MAM
Go the #MyBluKilometres way to combat pollution in Delhi-NCR
NEW DELHI: Come winter, and the capital and its surrounding environs are cloaked in a veil of smoke. People gasp as the AQI soars and particulate matter in the air reaches hazardous levels. Apart from stubble burning, the problem is further compounded by rising air pollution in the cities – from construction activities, industrial fumes, but most of all, vehicular emissions. With this thought in mind, All-electric ride-hailing platform BluSmart has launched the #MyBluKms campaign in an effort to tackle pollution levels in Delhi-NCR.
Through this campaign, BluSmart aims to reduce the city’s burden of air pollution by offering a contest to its riders, the prize of which is a three-days all-expenses-paid five-star trip to the Andamans. The contest will run from 1 to 20 December 2020, and the winner will be announced on 22 December 2020.
BluSmart founder Anmol Jaggi said, “Our vision is to make the environment greener and more breathable. With Delhi-NCR facing a double-edged sword of hazardous air pollution levels as well as increasing Covid2019 cases, we must take urgent action. One way to tackle this pressing issue is a revolution in the electric vehicle space, that can bring down pollution levels to a significant extent."
He went on to add that in the last one year of its operation, BluSmart has completed 240,000 all-electric trips and has covered 7 million clean km. “In fact, owing to its pledge to keep the environment clean and green with a green mobility revolution, BluSmart has saved 500,000 kgs of CO2 since its launch in June last year and this campaign is another step towards this pledge. Through this campaign, we look forward to creating a culture of going electric when it comes to city mobility and eventually making pollution-free existence the new mantra.”
Anirudh Arun, head of operations and marketing, BluSmart emphasised: “Through this campaign, we aim to raise public awareness not just about the toxic environment prevalent in the city, but also about what you and I can do to help improve this situation. We need to adopt a greener mode of transport and save our environment from harmful Carbon and particulate matter emissions. The fact that PM 2.5 and PM 10 have risen above the hazardous mark tells us how important it is to take corrective measures at our end to ensure that the air we breathe is clean.”
To participate in the #MyBluKms challenge, people will have to book a ride in BluSmart app, take a picture or video of themselves in the all-electric cab, and post it on Instagram using the hashtag #MyBluKms. The person who covers the maximum number of clean kilometres wins an ‘All expenses paid, 5-star trip to the Andamans for two.’
Air pollution is the fifth biggest cause of deaths in India. India also has the world's highest death rate from chronic respiratory diseases and asthma, according to the WHO. In Delhi, poor quality air irreversibly damages the lungs of 2.2 million or 50 per cent of all children.
#MyBluKms is just one step towards reducing the carbon footprint caused due to internal combustion engines (ICE e.g. Petrol, Diesel). A first-of-its-kind on-demand electric taxi service, BluSmart is a fast-growing new-age electric mobility platform that unlocks the era of smart urban electric rides in cool, silent, and ultra-sanitized all-electric cabs. The company also launched its Green Referral feature in its app that allows users to invite their friends and family to the electric mobility solution. For every referral, BluSmart plants one tree.
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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.
