MAM
When Rice Finds Rhythm Kohinoor turns Gujarati pride into a brand anthem
MUMBAI: Rice met rhythm this festive season as AWL Agri Business Ltd., under its premium Kohinoor Basmati Rice portfolio, unveiled a new brand song in collaboration with celebrated Gujarati folk singer Aditya Gadhvi. The launch also marks Gadhvi’s onboarding as Kohinoor’s brand ambassador, strengthening the brand’s cultural connect across Gujarat and key western markets.
Rooted in Gujarati musical idioms and contemporary folk expression, the song celebrates warmth, togetherness and the emotional pride associated with home-cooked meals. It positions rice not just as a staple, but as a shared memory maker echoing the role Kohinoor Basmati Rice has played in Indian kitchens for generations.
The campaign is anchored by a new television commercial that brings the music to life through everyday Gujarati family moments. Cultural nuances, familiar rituals and Gadhvi’s signature musical style come together to create a narrative that feels lived-in rather than staged, reinforcing Kohinoor’s long-standing association with trust and authenticity.
Commenting on the launch, AWL Agri Business head of media & digital Jignesh Shah said the collaboration reflects the brand’s intent to build deeper emotional relevance. Kohinoor, he noted, has always aimed to resonate with the cultural fabric of its consumers, and the music-led approach allows the brand to celebrate Gujarati pride, warmth and everyday traditions in a way that feels natural and engaging.
For Gadhvi, the association was deeply personal. He described rice as his comfort food across cuisines and geographies, and the project as an opportunity to express that connection through music. The Gujarati melody, rooted lyrics and a youthful rap section inspired by local rhythm, he said, reflect the soul of Gujarat while speaking to a new generation.
With this launch, Kohinoor Basmati Rice uses music as a bridge between tradition and contemporary expression, reinforcing its timeless values of aroma, authenticity and the joy of cooking for loved ones, one grain, and now one song, at a time.
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.
