MAM
U Mumba ropes in 6 sponsors, 3 partners for Pro Kabaddi League 7
MUMBAI: U Mumba, the franchise owned by U Sports which is helmed by Ronnie Screwvala and Supratik Sen, got 6 sponsors and 3 partners on board for the upcoming Season 7 of the Pro Kabaddi League that starts on 20 July. While a few brands have been associated with U Mumba in prior seasons as well, a few new ones have deals across all the sport franchises under U Sports.
The categories of sponsorship have been taken by the following: Indigo Paints as Presenting Sponsor, Haldirams as Powered by Sponsor, Mitashi as Electronics Partner, BKT Tires as Off Highway Tire Partner, Flamingo as Pain Management Partner, Je & Vee Infrastructure as Infrastructure Partner and Vihan Switches as Electric partner. In fact, Indigo paints was Presenting sponsor for U Mumba in season 6 as well. A few more sponsors are expected to come on board as the season begins.
U Mumba also has Radio City as Radio Partner, Superfan AI as Fan Engagement Partner, Gold’s Gym as Fitness Partner, Dome@NSCI, SVP Stadium as Venue Partner and PayTM/Insider.in as Ticketing Partner for a second year running.
Flamingo, flagship brand of Ascent Meditech Ltd. has backed U Sports not only in kabaddi, but also in volleyball (U Mumba Volley) and table tennis (U Mumba TT)
As a brand, U Mumba looks to grow along with its partner brands. U Mumba believes in ensuring all brands get their desired visibility, engagement and more. It’s evident from the fact that some of our partners are with us in concurrent seasons.
U Sports co-founder and MD, Supratik Sen said, "We are pleased to have all these sponsor and partner brands on board for season 7 of the Pro Kabaddi League. All our partner brands and sponsors share similar mindsets and ethos as U Sports, and we hope to have an engagement with them that is deeper than just being sponsors. As always, U Mumba has always engaged the right audiences and thus facilitates maximum traction for our sponsors! With strong brands like these backing the team, we will definitely do our best to live up to their and the fans expectations and reach for top honors.”
Indigo Paints managing director Hemant Jalan said, "We have been a part of the U Mumba journey for a while now and the relationship has been nothing short of amazing. It is important to have similar mindset and goals. The engagement we got last season was wonderful and we’re looking to do more this season. The team over the seasons has shown tremendous progress and we could not be prouder to be associated with a team like U Mumba. Hoping for yet another successful season this time too!"
Haldirams Food International Pvt Ltd, director, Neeraj Agrawal said, “We are extremely pleased to be a sponsor of U Mumba for the upcoming Season 7. Kabaddi is the most iconic & lovable sports after cricket in India, and in over the years PKL has grown as one of the biggest sporting properties, and we are proud to be part of it, U Mumba and our brand have perfect synergy. This is our first season with U Mumba, and we are as excited as the team is! We believe the team will deliver the best of their skills & conclude at the top order. On behalf of Haldirams family, I wish them all the very best”
Ascent Meditech Ltd, founder and MD, Flamingo, Rajiv Mistry said, ‘’Pro Kabaddi, an action-packed platform for brands has changed the media consumption pattern among Indians drastically over the past seasons. Kabaddi players have now become household names and carry with them huge followers, who are majorly millennial. With Kabaddi or with any sporting activity, come injuries and pain. Flamingo, the official pain management partner of U Mumba would play a crucial role in comforting the pain among the players with its quality products thereby enabling them to excel in their pursuits and help emerge Kabaddi as the winner. He adds, Kabaddi acted as the perfect fit as Flamingo products are used by everyday consumers across age who strives to progress and refuse to stare at defeat due to niggles and pain.’’
BKT Tires joint managing director Rajiv Poddar said, “Having been associated with 8 Kabaddi teams last season and receiving a fantastic response from our stakeholders, we are delighted to continue our association with Kabaddi this year as well. Being able to support some of the most competitive Kabaddi teams in the country is a matter of pride for BKT Tires. The U Mumba team has had great success over the past seasons, and we are delighted to be able to partner with the team this season.”
Mitashi Edutainment Pvt. Ltd. founder and CMD, Rakesh Dugar said, “With longstanding associations with cricket and football, Mitashi is excited to collaborate with the U Mumba team for the 7th edition of the Pro Kabaddi League 2019. We share the team’s ethos and ideology with focus on hard work, companionship and sportsmanship. We encourage the promotion of home-grown talent and sports across India and Internationally. We are confident that our U Mumba team shall come through with flying colours and shall win the trophy in this edition of the PKL 2019."
Vihan Electric Private Limited director Devendra Kumar Jain said, "We are very excited to be associated with U Mumba and are sure the journey is going to be a long lasting and fruitful one for both parties. As a team, U Mumba is young and motivated and that reflects on our brand energy too."
Je & Vee Infrastructure MD Vinay Singh said, “At Je & Vee Infrastructure, as someone who believes in quality and excellence in everything we do, we see U Mumba is the one team that shares the same values. By partnering with them, we hope to connect with the common Mumbaikar and build long term relationships not only with audiences but with the team as well! We look forward to the next 3 months and more!”
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.
