MAM
Mindshare south Asia elevates Vinod Thadani
MUMBAI: Mindshare, part of GroupM, has appointed Vinod Thadani as its chief digital officer – south Asia. In his new role, Thadani will be responsible for managing the agency’s full-service digital offerings for existing clients as well as bringing in new business to the agency.
With over fifteen years of media experience, Thadani is responsible for setting up the largest mobile practice at GroupM in 2008 and winning media awards in the mobile category across all major award functions – IDMA, Emvies, DMA, IAMAI, Goa Fest, Campaign India, MMA, Yahoo Big Chair and Festival Of Media.
Prior to moving to Mindshare south Asia, he was the chief executive officer of Madhouse India (a joint venture between WPP and Madhouse China) and played a crucial role in setting up India’s largest mobile advertising and marketing company. He worked closely with over 100 clients like Intel, Idea, VW, Panasonic, Titan, Britannia, Google, LIC, Siemens, ITC, Flipkart, Nestle, Make My Trip, Hungama.com and media conglomerates such as GroupM, OMG, Percept & Ignitee.
Welcoming him to the team, Mindshare south Asia leader Ravi Rao said, “Vinod has always managed to stay ahead of the curve with his in-depth knowledge and continuous innovation. We are extremely glad to have him on board and are confident he will take Mindshare to greater avenues.”
Thadani said, “With the eminent growth of over 40 per cent in digital advertising, the future of marketing lies in seamless integration of core traditional media with digital and mobile media. Mindshare boasts of an impressive client roster with some of the biggest brands in the world, and I look forward to working with each of them and the team on their digital mandates.”
Thadani is also an empanelled member of the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) and plays a pivotal role in the MMA’s South Asian operations. He has been a regular speaker and conference chair at several domestic and international industry events, giving his point of view and expert opinions in the role of mobile in the marketing value chain.
MAM
Mankind Pharma highlights rising kidney disease risk on World Kidney Day
Nearly 138 million Indians live with CKD as experts urge early screening.
MUMBAI: Your kidneys rarely make noise when something is wrong. That silence, doctors say, is precisely the problem. Marking World Kidney Day, Mankind Pharma has joined healthcare experts to raise awareness about the growing burden of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), a condition that often progresses unnoticed until it reaches advanced stages. Globally, CKD affects nearly 10 percent of the population. In India, the scale is even more alarming. Health studies estimate that about 138 million people in the country are living with some form of chronic kidney disease, placing India among the nations with the highest disease burden worldwide.
The difficulty lies in detection. Kidneys quietly perform essential tasks such as filtering waste, balancing body fluids, regulating blood pressure and supporting several metabolic functions. Yet experts warn that an individual can lose up to 90 percent of kidney function without obvious symptoms, making routine screening crucial.
As part of its awareness initiative, Mankind Pharma is encouraging people to monitor key health indicators including blood pressure, blood sugar and kidney function through basic diagnostic tests. The campaign also features educational outreach and discussions with medical experts to highlight the importance of early detection.
The healthcare challenge extends beyond diagnosis to treatment. India requires nearly 200,000 kidney transplants every year, but only around 13,500 procedures are performed annually, meeting less than 6 percent of the total demand. The shortage of organ donors remains a major hurdle, with the country’s organ donation rate still below one donor per million population, far lower than many developed nations.
Doctors also point to lifestyle and health trends driving the surge in kidney disease. Rising rates of diabetes and hypertension remain among the leading causes, alongside factors such as high salt consumption, unhealthy diets and sedentary lifestyles.
Max Super Speciality Hospital chairman of Urology, Renal transplant and robotics Anant Kumar stressed that routine health checks can significantly reduce long term risks.
“Chronic kidney disease often progresses silently and remains undetected until it reaches advanced stages. Individuals with diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity or a family history of kidney disease should undergo regular screening through tests such as blood creatinine, urine analysis and blood pressure monitoring. Early diagnosis plays a crucial role in slowing disease progression and improving outcomes,” he said.
Mankind Pharma chief operating officer Arjun Juneja added that awareness and prevention remain key to tackling the growing health challenge.
“World Kidney Day is an important reminder that prevention and early detection are critical in addressing kidney disease. By promoting regular screenings, healthier lifestyle choices and greater awareness, we hope to encourage individuals to take proactive steps to protect their long term health,” he said.
Medical experts recommend several simple steps to protect kidney health. These include staying physically active, maintaining healthy blood sugar levels, monitoring blood pressure regularly, following a balanced diet with controlled salt intake, staying hydrated and avoiding unnecessary use of painkillers. Routine kidney function tests are especially important for people considered at higher risk.
As the global and national burden of CKD continues to rise, health professionals say awareness campaigns like World Kidney Day serve as an important opportunity to remind people that kidney health often depends on catching problems before the body shows any warning signs.
