March 17, 2026, Mumbai: NPCI BHIM Services Limited (NBSL) today announced the appointment of World Cup–winning former Captain of the Indian Cricket Team, Mahendra Singh Dhoni as the Brand Ambassador for the BHIM Payments App, Bharat Ka Apna Payments App. The partnership brings together two names synonymous with trust, consistency, and dependability, reflecting values that resonate across generations and geographies. As BHIM approaches a decade of enabling India’s digital payments journey, this association marks a strategic step in its next phase of growth focused on scale, inclusion, and long-term user confidence.
The association reflects a natural alignment of ethos and journey. BHIM Payments App delivers secure digital payments built on NPCI’s robust infrastructure, while Mahendra Singh Dhoni is recognised for composure, discipline, and delivering under pressure. Both have grown from strong foundations to serve India at scale, with Dhoni rising from a small town to national leadership and BHIM evolving from a pioneering payments interface to a platform used across the country, making the partnership a credible extension of what each represents.
Speaking on the development, Lalitha Nataraj, MD & CEO, NBSL said, “As digital payments continue to scale in India, the next phase of growth is about strengthening preferences and deepening user confidence. With onboarding MS Dhoni as our brand ambassador, our objective is to position BHIM Payments App not just as a payments option but as the preferred app for each member in the Indian household. As BHIM Payments App enters its next phase of growth, trust remains at the centre of everything we do. Dhoni represents that same trust, built over time. That is why this partnership feels inevitable.”
Mahendra Singh Dhoni said, “Over the years, I have always believed in keeping things simple and staying clear in approach. What stood out to me about BHIM is its focus on making digital payments straightforward and accessible to people across the country. As India continues to move towards greater digital adoption, it is important that users feel comfortable and confident while transacting. I am happy to be associated with an app that is built to serve everyday needs at scale.”
Following repositioning as Bharat Ka Apna Payments App, BHIM has expanded its presence across Tier 1, 2 and 3 towns, with a strong emphasis on accessibility, language inclusion and ease of use. The App’s feature set has been built with inclusion at its core, supporting 15+ regional languages. It is optimised for low-connectivity environments, enabling deeper digital payments adoption across rural and semi-urban user groups. Reward-led adoption and merchant partnerships continue to build platform stickiness across new and existing user segments.
