MUMBAI: Nilay S has wrapped up his near five-year run at online brokerage Upstox, where he rose to director of marketing.
Joining in 2020, Nilay helped shape the firm’s brand and product marketing strategy, spearheaded marquee campaigns across the IPL and World Cup, and built initiatives such as UpLearn and UpNews. He led a 25-strong team, directly managing seven functional leaders, and drove growth across SEO, ASO and newer platforms.
Earlier, Nilay spent nearly two years at Bytedance in senior marketing roles, handling go-to-market strategy for TikTok India. His résumé also spans stints at WPP’s Maxus Global, Accenture and TBWA.
A graduate of Gujarat University with a later product management programme at Duke, Nilay signalled that he is “excited about what lies ahead” as he moves on from Upstox.
MUMBAI: In a game of inches and intense competition, Nasreen Shaikh has secured the ultimate victory not just on the field, but off it as well. The former captain of the Indian women’s kho-kho team and Arjuna Awardee has clinched the coveted BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year – Changemaker Award. The award, which took centre stage at the Taj Palace, New Delhi on 17 February 2025, recognises her monumental role in elevating kho kho both nationally and internationally.
This recognition follows the resounding success of the first-ever Kho Kho World Cup, held in Delhi, where India dominated by winning both the men’s and women’s World Cups. Shaikh’s rise mirrors the sport’s own trajectory, transforming kho kho from a regional pastime to a global contender.
Shaikh’s reaction? “Kho Kho is more than a sport; it’s a passion that has shaped my life,” she said, reflecting on the award. “This honour acknowledges not just my journey but the efforts of every athlete striving to make a mark in Indian sports. I am grateful for this recognition and eager to take Kho Kho to even bigger stages.”
International Kho Kho Federation (IKKF) and the Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) president Sudhanshu Mittal presented the award, praising Shaikh’s contributions. He remarked, “Her dedication has not only brought glory to Indian sports but has also brought Kho Kho into the spotlight. Nasreen is an inspiration, and we are confident she will continue to lead the sport to new heights.”
This prestigious recognition places kho kho in the spotlight, revealing its growing global appeal and the potential it holds as an exciting, high-intensity sport. As Shaikh continues to make waves, it’s clear that kho kho’s future is looking more competitive and commercially viable than ever.
Mumbai: TradeIndia has rolled out a new campaign encapsulating the nationwide buzz during the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The ad film for the campaign features TV sensation Shaleen Malhotra.
To carry out this campaign, TradeIndia partnered with Dream Slate Pictures, who conceptualised and amplified the campaign on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Cinematically blending the flavours of cricket with TradeIndia’s offerings, the campaign, “#SabMilegaYahinMilega,” highlights the bulk buying services it offers MSMEs.
The idea behind “#SabMilegaYahinMilega” derives from TradeIndia’s key offerings. Just as every over in cricket needs the batsman to choose a different strategy, every business, big or small, has different needs.
One such critical need is bulk buying, which requires a lot of legwork and finding the right supplier can take a great deal of research. TradeIndia makes the entire process easier and more seamless by giving users a quick way to gauge the trustworthiness of a particular supplier through transaction levels and response rates. The B2B e-commerce site features suppliers from across the world, giving businesses a platform to buy goods in bulk at wholesale prices.
Elaborating on the campaign, TradeIndia CEO Sandip Chhettri said, “In India, cricket isn’t just a sport but a shared emotion that connects billions of fans across genders, generations, and cultures. In our country, where the Cricket World Cup is celebrated as a festival, this film provides an opportunity to connect with consumers, manifesting offerings in a language everyone understands. TradeIndia has always leveraged innovative ways to reach out to consumers and this campaign stands testimony to the memorable experiences they can have with the brand while enjoying the cricket craze.”
Speaking from the creative perspective, Dream Slate Pictures executive director Kushaal Chawla stated, “Being part of the TradeIndia World Cup cricket campaign is an exciting experience as the company is one of the most reputed B2B marketplaces. With the World Cup underway, we believe our concept capitalising on the nationwide cricket mania will be a massive hit for the brand. Through this film, we want fans to be entirely engrossed from the outset, eventually associating their love for cricket with TradeIndia. That’s how the “Cricket Matlab India, Business Matlab TradeIndia” campaign emerged. This promo aims to foster robust trust and recall value between the brand and its cricket-loving users.”
Mumbai: INOX Leisure has announced a partnership with Nissan India to be the official sponsor of the World Cup screening at INOX.
The partnership will see Nissan India and INOX working across various digital media platforms including on-screen and video wall advertisements, as well as hosting live match screening sessions for their exclusive clientele and dealer partners.
The Super 12 stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup commenced from 22 October, with the finals scheduled on 13 November in Melbourne. INOX will showcase all group matches to be played by Team India starting with their first match on 23 October against Pakistan, followed by the semi-finals and the final match.
INOX will screen the live matches at multiplexes in all major cities in India. INOX’s initiative, in partnership with Nissan, to screen live matches is a great opportunity for the fans who wish to experience the stadium-energy in a carnival-like, safe and hygienic atmosphere. Furthermore, fans will be able to enjoy INOX’s extravagant food-combos and gourmet options served at the multiplexes.
While commenting on this partnership, INOX Leisure chief operations, sales and revenue officer Anand Vishal said, “With an aim to provide a holistic experience to our patrons, we have constantly been working on our alliances to help us elevate their cinema-going experience. The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is one of the much-awaited cricketing events across the globe, and it is a privilege for us to screen the matches live at our cinemas. The partnership with Nissan India adds a new dimension and further strengthens our brand offering, and we invite our patrons to come and experience the unparalleled and stadium-like feeling when they watch the World Cup matches together on our giant screens cheering for Team India. We thank Nissan for partnering with us as we offer this unique experience which brings together India’s two most profound passions, cricket and cinema.”
Mumbai: Thums Up, Coca-Cola India’s first billion-dollar homegrown brand, has unveiled a new ‘StumpCam’ campaign, just in time for the ICC T20 Men’s World Cup. This will provide audiences with exclusive access to match footage and content. The brand will be adopting a digital-first, multi-tech marketing approach to drive consumer engagement for the content-led campaign.
The campaign, which features renowned cricketers and superstar bowlers Jasprit Bumrah, Umran Malik, and Brett Lee, aims to amplify Thums Up’s new “Stump Cam” offering, which will offer a thrilling view into exclusive ’Toofani’ match moments, straight from the pitch. After each World Cup match, the Stump Cam video of ‘Toofani’ cricketing moments will be accessible to viewers by scanning a QR code on the Thums Up bottle. The offering will enable cricket lovers to access unique content from the tournament like never before.
Commenting on the new campaign, Coca-Cola India & Southwest Asia vice president & head – marketing Arnab Roy said, “Cricket is a shared passion which connects billions of fans across genders, generations, and cultures. We are always finding innovative ways to activate passion points like cricket and especially the ICC T20 World Cup. Thums Up’s “Stump Cam” will offer audiences the most ‘Toofani’ view of key moments of the tournament – leveraging the Stump Cam footage was a disruptive opportunity that would bring to fans a complete new way of experiencing the game. We are elated to have on board with us India’s lead bowler and star Jasprit Bumrah, who is an indispensable asset for the Indian team; Umran Malik, who is touted as the fastest bowler in the country today; and one of the legends of the game, Brett Lee. This is the first time we are doing a content-led campaign, voiced by cricketing stalwarts like Harsha Bhogle”.
Commenting on his association with Thums Up, Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, said, “Thums Up has been a longstanding partner and supporter of events and athletes across sporting formats and I’m extremely happy to have been associated with it for over a year now. It’s exciting to bring to cricket lovers and fans the brand’s new offering “Stump Cam” which will enable them to access thrilling cricketing content from a never-seen-before angle, straight from the pitch and get closer to the game.”
Australian former international cricketer and one of the fastest bowlers of his time, Brett Lee added, “I am ecstatic to be partnering with India’s most iconic soft beverage brand Thums Up, for their new StumpCam campaign. I have lived and breathed cricket all my life, and I am thrilled to be part of Thums Up’s “Stump Cam” offering, which will excite consumers beyond measure as it gives them the ultimate view of key match moments as if they were watching it right from the pitch. #WicketSeCricket!”
The campaign film has been conceptualized by Ogilvy India. Ogilvy India chief creative officer Sukesh Nayak stated, “Thums Up’s ‘Stump Cam’ is the most daring end-to-end experience idea. It’s the most Toofani, the closest possible view of the ICC T20 Men’s World Cup. And the ticket for this is the Thums Up bottle. We are proud to conceptualise and execute this end-to-end engagement idea in partnership with some incredible partners from the world of content. #WicketSeCricket campaign is an invitation for every Thums Up drinker to experience a Toofan he or she hasn’t had so far.”
Ogilvy India- North chief creative officer Ritu Sharda added, “From sitting on tree-tops, to gathering around paan shops, India has watched cricket in every possible way. But we wanted to give Thums Up fans an opportunity to get the most toofani ‘view’ in the house and frankly that’s where Thums Up Stump Cam found its genesis. We wanted people to really feel the rush of a ball coming right at them at 95 mph. We wanted them to experience cricket, like a cricketer does, right from the middle of the pitch. We are partnering with ICC and Oaktree Sports, for a 24-hour match to pack to screen marathon, making World Cup 2022, the most toofani World Cup you have ever seen. Dum hai toh dekho #WicketSeCricket”
Thums Up has been a longstanding partner of the ICC (International Cricket Council). The Coca-Cola Company has a long history of partnering with major sporting events around the world, including an eight-decade long association with the Olympics, four decades with the FIFA, and nearly 25 years with World Cup Rugby. These associations with sporting events underscore the company’s philosophy of endeavoring to be a part of the joyous moments and occasions of its consumers.
Mumbai: A leading creative-tech and digital-first marketing agency DViO Digital has launched a new campaign ‘Lalkaar Ladkiyon Ki’ for fantasy cricket app My11Circle. The campaign is dedicated to promoting and building momentum for the Women’s T20 World Cup – a tournament to showcase women’s representation in the largest cricket league in the world.
Set in the backdrop of prominent women cricketers practising and preparing for the match, the 45-seconds video narrates how women have shown resilience and grit to leave a mark in the field of cricket.
The digital film highlights their efforts of gumption to glory over the everlasting criticism and feeling of self-doubt. It talks about how these women have used their circumstances as their aegis to overcome the challenges that come their way. The video ends with a strong message that sports are not only for men, and this time we should listen to and support ‘Lalkaar Ladkiyon Ki’, which translates to ‘challenge of the women’.
Speaking about the campaign, DViO Digital founder and CEO Sowmya Iyer said, “Women have been thriving in sports for over a decade now. While the landscape for women’s cricket has made exceptional strides in the past few years, there is a lot of sweat, blood and tears these women put in to make their place in a male-dominant sport like cricket. Through this campaign, we wanted to celebrate the rigour, passion and work those women put in when they strive to outdo themselves as athletes”.
Speaking on the association with Women’s T20 Challenge, My11Circle director-brand and marketing strategy Avik Das Kanungo said, “The women in blue have been a true inspiration for millions of young girls eager to venture into sports, and their support has multiplied since 2017. As the title sponsor of Women T20 Challenge 2022, we at My11Circle, wanted to give the women in cricket the same pedestal and hear them roar. ‘Lalkaar Ladkiyon Ki’ is a small tribute to celebrate their exemplary performance and constant efforts to promote women’s cricket in India.”
Mumbai: Vivo announces its partnership with the most prominent international football tournament, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, as the official sponsor and the official smartphone.
Vivo aspires to connect fans around the world with the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™. Through this partnership, Vivo will leverage its rights to the FIFA World Cup 2022™, including the emblem, official brand identities, and run unique promotions to connect with passionate football fans globally.
Expressing excitement about the partnership, Vivo India’s director-brand strategy Yogendra Sriramula said, “This collaboration with the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ is a defining moment for Vivo. Football, termed as the ‘Beautiful Game’ , has the power to bring joy to billions around the world and bring them together regardless of their age, race, gender, culture, or nationality.”
“Indeed, it has a truly global reach, and has the ability to influence and inspire billions across the globe, making the iconic FIFA World Cup™ an ideal stage for Vivo, as we expand our presence across more than 60 countries and regions across the globe. This partnership reflects our inherent value of promoting sports that help inspire joy among millions and provide a unique experience for consumers worldwide,” he added.
MUMBAI: Uber Eats, now available across more than 500+ cities globally, reveals ‘Uber Eats World Cup Binge-o-meter’, a round-up of India’s favorite match-day meals and munchies during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019.
India’s love for cricket is the only thing that fans love more besides the love for good food. Conducted between the period of 30 May and 11 July 2019, Uber Eats reveals that while Indians were riding on the cricket fervour for the national team, they also preferred Indian food at their tables. Interesting findings reveal that across India, cricket enthusiasts were binge-eating on carbs while rooting for India with most orders for bread, followed by cooling off the pressure with ice-creams.
Interestingly, fans indulged into cheesy burgers to satiate their hunger pangs during the most awaited match of the year – India VS Pakistan. Chennai clocked in the most orders during the season, closely followed by Bangalore and Pune.
Here are some of the top food trends that scored big this world cup:
City
Most Popular meals during match days
Delhi, Jaipur, Indore, Kolkata, Pune, Lucknow
Bread
Bangalore
Dosa
Ahmedabad
Pizza
Mumbai
Ice-cream
Nagpur
Samosa
Amritsar
Burger
Chandigarh
Paratha
What did India eat to keep themselves gripped/energized during the sporting matchup of the year – India VS Pakistan match?
While the ‘Rain Gods’ took over Old Trafford in England, it was raining Burgers across India, which emerged as the most savoured dish of the day, followed by the meal of the millennials – Pizza.
City
Top match day meal
Chennai
Pizza, Shawarma, Idli
Chandigarh
Samosa, Pizza, Burger
Pune
Burger, Pizza, Biryani
Mumbai
Ice Cream, Burger, Pizza
Delhi
Roti, Burger, Roll
Every order matters: An eater from Indore (who was probably hosting a match-day gathering) placed the biggest order for 233 dishes including Paneer Biryani, Special Chicken Biryani and Kaju Biryani. While the smallest order was also placed by an eater from Indore for tawa roti at Rs. 13, followed by a consumer in Chennai who ordered for a bottle of water to quench their thirst.
India celebrates big wins with dessert: The top sugar cravings during the World Cup were ice creams, followed by cakes and gulab jamuns.
A hint of cricket on your plate: Hilariously, an eater ordered for “a scoop of cricket instead of pistachios” while another fan politely requested Uber Eats to save the day with some sugar-rush. The comment read, “pls send change of 500 and also add 1 extra gulab jamun because today India lost the world cup I am a little bit in depression.”
At Uber Eats, every order matters, right from a single bottle of water to many many jaw-breaking burgers.
New Delhi: India’s leading fantasy sports website MyTeam11, today announced a collaboration with 25 Television channels across the music, news, sports and knowledge sharing genres among others, in a massive campaign targeting the upcoming T20 and World Cup cricket season.
MyTeam11, who have popular former India cricketer Virender Sehwag as their brand ambassador, has a user base of around 10 million+ active users and offers fantasy cricket, fantasy football, fantasy volleyball, and fantasy kabaddi in two formats, namely the “Safe Play” & the “Regular Play,” being the only platform to offer multiple playing options to its users.
A significant number of regional channels have also been collaborated with under the aegis of this association, so as to maximize the reach and offer a familiar feel to the audience by offering them information in their native languages.
Commenting on the development, Vinit Godara, CEO and Co-founder, MyTeam11 said, “We are planning to become the leading brand in the world of fantasy sports, and the upcoming cricket season involving T20 leagues and the ICC cricket world cup seems to be the right fit for our plans. With this collaboration we want to reach out to people in every nook-and-corner of the country and encourage them to use their talent, skills & knowledge of the game to earn while enjoying their favourite sport.”
Prior to this collaboration, Myteam11 had signed some noteworthy deals with various sporting properties like the RuPay Pro Volleyball League, Karnataka Premier League and others as their “Official Fantasy Partner.”
These associations become pertinent in their attempt to outgrow as an organization and target people who are not much familiar with the concept of fantasy sports. In the words of the company leaders, they are presently targeting on reaching the remote locations of India, spreading the word regarding fantasy sports.
MyTeam11 had also previously partnered with DSport, a premium sports channel of Discovery Communications, as “Official Broadcasting Partner” for the India-Australia series and as ‘Broadcast Co-presenting Partners’ of the Bangladesh Premier League. They had also inked a deal with DD Sports for the India-New Zealand T20 series held recently.
India's tour of Pakistan next month promises to bring in ratings and revenue bonanza for Ten Sports. As an appetiser as it were, the broadcaster will show the World Cup champions Australia touring Sri Lanka from 20 February.
Ponting's men will face a triple test with the oppressive heat, slow pitches and the wily off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan. Australia will play five one-dayers and three tests in Sri Lanka during February and March. The schedule for the one day matches is as follows:
