MAM
Weekend Unwind with: White Rivers Media co-founder & Ceo Shrenik Gandhi
Mumbai: IndianTelevision moves on to the next in its series of informal, fun snippets that peek into the mind of corporate executives – akin to a virtual water cooler chat. An attempt to get to know the person behind the title a little better, by having them share their nuggets on life and their mantras to deal with the curveballs that life throws – not necessarily revolving around work life – and sometimes going beyond work.
This week, we have on the hot seat White Rivers Media Co-founder & Ceo Shrenik Gandhi. A zealous entrepreneur, Gandhi cofounded White Rivers Media in 2012. Since then, the agency has featured in Deloitte Tech Fast 50’s ranking- a benchmark of fast-growing tech companies worldwide- five years in a row. Gandhi is also a regular speaker at digital and entrepreneurship summits, including TedX.
So here goes…
ü Your mantra for life: My mantra for life is very straightforward- Give joy and pay it forward, always.
ü A book you are currently reading or planning to read: ‘Atomic Habits’ by James Clear is a book that has truly moved me.
ü Your fitness mantra, especially during the pandemic: My fitness routine has always been quite simple. It’s basically, getting a cardio workout by 7:30 am and dinner before 6:30 am.
ü Your comfort food: I’m a big fan of Indian cuisine. So, any Indian meal is my comfort food.
ü When the chips are down a quote/ philosophy that keeps you going: When the odds are not in our favour, it’s important to have faith in yourself and believe that things will get better. So my go-to quote in tough times has to be: ‘Believe. Believe in a better tomorrow, always’.
ü Your guilty pleasure: Binging on my favourite ice cream from NOTO would probably be it.
ü When was the last time you tried something new? I believe I am a curious learner by nature and someone open to new experiences. Last week I tried polishing my table tennis skills, while this week I’m going to try my hand at golf.
ü If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be? For the longest time, I was afraid of failing. But if I could give my younger self a piece of advice, I’d say, “fail faster” because failure is what leads to growth.
ü What gets you excited about life? Every day, I get excited about the next day, because every tomorrow has the potential to be extraordinary.
ü What’s on top of your bucket list? Well, I have a long due vacation to Iceland, so it’s fair to say that backpacking in Iceland tops my bucket list.
ü A life lesson you learnt the hard way: Again, just two words- Fail fast
ü One thing you would most like to change about the world: The world is in desperate need of empathy, and it’s about time this changes. Apart from that, on a more practical note, more financial prudence is the need of the hour.
ü An activity that keeps you motivated / charged during tough times: Yoga is something that keeps me charged throughout the day, especially on challenging days.
ü What lifts your spirits when life gets you down? I think meditation works magically when life gets you down. It helps me clear my head which eventually leads me to come up with solutions.
ü Your go-to stress buster: As cliche as it may sound, getting some cardio done at the gym helps clear my mind, and it’s my go-to stress buster.
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.
