Brands
Sunrise spices up Bengal’s Pujo with festive stories
MUMBAI: When it comes to Durga Puja, Bengal knows how to bring the drama, devotion and dazzle, and ITC’s Sunrise Spices is adding its own flavour to the festivities. The brand has launched Sunrise Pujor Satkahon, a pan-state initiative in collaboration with over a thousand Puja committees, to celebrate not just the grandeur of Kolkata but the pulse of every para across West Bengal.
The campaign is designed to capture the soul of Pujo, blending tradition, community spirit and cultural pride into a vibrant tapestry of stories. Committees across districts are invited to submit write-ups detailing their Pujo themes, community involvement and the cultural significance of their celebrations. These stories will be judged in a three-phase process: storytelling and community votes will shortlist the top 250 entries, a pandal showcase and jury scoring will decide the top 50, and on-ground audits will identify the top five winners on Navami. The festivities will culminate in a celebrity-led Sindoor khela on Dashami, marking a colourful grand finale.
Beyond the contest, the top 250 entries will feature in a special coffee table book, immortalising the stories, rituals and artistry of pujos across the state. Sunrise Pujor Satkahon aims to preserve and highlight the diversity of Bengal’s festive heartbeat, celebrating everything from iconic urban pandals to lesser-known rural gems.
“Durga Puja is not just a festival; it is the soul of Bengal,” said Sunrise Spices business head Piyush Mishra. “Through Sunrise Pujor Satkahon, we are thrilled to honour the rich traditions of every para, celebrating the unity, creativity and cultural pride that make Bengal’s Pujo truly unique.”
With this initiative, Sunrise Spices is ensuring that every Pujo, big or small, finds its moment in the spotlight, creating a collective archive that captures the joy, devotion and artistry of one of India’s most beloved festivals. Every para, every story, every heart is invited to be part of the celebration.
Brands
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.
