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Hyundai Motor India Foundation creates one of Maharashtra’s largest urban forests
MUMBAI: Hyundai Motor India Foundation has turned a barren stretch near Talegaon, Pune, into one of Maharashtra’s largest urban forests, planting one million trees across 90.5 acres in less than a year.
Developed under the IONIQ Forest initiative, the project uses the Miyawaki method to create a dense, fast-growing forest of 41 native species, positioning it among the country’s most ambitious single-site afforestation drives.
The effort began with ground preparation in May 2025, followed by a mass plantation drive on World Environment Day in June. The forest was formally inaugurated in September by Devendra Fadnavis, chief minister of Maharashtra. Each tree has been geo-tagged and linked to a QR code, allowing real-time monitoring and transparency in upkeep.
Puneet Anand, avp and vertical head – corporate affairs, corporate communication and social at Hyundai Motor India Limited, said the project went beyond planting trees. “This is about building a greener and more sustainable future by combining environmental restoration with community empowerment. Planting one million trees at a single location in under a year underlines Hyundai’s commitment to climate action and responsible growth in Maharashtra,” he said.
The forest is projected to absorb around 63,000 tonnes of CO₂ over the next five years, while improving biodiversity and strengthening climate resilience in the region. More than 150 members of local tribal communities have been engaged in plantation and maintenance work, linking ecological restoration with sustainable livelihoods.
Once established, the site is expected to evolve into a living classroom for schools and local communities, promoting environmental awareness and hands-on learning.
The project is part of Hyundai’s broader Rs 56 crore CSR commitment in Maharashtra, spanning environment, healthcare, road safety and community development.
From cleared land to carbon sink in under a year, Hyundai’s IONIQ Forest shows how scale, speed and sustainability can grow together.
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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.
