MAM
HDFC Life returns to Rajasthan Royals as associate sponsor
MUMBAI: Strengthening its association with the Rajasthan Royals, HDFC Life has announced extension of its sponsorship deal with the team for the fourth consecutive year as associate sponsor.
Talking about its journey and association with Rajasthan Royals, HDFC Life EVP & Head – Marketing and Direct Channels Sanjay Tripathy said the values epitomised by Rajasthan Royals is in sync with the company‘s philosophy.
He also emphasised the fact that a sports sponsorship should be on a long-term basis in order to gain maximum mileage.
“Our focus on ‘long-term‘ reflects in our association with Rajasthan Royals since the last three years. Our journey with Rajasthan Royals has been very eventful and momentous. A team known for their self belief, pride, and confidence, Rajasthan Royals continues to epitomise the values of resilience, commitment and intensity and never say die attitude. This spirit goes well with our brand thought – Sar Utha ke Jiyo,” Tripathi said.
HDFC life will continue with ‘Sar Utha Ke Jiyo – Most Valuable Player’ award instituted during the first year of association.
The Rajasthan Royals coaching staff along with the team captain will select the Most Valuable Player from the Rajasthan Royals team, who will receive this honour along with a cash incentive.
Rajasthan Royals CEO Raghu Iyer said, “We are delighted to continue our association with a brand of the stature of HDFC Life as we have always looked at building long term relationships with our sponsors. I truly admire our association till date with HDFC Life as it goes beyond mere brand visibility.
“HDFC Life through its innovative communication has managed to capture the true essence of Rajasthan Royals – tremendous self belief & confidence. What they do is not merely deriving value out of the association like traditional sponsors but adds a lot of value to the equity of Brand Rajasthan Royals.”
HDFC Life plans to drive the core essence of the association through different platforms and intensify the brand experience.
Apart from television, digital and social medium will have significant focus. On the digital medium, the company will leverage all channels — search, display, social, mobile and video — to reach out to IPL fans across the country.
The company is also associating with various NGOs across the country that is involved in promoting and raising awareness about ‘every children‘s right to education.‘
‘Children and Education‘ is one of the core themes of HDFC Life’s overall CSR framework and the company aims to enable underprivileged children to dream big. Throughout IPL, there will be diverse initiatives launched to bring the children closer to their dreams by witnessing the matches and spending time with their favourite cricketers.
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33 per cent of women believe the salary scale is rigged: Naukri report
Voices @ Work study finds rising calls for equal pay audits and lingering bias
MUMBAI: Progress may be visible in India’s workplaces, but many women still feel the need to tread carefully. A new report by Naukri reveals that one in two women hesitate to disclose marriage or maternity plans during job interviews, worried that such information could influence hiring decisions.
The findings come from the second edition of Naukri’s annual Voices @ Work International Women’s Day report, titled “What Women Professionals Want.” Drawing insights from more than 50,000 women across over 50 industries, the survey sheds light on evolving workplace aspirations alongside the biases that continue to hold women back.
One of the report’s most striking insights is the growing demand for equal pay audits. The share of women calling for regular pay parity checks has climbed to 27 per cent this year, up from 19 per cent a year ago. The demand now stands alongside menstrual leave as the most sought after workplace policy.
Interestingly, the call for pay transparency grows louder higher up the income ladder. Nearly half of women earning between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore annually say equal pay audits are a priority, suggesting that pay gaps become more visible as women move up the career ladder.
At the same time, confidence and ambition appear to be rising. About 83 per cent of women say they feel encouraged to pursue leadership roles, a significant jump from 66 per cent last year. Cities in southern India appear particularly supportive, with Hyderabad leading the way as 86 per cent of respondents there reported encouragement to step into leadership positions. The education sector recorded the highest sense of encouragement at 87 per cent.
Yet the report also highlights a growing trust deficit around pay equity. Nearly one in three women, or 33 per cent, say they do not believe men and women are paid equally at their workplace. That figure has risen from 25 per cent last year, pointing to widening perceptions of disparity as careers progress.
Bias in hiring and promotions continues to be the biggest hurdle. About 42 per cent of respondents say workplace bias is the main challenge for women from diverse backgrounds. The concern is consistent across major metros, with Chennai and Delhi NCR reporting similar levels.
Reluctance to discuss personal milestones during hiring processes is also widespread. While 34 per cent overall said they hesitate to share marriage or maternity plans in interviews, the anxiety increases with experience. Among professionals with 10 to 15 years of work experience, the figure rises to 40 per cent.
Info Edge group CMO Sumeet Singh, said the data reflects both progress and unfinished work. “Behind every data point in this report is a woman who is ambitious. The fact that 83 per cent feel encouraged to lead is something to celebrate. However, the fact that one in two still hide their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is far from done. As India’s leading career platform, it felt not just important but necessary for us to shine a light on these gaps through the second edition of our report,” he said.
The report suggests that while ambition among women professionals is growing, structural changes around pay transparency, fair hiring and supportive policies will be key if workplaces hope to keep pace.
