MAM
Pidilite CEO Chandramouli Venkatesan passes away
NEW DELHI- Pidilite Industries Ltd CEO, special projects Chandramouli Venkatesan passed away on October 6 after a prolonged battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 54.
Fondly known as ‘Mouli’, Venkatesan was associated with Pidilite Industries from 2017. He was not just an industry veteran, but also a successful author – having penned the best-sellers Catalyst and Get Better at Getting Better, published by Penguin Random House India in 2018.
Before taking charge at Pidilite, Venkatesan worked at Mondelez International (erstwhile Cadbury India) from 2012 for three years and served as its managing director from January 2015 to August 2016. He had joined the company in 2005 and was instrumental in scaling up the chocolate business.
During his long and varied career, he also worked at companies like Onida and Asian Paints.
Colleagues and peers poured their hearts out on social media and shared fond memories of Venkatesan.
Eros International Media Limited Pradeep Dwivedi CEO – India wrote, “Dear All, while some of you may be aware, I am heartbroken and very sorry to share that we have lost our dear friend #Mouli -Chandramouli Venkatesan, Ex-Mondelez, Pidilite, today. An amazing and warm human being, author, coach, and mentor to many of us in the industry. He has left a shocking void. Prayers for the dear departed soul R.I.P.”
Marketing industry veteran Lloyd Mathias took Twitter to mourn Mouli’s sudden departure.
Devastating to hear about Chandramouli Venkatesan's passing! Long stint at Cadbury's/Mondelez India where he was MD in 2015-16, then with Pidilite and recent author of books: 'Catalyst' and 'Get Better at Getting Better'. RIP @vcmouli11 you were a catalyst for many. pic.twitter.com/mGYpE3oueE
— Lloyd Mathias (@LloydMathias) October 6, 2020
Whoaaaa…. this is such a shock….
RIP Chandramouli Venkatesan
This is a personal loss 🙁
Gosh. Just extremely sad.
We were about to speak again….Alas!
This day spent with you and Bharat Puri, will be forever etched in my memory! #RIP friend, mentor, philosopher pic.twitter.com/aohyd1kLUz
— Mangalam Maloo (@blitzkreigm) October 6, 2020
Om Shanti. Chandramouli Venkatesan, we have lost a true leader & a great professional with ur onward journey to heaven. Remember u joined Ondia in 2001, a full 16yrs after me. Although I had left India in '92, you still called me to understand the genesis of Onida, the Devil. RIP pic.twitter.com/xegQf6l2OE
— Rajeev (@rajeevkarwal) October 6, 2020
Brands
Pre-seed funding fuels nailinit, India’s new-age nail care brand
Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund backs Gen Z-focused beauty startup
MUMBAI: nailinit, a community-first nail care startup targeting Gen Z and millennials, has raised Rs 2.5 to Rs 3 crore in a pre-seed round led by Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund and Marsshot VC, alongside a clutch of consumer, technology and operator angels.
Backed by entrepreneur and investor Nikhil Kamath, Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund is betting on nailinit’s attempt to give India’s nail care aisle a long overdue makeover. The fresh capital will be used to deepen distribution across quick commerce and D2C channels, build its community engine, and accelerate product innovation in a category that is high frequency but still light on strong brands.
Founded by Tanishq Ambegaokar and Shubham Singhal, nailinit is positioning itself at the crossroads of beauty, self-expression and culture. The brand wants nails to be more than a finishing touch. It sees them as a canvas for identity, content and commerce.
“At nailinit, we are building for a generation that sees beauty as self-expression, not just routine,” said Ambegaokar. “The nail category in India has largely been underserved by strong brands. This capital allows us to invest in product depth, community and distribution in a thoughtful and long-term way.”
Singhal added that while the brand’s tone may be playful, its operating focus is sharp. “This round strengthens our supply chain, expands our digital footprint and enables disciplined execution as we scale.”
The funding round drew notable angels including Shashank Kumar of Razorpay, Arjit Johri of Marsshot VC, Yash Jain, formerly of NimbusPost, Karan Jindal of Meta, Jivraj Singh Sachar of ISV Capital, Nishank Jain of Accel, Yashvardhan Kanoi, Ashwarya Garg of HYPD, Venus Dhuria of Phot.AI and Amishi Parasrampuria of The Whole Truth.
Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund fund manager Gauri Kuchhal, believes the opportunity lies in shifting habits. “Nail care remains underpenetrated in India, with consumers relying on time-intensive salon visits. As convenience and self-expression gain ground, press-on nails can unlock more frequent and experimental usage. Nailinit is well-placed to expand beyond press-ons into adjacent categories.”
The brand is currently the only nail care player in India blending product-led retail with a dedicated kiosk at Jio World Drive in Bandra, where customers can walk in for services while discovering the range. It has also built early traction across quick commerce platforms such as Zepto and Blinkit, with a launch on Instamart in the pipeline, and is available on Amazon, strengthening its omnichannel presence.
In a space long dominated by salon chairs and scattered labels, nailinit is attempting to file, shape and polish the category into something sharper. With fresh funding in hand, the startup is setting out to prove that in beauty, small details can make a bold statement.
