Saif signs Lenovo notebooks for a cause

Yesterday, PC Company Lenovo, Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Torch Relay and TOP Sponsor of the Beijing Olympic Games 2008, launched its second phase of three online auctions in India as part of a global online philanthropic countdown to the Olympic Games. Just as the Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay travels around the world, a new Lenovo auction is beginning each week in a different country, as a countdown down to the Olympic Games. The auction features limited-edition, notebook PCs inspired by the Lenovo-designed Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch, and signed by Saif Ali Khan, the Bollywood star.

Starting from May 14, over the next ten days, a 'Cloud of Promise'-themed notebook PC will be available for bidding at www.lenovohopefundauctions.com. The limited-edition notebook PC offers the Olympic fans the opportunity to bid and own a part of Olympic history, with a personal touch by Saif Ali Khan. The auction site will be closed at midnight of Friday, May 23rd, 2008. The third and final phase of auction in India will begin on July 29th, 2008.

Saif Ali Khan was one of the six Lenovo torchbearers who ran with the Lenovo-designed torch 'Cloud of Promise' in the New Delhi leg of the Olympic Torch Relay on April 17th.

The other five comprised Leander Paes (Tennis professional) Amar Babu (Managing Director, Lenovo India), S Ramadorai, Jaishankar K and Dr. Vaibhav Bagaria, the Open Nomination winner from Nagpur.

The first phase of the auction, held in February, saw very encouraging response from Indians, with over a dozen bids and over thousand page views in India alone. The first notebook, Lenovo 3000 V200, was auctioned for $ 825.99

Hundred percent of the proceeds from the auction will be distributed through the Lenovo Hope Fund to select philanthropies, including Right to Play. In the spirit of Lenovo's sponsorship of the Olympic Games, the proceeds will be utilized to concentrate on microfinance, small- and medium-enterprise development and bringing sports to communities of children.