MAM
Godrej Appliances unveils premium lineup to boost festive cheer
Mumbai: Godrej Appliances, part of Godrej & Boyce, the flagship company of Godrej Group, is set to illuminate the festive season for its customers with an attractive line-up of premium products and exciting festive offers.
Buying patterns have witnessed a shift towards more experience-based and feature-rich products, contributing to the growth of the premium segment. Aiming to drive over 30 per cent growth in the premium segment this year, Godrej Appliances has expanded its range of home appliances, especially in premium segments, to provide consumers with more product options having distinguished features and technologies. Overall, consumers can choose from over 350 SKUs spread over a wide portfolio of refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, air coolers, microwave ovens, deep freezers, dishwashers and more.
Godrej Appliances has recently launched the 670L premium ‘Eon Velvet 4-door refrigerator’, equipped with easy convertible modes and advanced controls; 400L+ frost-free refrigerators and high capacity 250L+ single-door refrigerators in the well-accepted ‘Edge Marvel series’. Alongside ‘Steam Wash’ enabled top-load automatic washing machines and ‘Front-load washing machines’ with advanced features. Further introducing the ‘Turbo Chill Air Conditioners’ in 1.1 TR and 1.7 TR with wider indoor unit, I-sense and five-in-one convertible technology, Nano Coated Anti-Viral Filters; and the power saving 5.4 ISEER ‘Super-Efficient ACs’. All this along with the new series of ‘Edge SnowChill Air Coolers’ and new ‘5-Star Deep Freezers’ with upgraded aesthetics, there are plenty of choices for consumers to pick for their homes.
Commenting on the festive season, Godrej & Boyce’s part Godrej Appliances business head and executive VP Kamal Nandi said, “For the festive season, our focus remains on delivering advanced home appliances with cutting-edge technology across categories. Currently, our premium mix is 35 per cent and we want to take that up to 40 per cent with our new offerings which are specially designed to meet specific consumer needs while being high on aesthetic appeal. Coupled with consumer schemes enabling easy upgrades, these new offerings are poised to drive substantial growth. At the back of a wide portfolio of over 350 SKUs and consumer offers, we are anticipating 30 per cent-40 per cent sales growth during this festive season over last year.
We understand that consumers look to buy lasting durables when they make a purchase for their homes in Diwali. Accordingly, our #AyushmannBhavaForever festive campaign promises them lasting joy through high-quality products that are known for their longevity, and now also come with extended warranty schemes and other lucrative consumer offers.”
For the festive season, Godrej Appliances is extending a series of exciting offers to its beloved consumers that include extended warranty, cashback and exchange offers, and easy EMI among others. These are available pan-India at offline stores as well as online on e-commerce platforms.
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.
