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Kabaddi Champions League fixes December 28 player auction
SONIPAT: The Kabaddi Champions League (KCL) has set December 28 for its first-ever player auction, marking a decisive step towards the launch of its inaugural season. Eight franchises will compete to assemble squads from a deep domestic talent pool, backed by a total purse of Rs 4 crore.
The announcement follows the completion of the league’s Zone 4 and central trials in Sonipat, which drew strong interest from across the country. More than 3,500 players registered for the trials, with over 1,500 athletes turning up for the central rounds. After a rigorous screening process, more than 110 players have been shortlisted, while the final auction pool is expected to comprise 200 to 250 players across categories.
Alongside emerging and grassroots talent, the auction will feature several established kabaddi professionals, including players with experience in national tournaments and leading professional leagues. Their presence is expected to lift the competitive intensity and sharpen the league’s on-court quality.
The trials were held across Sonipat and neighbouring regions under a structured and transparent evaluation framework. Selection panels included former international players and senior kabaddi figures, lending credibility and technical depth to the scouting process.
With trials concluded, focus now shifts to the live auction, where franchises will build balanced squads of raiders, defenders and all-rounders within defined purse limits and squad composition norms. The league said detailed auction guidelines will be shared ahead of the event.
Positioned as a bridge between grassroots and professional kabaddi, the Kabaddi Champions League aims to create a clear progression pathway for players. The December auction is expected to shape the competitive contours of the league ahead of its debut season, with further details on venue and logistics to be announced shortly.
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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.
