MAM
Game Theory appoints Partha Varanashi as the technical director of swimming
Mumbai: Game Theory, a pioneering force transforming the sports experience through innovative technology, is excited to announce the appointment of Partha Varanashi as the technical swimming director. In this role, Varanashi will be instrumental in leading the evolution of swimming training methodologies at Game Theory, aligning them with our strategic vision of shaping future champions for the Olympic Games and elevating swimmers from foundational skills to elite competitive levels.
Underlining this appointment is Game Theory’s visionary goal of shaping future champions for the Olympic Games, with a particular focus on the 2036 Olympics, for which India is mounting a robust bid. This initiative aims to elevate swimmers from foundational skills to elite competitive levels. The vision of Game Theory extends beyond merely teaching swimming; it is about preparing athletes for the ultimate stage—the Olympics. By implementing a holistic development strategy from the grassroots level, Game Theory is setting in motion a comprehensive plan that fosters excellence in aquatic skills and equips swimmers to excel at international competitions, including the Olympics. We envision a future where our swimmers are not just participants but leaders in the global swimming community, and Varanashi’s appointment is a significant step towards realizing this vision.
Partha Varanashi brings with him a rich and diverse professional background – A champion swimmer with a focus on aquatic education. His accolades include being the swimming coach in the FINA World Championship in Gwangju, general secretary of Surf Life Saving India, swim coaching director and coordinator at State Swim Morphett in Australia. He has an impressive record of winning 18 gold medals in National Masters Championships, 50 gold medals in State Swim Meets, and 10 gold medals in Aussie Masters events. Varanashi has also participated in three events in the FINA Masters World Championships in Montreal and Budapest. His experience in mentoring swimming coaches is equally impressive, having trained over 210 swim teachers and 300 surf lifesavers.
In his new role, Varanashi will focus on refining and expanding Game Theory’s swimming programmes, which are unique in their integration of cutting-edge technology with advanced teaching frameworks. This innovative approach enhances both technique and safety in the water, setting our programmes apart from traditional swimming lessons. His approach will emphasize long-term athlete development, environmental awareness, and the incorporation of life-saving skills into regular training routines. These unique selling points of our swimming programmes, under Varanashi’s leadership, will contribute to our mission of revolutionising swimming education and shaping the future of the sport.
Varanashi will oversee several key initiatives at Game Theory, each designed to revolutionise how swimming is taught and practiced. These include innovative training techniques to enhance swim instruction, focusing on form, precision, and efficiency. Additionally, he will lead safety and rescue training programmes that embed critical survival skills within the curriculum to foster adept lifesavers. He will also focus on adaptation to diverse aquatic environments, ensuring swimmers are educated about the challenges of various water bodies, such as oceans and rivers. Moreover, he will develop comprehensive physical training programmes for tailored ground workouts to improve stability, mobility, flexibility, agility, and body control. These initiatives, under Varanashi’s leadership, will play a crucial role in our mission to revolutionize swimming education and shape the future of the sport.
In a groundbreaking move for aquatic education in India, Game Theory, under the leadership of Varanashi, is set to revolutionise swimming education with its innovative training approach and advanced facility management. Central to its strategy is a rigorous three-tiered teacher training programme that ensures daily, weekly, and monthly professional development, keeping instructors at the forefront of swimming techniques and educational methods. A cutting-edge technology suite complements this, incorporating video analysis systems for real-time technique monitoring against ideal models. In these sessions, swimmers will benefit from videos demonstrated by top swim models and a newly developed software system that captures and analyses their movements during assessments, offering precise feedback and enabling rapid technical improvement. This unique integration of technology enhances the learning experience and performance assessment, setting a new standard in swim education.
Game Theory founder Sudeep Kulkarni expressed his enthusiasm about Varanashi’s appointment, stating, “We are thrilled to welcome Partha Varanashi to Game Theory. His deep technical expertise in swimming education and our cutting-edge technology will undoubtedly make our pools a burgeoning hub of talent in the coming years. There truly could have been no better choice to lead these initiatives and help us shape the future of swimming.”
Partha Varanashi, newly appointed technical swimming director at Game Theory, shared his excitement about his new role, saying, “I am excited to join Game Theory, where we are harnessing cutting-edge technology to transform how swimmers are developed from the grassroots level. Our integration of detailed analytics allows us to track each swimmer’s progress with unprecedented precision. This approach not only refines their technique but also ensures they are prepared to meet and exceed the rigorous demands of competitive swimming. By fostering a foundation of excellence and safety, we set new standards in aquatic education and empower swimmers to achieve their fullest potential.”
Brands
Estée Lauder to shed 10,000 jobs as new boss bets on digital shift
The cosmetics giant raises its profit outlook but stays silent on a possible merger with Spain’s Puig, as job cuts deepen and a three-year sales slump weighs on the turnaround
NEW YORK: Stéphane de La Faverie is not done cutting. Estée Lauder announced on Friday that it plans to eliminate as many as 3,000 additional jobs, taking its total redundancy programme to as many as 10,000 roles, up from a previous target of 7,000 announced a year ago. The company, which owns La Mer, The Ordinary, Tom Ford, and Aveda, employs roughly 57,000 people worldwide. The mathematics of what is now being contemplated is stark.
The fresh round of cuts is expected to generate a further $200 million in savings, bringing the total annual savings from the programme to as much as $1.2 billion before taxes. That money, De La Faverie has made clear, will be ploughed back into the turnaround.
A CEO in a hurry
De La Faverie, who took the helm in January 2025, inherited a company that had endured three consecutive years of annual sales declines. His response has been to move fast and cut deep. A significant portion of the latest redundancies reflects his push to reduce headcount at US department stores, long a cornerstone of Estée Lauder’s distribution model but now a channel in structural decline. In their place, he is accelerating the shift toward faster-growing online platforms, including Amazon.com and TikTok Shop, a pivot that is reshaping not just where Estée Lauder sells but how it thinks about its customers.
The numbers are moving in the right direction
Despite the pain, there are signs the medicine is working. Estée Lauder raised its profit outlook for the remainder of the fiscal year, guiding for adjusted earnings per share in the range of $2.35 to $2.45, above analyst estimates and a notable step up from the $2.05 to $2.25 range it had guided for in February. Organic net sales growth is expected to come in at 3 per cent, the company said, at the high end of the range it set out in February.
The share price tells a mixed story. After De La Faverie took charge, the stock surged nearly 60 per cent, buoyed by investor optimism that a longtime company insider could finally arrest the decline. But 2026 has been rougher: the shares have fallen 27 per cent this year, weighed down by disappointing February results and the overhang of unresolved merger talks with Spanish beauty giant Puig Brands SA. The company gave no additional details about those discussions on Friday, leaving the market to guess.
Silence on Puig
The proposed tie-up with Puig remains the most consequential unknown hanging over Estée Lauder. A deal with the Barcelona-based group, which owns brands including Carolina Herrera and Rabanne, would reshape the global luxury beauty landscape. But with nothing new to say and a turnaround still very much in progress, De La Faverie is asking investors to trust the process.
Three years of sales declines, 10,000 job cuts, and a merger that may or may not happen. At Estée Lauder, the overhaul has barely started.
