MAM
Menaka Menon joins Leo Burnett Orchard as EVP & branch head for Bengaluru
Actor Akshay Kumar, who has become the first male Bollywood Actor (Male) to score 20 million followers on Instagram, received an Instagram memento for the milestone.
The “Airlift” actor on Monday shared a photo of himself with the memento given to him by Instagram.
“Here’s another gold from the good people at Instagram. Glad to share, the first Bollywood Actor (Male) to cross the 20 million followers milestone is yours truly. Thank you all once again for the love, sending lots of love and prayers your way.”
Earlier this month, the actor was seen celebrating this milestone with streamers and a boomerang video.
On the work front, Akshay’s recently released movie “Gold” is riding high at the box office and have a couple of movies like “Kesari”, “Housefull 4” and “Good News” on board.MUMBAI: Leo Burnett Orchard, The Leo Group’s full service integrated agency, has strengthened its senior management.
The agency has hired Menaka Menon as EVP and branch head for Bengaluru. In her new role, she will report to Leo Burnett Orchard’s COO Prashanth Challapalli. Her last stint was with FCB Ulka Bengaluru where she was the vice president.
Speaking about bringing Menaka on board, Prashanth Challapalli says, “Our ambition for Leo Burnett Orchard is to firmly drive integration via the Power of One philosophy. This has a direct bearing on the kind of people we want to bring on board – people with multiple skill sets and a hunger to drive this agenda. Menaka is the perfect fit for us. She has worn different hats in her career and brings to the table the kind of ambition, drive and skill sets we were looking for at a leadership level. On behalf of everyone at Leo Burnett Orchard, I am very happy to welcome her on board and wish her great success.”
Menaka is an alumnus of MICA, and has almost 18 years of experience across advertising and media, with FCB Ulka, J Walter Thompson, UTV and BIG 92.7FM. Menaka began her advertising journey with account management, before moving on to strategic planning and moving to a Branch Head role.
Speaking about her new role, Menaka says, “Leo Burnett Orchard is an agency poised for the future, where integration is a way of life. I am excited to be part of a team that lives and breathes this philosophy. There is a real opportunity here to expand horizons and to serve the client’s and brand’s best interests as one united team, and I look forward to being part of this vision.”
Menaka replaces Sharmine Panthaky, VP and branch head Bengaluru, who has moved on from the agency.
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.
