In keeping with his global vision, the next flight for the 33-year old Maran would be to Lisbon where he will vie, with other young entrepreneurs around the world, for the coveted World Young Business Award to be announced on April 24. Maran, a first generation entrepreneur, is the chairman and managing director of Sun Network.

The World Young Business Achiever Awards is organised by the New York-based Worldcom group Inc, a consortium of independently owned public relations counselling firms. All Worldcom partners participating in this programme choose the best business achiever under 40 in their respective countries.

Sista's Worldcom, the corporate communication division of Sista's Private Ltd has been conducting the event in India under the `India Young Business Award' for the past four years.

Other first generation businessmen who won thiscoveted prizes include Microland Ltd Chairman, Pradeep Kar, Sanskrut Comfort Systems Ltd Chairman, Achal Bakeri and Orchid Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd managing director, K Raghavendra Rao who have represented India in the world finals.

Like the other recipients of the award, Maran will go on to become a member of the Worldcom Millennium Club. ``The India chapter of the Millennium Club will be established by the end of this year,'' said S V Sista, chairman of Sista's Worldcom.

Using his family publication business as a launch pad, Maran went on to pioneer the first vernacular video news magazine Poomalai in 1990. The 33-year old son of political heavyweight Murosoli Maran started the country's first regional language satellite channel Sun TV in 1993.

Starting with Tamil, the network has grown to include television channels in other South Indian languages as well. Besides being among the premier channels in South East Asia, Sun TV is also the first Indian television channel to have been uplinkedworldwide.

``The criteria for judging include key parameters like remarkable merit of achievement, outstanding business strategy, impact of management and personal philosophy, social awareness and responsibility, innovativeness and creativity, communication skills and global skills,'' said business tycoon Harsh Goenka, part of panel of judges this year.