IndiaPost.com - TiE to honor Ashok Amritraj

LOS ANGELES: The Southern California Chapter of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE), the world's largest organization devoted to entrepreneurship, will present "An Evening with Ashok Amritraj," on June 19, at UCLA's Anderson School of Management. Amritraj, Chairman and CEO of Hyde Park Entertainment, has produced or executive produced, and arranged finances for 100 motion pictures during his career span of 25 years.

He will be interviewed on-stage about his life, his career, and his unique approach to the financing and production of motion pictures by veteran US and India media expert, Ken Silverman. Questions from attendees will also be addressed. Film clips will also be screened from upcoming Hyde Park motion pictures, including "Street Tighter" (20th Century Fox) and "The Other End of The Line" (MGM).

The evening will commence with a cocktail reception and dinner in Amritraj's honor. In the Cannes film festival Amritraj had announced the formation of an Asian Media Fund, to be based in Singapore, and supported by Singapore's Media Development Authority. He additionally has a co-financing relationship with India's media giant, Adlabs.

His recent motion picture releases include blockbusters like "Bringing down the house" (Walt Disney) starring Steve Martin and Queen Latifah, "Dreamer" (DreamWorks), starring Kurt Russell and Dakota Fanning, "Raising Helen" (Walt Disney) starring Kate Hudson and Helen Mirren, "Original Sin" (MGM) starring Angelina Jolie and Antonio Banderas, "Miracle mile" (Walt Disney) starring Dustin Hoffman and Susan Sarandon, and "Bandits" (MGM) starring Bruce Willis and Kate Blanchett. Born and raised in Chennai, India, Ashok Amritraj first rose to fame in the 1970s as one of India's most celebrated international tennis champions.

During his nine-year professional career he played in every major tennis tournament, including Wimbledon and The U.S. Open. In 1978, he was a member of the team that won the World Team Tennis Championship and in 1974 he was a finalist at the Wimbledon Junior Tournament.

Among other significant career recognitions, Amritraj has received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Indian International Film Academy, and a Pride of India Award from the American India Foundation.