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Britannia Marie Gold & IIS launch ‘HerSpark’ to ignite women’s sports careers
MUMBAI: Some sparks start wildfires, and Britannia Marie Gold, in partnership with the Inspire Institute of Sport (IIS), has just ignited one with ‘HerSpark’—a groundbreaking sports scholarship programme exclusively for women athletes in India. Designed to scout, train, and propel future champions, this initiative provides a fully funded three year scholarship worth Rs 45 lakh to young women eager to break barriers in boxing, swimming, judo, athletics, and parasports.
Through this initiative, female athletes across India will gain access to world-class training, coaching, lodging, nutrition, and educational opportunities. And it gets even better—athletes will train under legendary Olympians and Continental champions, including Mamuka Kizilashvili (Judo) and Yoandris Betanzos Francis (Athletics), ensuring they receive the highest level of mentorship.
HerSpark isn’t for the faint-hearted—it’s designed to find the best. The selection process unfolds across multiple stages:
. Over 1,000 shortlisted athletes will compete in round one selection trials at IIS centres across India.
. Those who qualify will advance to two-day regional selection camps at eight key locations.
. The top contenders will undergo an exclusive three-week elite training camp at IIS Vijayanagar.
. Only the best will win the coveted three-year scholarship—setting them on a path to national and international glory.
The HerSpark scholarship is open to Indian female athletes aged 14 and above. Minors (under 18) require parental or guardian consent. Applications are available via the official HerSpark website.
Britannia Marie Gold has long been a champion for women’s empowerment, leading initiatives such as HerStartup and Her.Store to foster financial independence and entrepreneurship. Britannia Industries general manager – marketing Siddharth Gupta reaffirmed this commitment, “Britannia Marie Gold believes that every woman possesses an innate spark—the potential to achieve more. With ‘HerSpark,’ we extend this commitment to sports, providing young female athletes with the opportunity, training, and mentorship they need to reach their highest potential.”
IIS president Manisha Malhotra echoed this enthusiasm, “We at IIS are thrilled to join hands with Britannia Marie Gold—a brand that is doing so much to empower women. Through this partnership, we are launching a nationwide scouting programme to identify young female athletes and equip them with the skills and guidance needed to succeed on the biggest stage. We cannot wait to see the success that comes out of this effort.”
Founded by JSW Group, the Inspire Institute of Sport is a privately funded Olympic Sport Programme with a high-performance centre in Vijayanagar and satellite centres across Manipur, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Odisha.
With HerSpark, Britannia Marie Gold and IIS are not just offering scholarships—they are shaping the next generation of champions. So, young women of India, are you ready to unleash your spark?
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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.
