MAM
Manisha Tripathi to head SMG’s LiquidThread in India
MUMBAI: LiquidThread, Starcom MediaVest Group‘s all screen content practice, has appointed Manisha Tripathi as national director.
Tripathi will report to LiquidThread Asia-Pacific managing director CVL Srinivas and SMG India CEO Malli CR.
Tripathi will be based out of the Gurgaon office.
In line with the network’s digital, open source approach, LiquidThread has increased the scale and innovation of SMG‘s content creation, moving beyond branded entertainment to create communities, conversations and advocates for brand properties.
Srinivas said, “Manisha has been at the cutting edge of content creation and brings the right blend of creativity and business focus. Her coming on board will help us accelerate the growth of our branded content business”.
Added LiquidThread Manisha, “I‘m delighted to join LiquidThread and excited about creating brand inspired content that reaches out, connects, engages and interacts with consumers across different screens, generating valuable experiences.”
Tripathi has over 15 years experience in roles spanning content creation, strategy and business development. She began her career with TV18 where she produced, directed and scripted stories for shows such as India Business Report and Amul India Show. She was part of the core programming team at Star Plus between 2000-2004 and worked on several successful shows including Khullja Sim Sim, Kya Masti Kya Dhoom, Kisme Kitna Hai Dum, Sonpari. Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi etc.
Tripathi was also closely associated with the strategy, planning and content development at TataSKy during its launch phase. In her stint with BigFM, Tripathi was station director, Goa where she developed, launched and ran the first privately owned FM station of Goa. She later became station director Delhi. Most recently, Tripathi was associated with Alva Brothers Entertainment, first as president at Miditech producing shows for a range of channels and later with Real Lifestyle Broadcasting.
Tripathi is a post graduate in Social Communications in Media from Sophia, Shree B. K. Somani Memorial Polytechnic College, Mumbai.
Brands
Reserve Bank of India cancels Paytm Payments Bank licence
Central bank cites compliance failures; curbs tighten as wind-up looms
MUMBAI: India’s banking watchdog delivered its sharpest blow yet to Paytm Payments Bank, cancelling its licence and effectively ending its ability to operate as a bank under the law.
The Reserve Bank of India said the entity can no longer conduct banking business under the Banking Regulation Act, citing concerns that its affairs were not being run in the interest of depositors or the public and that it had failed to meet licence conditions.
The move escalates a crackdown that has been building for months. The bank had already been barred from onboarding new customers since March 11, 2022, and later faced restrictions on deposits, credit and wallet top-ups. In January 2024, the central bank ordered it to stop accepting fresh deposits, pointing to persistent non-compliance, including lapses in customer due diligence, use of funds and technology systems.
Operationally, the bank is now on a tight leash. It may process withdrawals of existing deposits and facilitate loan referrals through banking correspondents, but it cannot take fresh deposits.
The central bank said it would apply to the high court to wind up the bank.
Paytm sought to ringfence the fallout. In a regulatory filing, it said the licence cancellation applies to Paytm Payments Bank Limited, a separate entity, and should not be attributed to One 97 Communications. It added that there is no exposure or material business arrangement with the bank and that it operates independently, without Paytm’s board or management involvement.
“As informed earlier, Paytm (One 97 Communications Limited) and its services, which have been operating without interruption, will continue to operate uninterrupted. These include the Paytm app, Paytm UPI, Paytm Gold and all other services offered by its subsidiaries and associated companies,” the company said.
The distinction may reassure users of the app ecosystem, but the regulator’s verdict is unequivocal. After years of warnings, caps and curbs, the payments bank experiment at Paytm is being shut down—decisively, and with little room left to manoeuvre.
