MAM
Manoti Jain to be only Indian woman at Cannes Lions 2019 ‘See It Be It’ programme
MUMBAI: Supari Studios chief operating officer Manoti Jain , is the only Indian to be selected for the Cannes Lions 2019 ‘See It Be It’ programme. 15 women from across the globe were chosen for the programme this year, all of whom will benefit from a curated learning experience at the Cannes Lions festival.
Jain and the 14 other women were selected from over 760 global applicants across the globe. The programme supports the next generation of female creative directors and takes an active role in shaping the industry to become more representative of the world we live in.
At the age of 22, Jain, along with co-founders Advait and Akshat Gupt set up Supari Studios in late 2012, after sensing a gap in the country’s digital media landscape. Since then she has helped the company grow into one of the leading content studios in India, winning international awards and building a global audience for brands such as Red Bull, Estee Lauder, Google and Twitter. She strives to create content at the intersection of film, design and technology that is empowering and relevant to audiences.
Through its ‘See It Be It’ initiative, launched in 2014, Cannes Lions has fully funded over 70 women to attend the festival, providing them with an exclusive learning opportunity and exposure to the global creative community.
Speaking on the selection, Jain says, “I am extremely honoured and fortunate to share the See It Be It platform with this cohort of resilient and diverse creative minds, at what promises to be a unique week of learning. I hope to bring back lots of learnings and experiences from the programme to both my company and my country in the most effective way possible, by approaching content through a more sensitive, impactful and empowering lens. Attending the festival is an exciting prospect in itself, and I am all geared up to embrace what awaits me at Cannes this year.”
Supari Studios' Advait Gupt says, “We are absolutely thrilled that Manoti has been selected for the See It Be It programme this year. She has been instrumental in our journey as a content studio from day one. We’re extremely proud that she has been given the opportunity to represent not only the Supari Studios family, but also the many talented, creative women from India at this global platform. We can’t wait for her return to inspire us with her learnings, experiences and stories.”
Brands
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.
