MAM
Bombay Shaving Company announces R Ashwin as brand ambassador
New Delhi: Personal care brand Bombay Shaving Company has announced its association with Indian cricketer R Ashwin as its ambassador. The brand has launched an omnichannel campaign called ‘Shave to Shine’ featuring the cricketer in a completely new avatar.
With the festive season coming up in a few months, starting with Rakhi, the brand intends to capture the gifting market with innovative shaving and gifting solutions, it said in a statement.
The campaign is co-developed with The Collective Artist Network and produced by Cutting Crew Films.
Bombay Shaving Company’s VP-marketing, Samriddh Dasgupta said, “Our research indicates that men feel better prepared to take on the day after a great shave. We are all amazing in our own lives, and a good brings out that confidence in us. We have attempted to capture the intelligence, wit, and panache of Ashwin in this very high-style high-impact film. We wanted the viewer to see Ashwin in a completely new avatar – not just as a cricketer, but as the suave R Ashwin off-the-field. As a challenger brand, we invest in disruptive, visually delightful, social media-friendly, and relevant storytelling. The campaign will be taken across products, digital media, retail branding, and influencers.”
Speaking on the association, R Ashwin shared, “I am delighted to support and co-create solutions with Bombay Shaving Company. Shantanu and the team have built an iconic brand that delivers an exemplary experience of grooming through the superior quality of their products. I have used all their hair removal solutions and find them to be thoughtful, consciously created, and specially crafted for Indian men’s skin. I spend a lot of my time on the field and need products that are gentle, effective, and high-quality. I have found that in Bombay Shaving Company. I am superbly excited with what the future holds for the brand, and wish them the best.”
The brand has also launched its flagship silver metal razor in two exciting new colors and material changes. Both the razors are signed by R Ashwin and available on the brand website, as well as on Amazon, Flipkart, Nykaa, Cred, and across many retail outlets.
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.
