The child who became the face of KSRTC’s Airavat Club Class buses

A KSRTC official said that the first Airavat Club class bus bearing the registration number KA-01-F-9133 was in service on the Bengaluru-Tirupati route on November 25, 2010. | Photo credit: MURALI KUMAR K

A sleeping baby, a stroller and a simple idea that turned a luxury bus into a touching advertisement. Almost two decades after it was created, the image of a child sleeping peacefully in a pram on the side of Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation’s (KSRTC) Airavat Club Class buses continues to attract the attention of commuters.

For Bengaluru-based commercial photographer Senthil Kumar Muruganandhan, who took the photo, the image’s enduring popularity has come as a pleasant surprise. A recent video he accidentally recorded of a bus with a well-known brand has received almost four million views on Instagram, again highlighting a campaign that has remained relevant long after its creation.

“I always feel proud when I see it. Some pictures work even for years,” Mr. Senthil told The Hindu. Created by advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather, the campaign featured the tagline “Sleep like a baby with multi-axle comfort.” The aim was to communicate the comfort of KSRTC luxury buses through visuals.

Mr. Senthil recalls that the agency approached him because of his experience shooting babies for various brands. “The basic idea was how to advertise on the bus itself instead of using a static billboard,” he said.

For Bengaluru-based commercial photographer Senthil Kumar Muruganandhan, who took the photo, the image’s enduring popularity has come as a pleasant surprise. | Photo credit: Special arrangement

Waiting for the baby to fall asleep

Unlike elaborate commercial productions, which involve extensive planning and multiple shooting days, the photo came together relatively quickly, he recalls.

After KSRTC approved the concept, the agency arrived at the studio with the child and props for the shoot. Mr. Senthil and his team then brought this idea to life. However, there was one familiar challenge associated with photographing babies. “The baby was not sleeping when it arrived. We had to wait for it to fall asleep. The mother fed it and when we had everything ready, we gave it the injection,” she recalls.

The composition required special attention. The profile of the child had to match the stroller so that the image looked natural and at the same time complemented the design of the bus. The stroller wheel was especially important for the concept. Its circular shape and position helped create a visual connection between the cradle-like setting and the movement of the vehicle.

The supporting elements also helped create the environment. A brown teddy bear and a yellow rubber duck placed next to the sleeping baby suggested familiar objects that accompany the baby. The result was an image that could be understood at first glance even by the fact that, according to Mr. Senthil, someone only saw the bus for a few seconds on a busy road.

The test of time

Mr. Senthil believes that the success of the campaign lies in its simplicity and emotional connection with people. “Anything that involves children brings people together. The simplest ideas that come to people immediately are often the winners,” she says.

He emphasizes that the power of a successful advertising image lies in its ability to communicate without people having to stop and read a long message.

The well-known brand associated with KSRTC’s Airavat Club Class service subsequently became more than an advertisement for a luxury bus. For many travelers and regular road users, it is a recognizable part of Karnataka’s traffic landscape.

Also Read: KSRTC warns of FIR as public removes advertisements from buses and shelters

A KSRTC representative said the first branded Airavat Club class bus, bearing registration number KA-01-F-9133, ran on 25 November 2010 on the Bengaluru-Tirupati route.

Child

But one question continues to haunt those who have seen the ad over the years: who is the child in the photo? Mr. Senthil said he had not been able to ascertain her identity or trace her since the shooting.

The photographer also requested KSRTC to use a high-resolution copy of the original image. Repeated reproduction over the years may have dulled its sharpness, and he believes a higher quality version would help preserve the campaign for the future.

Asked if he would change the concept if given the chance to recreate it today, Mr. Senthil said there was not much reason to. “Every famous brand has an image that people associate with it. If you try to recreate it, you can have another baby or a different colored pram, but the feeling has to remain the same. The original idea doesn’t need to be changed,” he said.

Published – 13 Oct 2026 06:30 IST