Brands
Hindustan Pencils names Aishwarya Shinod head of marketing
MUMBAI: Hindustan Pencils has appointed Aishwarya Shinod as head of marketing, tapping a seasoned FMCG leader to steer brand transformation across its flagship stationery labels, Apsara and Nataraj.
Shinod will lead brand, marketing and consumer strategy for the company’s portfolio, with a brief to sharpen cultural relevance and deepen emotional connect with younger consumers while preserving the brands’ legacy appeal.
She brings nearly two decades of experience in building consumer brands, with senior roles at Unilever, Nestlé, Kellogg’s and Freudenberg Gala Household Products. Her expertise spans brand strategy, integrated marketing, innovation and purpose-led storytelling, underpinned by a strong consumer-first approach.
In previous roles, Shinod led several high-profile brand transformations, including the repositioning of Pepsodent across South Asia at Unilever and the ”Why Just Clean Home’ campaign at Gala, which helped double the brand’s topline over four years. She has also served on industry juries such as the Effies, Emvies and Indian Content Marketing Awards.
Commenting on her appointment, Shinod said joining Hindustan Pencils was an opportunity to reimagine brands that are deeply embedded in Indian school memories and make them relevant for the next generation through insight-led marketing.
Founded in 1958, Hindustan Pencils is India’s largest primary school stationery manufacturer, producing about 8.5 million pencils a day alongside sharpeners, erasers, scales and pens from its manufacturing units. The company said the appointment underlines its focus on building future-ready brands anchored in nostalgia but aligned with changing consumer expectations.
Brands
Ather Energy doubles service network to 500 centres nationwide
EV maker scales support alongside growth to keep riders on the road
MUMBAI: Ather Energy is quietly building more than just scooters. It is building the backbone to keep them running.
The electric two-wheeler maker has expanded its service network to 500 authorised centres across India, nearly doubling its footprint in a year from 277. The move mirrors its growing retail presence and signals a clear focus on one often overlooked part of EV ownership, what happens after the purchase.
From the outset, Ather has prioritised service support in every city it enters, aiming to make ownership as smooth as the ride itself. Its Gold Service Centres bring in upgraded customer lounges, modern equipment and processes designed to make servicing more transparent and reliable.
Speed, too, is part of the pitch. Through its ExpressCare initiative, riders can get periodic maintenance done in about an hour, now available across 82 centres, turning what used to be a chore into a quick pit stop.
Ather Energy chief business officer Ravneet Singh Phokela said, “Crossing 500 service centres is an important milestone as we scale across the country. Reliable after-sales support is central to the ownership experience, and our focus remains on consistent service quality and accessibility.”
The expansion comes as demand grows for models like the Ather 450 and the Rizta, which have helped the company reach a broader set of riders across metros and emerging cities alike.
Alongside servicing, Ather continues to power up infrastructure through the Ather Grid, now one of the largest fast-charging networks for two-wheelers, with over 4,300 charging points.
With plans to scale further and deepen its presence, Ather’s approach is clear. Selling the scooter may start the journey, but keeping it running smoothly is what sustains it.
