CHENNAI: With the third season of RuPay Prime Volleyball League powered by A23 set to begin, all the captains of the nine franchises came face to face in a grand Pre-Season Press Conference at The Taj Club House in Chennai on Wednesday. The defending Champions Ahmedabad Defenders will face off against the hosts Chennai Blitz in the opening clash on Thursday, while last season’s runners-up Bengaluru Torpedoes will take on the Season 1 winners Kolkata Thunderbolts on the first day of the tournament.

Speaking at the press conference, Ahmedabad Defenders skipper Muthusamy Appavu made the intentions clear that the franchise will be gunning to make it two titles in a row. “There is always pressure when you enter the tournament as the defending Champions. It puts a target on your back. But it also motivates the players in equal measure and we are eager to showcase our skills once again. We have a new coach, the vastly experienced Dragan Mihailovic Sir, and we have had a tremendous pre-season. Now it is all about the execution of our plans.“

Chennai skipper Akhin GS said his side will have an advantage with the home crowd support and will rely on the noise from the fans. “The coach of the previous season’s winners Dakshinamoorthy Sir has been a major boost for us this season. We feel confident that we are on the right track entering the first game. We also expect a lot of support from the home crowd and we expect them to pack the stands in huge numbers and make their voices heard. Their support will help us go a long way.”

Meanwhile, both Torpedoes and Thunderbolts retained Pankaj Sharma and Ashwal Rai, respectively as Captains for the coming season. “Despite all the challenges last season, we managed to reach the final and were just inches away from grabbing the trophy. This year, we will give it all to ensure we get our hands on the title,” Pankaj said.

“We know what it takes to be a Champion and all our players are training with a similar mindset. We want to be the first team in RuPay Prime Volleyball League powered by A23 to win the trophy twice, and we are confident we will achieve our targets,” Ashwal added, ahead of the first encounter.

Meanwhile, Calicut Heroes announced Jerome Vinith as the skipper for the season, while Hyderabad Black Hawks named the veteran Ranjit Singh as the Captain. Kochi Blue Spikers handed over Captaincy to Jithin N, Mumbai Meteors named Hardeep Singh as Captain, and the new franchise Delhi Toofans picked Saqlain Tariq to lead the franchise in Season. 3

Addressing the media at the press conference, Tuhin Mishra, Managing Director & Co-Founder at Baseline Ventures Pvt Ltd said, “We are delighted to come to Chennai and showcase another exciting edition of RuPay Prime Volleyball League powered by A23. The fans here have been clamoring to have home games and we have some of the best talents, not just from India, but from all over the world, arriving in this beautiful city. We cannot wait to see what will happen and this season is truly unpredictable.“

Ramesh Yadav, Chief of Marketing, NPCI said, “The league has truly grown each year, and we are extremely elated to once again be a part of this story of the rise of volleyball in the country. Volleyball is about speed, agility, innovation, and great teamwork, which is closely aligned with the philosophy and ethos of the RuPay brand. We continue to work with Prime Volleyball League teams by ensuring larger groups participate in the games across respective states and cities, this year we have advanced our partnership with Brahmaputra Volleyball League extending it to a greater geography in the northeast, focussed on improving the outreach of the game and to develop volleyball at the grassroots level. We believe that the game is about to get bigger better and more competitive.”

Following the success of the first two seasons, the third season of the ‘Asli Entertainer’ RuPay Prime Volleyball League powered by A23 will be aired on Sony Sports Network in five languages – English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam. Fans can anticipate another thrilling season of RuPay Prime Volleyball League powered by A23 and experience the excitement of top-tier teams battling it out on the volleyball court starting 15th February 2024, 6:30 PM onwards, Live on Sony Sports Network and will be available to live stream on SonyLiv.

The post Stage Set For Epic Action In Chennai As RuPay Prime Volleyball League Stars Kick Off Season 3 In Style appeared first on NRI News.

MUMBAI: BOBCARD Limited (Formerly known as BOB Financial Solutions Limited), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bank of Baroda, and National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) today announced the launch of Corporate Credit Card on RuPay Network. With this, BOBCARD Limited becomes the second Credit Card issuer in the ecosystem to have a Corporate Credit Card on RuPay – a card that comes loaded with a plethora of benefits for the corporates for varied use cases and convenience of linkage with UPI through any UPI- enabled app.

The cardholders can look forward to a luxurious travel experience, including complimentary lounge access and fuel surcharge waiver. The Corporate Credit Card also has complimentary personal accidental death insurance coverage for its cardholders. The attractive rewards program makes this credit card a valuable financial solution for various business transactions.

Speaking on the announcement, Ravindra Rai M, Deputy Managing Director, BOBCARD Limited, said: “We are happy to launch our Corporate Card on the RuPay network. This launch further deepens our partnership with NPCI and brings the convenience of UPI transactions to our Corporate customers. I am sure our valuable customers will find a well-designed and relevant payment instrument in their BOBCARD RuPay Corporate Card.

Commenting on the launch, Ms. Praveena Rai, Chief Operating Officer, NPCI, said, “We are delighted to collaborate with BOBCARD Limited in launching its Corporate Credit Card on the RuPay network. This initiative empowers cardholders with the convenience of UPI-enabled corporate credit cards coupled with enticing rewards. Moreover, this development will further enhance credit card penetration in the country, thereby contributing to the overall growth and development of the economy.”

The post BOBCARD Limited Launches Corporate Credit Card On RuPay Network appeared first on NRI News.

BENGALURU: Digital Banking Platform Anq today announces the launch of a prepaid reward card, the X card powered by Rupay. Designed to promote responsible financial behaviour, this innovative card empowers consumers to spend within their means while earning rewards in the form of Digital Gold and digital assets for each and every transaction.

The X card is a chip-enabled, contactless prepaid card that provides users with an inter-operable and multi-purpose payment solution across the country. The card can be seamlessly availed by customers upon signing up on the Anq banking platform.

Ashish Khandelwal, Co-Founder and CEO of Anq Finance, expressed his excitement about the launch, stating, “As we unveil the X Card and our Bounties platform, we stand at the cusp of a new era in India’s digital finance landscape. Our vision was to create a product that not only simplifies transactions but also enriches every purchase. With the X Card, we’re offering an unparalleled blend of convenience and reward, transforming everyday spends into opportunity for investment. The Bounties platform, a first-of-its-kind rewards program, is our commitment to innovation. We’re excited to lead the charge in India’s rapidly evolving prepaid card and rewards market, redefining the way people think about spending and rewards.”

Anq, a FinTech company co-founded by Ashish Khandelwal, Abhinav AV and Swagat Sarma, has garnered recognition for its innovative approach to digital banking. Backed by prominent angels, including Kunal Shah of CRED, Ashish Sharma of Innoven Capital and investors such as Snow Leopard Capital, Anq offers prepaid cards that provide users with rewards in gold and digital assets for their everyday spending. 

Users of the X Card can earn rewards ranging from 1% to 16% on every spend, and the rewards are market linked and uncapped, forming the basis of a passive investment opportunity for customers. Popular brand vouchers are available on Anq’s Shopping Section giving as high as 16% in bounties. Customers can load X card at any given point with maximum INR 2 lakhs for spends.

Just in a few months since the launch, Anq has gained widespread recognition for its prepaid card services, enabling users to earn rewards in gold and digital assets while making everyday purchases at leading merchants, including Swiggy, Zomato, Flipkart, Amazon, and more.

Since its initial product rollout last year, the digital banking platform has onboarded over 2 lakh customers and achieved a staggering 25X growth. To date, the startup has expanded its reach to encompass more than 55 cities across India, strategically aligning with the current dynamics of the Indian financial landscape. 

The inclusion of a diverse range of brands in the Rewards Marketplace not only enriches user options but also sets the stage for potential cross-industry partnerships, fostering mutual growth. 

Anq’s proactive approach to innovation places it at the forefront of the evolving financial sector, ensuring adaptability to changing consumer preferences and technological advancements in a dynamic landscape.

The post Anq Launches RuPay Prepaid Reward Card to Encourage Responsible Spending appeared first on NRI News.

The NCMC RuPay Platinum EMV chip-enabled Contactless Prepaid card can be availed by both customers and non-customers at Bank of Baroda branches and will be immediately activated for real-time use. The card supports both online transactions as well as offline transactions at NCMC-specific terminals. The maximum online wallet balance allowed is Rs 1,00,000/- (Rs One Lakh only) and the maximum offline wallet balance allowed is Rs 2,000/- (Rs Two Thousand only) at any point in time.

Shri Lal Singh, Executive Director, Bank of Baroda, said, “The Bank of Baroda NCMC RuPay Prepaid card adds a new dimension to cashless, on-the-go transactions and has the potential to transform the public transport commuting experience for users. With multiple use cases, the card offers enormous convenience, flexibility, and security to cardholders.“

Cardholders can load/reload money in the online wallet through a dedicated portal provided by the Bank. The offline wallet can be reloaded at designated NCMC terminal operators at transit locations. The card is accepted at all RuPay e-commerce and POS terminals and ATMs. Customers will receive transaction notifications through SMS on their registered mobile number.

Bank of Baroda, founded on 20th July 1908, by Sir Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, is one of the leading commercial banks in India. At 63.97% stake, it is majorly owned by the Government of India. The Bank serves its global customer base of ~165 million through over 70,000 touchpoints spread across 17 countries on five continents and through its various digital banking platforms, which provide all banking products and services in a seamless and hassle-free manner.

The post Bank of Baroda Launches NCMC RuPay Prepaid Card for Seamless Payments across Public Transport, Tolls, Parking and Shopping appeared first on NRI News.

RuPay is a first-of-its-kind global card payment network from India, that is innovative, secure, and packed with features. RuPay Phase – II was launched in November 2020. This cross-border payment initiative between India and Bhutan was aimed at promoting the use of low-cost digital payment solutions and advancing digital financial inclusion. It allows Bhutanese citizens to withdraw cash and make payments through all ATM and PoS terminals in India. Currently, Bhutan National Bank is the only bank in Bhutan that issues RuPay cards.

NIPL’s strategic association with BNBL ensured a robust acceptance infrastructure of RuPay in Bhutan. The card is gaining popularity in the Bhutan market owing to RuPay’s customized solutions for its users. NIPL is also venturing into new international markets to widen the reach of RuPay.  

Rina Penkar,  Deputy Chief – Product Development, NIPL said, “We are glad to witness RuPay achieving the milestone of 10K issuance in Bhutan. We would also like to extend our gratitude to Bhutan National Bank for encouraging the widespread adoption of RuPay in Bhutan – the first country to issue as well as accept RuPay cards. We look forward to making RuPay the most preferred card for the residents of Bhutan and achieving many more milestones in the future. At NIPL, we are committed to expanding the footprint of RuPay in various countries to offer an unparalleled purchase experience to citizens and travelers across the world.

Mr. Hem Kumar Acharya, Director of Banking Operations, at Bhutan National Bank Ltd, said, “While we launched Rupay Card issuance in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are happy that the offtake has been impressive even during a period when travel was restricted, and not many people ventured out of Bhutan. RuPay card has been a very convenient value-addition for our account holders, many of whom are students studying at various colleges and universities in India. A major chunk of the cards were issued after restrictions were lifted towards the middle of 2022, and we look forward to an exponential increase in the number of customers using this card, by introducing more features, like acceptance of the card for online transactions, for payment of FastTag road toll transactions, etc, in the future.”

Mr. Kesang Jigme, Officiating Director of Payment and Settlement Systems stated, “The introduction of RuPay in Bhutan has played a pivotal role in bridging the gap in cross-border payments, representing a significant stride towards promoting a robust digital payment system with India. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to Bhutan National Bank for their invaluable support in reaching the 10k RuPay Card issuance milestone. Furthermore, we are actively collaborating with our member banks and NPCI International Payment Limited to enable the issuance of RuPay cards by member banks across the country. The interconnection between Bhutan’s Financial Switch network and the RuPay network has not only introduced secure and convenient banking services but has also fostered cost-effective and cashless transactions by streamlining payment flows into mainstream banking systems. This synergy has significantly enhanced cross-border digital payments between our two nations, reinforcing economic cooperation and facilitating seamless financial transactions.“

The exponential growth in acceptance of RuPay cards in Bhutan stands as testimony to the strengthened bilateral ties between the two neighboring nations.

The post RuPay Card Issuance Crosses 10000 Milestone in Bhutan appeared first on NRI News.