MAM
Ultimate Kho Kho on-boards Odisha govt to own fifth franchise
Mumbai: The Odisha government has acquired ownership of a team in the soon-to-be-launched professional league, which can be viewed as a major boost for the Ultimate Kho Kho (UKK).
It will be the Odisha government’s second direct sports endeavour; in 2013, it also owned a team—the Kalinga Lancers—in the Hockey India League. Days before the announcement, Odisha earned silver medals in the boys’ and girls’ Kho Kho competitions in the Khelo India Youth Games 2022.
The Odisha Sports Development and Promotion Company (OSDPC)-owned team will be the fifth franchise in the league. OSDPC is collaborating with leading steel manufacturer ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) and will be working closely in Ultimate Kho Kho.
Sports and Youth Services minister Tusharkanti Behera said, “Kho Kho is very popular in many parts of Odisha. In the recent Khelo India Youth Games, our boys and girls played well and won the silver medals. Since it’s a traditional game, we have huge scope to develop it further in the state. Therefore, we have decided to participate in the Kho Kho league. This is part of our Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik’s vision for sports in Odisha.”
Ultimate Kho Kho CEO Tenzing Niyogi said, “Sports Odisha has been one of the key factors in the sporting revolution of India. Their focussed approach in developing a sport has been impressive. They have created an environment that has encouraged many corporate investments to create access for grassroots development and future champions. And now their association with Ultimate Kho Kho, is a great sign for the development of the sport.”
Four franchises were previously declared by Ultimate Kho Kho. While Capri Global and KLO Sports are the owners of the Rajasthan and Chennai teams, respectively, corporate giants ADANI Group and GMR Group secured the Gujarat and Telangana franchises.
With an exclusive multi-year contract, Ultimate Kho Kho has chosen Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) as its broadcast partner. The action from the league will be aired in English and other regional languages on Sony’s sports channels as well as on the OTT service SonyLIV.
Brands
Boeing appoints Barun as head of FP&A for global engineering function
Seasoned finance leader to steer budgets and strategy across global centres
BENGALURU: Boeing’s finance cockpit has a new pilot, and he is no stranger to turbulence or transformation. Boeing has appointed Barun as head of FP&A for global engineering, placing him at the centre of financial strategy for its worldwide engineering and technology operations.
Based in Bengaluru, Barun steps into a role that is as expansive as it is critical. He will serve as the primary finance lead for Boeing’s Engineering and Technology Centers globally, working closely with executive leadership to shape financial decisions, manage complex budgets, and design scalable finance processes that support the company’s growing engineering footprint.
In a note announcing his move Barun said, “I’m excited to share that I’ve joined Boeing Global Engineering. This opportunity is incredibly meaningful to me not just from a professional standpoint, but also for what Boeing represents globally.” He added that he looks forward to contributing to an organisation that continues to shape the future of aerospace and innovation.
Barun’s mandate spans strategic financial leadership, operational oversight, and stakeholder engagement. From directing large-scale budgets and schedules to influencing long-term organisational goals, the role blends financial discipline with business foresight. He will also lead cross-functional teams and partner with finance colleagues worldwide to support engineering programmes across geographies, including India.
The appointment caps a long stint at Juniper Networks, where Barun spent over a decade, most recently as finance senior manager. There, he led FP&A for global product business units and G&A functions, driving budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning. He also played a key role in enterprise-wide transformation, including spearheading an Oracle to SAP ERP migration and building advanced analytics capabilities using tools such as Tableau and SAP Analytics Cloud.
His earlier career includes finance leadership roles at Sony India Software Centre, Cognizant Technology Solutions, and Mphasis, where he focused on financial planning, governance frameworks, and operational efficiency across global delivery centres.
A chartered accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, Barun brings nearly two decades of experience across financial planning, digital transformation, and analytics-led decision making.
His appointment comes at a time when global engineering operations are becoming increasingly complex and distributed, requiring sharper financial oversight and agile planning. With Barun at the helm of FP&A for engineering, Boeing appears to be tightening its financial playbook as it looks to scale innovation with discipline.
