Viacom 18 bags media rights for Women's IPL for 951 crore
New Delhi, Jan 16: The BCCI on Monday announced that Viacom 18 have grabbed the media rights for the upcoming Women's IPL for a whopping Rs 951 crore for five years after pipping other bidders, including Disney Star and Sony, in a closed-bid auction.
The auction for the T20 league was conducted by the cricket board in Mumbai on Monday. The inaugural Women's IPL is likely to begin in the first week of March. Five teams will compete and all the matches will be held in Mumbai.
The global rights comprise three categories -- linear (TV), digital and combined (TV and digital) and Viacom 18 successfully bid for the combined rights.
In the men's IPL, separate rights are sold across regions.
"Women's cricket has been on the up since a few years and the recently concluded bilateral series against Australia is a great testament to how popular women's cricket has become in India," BCCI president Roger Binny said in a release issued by the board.
"It was only apt to get our own women's T20 league and give the fans more of women's cricket."
According to BCCI secretary Jay Shah, the fee per match will come to Rs 7.09 crore for the next five years.
"The broadcasters play a key role in taking the game to a wider audience and their active interest in the league is a clear indication that the Women's Indian Premier League is headed in the right direction. The per-match valuation of Rs INR 7.09 crore is something that has never previously been registered for a women's game," Shah said.
"I congratulate Viacom18 for securing both the TV and digital rights with a combined bid of INR 951 crores and welcome them on Board. The journey has well and truly started and we will take another major step this month when the five franchises are announced."
Viacom18 had won the IPL digital rights for Rs 23,758 crore while Disney Star had retained the TV rights for Rs 23,575 crore for a five-year period starting 2023 during a three-day auction held in June, 2022.
IPL governing council chairman Arun Singh Dhumal said: "The faith of all our bidders for this process also testifies that they see value in investing in this property which will only be growing with each passing year.
"Women's cricket has shown immense growth in the past few years and our own T20 league, it only solidifies our approach towards women's cricket and the potential it has for growth in India."
Some of the country's biggest stars in the women's game, such as national team skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and senior opener Smriti Mandhana, lauded the BCCI after the big announcement.
"Huge congratulations to Viacom18 and @BCCI, @JayShah for a historic day in women's cricket. Today marks a new era where our women cricketers will get the platform they deserve to thrive, excel and develop on the global stage. I'm sure you'll be mesmerized by the talent we have!" Harmanpreet tweeted.
Mandhana said, "Today's a day that every Indian women cricketer will remember. The #WIPL is finally taking shape. @BCCI, @JayShah and all those involved deserve huge praise. Women's cricket will go to the next level with this global stage provided. Come on girls, it's all yours for the taking!"
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India ranks 2nd in 'future of work' skills globally: QS survey
New Delhi: India has emerged as a global leader in workforce preparedness, ranking 27th overall in the QS World Future Skills Index and securing the second position in the "Future of Work" category, behind only the United States. The report, based on an extensive evaluation of 190 countries, highlights India's advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), digital skills, and green technologies.
India's achievements are attributed to nearly a decade of efforts under its skilling mission. The country ranked 37th in "Skills Fit," 26th in "Academic Readiness," and 40th in "Economic Transformation." With a 59% active AI deployment rate, India leads globally in adopting cutting-edge technologies, aligning with its 99.1 score in the Future of Work indicator.
The World Economic Forum projects a 60% increase in AI-related skills and a 35% rise in digital skills by 2030, along with the creation of 24 million green jobs. The QS report emphasises India's potential to remain at the forefront of economic transformation by aligning its educational curricula with industry needs.
Despite global challenges such as declining venture capital (VC) funding, India remains the second-largest destination for VC investments in the Asia-Pacific region. However, the report calls for further improvements in higher education, industry-academia collaboration, and the integration of green skills to sustain long-term growth.
Matteo Quacquarelli, Vice President of Strategy and Analytics at QS, stated, "India's exceptional GDP growth, developing economy, and youthful population position it uniquely on the global stage. However, comprehensive higher education reforms are crucial to equipping the workforce with future-ready skills."
The report also notes that sectors like renewable energy and healthcare are driving growth, with an emphasis on sustainability and emerging technologies. Between 2025 and 2030, India's economy is expected to grow at an average rate of 6.5% annually, further strengthening its global competitiveness.
Experts recommend increasing the supply of tertiary education, adopting modular higher education, fostering entrepreneurship, and investing in research and development to ensure India continues to lead in the global job market.
