MAM
SEEDS PROUDLY ANNOUNCES ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH START NETWORK
SEEDS, a leading humanitarian organisation that has worked extensively on every major disaster in the Indian Sub-continent, announced joining of the Start Network, today. A group of over fifty aid agencies, Start Network is spread across five continents, ranging from large international organisations to national NGOs.
SEEDS has been constantly driving discussions for pooling of resources and expertise at national level in India for improved disaster response, and this partnership is a contributing step towards making this vision a reality. At the same time, SEEDS strongly advocates for making the platform a democratic space where there is equal participation and benefits that are felt by local members.
Christina Bennett, CEO, Start Network said, “I am delighted to welcome SEEDS into the Start Network. This growing movement of NGOs recognises the importance of creating a new era of humanitarian action. Start Network seeks to catalyse change within the humanitarian sector and NGOs are at the heart of shaping the change that is needed. Together we’re working drive and catalyse the change that is urgently needed in the global aid system”.
Dr Manu Gupta, Co-founder, SEEDS said, “We believe, it is important to de-centralise decision-making power within the humanitarian sector at all the front lines – particularly from national to sub-national level (at the grassroots). We look up to Start Network and its members for guidance in this regard”.
Within the sector, transfer of power is still in its beginning stage as localisation is still a regional or international level issue and hasn’t really percolated down.
While the collaboration is set to contribute towards the establishment of a national humanitarian hub in the times to come, it will be the members who decide how the hub will shape itself. Though it is difficult to predict its evolution over the next few years given the country’s democratic setup, it will have its own unique characteristics. There are resources available within the country from government agencies, corporations and individuals for supporting humanitarian causes, and the initiative aims to tap into these, and to do so in a way that improves speed of disaster response, reduces associated costs, and enhances appropriateness to local contexts.
Dr. Gupta further added, “The founding objectives of the Start Network very much align with our thinking about localization of humanitarian response, new financing mechanisms including pooled funding, and humanitarian innovations as a ways for driving positive change in the humanitarian sector. We particularly look forward to the additional value that Start Network can provide towards bridging the gap between rising needs and shrinking resources for humanitarian work.”
SEEDS looks at the collaboration as a healthy start towards being able to empower and equip leadership at the local level. The front-line members at the grassroot level can be individuals, organisations or the local government. However, this can be achieved only through consistent efforts over next few years.
As a disaster preparedness and risk reduction organisation based out of Delhi, SEEDS is acknowledged for its consistency in reaching out to the worst affected populations in every significant disaster, and an attitude for always wanting to learn and improve disaster management theories and practice with new innovations. It works to serve those directly or indirectly affected by the disasters and the climate crisis, with an underlying approach of community based resilience building.
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YES Bank hands the keys to SBI veteran Vinay Tonse as it bets on a new era
Former SBI managing director appointed as YES Bank’s new MD and CEO
MUMBAI: YES Bank is done rebuilding. Now it wants to grow. The private sector lender has appointed Vinay Muralidhar Tonse as managing director and chief executive officer-designate, with RBI approval secured and a start date of April 6, 2026 confirmed. The three-year term signals the bank’s intent to shift gears from crisis recovery to full-throttle expansion.
Tonse, 60, is no stranger to scale. Most recently managing director at State Bank of India, he oversaw a retail book of roughly $800bn in deposits and advances, one of the largest in the country. Before that, he ran SBI Mutual Fund from August 2020 to December 2022, a stint that saw assets under management surge from Rs 4.32 lakh crore to Rs 7.32 lakh crore across market cycles. Add stints in Singapore and four years leading SBI’s overseas operations in Osaka, and the incoming chief arrives with a genuinely global CV.
His academic grounding is equally solid: a commerce degree from St Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bengaluru, and a master’s in commerce from Bangalore University.
The appointment follows an extensive search and evaluation process by the bank’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee. NRC chairperson Nandita Gurjar said the committee unanimously backed Tonse, citing his leadership track record, governance credentials and ability to drive the bank’s next phase of transformation.
Non-executive chairman Rama Subramaniam Gandhi was unequivocal. “I am certain that Vinay Tonse, with his vast experience as a senior banker, will propel YES Bank to its next phase of growth,” Gandhi said, adding that the bank remains focused on strengthening its retail and corporate banking franchises and expanding its branch network.
Rajeev Kannan, non-executive director and senior executive at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, the bank’s largest shareholder, said Tonse’s experience across retail, corporate banking, global markets and asset management positioned him well to lead the lender. SMBC said it looks forward to working with Tonse and the board as YES Bank pursues its ambition of becoming a top-tier private sector lender anchored in strong governance and sustainable growth.
Tonse succeeds Prashant Kumar, who took the helm in March 2020 when YES Bank was in freefall following a severe financial crisis, and spent six years painstakingly stabilising the institution, rebuilding governance and restoring operational scale. Gandhi was generous: “The bank remains indebted to Prashant Kumar, who is responsible for much of what a strong financial powerhouse YES Bank is today.”
Tonse, for his part, struck a purposeful note. “Together with the board and my colleagues, I remain deeply committed to creating long-term value for all our stakeholders,” he said, pledging to build on Kumar’s foundation guided by his personal motto: Make A Difference.
Beyond the balance sheet, Tonse played cricket at college and club level and represented Karnataka in archery at the national championships — sports he credits with teaching him teamwork, situational leadership, discipline and focus. In quieter moments, he reaches for retro Kannada music, classic Hindi songs, and the crooning of Engelbert Humperdinck, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar.
YES Bank has its steady-handed rebuilder in Kumar to thank for survival. Now it has a scale-obsessed growth banker at the wheel. The next chapter starts April 6.
