MAM
Sudhir Sitapati to deliver AAAI Subhas Ghosal Memorial Lecture on 18 January 2024
Mumbai: The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and the Subhas Ghosal Foundation (SGF) announced that the Subhas Ghosal Memorial Lecture will be delivered this year by managing director and CEO, Sudhir Sitapati, as the esteemed speaker. The event will be held on 18 January 2024 Thursday at 7:00 pm at ITC Grand Central Parel, Mumbai.
While talking about his personal and professional experiences, Sudhir Sitapati will share many valuable insights on building Brands in today’s India.
As a memorial to one of the influential figures in the history of advertising, Subhas Ghosal, the Subhas Ghosal Foundation was established by a group of senior communication professionals who lived during his era. One of the primary objectives of the Foundation is to promote professional values. Ghosal embodied throughout his lifetime. With the support of Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI), the Foundation has been hosting its ‘AAAI Subhas Ghosal Memorial Lecture’ series, for several years, where luminaries like Rajan Anandan, Uday Shankar, Ronnie Screwvalla, Aroon Purie have delivered motivational and informative talks.
On behalf of SGF, Sam Balsara says, “We live in a world where brands play a very important role in consumer lives and have become money spinners for those members of India Inc. who know how to create and nurture them. Sudhir, with his extensive experience of building Brands at Unilever and now at Godrej Consumer Products Limited will deliver, I am sure, a very insightful talk that will be invaluable for all of us in the Marketing, Advertising and Media World”.
Ahead of the lecture AAAI president, Prasanth Kumar said, “Sudhir is an experienced and proven Brand builder and AAAI is delighted that he has agreed to deliver the Subhas Ghosal Memorial Lecture.”
All members of the Advertising, Marketing, Media and Digital community are welcome. However entry is only by invitation. Please send an email to Mr. Chetan Salian at AAAI on his email id aaai@aaai.in to receive an invitation.
The lecture is made possible by ABP NEWS’s gracious support, which the organizers are deeply grateful for.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI: Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
