Latest news with #APJ
Indian Express
12 hours ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Bollywood's greatest character actor died in abject poverty, was ‘banned' by Shiv Sena, funeral went unattended by big Bollywood stars
Actor AK Hangal, who worked across several decades in Hindi cinema, became a household name through his memorable supporting roles in landmark films such as Sholay and Deewaar. Hangal was born in undivided India, jailed in Karachi for his communist views, and 'banned' by the Shiv Sena for associating with Pakistani nationals. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan by President APJ Abdul Kalam. Towards the end of his life, he suffered financially, with several of his past colleagues stepping up to lend support. But his funeral was unattended by many of the major stars that he'd worked with over the years. Hangal died in 2012 at the age of 98; this is his story. In a 1997 interview with Rediff, Hangal looked back on his youth. He said, 'After the Partition, I stayed back in Pakistan but I was arrested because of communist ideologies. I spent two years in jail. I was beaten regularly because I would resist everything from bad food to bad civic facilities. I was asked to leave Pakistan and go to India. But how could I leave the place and culture where I was born? One day, Muslim seniors from my party told me to go to India and start party work there, as I was the only Hindu among them. I was given 12 hours to leave Pakistan.' Also read – The director who launched Dharmendra, Kabir Bedi and Zeenat Aman died broke: 'Not in good shape financially or physically' He added, 'I wanted to go to New Delhi to my sister but I had no money. I came to Mumbai with Rs 20 in my pocket. I was 21 years old then. I met some friends from Karachi and they took care of my family and me. Soon, I got a job as a tailor and was paid Rs 500 per month. Those days in 1949, this was a huge amount. I used to have rich customers like the nawab of Pataudi and Britishers. I had to look presentable at all times, so I always wore suits to work.' It was after this that Hangal's career as an actor took off. He appeared in films such as Abhimaan, Anubhav, Deewaar, Sholay, Aandhi, Namak Haraam, Aap Ki Kasam, Shagirdh, Mere Apne, Parichay, Daag, Joshila, Heera Panna, Jawani Diwani, Garam Hawa, Bawarchi, Kora Kagaz, Chit Chor, and Satyam Shivam Sundaram. Some of his most memorable final roles came in the films Lagaan and Paheli. During his career, he is said to have appeared in 300 films. In 1993, he was banned by the Shiv Sena for interacting with Pakistani nationals and seeking a visa. 'I wanted to visit Pakistan and wanted to collect some material for my memoirs. Was that a crime?' he told Rediff, adding, 'I suffered mental and economic anguish for one year.' He didn't mind that the industry didn't stand up in support of him during this time, saying, 'I was only a character actor. The film industry can choose to ignore me. No huge funds were blocked because of my absence. But theatre people from Kerala sent me some lovely poems, supporting my stand.' A decade or so later, Hangal found himself struggling to make ends meet. His son, the then-75-year-old Vijay Hangal, sent out a message to the industry asking for support. 'There were many people from the industry, who helped me as he went through financial crisis. However, I feel that he never saved money or invested in mediclaim facilities and that's why he went through financial crunch,' he told Rediff. But the support he was looking for came through. 'People who have worked with my father, like Mr Amitabh Bachchan and also people much, much younger, like Karan Johar, have helped out financially when they heard of the state we were in,' he told CNN-IBN. Also read – Bollywood's biggest star of the 1950s became destitute, Amitabh Bachchan spotted him 'alone, unnoticed' at a bus stop: 'I drove on…' Amitabh wrote about Hangal's difficulties in a blog post. 'It has been sad and unnerving to learn today of the dire condition of one of our most devoted and dedicated character artists of the industry, Mr A.K. Hangal. I came to know of this through the kind offices of the cyber – the net and the social net. I have now initiated my office, sitting some distance, to render immediate support and help. As individuals, as fraternity, as humans, that is the least we can do. It has always been disturbing to read and learn of such occurrences. I do not wish to mention names here, for they are individuals that were idolised and revered in their prime, and bringing up their condition now is an act that would seem most demeaning to them and to their stature.' He continued, 'Life's stories have been overloaded with vivid descriptions of unfortunate circumstances. Circumstances that have brought the greats down to their knees. It is shocking and most undesirable to comment on it, but a quiet yet considered action for their good, is what I would want to get involved in. And I do. My prayers and wishes for Hangal Saheb.' Hangal died on August 25, 2012, shortly after celebrating his birthday. His son spoke about the funeral, and said that he wasn't upset that the stars his father worked with didn't attend it. 'The last day was very difficult for him. I am not upset that people from Bollywood did not come for the funeral — may be they have their own problems and there is no point in making stories of all these things. If I do that, I will start feeling small from inside,' he said.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Smartsheet Unveils Smartsheet Regions Australia
Australia-hosted instance of Smartsheet strengthens company's presence APJ and supports customers' data privacy compliance requirements BELLEVUE, Wash. & SYDNEY, May 27, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Smartsheet, the AI-powered, enterprise-grade work management platform, today unveiled Smartsheet Regions Australia, a new data residency option that empowers customers to control data hosting and supports compliance with local privacy laws such as the Australian Privacy Act and EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This new instance, Smartsheet's fourth globally, is hosted in Sydney, with backup infrastructure located in Melbourne, ensuring all customer and partner data remains within the country. "This investment in a new Smartsheet Regions Australia underscores our dedication to the APJ region and the local data residency needs of our Australian and APJ customers," said Helen Masters, managing director, APJ, Smartsheet. "This Australia-hosted instance of Smartsheet will support both new and existing customers and partners, giving users access to enterprise-grade work management technology so they comply with regional privacy and governance requirements, such as the Australian Privacy Act." Combined with the platform's best-in-class, enterprise-grade security and governance measures, Smartsheet is well-equipped to serve a growing customer base, including organizations and agencies with the most stringent governance and regulatory requirements. Smartsheet supports compliance frameworks across numerous regulated industries and standards, including ISO, FedRAMP, HIPAA, DOD IL4, ITAR and more. The company is pursuing the Infosec Registered Assessors Program (IRAP) certification for the APJ region, ensuring it meets the Australian Government Information Security Manual requirements with robust policies and security controls. "Leveraging Smartsheet for advanced work management has already delivered significant time savings and enhanced regulatory compliance across our institution, a testament to our position as a leading Australian public research university," said Bruce Northcote, Chief Security Officer, University of Adelaide. "As we move towards merging with the University of South Australia to establish a combined Adelaide University, the availability of Smartsheet Australian data hosting is crucial. This will facilitate substantial new adoption within the new institution, safeguarding Australian data sovereignty." "We are thrilled to welcome the arrival of Smartsheet data residency in Australia, a testament to their commitment to Australian customers," said Jason Frost, Executive General Manager - Data & Integration, Atturra. "This development allows us to expand our services to clients with stringent regulatory requirements, ensuring their data remains securely onshore. Our APJ customers can now access best-in-class work management technology while supporting compliance with local regulations." Smartsheet Regions Customers have control over where their content is hosted through Smartsheet Regions, which offers data residency options to support compliance with privacy and governance requirements. Such requirements are prevalent for customers operating in regulated industries like finance, government, or healthcare; Smartsheet Regions empower them to meet these obligations. Smartsheet hosts customer-uploaded data, images, files, and other content within the customer's chosen data region. This ensures data residency for customer content in that specific region. Smartsheet Regions instances are available in the EU, U.S. and now Australia. Smartsheet also offers Smartsheet Gov, for government customers needing enhanced security and compliance. To learn more about Smartsheet's APJ presence, click here. About Smartsheet Smartsheet is an AI-powered, enterprise-grade modern work management platform trusted by companies across the globe, including more than 85% of the Fortune 500. The category pioneer and market leader, Smartsheet delivers powerful solutions fueling performance and driving the next wave of innovation. Visit to learn more. View source version on Contacts Media Contact Lisa Henthornpr@ Sign in to access your portfolio
Techday NZ
28-05-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
Riverbed appoints Crighton to lead sales across Asia-Pacific
Riverbed has appointed Paul Crighton as Vice President Sales for Asia-Pacific and Japan as the company seeks to increase its presence for AI-powered observability and performance solutions in the region. Paul Crighton joins Riverbed with over 25 years of experience in sales leadership across the technology sector, having previously held senior roles at Barracuda, NetApp, Blackberry, PGi, Symantec, and Intel Security/McAfee. In his new role as Vice President Sales for Asia-Pacific and Japan, Crighton will oversee Riverbed's sales strategy and day-to-day operations within the region. He will report to Kris Luhrsen, Chief Revenue Officer at Riverbed. Kris Luhrsen said, "I'm delighted to welcome Paul to Riverbed as Vice President Sales for the APJ region. As an inspirational, people-centric leader, Paul has a proven track record in leading sales organisations, navigating complex markets, and forging strong customer and partners relationship across APJ. As Riverbed continues to invest in its AI-powered Platform and solutions, Paul will be instrumental in leading the APJ team to help our customers further leverage the Platform and Riverbed AI capabilities at scale, delivering significant business outcomes and ROI." Crighton expressed enthusiasm about his new position, stating, "I'm thrilled to be joining Riverbed at this really exciting time in the company's journey, delivering next-generation AIOps and observability solutions for our customers, as they look to streamline and improve their IT operations, and deliver exceptional digital experiences. The innovation agenda demonstrates the value customers are seeing in the Riverbed Platform. I look forward to working with our experienced team to execute on Riverbed's vision, drive value for our customers, and further extend the company's growth and market share in the region." The appointment comes as Riverbed expands its platform with new features designed to assist enterprises in managing complex hybrid environments. These additions include AIOps, data observability, and acceleration solutions. In April, Riverbed announced a significant extension of its platform, introducing AI-powered observability offerings that integrate Riverbed Generative, Predictive and Agentic AI, as well as enhanced data observability modules. The new modules support unified communications applications, network packet analysis, and compatibility with Intel Thunderbolt and Wi-Fi connected devices. Recent product launches from Riverbed include NPM+, which offers visibility into cloud, remote work, and zero trust architectures, Aternity Mobile for digital experience management of enterprise-owned mobile devices, Riverbed IQ Ops, Riverbed Unified Agent, and Aternity Intelligent Service Desk. This month, Riverbed introduced new and upgraded acceleration solutions aimed at increasing enterprise network performance, security, and IT adaptability. Notable advancements include RiOS 10, Riverbed's acceleration software for cloud, data centres, and edge environments; the SteelHead 90 series for improved resilient networking; and Riverbed Flex, a new subscription-based consumption model. Riverbed's focus is on using AI automation to help organisations identify and resolve IT issues, backed by over two decades of experience in data collection, AI, and machine learning. Its open, AI-powered platform supports a range of digital experience and IT efficiency improvements for customers operating in complex digital environments.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Smartsheet Unveils Smartsheet Regions Australia
Australia-hosted instance of Smartsheet strengthens company's presence APJ and supports customers' data privacy compliance requirements BELLEVUE, Wash. & SYDNEY, May 27, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Smartsheet, the AI-powered, enterprise-grade work management platform, today unveiled Smartsheet Regions Australia, a new data residency option that empowers customers to control data hosting and supports compliance with local privacy laws such as the Australian Privacy Act and EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This new instance, Smartsheet's fourth globally, is hosted in Sydney, with backup infrastructure located in Melbourne, ensuring all customer and partner data remains within the country. "This investment in a new Smartsheet Regions Australia underscores our dedication to the APJ region and the local data residency needs of our Australian and APJ customers," said Helen Masters, managing director, APJ, Smartsheet. "This Australia-hosted instance of Smartsheet will support both new and existing customers and partners, giving users access to enterprise-grade work management technology so they comply with regional privacy and governance requirements, such as the Australian Privacy Act." Combined with the platform's best-in-class, enterprise-grade security and governance measures, Smartsheet is well-equipped to serve a growing customer base, including organizations and agencies with the most stringent governance and regulatory requirements. Smartsheet supports compliance frameworks across numerous regulated industries and standards, including ISO, FedRAMP, HIPAA, DOD IL4, ITAR and more. The company is pursuing the Infosec Registered Assessors Program (IRAP) certification for the APJ region, ensuring it meets the Australian Government Information Security Manual requirements with robust policies and security controls. "Leveraging Smartsheet for advanced work management has already delivered significant time savings and enhanced regulatory compliance across our institution, a testament to our position as a leading Australian public research university," said Bruce Northcote, Chief Security Officer, University of Adelaide. "As we move towards merging with the University of South Australia to establish a combined Adelaide University, the availability of Smartsheet Australian data hosting is crucial. This will facilitate substantial new adoption within the new institution, safeguarding Australian data sovereignty." "We are thrilled to welcome the arrival of Smartsheet data residency in Australia, a testament to their commitment to Australian customers," said Jason Frost, Executive General Manager - Data & Integration, Atturra. "This development allows us to expand our services to clients with stringent regulatory requirements, ensuring their data remains securely onshore. Our APJ customers can now access best-in-class work management technology while supporting compliance with local regulations." Smartsheet Regions Customers have control over where their content is hosted through Smartsheet Regions, which offers data residency options to support compliance with privacy and governance requirements. Such requirements are prevalent for customers operating in regulated industries like finance, government, or healthcare; Smartsheet Regions empower them to meet these obligations. Smartsheet hosts customer-uploaded data, images, files, and other content within the customer's chosen data region. This ensures data residency for customer content in that specific region. Smartsheet Regions instances are available in the EU, U.S. and now Australia. Smartsheet also offers Smartsheet Gov, for government customers needing enhanced security and compliance. To learn more about Smartsheet's APJ presence, click here. About Smartsheet Smartsheet is an AI-powered, enterprise-grade modern work management platform trusted by companies across the globe, including more than 85% of the Fortune 500. The category pioneer and market leader, Smartsheet delivers powerful solutions fueling performance and driving the next wave of innovation. Visit to learn more. View source version on Contacts Media Contact Lisa Henthornpr@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Wire
27-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Smartsheet Unveils Smartsheet Regions Australia
BELLEVUE, Wash. & SYDNEY--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Smartsheet, the AI-powered, enterprise-grade work management platform, today unveiled Smartsheet Regions Australia, a new data residency option that empowers customers to control data hosting and supports compliance with local privacy laws such as the Australian Privacy Act and EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This new instance, Smartsheet's fourth globally, is hosted in Sydney, with backup infrastructure located in Melbourne, ensuring all customer and partner data remains within the country. 'This investment in a new Smartsheet Regions Australia underscores our dedication to the APJ region and the local data residency needs of our Australian and APJ customers,' said Helen Masters, managing director, APJ, Smartsheet. 'This investment in a new Smartsheet Regions Australia underscores our dedication to the APJ region and the local data residency needs of our Australian and APJ customers,' said Helen Masters, managing director, APJ, Smartsheet. 'This Australia-hosted instance of Smartsheet will support both new and existing customers and partners, giving users access to enterprise-grade work management technology so they comply with regional privacy and governance requirements, such as the Australian Privacy Act.' Combined with the platform's best-in-class, enterprise-grade security and governance measures, Smartsheet is well-equipped to serve a growing customer base, including organizations and agencies with the most stringent governance and regulatory requirements. Smartsheet supports compliance frameworks across numerous regulated industries and standards, including ISO, FedRAMP, HIPAA, DOD IL4, ITAR and more. The company is pursuing the Infosec Registered Assessors Program (IRAP) certification for the APJ region, ensuring it meets the Australian Government Information Security Manual requirements with robust policies and security controls. 'Leveraging Smartsheet for advanced work management has already delivered significant time savings and enhanced regulatory compliance across our institution, a testament to our position as a leading Australian public research university,' said Bruce Northcote, Chief Security Officer, University of Adelaide. 'As we move towards merging with the University of South Australia to establish a combined Adelaide University, the availability of Smartsheet Australian data hosting is crucial. This will facilitate substantial new adoption within the new institution, safeguarding Australian data sovereignty.' 'We are thrilled to welcome the arrival of Smartsheet data residency in Australia, a testament to their commitment to Australian customers," said Jason Frost, Executive General Manager - Data & Integration, Atturra. "This development allows us to expand our services to clients with stringent regulatory requirements, ensuring their data remains securely onshore. Our APJ customers can now access best-in-class work management technology while supporting compliance with local regulations." Smartsheet Regions Customers have control over where their content is hosted through Smartsheet Regions, which offers data residency options to support compliance with privacy and governance requirements. Such requirements are prevalent for customers operating in regulated industries like finance, government, or healthcare; Smartsheet Regions empower them to meet these obligations. Smartsheet hosts customer-uploaded data, images, files, and other content within the customer's chosen data region. This ensures data residency for customer content in that specific region. Smartsheet Regions instances are available in the EU, U.S. and now Australia. Smartsheet also offers Smartsheet Gov, for government customers needing enhanced security and compliance. To learn more about Smartsheet's APJ presence, click here. About Smartsheet Smartsheet is an AI-powered, enterprise-grade modern work management platform trusted by companies across the globe, including more than 85% of the Fortune 500. The category pioneer and market leader, Smartsheet delivers powerful solutions fueling performance and driving the next wave of innovation. Visit to learn more.
