Dettol Banega Swasth India is focused on embedding hygiene practices into the spiritual and cultural fabric of this sacred event.
NEW DELHI, Jan 14 (The CONNECT) – Reckitt, the world’s leading consumer health and hygiene company, through its flagship campaign, Dettol Banega Swasth India, has joined the Maha Kumbh with its Swachh and Swasth Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, in partnership with Global Interfaith WASH Alliance (GIWA), AJ Foundation (formerly AJYS), Plan India and Jagran Pehel (a Division of Shri Puran Chandra Gupta Smarak Trust).
This initiative strengthens Reckitt’s mission to transform public health and hygiene at the world’s largest religious gathering, contributing to the nation’s Viksit Bharat @ 2047 Agenda by establishing hygiene as the foundation for good health.
Since 2016, Dettol Banega Swasth India (DBSI) has been a trusted partner of the Kumbh Mela with impactful interventions in Ardh Kumbh Melas and Magh Melas across Varanasi, Nashik and Ujjain. Over the years, Kumbh has witnessed a surge of pilgrims, and this year as the Maha Kumbh Mela is expected to draw 45 crore devotees, DBSI is focused on embedding hygiene practices into the spiritual and cultural fabric of this sacred event.
The campaign, in collaboration with the Akhadas, will provide millions of soaps to devotees at food-serving areas to ensure handwashing before and after meals, fostering healthier practices across the Mela grounds. Additionally, DBSI will support nearly 15,000 sanitation workers by providing training programmes and making soaps accessible to them.
These efforts aim to ensure that both devotees and sanitation workers experience a healthier and cleaner Kumbh.
Gaurav Jain, Executive Vice President, Reckitt – South Asia said the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 provides a unique opportunity to embed hygiene practices into one of India’s most culturally significant events.
Recognizing the diversity and scale of the Maha Kumbh, Dettol Banega Swasth India is deploying health and hygiene volunteers across all 25 sectors of the Kumbh, offering on-ground support and guidance to the pilgrims. Special focus is also being given to millions of Kalpvasis (devotees staying for the entire 45 days of the Mela), who will receive soaps and hygiene awareness messages to encourage consistent hygiene practices during their stays. Adding to the cultural experience, the campaign will also engage devotees through traditional Nukkad Nataks, delivering powerful messages on the vital role of handwashing in maintaining good health.
Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji, President, Parmarth Niketan Ashram, Rishikesh and Co-Founder, Global Interfaith WASH Alliance, said, by leveraging engaging initiatives such as street plays, puppet shows, and distributing planters, the campaign aims to empower individuals to become ambassadors of change, driving a collective movement towards a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable society.
