MAM
Weekend Unwind with: Hansa Mondal, COO & co-founder of Ssoftoons Entertainment Media
Mumbai: With yet another Saturday upon us, it’s time to unwind with a dose of our weekend special series. Weekend Unwind is a tete-e-tete with an industry executive—akin to a virtual water cooler chat – an attempt to get to know the person behind the title a little better.
This week we have with us Ssoftoons Entertainment Media co-founder & COO Hansa Mondal, sharing her nuggets on dealing with the curveballs life throws at us.
Having left a well-secured job, Hansa embarked upon her entrepreneurial journey in 2001, co-founding Ssoftoons—a homegrown animation company—with her business-cum-life partner Sourav Mondal in Howrah, West Bengal. Being a complete novice in the industry, she had to start from scratch by learning to sketch and arming herself with the industry know-how. After nearly a decade, the company saw success in the regional market, and with an intention to have a national presence, the couple moved to Mumbai. Having delivered some successful projects, Hansa is currently working in association with Disney India. In her current position as COO at Ssoftoons, she undertakes planning and execution to keep the flow running smoothly.
So here goes…
Ø Your mantra for Life
Since childhood, I have followed “perseverance.” I am aware of my goal and remain focused and dedicated to achieve my dreams.
Ø A book you are currently reading/plan to read
“Start with Why” by Simon Sinek. I read each and every page more than once. It is really inspiring.
Ø Your fitness mantra, especially during the pandemic
To put it simply: inhaling and exhaling. Am a yoga lover. Yoga and pranayama keeps me fit both mentally and physically.
Ø Your comfort food
Mummy-made Besan (Gram Flour) ke Pakode with green coriander chutney.
Ø When the chips are down a quote/philosophy that keeps you going
“One year equals 365 possibilities.” I calm down and regain the power to think and rethink to overcome the situation. I follow the philosophy of gratitude in every case, be it good or bad.
Ø Your guilty pleasure
Secretly taking good pens from my kids and husband’s drawers with the intention of not giving them back! I never buy a pen for myself.
Ø When was the last time you tried something new
I have started learning the piano. Practising and mastering this instrument requires dedication and sustained effort. It relaxes my brain.
Ø A life lesson you learnt the hard way
That we all are playing our roles on the stage of life. So, no matter what happens, the show must go on. Time never stops for anyone. It doesn’t care about your worries or about your happiness. So, accept every situation because worries and fears are yours, like happiness.
Ø What gets you excited about life
I started my journey from absolute zero. So, when I am out of projects or in a problem, I never regret it and instead try to give a kickstart, as I know how to grow from zero.
Ø What’s on top of your bucket list
Completing a management course from Harvard University Online.
Ø If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be
Maintaining a database of contacts and keeping in touch. I always preferred to be within myself. But later in my life, I realised my mistake because I came to know that “network = net worth.”
Ø One thing you would most like to change about the world
Blasphemy.
Ø An activity that keeps you motivated/charged during tough times
Reading good books and doing something constructive, like developing new concepts or plots. Building good stories boost my confidence to fight back.
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.
