MAM
Cannes: India ends disappointing run with Gold for Taproot in Film Craft
MUMBAI: Ending this year’s Cannes Lions Festival on a winning note, Taproot India bagged a Gold Film Craft Lion for its ‘I am Mumbai‘ campaign for client Times of India, in the Direction sub-category.
India‘s overall performance at Cannes was not inspiring at all as it failed to get a Grand Prix. The scorecard looked unhealthy as it pocketed just three gold trophies, three silver and eight bronze. The winning list was better last year with four gold and a total of 24 trophies that included 10 silver.
India‘s weaker record was all the more disappointing as newer markets like Tunisia, Puerto Rico and the UAE made their mark in the creative field.
India also scored a a blank in the recent categories like Cyber and Mobile.
Taproot may have had some satisfaction amid this gloom. The last winning streak, which came in the form of ‘I am Mumbai‘ campaign, was created by Ramesh Deo Productions.
The film had also qualified in the Film Lions category, but failed to convert the shortlist into a metal win. Also shortlisted in the Film Craft category was BBH India’s work for Google Chrome titled Tanjore, but did not win a metal.
Paris-based agency BETC won the Grand Prix in the category for its ‘Bear‘ campaign that it created for Canal+ in the ‘Best Production Value‘ sub-category.
Taproot’s ‘I am Mumbai’ campaign consists of a series of stories featured in the paper compiled in one film. It touched upon current events like the politically-motivated university ban of Rohinton Mistry’s book, the milk adulteration fiasco, the horrifying hell of the kavda orphanage and the fight against illegal political posters destroying our cityscape. The idea was to communicate that every morning one voice – the tabloid Mumbai Mirror – makes sure that many voices in the city are heard.
MAM
Tata Communications CEO A S Lakshminarayanan retires
Seasoned leader hands over reins after guiding the company through key growth years.
MUMBAI: Tata Communications is turning a new page and this time, the chapter is being written by a fresh voice from the same trusted book. The company has announced the retirement of its managing director and chief executive officer, A S Lakshminarayanan, effective at the close of business on 13 April 2026. Lakshminarayanan’s departure marks the end of a significant chapter in the company’s leadership journey.
The board expressed appreciation for his contributions during his tenure, acknowledging the role he played in shaping the organisation. In January 2026, the board had already appointed Ganesh Lakshminarayanan as managing director and CEO (Designate), ensuring a smooth leadership transition.
Ganesh Lakshminarayanan brings over three decades of experience across domestic and global enterprises. He currently serves as Managing Director and Group Vice President at ServiceNow India, where he has focused on driving enterprise adoption of AI-led digital transformation and strengthening go-to-market capabilities. Prior to this, he led Bharti Airtel’s enterprise business as CEO of Airtel Business and earlier headed its Enterprise division. His career also includes roles as Chief Operating Officer at Capillary Technologies, along with advisory positions at Ernst & Young and Sequoia Capital.
The transition reflects Tata Communications’ focus on continuity while bringing in fresh perspectives to navigate the rapidly evolving digital infrastructure landscape.
In the fast-moving world of global communications, leadership changes are like well-timed signal switches necessary to keep the network strong and the journey smooth. As A S Lakshminarayanan steps down, Ganesh Lakshminarayanan steps up, ready to carry forward the legacy while steering the company into its next phase of growth.
