MAM
NPCI ropes in Sohini Rajola to supercharge growth and partnerships
MUMBAI: If India’s digital payments sector were a rocket, NPCI just strapped a turbo booster to its engine. On 2 April 2025, the National Payments Corporation of India appointed industry heavyweight Sohini Rajola as executive director – growth, a move that signals the organisation is gunning for scale, speed and sharper innovation.
With two decades of experience spanning the length and breadth of banking and payments, Rajola has swapped her global briefcase at Western Union, where she served as Asia Pacific regional head, for a high-voltage mandate back home.
Her to-do list? Massive.
At NPCI, Rajola will lead the adoption of the corporation’s payment solutions across the nation, sharpen its product strategy, spearhead marketing innovation, and drive aggressive go-to-market tactics. She’ll also wrangle strategic alliances with banks, fintech players, regulators and government agencies. If it has a PIN code and a payment gateway, chances are she’s involved.
“Sohini brings with her a wealth of experience in the payments and digital banking space. Her expertise will be invaluable in leading forward-thinking initiatives and driving innovative technical solutions to address both current and future market demands. We are confident that she will play a key role in advancing our mission to provide secure, seamless digital payment solutions for all. We welcome Sohini to the NPCI Group,” said NPCI MD & CEO Dilip Asbe.
Rajola’s past includes heavyweight stints at Axis Bank, where she headed digital banking and cards, and a proven track record of navigating the complex corridors of digital transformation in the financial sector. Her return to India’s payment backbone couldn’t be more timely, as NPCI scales its solutions beyond borders and further entrenches UPI and RuPay into daily life.
With Rajola now in the cockpit, expect more firepower from India’s payments mothership.
MAM
JBCN Education appoints The Other Circle for PR mandate
Mumbai agency to lead communications for progressive K–12 group.
MUMBAI: JBCN Education just circled in a fresh voice because when your classrooms already think outside the box, the next logical step is to get the story out of the classroom. JBCN Education has appointed Mumbai-based communications agency The Other Circle (TOC) to handle its public relations and strategic communications mandate. The partnership aims to amplify the institution’s distinctive Educreative philosophy, which blends rigorous academics with experiential learning, creativity and values-led development.
TOC will shape JBCN’s narrative through educator-led thought leadership, media engagement and strategic storytelling, fostering deeper conversations with parents, educators and the academic community on modern, meaningful learning.
JBCN Education, senior vice president for marketing Nikhil Sharma said, “Every institution has a unique narrative, one filled with innovative learning, passionate faculty, and the next generation of Changemakers. The Other Circle’s strategic approach and deep familiarity with the education sector make them the right partner to strengthen our brand presence and forge meaningful connections.”
The Other Circle Group of Companies co-founder & CEO Aakanksha Gupta added, “The best communications work happens when the story is already true—you just have to find the right way to tell it. JBCN Education represents a powerful shift in how learning is imagined and delivered in India, and that story is rich: a philosophy that’s lived in the classroom, educators who believe in it, and outcomes that speak for themselves.”
The appointment marks a new phase for JBCN as it seeks to lead national conversations around progressive education, inquiry-based learning and preparing students for an interconnected world.
In an education landscape where the real competition isn’t marks but mindset, JBCN isn’t just teaching kids, it’s teaching the country what forward-thinking learning can look like, and now it’s got a voice loud enough to make sure everyone hears it.
