NEW DELHI (India CSR): Reckitt, the world’s leading consumer health and hygiene company, through its flagship campaign Dettol Banega Swasth India (DBSI), played a pivotal role at the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, the world’s largest religious gathering. Engaging 500 million+ devotees over 45 days, DBSI led a first-of-its-kind hygiene movement, ensuring that cleanliness, health, and tradition were seamlessly integrated into every aspect of the pilgrimage experience. This initiative reaffirmed DBSI’s commitment to Viksit Bharat @ 2047, supporting India’s vision of a healthier and more sustainable future.
Experience from Past Kumbhs
With nearly a decade of experience at the Kumbh, Dettol Banega Swasth India brought forward its learnings from past interventions in Ujjain, Nashik, and Prayagraj, making Maha Kumbh 2025 its most extensive engagement yet. The campaign’s reach spanned all 25 sectors, covering 4,000 hectares, ensuring that hygiene interventions were accessible across the entire Mela. As part of its large-scale impact, DBSI enabled 72 billion handwashing occasions, reinforcing hygiene as a key part of the pilgrimage journey. Recognizing the need for a sustainable approach to hygiene, Reckitt also created a Manifesto for Hygiene, outlining a strategic framework to embed long-term hygiene practices at large religious gatherings and public spaces across India.
Partnerships for Hygiene
Working in close collaboration with the Government of Uttar Pradesh, Akhadas, and key partners, including Global Interfaith WASH Alliance (GIWA), AJ Foundation, Plan India, and Jagran Pehel, DBSI implemented multi-faceted hygiene interventions. In partnership with Akhadas, millions of soaps were distributed at food-serving areas, encouraging handwashing before and after meals. To support 15,000 sanitation workers managing 1.5 lakh toilets, DBSI provided hygiene essentials, hands-on training, and digital access to hygiene resources, ensuring long-term sanitation standards. The initiative also extended to millions of Kalpvasis (devotees staying for 45 days) and the Tented Cities for Millions, reinforcing hygiene access in these temporary settlements.
Digital Kumbh and AI Tools
Recognizing the historic significance of Maha Kumbh 2025 as the first-ever Digital Kumbh, DBSI aligned its efforts with technology-driven hygiene solutions to further the goals of Viksit Bharat @ 2047. The introduction of AI-powered tools like the ‘Hygieia for Good Hygiene’ WhatsApp Chatbot and Hygieia Game provided pilgrims with real-time access to health and hygiene knowledge in seven languages, ensuring that critical information was literally at their fingertips. Thousands of Nukkad Nataks and cultural activations engaged devotees through interactive storytelling, making hygiene awareness an integral part of their spiritual experience. DBSI also leveraged digital channels and social platforms, amplifying its messaging far beyond the Kumbh grounds to reach a national audience.
Leaders Endorse Hygiene Mission
Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji, President, Parmarth Niketan Ashram, Rishikesh and Co-Founder, Global Interfaith WASH Alliance, said, “Maha Kumbh is not just a spiritual gathering; it is a collective expression of our values and responsibilities. Through Dettol Banega Swasth India’s unprecedented outreach, we witnessed the power of faith-driven action in inspiring millions to embrace hygiene as a way of life. By integrating tradition with impactful initiatives, this movement has set a new benchmark for public health at such a massive scale, reinforcing our shared vision for a Swachh and Swasth Bharat for all.”
Reckitt’s Commitment to Hygiene
Gaurav Jain, Executive Vice President, Reckitt – South Asia, said, “Reckitt’s Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign has always been about driving meaningful change at scale. Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 was an unparalleled opportunity to embed hygiene practices into this historic gathering, and we are proud to have contributed to a healthier, cleaner Kumbh experience for millions. Our efforts, in collaboration with government authorities and community stakeholders, reaffirm our commitment to Viksit Bharat @ 2047, ensuring that hygiene is not just a practice but a way of life and a key pillar in India’s progress toward a cleaner and healthier future.”
Emergency Support at Kumbh
DBSI’s role at Maha Kumbh extended beyond preventive hygiene measures—it also provided critical support during emergencies. In moments of crisis, including challenging crowd situations, Reckitt’s volunteers, along with Akhadas and district authorities, worked closely with local administration teams to provide immediate assistance, ensuring safety and hygiene remained a priority. Beyond the 45-day event, DBSI continued its engagement through post-Kumbh cleanliness initiatives, ensuring that its impact would extend beyond the Mela, contributing to a long-term vision for a Swachh and Swasth Bharat and India’s journey toward Viksit Bharat @ 2047.
A Movement for Hygiene
Through multi-stakeholder partnerships, innovative technology, and deep community engagement, Dettol Banega Swasth India’s presence at Maha Kumbh 2025 was more than a campaign—it was a movement, setting a new benchmark for public health interventions at large-scale religious gatherings.
(India CSR)
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