MAM
GiveIndia’s ‘Team for Humanity’ fundraiser supports COVID-19 aid in India
MUMBAI: Online giving platform, GiveIndia has launched the ‘Team for Humanity’ fundraiser to provide financial support to low-income families who have lost an earning member to COVID-19. This immediate financial aid can help ease the loss of grieving families who are at greater risk of falling further into poverty.
With 250,000+ families losing earning members to COVID-19, this aid will help them tide through this difficult time, as only 30 per cent of bereaved families can sustain for over a month in their current financial state. Through this fundraiser, low-income families of COVID deceased will receive a one-time cash support of Rs.30,000 (approximately $ 400/family), said the platform in a statement.
Through one of the largest collaborative efforts towards COVID relief, the initiative has already seen support from the likes of Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Mary Kom, Dua Lipa, Lilly Singh, Pep Guardiola, Robert Pires, Yuvraj Singh, Sunil Chettri, Washington Sundar, Devdutt Padikkal and Kareena Kapoor among others. Companies including PUMA, Facebook, Myntra and Miss Malini have also joined the cause. DDB Worldwide is the communication partner for the fundraiser.
https://www.facebook.com/virat.kohli/posts/350035306488903
GiveIndia founder 2.0 & CEO Atul Satija said, “COVID’s impact has pushed many families into poverty, especially those who have lost their only breadwinner and are facing hardships for everyday survival. It is heartening to see members of the sports fraternity coming together to help vulnerable communities – sports is a great way to unite people. We are grateful to Puma, DDB and others for supporting families of the COVID deceased through their Team for Humanity fundraiser.”
“PUMA is happy to partner with GiveIndia and DDB for the Team for Humanity fundraiser to support relief initiatives to help those impacted by COVID-19. Losing a loved one is heartbreaking and there are so many families dealing with all kinds of losses due to the ongoing pandemic. We hope this initiative helps vulnerable families across the country mitigate the impact of the pandemic as they take the first step to stability. Each donation- no matter the amount- will help families adjust to their new reality and come out stronger. Together, we can win the battle against COVID-19,” said PUMA India & Southeast Asia managing director Abhishek Ganguly.
Facebook India director and head of partnerships Manish Chopra said, “We’ve all seen the impact the pandemic has had across communities, and we are happy to partner with GiveIndia in their efforts to help affected families move forward. Facebook’s SocialForGood initiative is focused on supporting large community causes by bringing together public figures and creators to raise awareness and funding and it is heartening to see the sports and entertainment community coming together to help those in need.”
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.
