Brands
ITC Sunrise honours Bengal’s dhakis with Dhaki Utsav
MUMBAI: Drumrolls don’t just herald celebrations this Pujo, they’ve become the celebration itself. In a landmark cultural tribute, ITC Sunrise put Bengal’s beloved dhakis centre stage with a spectacular ‘Dhaki Utsav’ at Kolkata’s iconic Kumartuli Ghat on Mahalaya.
Led by percussion virtuoso Tanmoy Bose and Padma Shri awardee Gokul Dhaki, the never-before-seen spectacle brought dozens of traditional drummers together in unison, unveiling a specially composed Durga Puja anthem for Sunrise.
The riverfront reverberated with the thunderous rhythm of the dhak, weaving music into devotion against the sacred backdrop of Kumartuli, where idol-making and rituals mark the spiritual awakening of goddess Durga. The beats weren’t just performance; they were a collective heartbeat of Bengal’s biggest festival.
“Durga Puja is not just a celebration, it is an emotion stitched together with rhythm,” said ITC Spices, business head, Piyush Mishra. “With Dhaki Utsav, we wanted to shine the spotlight on the artists who define the soundscape of Pujo.”
For the dhakis themselves, the recognition was deeply moving. “Pujo is life for us,” said Gokul Dhaki. “To see our art celebrated on such a scale is an honour beyond words.” Bose echoed the sentiment, calling the performance “a privilege and a moment to cherish forever.”
With this initiative, Sunrise has gone beyond spices to spice up tradition, not only creating a festive anthem but etching a new cultural legacy that honours the keepers of Bengal’s most iconic rhythm.
From empowering women priests to celebrating self-defence through its Durgatinashini campaign, Sunrise has consistently blended tradition with progress. This year’s Dhaki Utsav reinforces its role as a brand deeply rooted in Bengal’s heritage, ensuring the drummers who fuel Pujo’s spirit are finally recognised as its soul.
Brands
Kotak Mahindra Prime names Suraj Rajappan as managing director and chief executive
The car-finance arm of Kotak Mahindra Bank lines up a new chief and raises its borrowing limit
MUMBAI: Suraj Rajappan is getting the keys. Kotak Mahindra Prime Limited (KMPL), India’s veteran car-finance outfit, has named him managing director and chief executive, effective June 1st, 2026—the same day his predecessor drives off into retirement.
The board approved the appointment at its meeting on March 18th. Rajappan, currently a whole-time director at the company, has spent his entire 24-year career at KMPL, working across functions before rising to the top job. The three-year term remains subject to shareholder approval, and the company confirmed he faces no bar from SEBI or any other authority from holding the post.
He takes over from Shahrukh Todiwala, who superannuates on May 31st after more than three decades with the Kotak Group. Ashok Vaswani, managing director and chief executive of parent Kotak Mahindra Bank, was generous in his send-off. Todiwala, he said, “leaves behind a legacy marked by prudent growth, strong risk discipline, and a focus on customer-centricity.” Of his successor, Vaswani was equally bullish: Rajappan’s “deep industry experience and execution capabilities position KMPL well for its next phase of growth.”
The board also loosened the purse strings, raising the company’s overall outstanding debt limit from Rs 43,000 crore to Rs 48,000 crore. The expanded ceiling covers bank loans, debentures, commercial paper, treasury operations, credit facilities and external commercial borrowings.
KMPL has operated as a car-finance company since 1996, branching into two-wheeler loans in 2018 and loans against property in 2021. With fresh leadership, a bigger borrowing arsenal and an ambitious lender for a parent, Rajappan’s first task is clear: step on the accelerator.
