MAM
Muthoot Group celebrates ‘Blue Soch’ through special film
MUMBAI: Muthoot Pappachan Group (MPG), a diversified business conglomerate in the financial services industry and the title sponsor of Kerala Blasters Football Club (KBFC) in the Indian Super League (ISL), has launched a special film celebrating the Blue Soch of the Indian youth, passionate about football. With the theme of ‘play your passion to perfection’, the film communicates the group’s vision of empowering human ambitions and raising the quality of football in the country by nurturing the young talent in India.
MPG has been the title sponsor of the Kerala Blasters Football Club for the past five years now and is associated with the sport in more than one way. Muthoot Pappachan Group also nurtures a football academy by the name of Muthoot Football Academy (MFA) whose objective is to scout and train youngsters that have the passion and skills for football. Located in Kochi, MFA recognises the passion of talented kids and empowers them to achieve their dreams by providing international coaching and training facilities through a curriculum prepared by foreign coaches. All facilities provided to the students are free of cost.
Muthoot Pappachan group director Thomas Muthoot says, “Playing grounds are one of the very few platforms where all the differences of language, religion and culture remain neutral and nothing divides the true spirit of sportsmanship. MPG has always believed in and supported the Blue Soch of individuals who strive to surpass all hindrances to realise their dreams. This special film serves as an affirmation of our credo of ‘empowering human ambitions’. On the same lines, it remains our unwavering resolve to unearth the football talent from the grassroots of the country and assist them to produce the future stars of football for India.”
The film, shot in the untamed picturesque rural locations of Allepy, Kerala, depicts a young group of boys seeking innovative ways against all odds to play football, a sport that they feel so passionate about and are ready to go the extra mile for it.
The enthralling music and the scenic views of the two and a half minutes film take the viewers on a journey to the lush backwaters of the God’s own country. The film exemplifies the aspiration and talent that the Indian youth possesses for football. Seven students from Muthoot Football Academy have acted in the film after undergoing two weeks of rehearsals and training.
Brands
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.
