Brands
Badshah turns up the heat with Shelter 6 vodka launch
MUMBAI: Badshah has swapped bars for bottles, and the result is anything but watered down. Global music icon and cultural trendsetter Badshah has stepped beyond the stage to unveil Shelter 6, a premium vodka created in partnership with Cartel Bros, the team behind celebrity-backed whisky labels The Glenwalk with Sanjay Dutt and The GlenJourneys with Ajay Devgn.
Shelter 6 takes its name from the idea of a welcoming space for everyone, championing creativity, energy, expression and belonging. The vodka is distilled six times in Russia for a clean, ultra-smooth profile designed to “glide like water” while still packing character. With its metallic bottle and minimal design, the brand aims to reflect the spirit of a generation that is bold, expressive and unstoppable.
The venture comes with ambition poured generously. The brand is targeting at least 25 per cent of India’s vodka market and a valuation of Rupees 700 crore within three years. Shelter 6 will hit shelves across Maharashtra and Goa this November, marking what its creators call a new chapter in India’s premium spirits category.
For Badshah, Shelter 6 is more than another business venture. “Shelter 6 goes beyond vodka, it’s an experience rooted in emotion, passion and authenticity. I’ve been involved in every part of the creative journey. It captures the spirit of today’s youth who live unapologetically and never slow down,” he said.
Every aspect of the brand carries his artistic imprint, from the pared-back design to the liquid’s balance of smoothness and intensity. Crafted for creators, performers and anyone who leads with confidence, the vodka aims to offer both sophistication and accessibility.
Cartel Bros co-founder and Living Liquidz and Mansionz founder Mokksh Sani said, “With Shelter 6, we are bringing the next big wave in premium spirits. After The Glenwalk and The GlenJourneys, we wanted something that blends craftsmanship with cultural energy. Badshah brought that vision alive.”
Flavoured variants are planned for release next year, expanding the brand’s footprint as it seeks to blend culture, craft and ambition in one sleek bottle.
Shelter 6 is more than a drink. It is a statement, distilled with purpose and designed for those who move through life with style, energy and intent.
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.
