MAM
Banijay Asia shoots for the stars with Thailand’s first space reality show
MUMBAI: Space just got a primetime slot. Banijay Asia, in collaboration with SERA (Space Exploration & Research Agency) and Truevisions Now, has unveiled Race to Space Thailand, a genre-bending reality format that will see one Thai citizen catapulted from dreamer to astronaut.
Produced by Deepak Dhar’s Creasia Studio, the show marks the first time Thailand will select and send a citizen into orbit. SERA, which partners as the backbone of the mission, will work hand in glove with Creasia to turn this ‘out-of-the-planet’ spectacle into a reality.
“As an Indian creator, it fills me with pride to see our ideas travelling beyond borders,” said Creasia Studio Banijay Asia Endemol Shine India Founder & Group CEO Deepak Dhar. “Thailand is just the beginning. The format will soon resonate in India as well as across South East Asia.”
For Banijay Asia, the mission goes far beyond entertainment, it’s a milestone in exporting Indian-born creativity to global frontiers. The series blends science, aspiration, and showbiz, democratising space travel and inviting ordinary citizens, regardless of background, to compete for an extraordinary chance.
Truevisions Now’s Ongard Prapakamol called it “a gateway to global-scale content and a new frontier for Thailand,” highlighting how, for the first time, everyday Thais will be in contention for a shot at space.
Banijay Asia & Endemol Shine India Group CDO Mrinalini Jain described it as “a landmark concept that embodies aspiration, innovation, and inclusivity.” SERA co-founder Joshua Skurla added that the project would “inspire an entire nation” while confirming India is next in line for lift-off.
With Season One ready for launch in Thailand and India’s chapter waiting on the launchpad, Banijay Asia’s Race to Space could well be reality TV’s boldest leap yet proof that the sky is no longer the limit.
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.
