eNews
Navi UPI integrates with ONDC for metro ease
MUMBAI: Your daily commute just got a serious upgrade! Navi UPI has officially integrated with the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) Network, delivering a major boost to digital mobility across India’s busiest cities. This landmark partnership promises to make metro travel simpler, faster, and entirely digital for millions of daily commuters.
Starting immediately, travellers in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru can ditch the queues and physical tickets. Navi UPI users can now effortlessly plan their routes, purchase single or return journey metro QR tickets, and complete the instant payment, all within the Navi app. This seamless, one-flow feature eliminates the need for multiple apps and ensures a completely paperless journey.
“India’s metros move over a crore people every day, yet a large share of riders still rely on cash and queues,” commented Navi Limited MD & CEO Rajiv Naresh. “By integrating with the ONDC Network, we are making metro travel truly digital: one app, one QR ticket, one seamless tap on Navi UPI. For commuters on the go, this is how everyday mobility should feel.”
ONDC senior executive director Nitin Nair, highlighted the power of open networks, “Navi’s integration shows how open networks are changing the game. With just one step, Navi now allows commuters to buy QR tickets across five metro systems. As more companies adopt open protocols, the value to consumers multiplies across use cases.”
The service is currently live with the Delhi metro, major Mumbai metro lines (1, 2A, 7 & 3), and the Bengaluru metro. Navi UPI plans to swiftly extend this seamless digital experience to more cities, including Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kochi, aiming to digitise transactions for the over 40 per cent of metro users who still rely on cash or physical tickets.
For India’s fastest-growing payment app, this move is a strong step towards making daily travel as quick and reliable as its other services.
eNews
Piyush Thakur steps down as Inshorts’ chief revenue officer
Former vice president and cro says exit marks a new chapter after close to a decade of building revenue and partnerships at Inshorts Group.
NOIDA: Piyush Thakur has stepped away from Inshorts Group after nearly 10 years with the company, marking the end of a long tenure that culminated in his role as chief revenue officer.
In a farewell note, Thakur said he was “turning a new page” after almost a decade at Inshorts, calling it one of the hardest professional decisions he has made. He added that his exit was not driven by uncertainty about the future, but by reflection on a long association with the company.
Thakur joined Inshorts in October 2016 as vice president and spent around seven years in the role before being elevated to chief revenue officer in April 2024, a position he held until April 2026.
He said his tenure was defined by “thousands of mornings, late nights, product debates and breakthrough moments”, as the company evolved into a large-scale digital news platform used by millions.
In his note, Thakur emphasised that Inshorts’ growth was a collective effort across teams, adding that engineers, designers, sales teams and customer support staff all contributed to building the platform. He said the company’s success was not the result of individuals but of “everyone who stayed, passed through, and left their mark”.
Before Inshorts, Thakur worked across several digital media and business development roles. At ESPN, he served as senior regional manager from October 2015 to October 2016, focusing on growth initiatives, strategic opportunities and video distribution.
At Times Internet, he worked for nearly three years, including as head of business development from April 2015 to September 2015 and chief manager from January 2013 to March 2015. His responsibilities included monetisation of mobile platforms, managing media and developer partnerships, and driving revenue across digital properties such as The Times of India and The Economic Times.
Earlier, he worked at Brandmovers as head of business development from June 2012 to June 2013, handling digital, mobile and social media marketing solutions, client development and strategic consulting. During this period, he also worked on advertising revenue, brand strategy and CRM-based solutions.
At Inshorts, Thakur’s role focused on revenue strategy, mobile and media partnerships, and growth initiatives across platforms. His profile highlights experience in mobile product management, digital business models, partner ecosystems and revenue expansion in high-growth environments.
