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HELL ENERGY DRINK, a Hungarian fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) brand, established a prominent presence at the Barisha Club Durga Puja in Behala, Kolkata, through a specially designed illuminated brand arch during the festival from October 16 to 20, 2026. The walk-through installation, illuminated in the brand’s signature red, featured festive motifs on LED panels and the company’s logo at the top. Positioned along the approach to the pandal entrance, the arch aimed to attract visitors and strengthen consumer engagement during one of Kolkata’s major festive occasions. Unnikannan Gangadharan, director of HELL-ENERGY PRIVATE LIMITED, said Durga Puja offered an opportunity to…

Nihar Naturals has set up experiential stalls at prominent Durga Pujo pandals in Kolkata, including FD Block in Salt Lake and Barisha Club, to engage with devotees during the festive season. The initiative features interactive zones celebrating festive haircare, with the stalls expected to attract lakhs of attendees over the course of the celebrations. The brand reported significant participation on the first day, as visitors engaged with the on-ground experiences. As part of the initiative, devotees were offered Nihar Naturals Almond Coconut Hair Oil, positioned by the brand as a haircare companion during long days of pandal hopping and festive…

The Reserve Bank of India’s reported 25-basis-point repo rate hike to 5.50% has renewed concerns over home loan affordability, with borrowers facing the prospect of higher equated monthly instalments (EMIs), extended repayment tenures and increased borrowing costs. Floating-rate home loan customers generally have the option of accepting higher EMIs or retaining their existing payments while extending their loan tenure. The impact can be significant during the initial years of homeownership, when buyers also manage stamp duty, registration, interiors and other household expenses. Kotak Mahindra Bank’s Hybrid Home Loan offers eligible customers a fixed interest rate for 39, 52 or 65…

Samsung India today announced the winners of Samsung Solve for Tomorrow 2026, with this year’s entries spanning 648 cities across 28 states and seven union territories. At the Grand Finale in New Delhi, four teams won incubation grants totaling ₹2 crore from Samsung to take their technology-led solutions forward. The winning teams — QuantHunt from Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh; morphism from Raipur, Chhattisgarh; InnoBotix from New Delhi and Somatrace from Hyderabad, Telangana — will also receive mentorship and incubation support at FITT, IIT Delhi, to develop their prototypes towards market-ready solutions, with the potential to evolve into startups of the future.…

Swiggy has launched its Multi Restaurant Ordering feature, allowing customers to order food from up to five restaurants through a single checkout, as the food delivery platform seeks to offer greater convenience and flexibility during the festive season. Announced on October 15, the feature enables users to build and compare multiple carts, select dishes across cuisines and make a single payment without repeating checkout processes, OTPs or payment flows. Customers can also track all orders on a shared screen, although each restaurant's food is prepared and delivered independently. The feature is designed to address differing food preferences among families and…

True Elements, the clean-label brand from Marico Limited, has launched a festive activation in Kolkata featuring a 12-15-foot Giant Jhalmuri Cone installation across pandals to promote its Millet Namkeen range under the campaign “NamkeenItna Clean, Rukna Namumkin!”. The installation celebrates Kolkata’s iconic street-snacking culture and includes a live serving counter where pandal-hoppers can sample the brand’s Millet Namkeen in Garlic Zing and Pudina Punch variants. The initiative seeks to combine traditional Indian flavours with contemporary snacking preferences. Ishita Sharma, CEO of True Elements, said Kolkata’s Pujo celebrations provided an ideal platform for the brand’s “Muri Meets Millet” concept, bringing the…

JK Maxx Paints, backed by JK Cement Limited, has entered the sustainable paints segment with the launch of JK Naturals, introducing JK Naturals Aura Luxury Interior Emulsion as its first product. Marketed as “India’s First Nature Lovers’ Paint”, the product combines recycled and bio-based materials with air-purification technology and a premium finish. Announced on October 21, 2026, JK Naturals Aura contains more than 40% eco-friendly content, including over 10% bio-based emulsion. Developed in collaboration with Denmark-based cleantech company Shark Solutions, the paint incorporates recycled polyvinyl butyral recovered from end-of-life laminated glass. The range also uses recycled packaging and is available…

ITC Foods’ Sunfeast Mom’s Magic Shines has transformed Harish Park into “Kolkata’s Shiniest Pujo Pandal” under its festive campaign, “Ei Pujo, Shine Koro!”, celebrating the creativity and vibrancy of Durga Puja. The installation features a 1,200 sq. ft. illuminated façade resembling a larger-than-life Shines biscuit. Created using more than 1.7 lakh lights spanning 3,600 feet, the display involved over 80 local artisans. The experience was inaugurated by acclaimed Indian actor Rituparna Sengupta. Suraj Kathuria, vice-president and head of marketing, Biscuits, ITC Foods, said the campaign aims to extend the idea of shine beyond the product and celebrate the different ways…