Brands
Tata Mumbai Marathon 2024 draws 59,000 participants across on-ground and virtual
Mumbai: Asia’s prestigious Tata Mumbai Marathon (TMM) will witness over 56,000 participants take to the start line at the glorious Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus on Sunday, 21 January. Joining from different parts of the world will be an additional 2900 runners participating virtually through the TMM app.
This iconic event has ushered in a running revolution that has redefined our country’s health, fitness, and giving paradigm. For the 19 edition of the event, the country will stand in unison as the city bursts to life in a celebration of #HarDilMumbai.
TMM 2024 has broken all barriers with an overwhelming response from the running community across all categories. The Marathon – our feature race for the first time has crossed the 11,000 participant mark. This is a testament to how the running culture in India has evolved in the last two decades, with running becoming the fastest-growing urban sport.
This World Athletics Gold Label Road race will witness in action defending champions and event record holders Ethiopians Hayle Lemi Berhanu and Anchialem Haymanot take center stage. Reigning Olympic and World Champion in Pole Vault Katie Moon along with marathon running icon Meb Keflezighi will add sheen to the Sunday morning as Event Ambassadors boosting morale and serving as an inspiration for runners.
Deepak Kesarkar, guardian minister, Mumbai & minister for education, Govt. of Maharashtra said, “Tata Mumbai Marathon is the pride of India. It is not just a marathon, but it is a run for a cause. Mumbai is really proud to have Tata and TCS, as the flagbearers of this event. The kind of donations that are raised for various organisations is really praiseworthy. Because of such, the heritage of philanthropy is kept intact. Mumbai is very much similar to London with the kind of structures that we have. This is another attraction for all the participants who are coming from all over the world to participate. I welcome the event and we are there to extend our help. Our honourable CM and Deputy CM will be coming personally for the event. We are all for the slogan #HarDil Mumbai which is in the hearts of Mumbaikars and Indians.”
Tata Sons head of brand and marketing Adrian Terron said “We are proud to be associated with the Tata Mumbai Marathon, an event that embodies athletic excellence and community spirit. With over 56,000 participants, including Mumbaikars and runners from across India and the world, TMM 2024 is set to be a remarkable display of human endurance and spirit. It will be truly inspiring to see each participant, from the elite to the first-time marathoners, pushing their boundaries to achieve the extraordinary. We extend our best wishes to all the participants, and hope that they have a successful and memorable running experience.”
The Rs 405,000 prize money event will be spearheaded by the Defending Champion and the first Indian to win the Asian Marathon Championship in 2017 – Gopi T. Also toeing the start line will be 2020 champion Srinu Bugatha and Tirtha Kumar Pun, the 2023 Vasai Virar Mayor’s Marathon winner.
Last year’s runner up Aarti Patil will be gunning for her maiden title and will be challenged by Jigmet Dolma, the runner-up in 2017 and 2019.
The Indian men and women marathon winners will bag Rs 5,00,000 each, further incentivised with a Rs 2,00,000 course record bonus.
In the half marathon category, Asian Games Silver Medallist Kartik Kumar and Bronze- medallist Gulveer Singh will be the main attraction and will be challenged by TSK 25K 2023 winner Sawan Barwal.
TCS sr. vice president & country head of India business Ujjwal Mathur said “As we step into the New Year, TCS is thrilled to kick off 2024 with the Tata Mumbai Marathon, a celebration of resilience, togetherness, and the invigorating power of sport. As the title sponsor of the most iconic marathons in the world, the Tata Mumbai Marathon holds a special place in our commitment to sports and well-being. Our association with this iconic event reflects our brand ethos, emphasizing self-confidence, community spirit, and a positive future,”.
IDFC FIRST Bank head of retail liabilities & branch banking, Chinmay Dhoble said, “We are thrilled to partner with the marquee marathon event, TATA Mumbai Marathon that celebrates the city of dreams, Mumbai. This event marks another year of our collaboration with the largest marathon in Asia. This association reinforces the Bank’s commitment to be involved in our customer’s journey, both fitness & financial. We look forward to an event that inspires camaraderie and honours their #JourneyToTheStart!”.
HIGHLIGHTS 2024
Over the years, the Tata Mumbai Marathon has been privileged to have some of the most esteemed brands associated with it. This year, two new partners have joined the fray – Club Vistara as the loyalty partner and Adhata as the institution partner.
Association with Club Vistara, India’s rewarding frequent flyer program, aims to enhance the overall experience for the participants. Runners and their one additional person can enjoy unparalleled advantages, including exceptional deals on airfare, exclusive onboard offers, and special enrolment privileges with Club Vistara.
Representing the Club Vistara, Vistara CCO Deepak Rajawat said, “We at Vistara, an airline owned by Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines formed in 2014, celebrate our 9 anniversary, and we are privileged to be the first-ever airlines to partner with Tata Mumbai Marathon. Club Vistara’s loyalty program has 35 partners on board, and Tata Mumbai Marathon is the first-ever sporting platform that we have partnered with. We look forward to promoting fitness and wellness as part of our initiatives within Club Vistara.”
Since its inception, the Tata Mumbai Marathon has been an inclusive event and the Senior Citizen’s Run has been an integral part of this movement. For the 2024 edition, Adhata Trust an NGO working for over a decade with and for older persons with a mission to spread awareness, contribute, and promote the welfare of Senior Citizens through Holistic Wellbeing programs has joined as the Institution Partner.
Exclusive Race Day, Tee By ASICS, Sports Goods Partner ASICS, the iconic Japanese sportswear brand has been a longstanding partner of the Tata Mumbai Marathon. For the 2024 edition, the brand will present all marathoners with a specially designed Race Day Tee-Shirt to honor their enthusiasm, effort, and steely resolve.
Limited Edition Bisleri Bottles, The Hydration Partner, Bisleri has launched limited edition bottles featuring three top Indian Elite full marathon runners – Defending Champion & former Asian Marathon Champion Gopi T, TMM 2020 winner Srinu Bugatha and Marathon Runner Jigmet Dolma.
Cosplay Your Way in the Dream Run!
Unleash your inner pop icon at the Run in Costume Contest presented by Imagica at the Dream Run. Make your dash dressed as Wonder Woman, Jawan, or any character that fires your fandom, and race to glory on a track that’s as vibrant as our city’s pop culture pulse. Individuals and groups have a chance to win fabulous prizes by Imagica, cash rewards, and the title of Mumbai’s Run in Costume Champion!
Live Performance by Saregama Artists
To celebrate and applaud the efforts of all participants, TMM 2024 along with Saregama Artists will host a musical treat in the post-finish zone. Noted performers such as Varsha Singh Dhanao, Raja Hasan, Jaan Kumar Sanu, DJ Swattrex, Pranav Chandran, Avinash Gupta, Girish Chawala, Sherrin & DJ Pablo will perform renditions of popular Bollywood songs.
Mumbai Festival
The much-anticipated ‘Mumbai Festival 2024’ is gearing up to be a celebration of unity, culture, and diversity. This nine-day fiesta with collaborations from Tata Mumbai Marathon and the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival will be a mix of popular events along with a music fest, an expo, cinema and beach fests, a movie competition, a cricket clinic, start-up fest, among others.
Representing the Mumbai Festival, Jayshree Bhoj, Principal Secretary Tourism, Govt. of Maharashtra, said, “This is the very first time, the government of Maharashtra has come up with an idea of Mumbai festival, which celebrates the spirit of Mumbai. The Government of Maharashtra plans to make it an annual event. I am grateful and obliged that we are partnering with the Tata Mumbai Marathon in our very first year. I am hoping this association could go a long way. I wish the Tata Mumbai marathon the very best”.
Procam International Jt. MD Vivek Singh said, “The past six months have been phenomenal for Tata Mumbai Marathon, as we hit new records with the teeming registration count. We worked in tandem with the state and civic authorities to ensure a seamless race and with brands to deliver innovations and elevate the participant’s race day experience.”
He further added that marathon efforts have been made by all stakeholders, and this will culminate in an unforgettable journey for runners, stakeholders, and everyone associated with the Tata Mumbai Marathon. Today, participating in TMM means becoming a part of something bigger, a mosaic of strength, courage, and Mumbai’s indomitable spirit. Good luck and Godspeed to everyone who will be a part of the 2024 edition.”
MIRCHI GET ACTIVE EXPO
The Mirchi Get Active Expo, is a one-stop destination to experience the latest offerings in the health, fitness, and wellness industry. It is also a hub for all confirmed participants to collect running bibs, study race day instructions and timelines, approach plans, layout plans, security arrangements, traffic restrictions, road closures, and other provisions that will come into force on Race Day.
Date & Time:
17th to 19th January 2024 – 10.30 a.m. to 7.00 p.m 20th January 2024 – 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.
Venue: Kalina University Campus, Gate no. 2, Sports Complex open ground, Vidyanagari, Kalina, Santacruz (East).
The Tata Mumbai Marathon is supported by the Government of Maharashtra, the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, the Ministry of External Affairs, the Ministry of Home Affairs, MCGM, Mumbai Police, Sports Authority of India, the Athletics Federation of India, World Athletics (WA), Association of International Marathons & Distance Races (AIMS) and Global Sports Communication.
For more information about the Tata Mumbai Marathon 2024 visit, https://tatamumbaimarathon.procam.in/
Brands
Estée Lauder to shed 10,000 jobs as new boss bets on digital shift
The cosmetics giant raises its profit outlook but stays silent on a possible merger with Spain’s Puig, as job cuts deepen and a three-year sales slump weighs on the turnaround
NEW YORK: Stéphane de La Faverie is not done cutting. Estée Lauder announced on Friday that it plans to eliminate as many as 3,000 additional jobs, taking its total redundancy programme to as many as 10,000 roles, up from a previous target of 7,000 announced a year ago. The company, which owns La Mer, The Ordinary, Tom Ford, and Aveda, employs roughly 57,000 people worldwide. The mathematics of what is now being contemplated is stark.
The fresh round of cuts is expected to generate a further $200 million in savings, bringing the total annual savings from the programme to as much as $1.2 billion before taxes. That money, De La Faverie has made clear, will be ploughed back into the turnaround.
A CEO in a hurry
De La Faverie, who took the helm in January 2025, inherited a company that had endured three consecutive years of annual sales declines. His response has been to move fast and cut deep. A significant portion of the latest redundancies reflects his push to reduce headcount at US department stores, long a cornerstone of Estée Lauder’s distribution model but now a channel in structural decline. In their place, he is accelerating the shift toward faster-growing online platforms, including Amazon.com and TikTok Shop, a pivot that is reshaping not just where Estée Lauder sells but how it thinks about its customers.
The numbers are moving in the right direction
Despite the pain, there are signs the medicine is working. Estée Lauder raised its profit outlook for the remainder of the fiscal year, guiding for adjusted earnings per share in the range of $2.35 to $2.45, above analyst estimates and a notable step up from the $2.05 to $2.25 range it had guided for in February. Organic net sales growth is expected to come in at 3 per cent, the company said, at the high end of the range it set out in February.
The share price tells a mixed story. After De La Faverie took charge, the stock surged nearly 60 per cent, buoyed by investor optimism that a longtime company insider could finally arrest the decline. But 2026 has been rougher: the shares have fallen 27 per cent this year, weighed down by disappointing February results and the overhang of unresolved merger talks with Spanish beauty giant Puig Brands SA. The company gave no additional details about those discussions on Friday, leaving the market to guess.
Silence on Puig
The proposed tie-up with Puig remains the most consequential unknown hanging over Estée Lauder. A deal with the Barcelona-based group, which owns brands including Carolina Herrera and Rabanne, would reshape the global luxury beauty landscape. But with nothing new to say and a turnaround still very much in progress, De La Faverie is asking investors to trust the process.
Three years of sales declines, 10,000 job cuts, and a merger that may or may not happen. At Estée Lauder, the overhaul has barely started.
