New Delhi: Reckitt and NDTV will launch Season 13 of the Dettol Banega Swasth India Campaign on October 2, 2026, with a four hour live telethon from the Grand Hyatt, Mumbai, broadcast on NDTV from 9 AM to 1 PM. Anchored by campaign ambassador Ayushmann Khurrana, the telethon will be built around this year’s theme, “Giving Better Health in More Hands, Everyday”, reflecting the campaign’s belief that good health should be accessible to everyone, everywhere. Over more than a decade, the Dettol Banega Swasth India movement has reached over 400 million lives, including 30 million children, engaged more than 1 million schools, and generated over 43 billion handwashing occasions. Season 13 will explore what better health looks like for India today and how it can reach every home, every day.
Gaurav Jain, Executive Vice President, South Asia, Reckitt, said,
“Over the last 12 years, Dettol Banega Swasth India has grown into one of India’s largest movements for health and hygiene behaviour change, reaching over 400 million lives, including 30 million children, engaging more than one million schools, and generating over 43 billion handwashing occasions. As we begin Season 13, we are strengthening our commitment to put Better Health in More Hands, Everyday by expanding our reach to 1.4 million schools across the country. This season is a celebration of the teachers, innovators, entrepreneurs and community champions whose dedication and ingenuity are driving meaningful change on the ground and helping build a healthier, more resilient India.”
The telethon will feature performances by Mallakhamb artists, Esther, MC Square and Parmish Verma, and will offer a preview of the campaign’s agenda ahead, including engagements around Davos 2027 and the Nashik Kumbh.
Lauding the launch, Rahul Kanwal, Chief Executive Officer and Editor in Chief, NDTV, said,
“Dettol Banega Swasth India has shown what is possible when public awareness is matched by sustained action. Over thirteen seasons, the campaign has moved beyond hygiene to address a larger national imperative: making better health more accessible, more equitable and more deeply embedded in everyday life. Our partnership with Reckitt is built on a shared commitment to take better health beyond awareness and make it part of everyday life for millions of Indians. That purpose will continue to shape the future journey of this national conversation.”
The telethon will also serve as a platform for major announcements and conversations on some of India’s most pressing public health challenges.
Putting sanitation worker safety at the centre with focus on health span to life span
A key moment of the telethon will be the announcement of the winners of the SAFER (Sanitation Worker Assistance for Fatality Elimination and Risk Reduction) Challenge, developed by Reckitt in partnership with the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) under the Harpic World Toilet College programme.
The national challenge reached 135 organisations and more than 1,000 educational institutions, incubators, startup networks and student innovators, seeking technologies that can help prevent fatalities caused by toxic gas exposure during sewer and septic tank cleaning.
The challenge responds to a study by Reckitt and the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), which found that sanitation workers in India have an average life expectancy of just 63.8 years, an estimated 11.4-year gap compared to other professions, resulting in an economic loss equivalent to approximately 1.03% of India’s GDP. The research further suggests that combining worker training with the elimination of occupational risks could generate up to 9.6 years of life gain.
The five shortlisted innovators will join researchers, policymakers and sanitation workers for a special discussion on advancing safer and more dignified sanitation practices.
Ravi Bhatnagar, Director, Corporate Communications and Corporate Affairs, South Asia, MENARP and Africa, Reckitt, said,
“Dettol Banega Swasth India has shown that sustainable public health impact is achieved when awareness, evidence, innovation and partnerships come together. Over the years, the platform has brought together governments, experts, educators, innovators and communities to drive measurable change across hygiene, health and sanitation. As we enter Season 13, we are celebrating the people behind this progress, from teachers and grassroots changemakers to entrepreneurs and researchers whose work is improving lives. Together, we can continue putting Better Health in More Hands, Every Day.”
Innovation, evidence and the last mile
Highlighting the role of innovation, evidence and technology in improving last-mile health outcomes, the telethon will introduce BSI Spark Talks, featuring the three winners of the DBSI Maternal and Child Health Tech Accelerator, launched by Reckitt in September 2025.
BEMPU Health, SaveMom AI and Brainytots will showcase how their solutions in newborn care, high-risk pregnancy management and early childhood development are helping improve outcomes for mothers and children across Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Celebrating the educators who keep the future of India healthy
Recognising grassroots changemakers who are building healthier communities, the DBSI Teachers’ Awards 2026 will honour educators who have transformed classroom learning into lasting behaviour change. The awards attracted around 1,435 applications from 29 States and Union Territories and were evaluated by EY and an eminent jury.
Twelve changemakers will be recognised for their extraordinary contribution to India’s health movement.
About Dettol Banega Swasth India
Dettol Banega Swasth India is a Reckitt and NDTV initiative that has worked for over a decade to build a healthier India through sustainable behaviour change across hygiene, sanitation and health. Through partnerships, innovation and community engagement, the campaign continues to drive measurable impact and advance the shared goal of delivering Better Health in More Hands, Every Day.
