MAM
GMR Sports signs up flagbearers to boost IPL team
MUMBAI: IPL franchise Delhi Daredevils, which did not have a good outing in the previous edition of the event, today unveiled its plans to engage with fans by signing on four flagbearers of daredevilry as Delhi Daredevils Supefans.
India’s only IronMan athlete Anuradha Vaidyanathan, the youngest Indian climber to summit three peaks beyond 8000m including Mount Everest, Arjun Vajpai, India’s only ultramarathon runner Arun Bhardwaj and the only Indian woman to ski her way to South Pole and Reena Kaushal Dharmshaktu were presented the Delhi Daredevils Supefans badge by GMR Sports Chairman Mr. Kiran K Grandhi.
GMR Sports head marketing Hemant Dua said the Superfans exhibit a similar Dare-to-Succeed approach to their respective pursuits as the Delhi Daredevils cricketers. “Daredevilry is an attitude that is developed over time and not an act of impulse. We want to showcase the fact that everyone can be a daredevil no matter which walk of life one is in. Our Superfans encompass a diverse range – from a housewife to a student, from a Government employee to an entrepreneur – but they all bound by the common thread of daredevilry.”
Dua elaborated on plans to connect with the entire spectrum of people in the region. “Our marketing campaign for the year will revolve around the banter between our cricketers and our diehard fans, through these Superfans,” he said. “These wonderful flagbearers of daredevilry will also take part in road shows through the year to inculcate this spirit among the people of the National Capital Region of Delhi. The Delhi Daredevils team belongs to this amazing city and wants to contribute to its overall development as a world class city.”
GMR Sports Head (Cricket) and Delhi Daredevils Mentor TA Sekar said that the players would benefit from an interaction with the four Super Fans. “Cricketers have always admired achievers from other walks of life. The Delhi Daredevils squad will draw from the experiences of the Super Fans and be able to imbibe some of the learning into their own approach to life in general and their cricket in particular”.
The four Super Fans expressed delight at being inducted into the Delhi Daredevils fold. Anuradha Vaidyanathan said speed is something that she could not live without – like the pace bowler Umesh Yadav. “Just like the Delhi Daredevils team, I love beating stereotypes black and blue,” she said. Teenager Arjun Vajpai said he enjoys watching the Daredevils as much as he love climbing. “I am proud of the Delhi Daredevils and I cheer for the team with the same passion that took to me the summit of Mount Everest,” he said.
Bhardwaj said that he would not miss tracking a Delhi Daredevils game. “I love watching its batsmen hit the ball out of the ground,” he said. Reena Kaushal Dharmshaktu sees similarities in her adventures to Virender Sehwag. “My passion for mountaineering is like what he has for his batting. My tryst with skiing is like his penchant to bowl as well,” she said.
MAM
Ad:tech honours 2026: Full list of winners announced
Expanded awards spotlight winners across 22 categories as industry doubles down on intelligent automation
NEW DELHI: Marketing’s tech elite took the spotlight as the ad:tech honours 2026 returned with a sharper focus on AI, data and immersive media, signalling how deeply technology now underpins brand strategy. Held at Yashobhoomi on March 17, the second edition drew industry leaders to celebrate innovation that is reshaping engagement and performance.
Presented with the International Advertising Association India chapter and new partner Huella, the awards expanded from 8 to 22 categories, tracking the rapid convergence of creativity, automation and analytics.
The winners’ list reads like a snapshot of marketing’s future. In affiliate and partner marketing, Lyxel & Flamingo – Boat and Paytm Ads – Giva took silver. Mobavenue Media Private Limited struck gold in AI-driven dynamic creative optimisation, alongside a silver for Laqshya Media Limited.
Creative AI collaboration saw Rediffusion Brand Solutions Private Limited win gold, with Saltinc Consulting Private Limited securing silver. Laqshya Media Limited continued its strong run, taking gold in AI conversation agents and adding multiple wins across categories, including silver in GenAI-led creative and both gold and silver in interactive DOOH campaigns for Tanishq and Tata Coffee.
Predictive AI honours went to Strong Metrics and Tyroo, both silver, while Orient Bell Limited picked up silver in immersive retail tech. In GenAI-led creative, Laqshya Media Limited, Salt – Kotak and Sumimoto each secured silver, reflecting the crowded race in generative creativity.
Publicis bagged silver in influencer management and gold in performance marketing, where it shared the stage with Arm Worldwide and The Trade Desk, both silver. Glad U Came Private Limited stood out with gold in influencer measurement and analytics.
Marketing automation saw CereOne Media Pvt. Ltd. and Globale Media win silver, while ADMOTT Private Limited claimed silver in OTT innovation.
Programmatic media categories highlighted the shift to advanced targeting and connected screens. Mobavenue Media Private Limited clinched gold in connected TV advertising, with Animmoov Digital Media Pvt Ltd – Asus and Lyxel and Flamingo taking silver. Cheggout Services Private Limited won silver in retail media advertising, while Paytm Ads – Versuni secured gold.
On social platforms, Vayner Media India took gold in community and UGC engagement, with Under 25 – Oppo winning silver. Segumento rounded off the list with silver in the innovation category.
Jaswant Singh, country managing director at ad:tech India, underscored the momentum, saying generative AI and data-driven decision-making are now central to marketing impact. Neena Dasgupta, IAA mancom member and chief executive and founder at The Salt Inc Consulting, added that the awards celebrate not just technology, but “the people, the creativity, and the relentless effort behind it.”
Backed by Comexposium Group, ad:tech New Delhi has long tracked digital disruption. Now, with the honours, it is rewarding those who are not just adapting to change but engineering it.
In an industry racing towards automation, the message from 2026 is unmistakable. The future of marketing will be written not just in ideas, but in algorithms.
