MAM
Leo Activation on a winning spree
MUMBAI: Leo Burnett’s three years old baby – Leo Activation, which offers 360 degrees solutions for energising brands, has come a long way.
It has now added four new businesses to its kitty in just one month’s time, after already starting the year with a bang by getting the 49th All India Congress of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 2006 (AICOG 2006) account.
Leo Activation will get involved with the organisation of an event hosted in Kerala – Sensations, South India’s premier fashion and beauty show, to be held in Cochin.
In its 150th episode to be broadcast exclusively on Surya TV, Sensations will showcase the best fashion design and modelling in India and abroad. The event is already an established brand in the South and offers huge opportunities for promotions and brand associations.
Spreading its expertise further down South, Activation will handle Thekkady Mahalsovam, an annual cultural and trade fest in Thekkady ( Kerala) to be held in August. The Thekkady District Development panel has entrusted Leo Activation with the organisation of the festival. Said Thekkady Mahalsovam Committee chairman PA Joseph, “We are glad to associate with Leo Activation. What we loved about them is their confidence, great creative ideas and strategy to achieve our objectives.”
Another conference of a national magnitude to be held in Kerala this year is the Indian Dental Association conference. Leo Activation will be completely conceptualising, designing and executing the event.
And last, but not the least, Elder Pharmaceuticals, a leading pharma company in India, has entrusted the agency with the activation activities for its Blistex lip balm brand. Leo Activation is planning a huge promotion later this year to ensure maximum visibility of the brand. “We selected Leo Activation because of their professional approach. We believe that they have a perfect mix of creative and execution expertise,” commented Blistex general manager marketing Shishir Mishra.
“We have a solid reputation down South after winning AICOG 2006 and more offers are coming our way. We intend to continue exploring opportunities in the region. We are also aggressively pitching for other businesses and already have one more major event in Mumbai at the end of this year. Watch this space! Our young team is extremely proud and energised by our recent success,” says Leo Activation head Sujit Nair.
MAM
Raghu Rai passes away at 83, leaves behind iconic legacy
Padma Shri-winning photographer documented history across 5 decades.
MUMBAI: The lens may have stilled, but the stories it captured will never fade. Raghu Rai, one of India’s most celebrated photojournalists, passed away on April 26, 2026, at the age of 83. He breathed his last at a private hospital in New Delhi after battling cancer and age-related health issues.
His son, Nitin Rai, revealed that Rai had been diagnosed with prostate cancer two years ago, which later spread to the stomach and, more recently, the brain. Despite multiple rounds of treatment, his health had declined in recent months.
Born in 1942 in Jhang, Punjab (now in Pakistan), Rai entered photography in his early twenties, inspired by his elder brother, photographer S. Paul. Beginning his career in the mid-1960s, he went on to build a body of work that spanned more than five decades, contributing to global publications such as Time, Life, GEO, Le Figaro, The New York Times, Vogue, GQ and Marie Claire.
His global recognition took a decisive leap in 1977 when legendary French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson nominated him to join Magnum Photos, placing him among the world’s most respected visual storytellers.
Rai’s lens chronicled both power and poignancy. He photographed towering figures such as Indira Gandhi, Dalai Lama, Bal Thackeray, Satyajit Ray and Mother Teresa, while also documenting defining moments like the Bhopal gas tragedy later captured in his book Exposure: A Corporate Crime.
Over the years, he published more than 18 books, building an archive that blended journalism with artistry. His contributions were recognised early when he was awarded the Padma Shri in 1972 for his coverage of the Bangladesh War and refugee crisis. In 1992, he was named “Photographer of the Year” in the United States for his work in National Geographic, and in 2009, he was honoured with the Officier des Arts et des Lettres by the French government.
Rai is survived by his wife Gurmeet, son Nitin, and daughters Lagan, Avani and Purvai. His last rites will be held at Lodhi Cremation Ground in New Delhi at 4 pm on Sunday.
With his passing, Indian photojournalism loses not just a pioneer, but a patient observer of history, one frame at a time.
