The festive spirit of Bengal came alive at the Bengal Innovation Hub with the inauguration of Darshanarthi.Live Viewers’ Choice Awards 2026, an initiative emerging from the AIC Techno ecosystem. Bringing together people, Puja committees and brands, the initiative aims to give Puja-goers a greater voice in celebrating and recognising the creativity, innovation and community spirit that make Durga Puja a unique cultural experience.
The event was attended by Mrs Agnimitra Paul, Honourable Minister for Urban Development and Municipal Affairs, Government of West Bengal, as the Chief Guest. Also present were Prof. Manoshi RoyChowdhury, Co-Chairperson, Techno India Group, Sumit Lai Roy of IdeaCade Digital Solutions, representatives of AIC Techno, members of the audience and other dignitaries. The inauguration marked a significant milestone for Darshanarthi.Live, which is being developed through the AIC Techno ecosystem to bring audiences, organisers, brands and venues together through technology.
The event was inaugurated by Agnimitra Paul, who spoke about the cultural significance of Durga Puja and the role of ordinary people in making the festival what it is today. Highlighting the artistic and cultural identity of the festival, she said, “Durga Puja is not just a religious festival. It is the world’s largest open-air art gallery”… When ordinary people can easily find a Puja through the narrow streets of our city, give their opinion or rating safely, and access various local offers, then ordinary people will win… When the organisers of the festival, our various clubs and Puja committees, receive the love and support of ordinary people, then the Puja committee will win… When our local businesses and start-ups are able to reach ordinary people through modern digital platforms, then we will win… When our media gets real-time live analytics, their Puja coverage will be even better.”
For AIC Techno, Darshanarthi.Live represents how an observation can develop into a technology-led venture. Instead of leaving the decision entirely to a traditional jury, the platform places the audience at the centre of the experience. Its underlying idea is captured in the statement, “Who gets to decide the winners? This time, the people who experienced it did.”
The larger vision of Darshanarthi.Live extends beyond the Viewers’ Choice Awards, with the platform being developed as an Intelligent Event OS designed to connect audiences, organisers, brands and venues through technology. The initiative aims to create a more interactive event experience while enabling different stakeholders to engage with audiences through a digital platform.
The event also highlighted the role of mentorship and institutional support in shaping new ideas. The team expressed gratitude to Prof. Manoshi RoyChowdhury, Co-Chairperson, Techno India Group, for her support and encouragement. A special acknowledgement was also extended to Sumit Lai Roy, whose mentorship helped shape the vision behind Darshanarthi.
The initiative also featured the AIC Techno Safe Puja Award, bringing attention to the importance of safety and inclusivity during the festivities. Alongside the celebrations, the initiative seeks to encourage safer and more connected Puja experiences while creating opportunities for local businesses, start-ups, Puja committees and media platforms to engage with audiences through technology.
The inauguration marks an exciting step forward for the Darshanarthi.Live team as it continues to build and take the platform to people. By bringing together tradition, technology and public participation, the initiative shows how the Durga Puja experience can evolve with changing times while keeping the sense of community and togetherness that lies at the heart of the festival.