MAM
Cosmos-Maya’s Yoga ambitions given a boost by PM Narendra Modi who performs Asanas with Motu Patlu
MUMBAI: Cosmos-Maya’s iconic characters Motu and Patlu performed yoga along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the fifth edition of International Day of Yoga at Ranchi. The characters were present at the event to motivate children towards yoga. This development is in line with Cosmos-Maya’s efforts to inculcate in the lives of its young viewers the goodness of Yoga. The studio is in the process of producing Yoga videos to air on WowKidz, it’s YouTube platform with 23 million subscribers.
These Yoga videos will have ViR and Imli, characters from the company’s hit series ‘ViR: The Robot Boy’, teaching kids Asanas which will be child friendly and easy to do, and in an entertaining format. These will be available to viewers in 12 major Indian languages on WowKidz.
Said Anish Mehta, CEO, Cosmos-Maya, “We are elated to see our characters Motu and Patlu share a platform with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Bhagawad Gita calls Yoga the journey of the self, through the self, to the self. It has been our endeavor to pass on this message to all our employees and viewers alike. We are in the process of creating dedicated videos to help kids understand the benefits of Yoga. With the 23 million subscribers, the reach and scope of these videos will be tremendous. We are very proud to be following our Prime Minister’s footsteps, and we will take Yoga to every nook and corner of the country in 12 regional languages.”
A crowd of 40,000 people that gathered at the ground to participate in the massive yoga event which went on for 45 mins. Nickelodeon had included Motu Patlu as part of the proceedings. The iconic animated characters were spotted in the middle of the ground. Addressing the mega celebration of Yoga Day, PM Modi thanked everyone for participating in the event and urged them to make yoga an integral part of their lives. Modi was accompanied by several ministers and senior government officials including Jharkhand Governor Draupdi Murmu, Chief Minister Raghubar Das, Ayush Minister Sripad Naik, state Health Minister Ramchandra Kesari.
The Jharkhand government, in a statement, said, "The Motu and Patlu characters were present on the ground to attract children towards yoga."
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.
