MAM
Whisper teaches young girls – periods ka matlab healthy hai aap!
Mumbai: India’s leading feminine-care brand Whisper, from the house of Procter & Gamble, is raising awareness about— the early onset of menstruation among young girls — as part of the fifth edition of its #KeepGirlsInSchool (KGIS) movement. With girls starting periods as early as eight years of age, the need to create awareness early on is crucial, as 26 million girls can be at risk of dropping out of school without period education and access to period products.* Studies have found that one out of five girls could be dropping out of school due to a lack of period education and access to period products.**
In India today, girls as young as eight years of age are beginning their menstrual cycle, as per several reports, and so are at a higher risk of dropping out from school due to lack of period education. This could lead to escalation in absenteeism and increased drop out rate if they do not learn and are made aware at the right time. Whisper is at the forefront of educating girls across the country about the importance of menstrual hygiene, normalising any myths and taboos about periods, with an aim to decrease dropout rates caused by insufficient information and lack of access to period products. To date, Whisper’s Keep Girls In School program has taught over 100 million schoolgirls and mothers about periods and period products, and provided free sanitary napkins to girls.
Whisper’s new emotional film features young eight-year-old girls who know nothing about menstruation and think up the worst possible scenarios as the cause of unexpected bleeding in one of their friends. The film aims to normalise this natural biological change in their body by educating young girls in school about the early onset of periods with a fun, catchy jingle that reiterates, “periods ka matlab healthy hai aap (periods means you are healthy)”.
Publicis Groupe – South Asia chief creative officer and Leo Burnett – South Asia chairman Rajdeepak Das said “Our ongoing research about the changing conversations around menstruation identified a glaring anomaly – girls today are getting their periods much earlier than before. However, they are being educated about periods at a much later stage or oftentimes not at all. Whisper and Leo Burnett have been on a journey to keep girls in school for a long time and we wanted to bridge this gap. Our latest work talks to the 8-year-olds in a language they can understand, with a heartwarming song that teaches them that getting periods means they are healthy. The goal is to not just teach the little girls but also use the song as a tool to equip her ecosystem- parents and educators, enabling them to teach periods in an empowering manner.”
“There is a seismic shift happening in period biology. This heightens the need to educate girls early on and to prepare them to embrace this biological process. Through this initiative, we strive to educate them about how periods are healthy and how they can take care of themselves on their period days. Every year, Whisper goes to more than 60,000 schools to create period education programs and we are now also going to younger standards. Consumers too can do their bit buying a Whisper Ultra pack which will help us educate and donate pads to one girl to keep her in school,” said Procter & Gamble Vice president & category leader – India feminine care Girish Kalyanaraman.
KGIS is an initiative by Whisper which aims to reduce the stigma attached to menstruation, create awareness and reduce the number of girls who drop due to the lack of information around menstrual hygiene. KGIS has taught over 100 million school girls about periods and period products till date. For the first time, Whisper has used music to raise awareness about periods; through a fun and catchy jingle, “periods ka matlab healthy hai aap”.
Brands
KPMG names Gary Wingrove as global chairman and CEO from October
Record Gmada bids signal rising demand as Rs 1,000 crore bet reshapes Tricity skyline
MUMBAI: KPMG has chosen continuity with a forward tilt. The firm has announced that Gary Wingrove will take over as global chairman and CEO of KPMG International, beginning a four year term from 1 October 2026. Currently serving as global chief operating officer, Wingrove steps into the top role after being nominated by the global board and elected by the global council.
A KPMG veteran with over 25 years at the firm, Wingrove has been closely involved in shaping its recent trajectory. As global COO, he has helped drive the firm’s Collective Strategy, focusing on operational integration, global investments and the steady expansion of the KPMG Delivery Network. He has also been at the forefront of KPMG’s digital push, including the rollout of AI enabled solutions across its global operations.
Before his global role, Wingrove served as CEO of KPMG Australia for nearly a decade, where he led a period of strong growth, almost doubling revenue, profitability and headcount while steering a cultural reset.
He succeeds Bill Thomas, who has led KPMG since 2017 and will work alongside Wingrove over the next six months to ensure a smooth transition.
Thomas leaves behind a firm that looks markedly different from when he took charge. Under his leadership, KPMG’s global revenues have risen by 55 per cent, and its workforce has expanded to more than 276,000 people. He also unified the network of member firms under the Collective Strategy, aligning priorities and strengthening governance.
His tenure saw heavy investment in technology and partnerships, with alliances spanning Microsoft, Google Cloud, SAP, Oracle and ServiceNow. These collaborations, along with platforms like KPMG Clara, have helped the firm scale its AI-led offerings and sharpen its competitive edge.
Beyond growth, Thomas also pushed improvements in audit quality and sustainability. Initiatives such as a multiyear global sustainability strategy and the Our Impact Plan have aimed to embed long term thinking into the firm’s operations and client services.
For Wingrove, the brief is clear but evolving. He has signalled a focus on agility, deep expertise and technology driven solutions as clients navigate an increasingly complex business landscape. He also emphasised KPMG’s identity as a people first organisation, supported by technology and unified through its global network.
The timing of the leadership change comes as KPMG continues to grow, reporting a 5.1 per cent rise in global revenue in FY25, with gains across tax and legal, audit and advisory services. Growth was recorded across all regions, despite a challenging macro environment.
As Wingrove prepares to take charge, the firm appears set on a familiar path with a sharper digital edge. Same playbook, perhaps, but with a renewed focus on speed, scale and smarter solutions.
