Mangalore boy bags national level contest by ING Vysya

Mangalore, Aug 9 (UNI) A ten-year-old boy, hailing from the city, has won the ''The Creating Life Story Telling Contest,'' a national level event organised by leading life insurance provider, ING Vysya Life.

Nihal Kumar, a sixth standard student of Canara school at Dongarkeri, won a certificate and five-day trip to Australia with his parents.

Addressing a press conference after honouring Kumar, ING Vysya Life Vice President and Head (Sales) T K Uthappa said the contest was the first of its kind promotion in the Life Insurance category.

An unique co-promotion activity was also designed with tv channel Cartoon Network through its two popular cartoon characters.

Over 90,000 children between the age group of six and 11 had participated in the contest held cross the country between November 2005 and May 2006. Of the entries received, 100 top stories were selected, from which the top three were shortlisted, he added.

Mr Uthappa said Kumar's super adventure story ''My Papa and I reached the Moon'' was chosen for the first prize of ''super trip to Australia.'' Arun Kumar Pandy from New Delhi and Aishwarya Pradhan from Visakhapatnam were adjudged the first and second runner-ups respectively, winning a gift coupon of Rs 5000 each from Pages Book Store.

He said Kumar's story would be published in their house magazine ''Pride'' and circulated in all schools that took part in the contest.

Mr Uthappa said the overwhelming response generated from this promotional contest was an opportunity for ING Vysya life to build brand preference in a competitive market. Creating life child protection plan was one of the flagship products of the company, he added.

He said rated as the leading life insurence provider among the private sector players, ING Vysya life was now present in over 70 cities with 130 branches. The company had 16 life insurance products, including three unit linked products-new freedom plan, new future perfect and new one life single premium, he added.

UNI MA RG DKB RN1818