Diwali, the festival of lights, is an important time for retailers in India to do brisk business. As the pandemic year drags on, the country has been grappling with Covid-19 cases while enduring one of the longest and strictest lockdowns, so brands are now placing their bets on Diwali.

The five-day festival is considered an auspicious time to make purchases to appease the Hindu goddess of prosperity and wealth, Lakshmi. But is that convincing shoppers to return to the stores amid a health scare?

And how has digital added the new spark to Diwali shopping? Recent studies estimate online sales to grow more than 34% to $6.5bn in India this Diwali. Is the auspicious season-to-spend witnessing a virtual avatar?

In this edition of WorklifeIndia, we discuss how digital is the new shining light for India’s Diwali this year.Presenter: Devina GuptaContributors: Pratap TP, co-founder, Qwikcilver gifting solutions; Ayushi Gudwani, founder and CEO, Fablestreet; Uma Talreja, chief marketing and chief customer officer, Shoppers Stop