iWorld
Sony Pictures Networks India inaugurates its first music room at Bhondsi Jail, Gurugram
MUMBAI: Staying true to its CSR commitment of Ek India Happywala, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) has partnered with India Vision Foundation to launch its first music training room at the Bhondsi jail in Gurugram. SPN’s CSR programme focusses on creating a positive impact in our ecosystem and is built around 3 pillars; empowerment, education and environment. The Dhun Project falls under the pillar of empowerment through music that was initiated in 2016, to celebrate the 5th anniversary of Sony MIX.
In the second year, ‘The Dhun Project’ aims to use the powerful medium of music for the rehabilitation of prison inmates, thus preparing them for a successful reintegration into society post their prison term. By believing that music can bring about harmony, SPN along with the India Vision Foundation is working towards inducing change in the mind-set of prison inmates, by helping them discover their talent and hone their music skills.
Through ‘The Dhun Project’, SPN will also be setting up training centres in four additional prisons across the nation – Rothak & Sonipat of Haryana Prison and Dasna & Kasna prison in Uttar Pradesh. Furthermore, the network along with India Vision Foundation have appointed special trainers (vocal and instrumental) who will visit the music centre on a regular basis to train the prison inmates. The training centre is well-equipped with instruments such as a drum set and pad, tabla, dholak, harmonium, guitar and electric keyboards.
e-commerce
ONDC names Vibhor Jain MD and CEO; Rohit Lohia joins as CBO, Manoj Thakur as CTO
Leadership formalised as open commerce network sharpens focus on scale and user value
The Open Network for Digital Commerce has formalised Vibhor Jain as managing director and chief executive officer, cementing a leadership transition at India’s ambitious open commerce platform as it pushes for scale and relevance.
Jain, who had been serving as acting chief executive officer since April last year following the exit of Thampy Koshy, steps into the role with effect from 7th April , according to a report by The Economic Times. He previously served as chief operating officer at the government-backed network, which enables buyers and sellers to transact across applications through an open, interoperable system.
Setting out his strategy, Jain underscored the network’s differentiated architecture. “Going forward, we are concentrating on what open, interoperable infrastructure can uniquely enable, things that no single platform has the incentive or the architecture to do,” he said.
He added that the immediate priority is to widen ONDC’s impact across user cohorts often underserved by platform-led commerce. “My priority is to deepen the value ONDC creates for the people it exists to serve: kisaans, karigars, kiranas, gig workers, first-time investors, and daily commuters across India,” he said.
Jain also flagged leadership reinforcement within the organisation, noting that ONDC has “a strong and exciting leadership team in place”, with Rohit Lohia joining as chief business officer and Manoj Thakur as chief technology officer.
With over 18 years of experience spanning entrepreneurship and consulting, Jain brings a track record in technology-led, large-scale transformation programmes and internet businesses. At ONDC, he has been closely involved in shaping strategy and operations as the network seeks to move digital commerce away from platform-centric models towards an open network approach.
Before ONDC, Jain worked with JUMO, where he helped set up the fintech firm’s India operations, and led the India launch of Mobike, handling regulatory, policy and operational aspects of its market entry. Earlier, he co-founded Atlanta Healthcare, an air quality management company, and spent more than a decade in consulting roles at Andersen and EY, advising governments on public policy and technology-driven reforms, including work on the Aadhaar programme and tax systems.
The mandate is clear but the path is complex. As ONDC attempts to rewrite the rules of digital commerce, Jain now carries the burden of turning open architecture into mass adoption, in a market still dominated by platform power.
