Digital
Digital marketing maven climbs the WPP ladder
MUMBAI: WPP Media, has promoted Meghana HS to group head – digital, capping a meteoric rise through the advertising conglomerate’s ranks. The 27-year-old digital marketing specialist, who joined as manager – digital planning and strategy in January 2023, has spent the past two years and nine months crafting 360-degree media strategies for blue-chip clients across fast-moving consumer goods, wellness and personal care.
Meghana built her reputation orchestrating full-funnel campaigns that blend traditional digital channels with trendy influencer marketing and over-the-top streaming platforms. Her knack for translating business goals into measurable returns on investment—whilst juggling budgets across upper, middle and lower marketing funnels—caught the eye of WPP’s brass.
Before joining the Omnicom rival, she honed her skills at GroupM’s Motivator unit, where she progressed from ad operations executive to business executive between January 2020 and December 2022. Her journey began with a six-month traineeship at Digital Academy 360 in Bengaluru, where she mastered search engine optimisation, Google AdWords and social media marketing.
The appointment reflects WPP’s push to beef up its digital capabilities as advertisers pivot spending toward performance marketing and programmatic buying. Meghana’s expertise spans Meta and Google advertising, Amazon marketing and YouTube campaigns—skills increasingly vital as brands chase measurable outcomes over brand-building vanity metrics.
Her promotion comes as India’s digital advertising market surges, with programmatic buying and influencer marketing driving growth. WPP Media’s bet on homegrown talent like Meghana signals confidence in the subcontinent’s advertising ecosystem, where local expertise trumps imported knowledge.
Digital
Maharashtra partners OpenAI, Sarvam AI to boost state’s tech ecosystem
State to set up dedicated AI department and roll out frontier technology policies
MUMBAI: Maharashtra is set to become a primary hub for artificial intelligence following the 2026–27 Budget announcement. chief minister Devendra Fadnavis confirmed that the state has signed letters of intent with global giant OpenAI and national pioneer Sarvam AI to integrate advanced technology into the state’s economic and administrative framework.
The collaboration with OpenAI and Sarvam AI marks a shift towards adopting cutting-edge generative tools for governance. These partnerships, alongside MoUs with IIT Bombay and BharatGen, are designed to create a robust ecosystem for research and innovation. The move signals the state’s intent to bring together global technology leaders and domestic research institutions to accelerate the development and adoption of artificial intelligence across sectors.
Regarding the strategic intent of these alliances, chief minister Fadnavis stated, “With the objective of making the State’s Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence sector dynamic, letters of intent have been signed with globally and nationally reputed institutions like OpenAI and Sarvam AI to facilitate the Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence sector in the state.”
To manage these high-level partnerships and ensure effective implementation, the government is establishing an independent department of electronics, Information technology, and artificial intelligence. The new department will function with a dedicated commissionerate and specialised technical manpower, enabling faster decision-making, improved coordination, and stronger accountability in executing technology-driven initiatives.
The state also plans to introduce special policies aimed at strengthening its position in emerging technology sectors. These policies will focus on advancing Maharashtra as a global hub for frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, drones, autonomous vehicles, and deep technology.
According to the chief minister, “The state government plans to introduce special policies to develop Maharashtra as a world-class hub for frontier technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, quantum computing, drones, autonomous vehicles and deep technology.”
Artificial intelligence is already being integrated into the state’s governance framework. A collaboration with Microsoft has led to the development of MahaCrimeOS AI, a platform that has reportedly reduced police investigation times by 80 per cent across 23 police stations in Nagpur. The initiative demonstrates how AI-driven tools can significantly enhance law enforcement efficiency and data analysis capabilities.
The government is also working toward building a fully digitised administrative ecosystem. Plans are underway to achieve complete digitisation of land transactions and implement electronic office systems across departments, paving the way for a paperless government. In addition, a pilot project will introduce AI-powered solutions in 75 selected villages to improve infrastructure, governance efficiency, and overall quality of life in rural areas.
To strengthen digital infrastructure and data protection, the state also intends to establish an advanced data centre in Nagpur. This facility will be designed to safeguard sensitive and sovereign information while supporting large-scale digital services and government platforms.
These initiatives form part of Maharashtra’s broader cyber security and digital transformation strategy aligned with the Viksit Maharashtra 2047 vision. By partnering with global and domestic technology leaders such as OpenAI and Sarvam AI, the state aims to build a secure, future-ready digital ecosystem that enhances citizen services, supports innovation, and strengthens India’s position in emerging technologies.
