MAM
Headline Asian Paints brings Goddess Durga home with its new film
NEW DELHI: With Durga Puja right around the corner, Asian Paints Sharad Shamman has launched its new film ‘Dugga Elo Ghawrey’ – Maa Durga is coming home.
As authorities issue new guidelines and restrictions every day and people are advised to follow social distancing and other precautions (with good reason), the gaiety and dazzle of the festival seems to have dimmed. But through its new campaign, Asian Paints wants to send the message that though things may be different, the essence of pujo and the devotees’ feelings about it will always endure.
‘Dugga Elo Ghawrey’, is a story of little Mini’s pujo surprise. The film opens with a despondent little girl, ruing the fact that she won’t get to enjoy the customary pandal hopping and other pujo delights. But her family members feel differently about it. They take it upon themselves to transform their home into a vibrant pujo pandal, complete with carnival games, snacks and sparkling laughter. As for the homecoming of the Goddess, the little girl discovers Durga Maa on her living room wall. Her mother paints the Goddess with Asian Paints wall colours, thereby bringing a new kind of celebration to light.
The melodious background score in the film has been created by renowned band Lakkhichhara.
In keeping with tradition, Asian Paints will be honouring the three best pujas or Shreshtho Pujas that inspire and are innovative this year too. It includes one pandal each for discovery of the year (Bauchorer Bismoy), innovative excellence (Nobo Nakshi), and best idol maker (best Pratima Shilpi).
Asian Paints and Durga Puja have a shared association since 1985, said MD and CEO Amit Syngle said, “This year when people thought sharadiya (the autumnal season of celebration) will look and feel different, we launched a new film to reinstate the fact that with Asian Paints Sharad Shamman, pujo is wherever you are. Just as elaborate decorations enhance the beauty of a pandal, Asian Paints adds life and colour to homes and celebrations,” he added.
Ogilvy ECD Sujoy Roy said, "As a brand of colours, Asian Paints has brought Goddess Durga home in a way that is as unconventional as it is relatable."
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.
