. The station has been around for around six years in total.

The comedian Alistair McGowan joins a stellar cast to play the jealous husband Frank Ford, at the RSC in Stratford-upon-Avon in a new musical version of Shakespeare’s Merry Wives of Windsor, at the RST this winter.

Directed and adapted by RSC director Gregory Doran, this world premiere has songs composed by Paul Englishby, with lyrics by Ranjit Bolt, and is performed as part of the RSC’s ongoing Complete Works Festival which began in April this year and runs until April 2007.

Bolt was recently featured in Tara Arts’ Marriage of Figaro.
www.rsc.org.uk