Brands
Kaabil shines light on women who power change
MUMBAI: They came, they skilled, they conquered. Mahindra & Mahindra’s Kaabil initiative and Centum Foundation have unveiled a stirring new film that celebrates the extraordinary journeys of women who turned opportunity into empowerment.
Conceptualised by Upgrad Enterprise’s marketing team, the short film spotlights women from across 19 states whose lives have been transformed through skill-based training and sustainable livelihoods. Told through powerful first-person stories, it’s a moving ode to resilience, dignity and the quiet revolution taking shape in rural India.
Opening with a voiceover comparing women’s strength to ‘Shakti’, the film captures the struggles and triumphs of women finding their footing in sectors like automotive, retail and customer service. The Kaabil Initiative, Mahindra Group’s flagship CSR programme, has already trained over 20,000 women across 250 locations, with more than 9,000 placed in meaningful jobs, many for the very first time.
Mahindra & Mahindra head of women’s empowerment Pooja Nanda said, “Kaabil aims to empower one million women by 2027 through skilling and employability. Our partnership with Centum Foundation has helped us scale our impact and foster lasting livelihoods.”
Adding to this, Upgrad Enterprise revenue head Sunita Mohant noted, “These women aren’t just statistics, they’re stories of courage and transformation. Their ambition proves that India’s growth isn’t limited to its cities.”
With its heartwarming visuals and purpose-led storytelling, the film goes beyond awareness to ignite inspiration, reminding viewers that true empowerment begins when skill meets opportunity.
Brands
Acko CMO Ashish Mishra to exit in July
The digital insurer’s marketing chief, who helped build the brand over nearly five years, is heading for the exit.
Ashish Mishra is stepping down as chief marketing officer of Acko, with his departure confirmed for July. He remains in the role for now, and an official announcement from the company is expected shortly.
Mishra joined the digital insurance start-up in August 2020, making him one of the longer-serving marketing chiefs in India’s fintech and insurtech space. Over nearly five years, he played a central role in building Acko’s brand presence in the country’s fiercely competitive digital insurance market. More recently, he was closely associated with Acko Life’s Unmixed brand philosophy, a proposition built around pure protection products stripped of the investment components that have long complicated traditional insurance offerings in India.
Before Acko, Mishra spent over a decade at HSBC in a series of marketing leadership roles spanning the Middle East, including regional marketing manager for credit cards and advance propositions, brand and media manager, and marketing manager for retail banking. Earlier in his career, he worked on the agency side, serving as senior brand service manager at Lowe Lintas and as executive for brand communications at DDB Mudra Group.
His exit leaves Acko with a sizeable gap to fill at a time when the brand is pushing deeper into life insurance and doubling down on its direct-to-consumer positioning. Whoever takes the seat next will inherit a brand that Mishra spent five years building from the ground up. That is not nothing.
