eNews
UC News: Scribes Padampati Sharma & Vivek Shukla hired for cricket commentary
MUMBAI: UCWeb, an Alibaba Mobile Business Group company, has announced Padampati Sharma and Vivek Shukla as official commentators for its news platform, UC News. The veteran journalists will help UC News users with expert opinions, insights and sharp analysis of the final matches of the eighth edition of Global Cricket Championship being held in England and Wales on 14, 15, and 18 June 2017.
Talking on the latest announcement, Alibaba Mobile Business Group’s UC News head Bruce Zuo said, “Indians love cricket and technology platforms like UC News are playing a crucial role in amplifying it and making it a shared phenomenon. We are committed to bring an enriching experience to our users and in line with the same announce Sharma and Shukla as official commentators on UC News. Both are known names of sports journalism and bring credibility and strong understanding on the cricket arena. We are hopeful that our millions of users will enjoy the experience.”
Senior sports journalist and UC News We-Media blogger Shukla adds, “I feel honoured and appreciate We-Media for giving me an opportunity to bring ongoing Cricket tournament’s insights to the large base of cricket fans. I look forward to introducing a unique experience to the UC News users and help them stay updated on the key happenings on- ground.”
“Writing and cricket have always been my biggest passions and with We-Media platform I get to relive it. The platform enables me to be an independent writer and alongside retain the sharp reporting attributes of a journalist. I am excited to be in this phase of life where I get to connect with millions of users on UC News who share the common interest in Cricket,” said senior sports journalist and UC News We-Media blogger Sharma.
Sharma and Shukla have been the known faces of Hindi Journalism. Both of them have been in a part of active journalism for over three decades and were associated with key media including Dainik Jagran, Amar Ujala, The Times of India, etc.
eNews
PNB partners Kiwi to launch credit-enabled UPI for users
Targets 180 million customers; RuPay card offers 0.5 per cent to 1.5 per cent cashback
MUMBAI: Swipe, tap, or scan credit is quietly slipping into the rhythm of everyday payments, and Punjab National Bank wants in on the action. The state-run lender has partnered with Kiwi to roll out credit-enabled UPI payments for its 180 million customers, marking a significant push to blend traditional banking with India’s fast-evolving digital payments ecosystem.
At the centre of the collaboration is the launch of the PNB Kiwi Credit Card on the RuPay network. The card is designed with a digital-first approach, offering fully online onboarding and seamless integration with UPI, allowing users to transact via scan-and-pay while accessing credit.
The offering also brings in a rewards layer, with cashback ranging from 0.5 per cent to 1.5 per cent on online transactions, positioning the product as both a convenience play and a spending incentive.
The move comes as UPI continues to dominate India’s digital payments landscape, increasingly blurring the lines between debit-led transactions and credit access. For PNB, which operates over 10,000 branches around 60 per cent in semi-urban and rural areas, the partnership signals a targeted effort to extend formal credit to segments that have traditionally remained underserved.
The collaboration also reflects a broader industry shift, where banks and fintech platforms are converging to embed credit directly into payment flows, reducing friction while expanding access.
With RuPay credit cards gaining traction and UPI evolving beyond peer-to-peer transfers, the PNB–Kiwi tie-up positions both players at the intersection of scale, accessibility, and the next phase of digital finance in India.
