VG Senthilkumar on Bank of Baroda’s digital push at the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025

Not only is the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 attracting millions of devotees from across the world, it is also witnessing brands of all hues coming up with innovative on-ground activations to increase reach and engagement. As one of India’s prominent financial institutions, Bank of Baroda is stepping up to ensure seamless banking services for devotees, tourists, and merchants at this grand event. From setting up full-fledged branches and strategically placed ATMs to promoting digital payments through its newly upgraded BOB इ Pay UPI app, the bank is committed to enhancing financial accessibility at the Maha Kumbh.

At the helm of these efforts is VG Senthilkumar, Head - Marketing & Branding, Bank of Baroda. With over two decades of experience in banking and finance, he leads the bank’s marketing, branding, and public relations initiatives. In this exclusive conversation with Adgully, VG Senthilkumar sheds light on the bank’s strategic initiatives at the Maha Kumbh, the role of digital payments in fostering financial inclusion, and how the bank is leveraging technology to enhance the visitor experience at this historic event.

The Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 is a massive event. How is Bank of Baroda leveraging this platform to connect with millions of devotees and tourists?

Maha Kumbh Mela is a celebration of India’s cultural and spiritual heritage, attracting millions of devotees and tourists. Just as the Maha Kumbh is looking to bridge tradition with technology, Bank of Baroda too aims to connect with the diverse audience at the Maha Kumbh by providing seamless access to banking and payment services through physical presence onsite at the mela as well as by encouraging and promoting the use of digital payments through our upgraded UPI app - bob इ Pay and other merchant payment solutions. The Bank is also establishing two full-fledged branches with facilities like foreign exchange and coin vending machines, along with strategically placed ATMs.

What are the primary objectives behind the bank’s initiatives at the Maha Kumbh Mela?

In a gathering of this magnitude, which attracts millions of devotees and tourists from the across the country and the world, it becomes an excellent platform to showcase the legacy and strength of the Bank of Baroda brand to millions of visitors. Further, having access to quick, easy and secure banking and payment services is a necessity in such events. By promoting digital payments, offering innovative solutions like the bob इ Pay app, and ensuring on-ground support through our branches, BC Sakhis and Business Correspondents, the aim is to financially empower visitors and merchants alike as well as to showcase the plethora of products that the Bank has for different segments of people who visit the Mela.

What specific incentives are being offered to encourage the adoption of digital payments among devotees, tourists, and merchants? Could you elaborate on the features of the newly launched UPI Payment PSP app, bob इ Pay, and how it caters to the needs of Maha Kumbh participants?

Bank of Baroda’s upgraded UPI Payments PSP app – bob इ Pay is loaded with the complete suite of payment features such as Scan to Pay, Tap and Pay contactless payments, Send/ Receive Money, UPI LITE, RuPay Credit Card on UPI, International Payments, etc.

In line with the Government’s vision of Digital India, we are actively encouraging the use of cashless modes of payment, ensuring a smooth and efficient payment experience for both visitors and merchants. To motivate new users to download bob इ Pay, Bank of Baroda is offering cashback of Rs 50 on first merchant transaction of Rs 100 and above.

The deployment of BC Sakhis and business correspondents is a commendable step. How are they being trained to assist participants effectively?

Recognising the diversity of Maha Kumbh participants, we are deploying BC Sakhis and Business Correspondents to assist those unfamiliar with digital banking, including merchants. They are trained to guide people in using digital payment platforms, including bob इ Pay, ensuring that everyone can easily access our services and expanding digital inclusion. Our BC Sakhis and Business Correspondents undergo rigorous training in digital payment solutions, customer engagement, and troubleshooting. We have also partnered with a leading TV network and a FM channel to collaborate during the Mela for amplifying and increasing awareness on the various initiatives being undertaken by the Bank to support the banking requirements of visitors.

What challenges do you anticipate in deploying onsite and mobile ATMs, and how are you preparing to address them?

When deploying onsite ATMs at a large-scale event like the Maha Kumbh, one has to be ready for high transaction volumes, maintaining cash availability, and ensuring security. The ATMs deployed will be manned and under surveillance to ensure uninterrupted services and the highest standards of security.

‘Aditi’, your GenAI-powered Virtual Relationship Manager, is a significant innovation. How is it tailored to address the unique challenges of the Maha Kumbh Mela?

‘Aditi’ is a GenAI-powered Virtual Relationship Manager designed to enhance customer experience by providing 24x7 real-time assistance for banking queries. Its AI-powered capabilities ensure that customers and visitors to the Mela can access information across a range of services. ‘Aditi’ is available on the Bank’s website and supports audio, video, and chat-based assistance, ensuring 24x7 banking services with multilingual support, thereby augmenting the overall customer experience.

How does Bank of Baroda aim to balance its social responsibility with its branding efforts at the Maha Kumbh Mela?

Over the years, Bank of Baroda, as one of India’s leading public sector banks and the Lead Bank in Uttar Pradesh, has played a key role in supporting the people of the state and empowering the growth of local communities. By engaging in various activities at the Maha Kumbh Mela, we are committed to further strengthen that bond. We are collaborating with the Prayagraj Municipal Corporation and Mela authorities for various social activities.

Beyond the Maha Kumbh Mela, what lessons from this large-scale event do you foresee applying to future marketing and branding strategies?

As a bank deeply rooted in India’s culture and traditions, our approach to the Maha Kumbh has been inspired by the event’s spirit of unity, devotion and scale. This initiative reflects our belief in bridging the past and the future, ensuring that pilgrims and visitors can embrace the spiritual and cultural essence of the Maha Kumbh while accessing modern, seamless banking services and benefit from the range of offerings by Bank of Baroda. 

The Maha Kumbh also offers insights into engaging with diverse audiences on a large scale. These lessons will guide our future strategies, enabling us to create impactful campaigns that resonate with India’s diverse population while reinforcing our commitment to innovation and inclusivity.