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How to Book Remembrance Ads in Times of India Mumbai (2026 Guide)
What Is a Remembrance Ad?
A remembrance ad is a paid notice in a newspaper to commemorate the death anniversary, birth anniversary or memory of a departed loved one. It's not an obituary — which is an announcement of a death. A remembrance ad is published weeks, months or years after the death.
They're published on the first anniversary of death. On birthdays. Or on a significant date. There's no official window.
The Times of India Mumbai publishes these in the Obituary/In Memoriam section — typically in the first couple of pages of the classifieds. Some include a photo. Some stick with text.
"One thing I have to say is that many families think they need a display ad. They often don't. A classified text ad written well is all that's needed, and often costs a lot less."
Mumbai-Specific Booking Guide for TOI Remembrance Ads
Choose Your Ad Format
Two formats available in Times of India Mumbai:
Classified Text Ad
Plain text. Charged per word or per line. No image. Cheaper. Works fine for most remembrance notices.
Display Classified Ad
Fixed box size. Can include a photograph, borders, and custom layout. Priced by square centimetres. Costs more, but the visual impact is real.
Display makes sense for milestone anniversaries — 10 years, 25 years. For a regular annual notice, classified text is enough.
Pick Your Publication Date
Book at least 2–3 days before your publication date. For weekend editions (Saturday/Sunday), give it 4 days minimum — they fill up faster. If there's a specific date — say, the exact death anniversary — book early. Families who call on the day often get pushed to the next available slot.
Write Your Ad Content
Keep it brief. Name, dates, and a line from the family. Some families add a verse or a short message. TOI Mumbai doesn't restrict content heavily, but they do review for appropriate language. Avoid submitting with formatting instructions like "please bold this" — the layout team handles that. Just give them a clean text.
Submit and Pay
You can book via:
Payment is required before the ad is confirmed. They don't run on credit for individuals.
Required Documents and Deadlines
For a standard Mumbai remembrance ad, you don't need much:
TOI doesn't typically ask for a death certificate forremembrance ads They do for some legal notices — but a remembrance ad is a personal tribute, not a legal publication. No documentation required beyond what you're paying for.
| Edition | Submission Deadline | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Weekday (Mon–Fri) | By 5 PM previous day | Standard next-day publication |
| Sunday edition | By Friday noon | Fills up faster, book early |
| Holiday editions | Varies | Confirm with booking desk |
These are not guaranteed — confirm with the booking desk when you call, as schedules shift around holidays and print runs.
Sample Ad Designs
Sample 1 — Classified Text (No Photo)
Shri Ramesh Subramaniam
14 April 1948 – 3 October 2021
Three years gone. Your presence remains.
— Wife, children, and grandchildren
Roughly 20–22 words. Cost depends on current per-word rates.
Sample 2 — Display Classified (With Photo)
A 6 cm × 4 cm box with a passport-size photo on the left, name and dates in bold, and a short family message on the right. TOI's design team can set this up if you provide the photo and text. Some agencies have pre-made templates — faster and often cheaper than custom design.
Sample 3 — Photo and Verse (Larger Display)
Some families go bigger. 10 cm × 8 cm. Full photo, poem, names of all family members listed.
Agency vs Direct Booking — What Actually Works Better
Direct booking via the TOI portal works fine for text-only ads. The portal is straightforward — pick the edition, enter your text, upload payment, and confirm. No middleman, no markup.
Agency booking makes sense when
- Running a display ad that needs proper design
- You want help with placement negotiation
- You're under time pressure
- Booking across multiple editions simultaneously
Direct booking works well when
- You just need a text-only classified
- You want to avoid service fees
- You have time to handle the process yourself
Agencies charge a 10–20% service fee on the card rate. Not much for a ₹2,000 classified. For a ₹20,000 display ad, negotiate.
Some agencies would sell display ads to anyone. If you just need a remembrance notice, do not allow yourself to get talked up to a ₹15,000 box when a classified for ₹800 does the same job.
How to Give an Ad on Times of India
Go to the TOI online booking portal
Select the city edition (Mumbai)
Choose the category — Obituary / In Memoriam
Enter your ad text or upload your display design
Select your publication date
Pay online — UPI, net banking, and cards are all accepted
You'll receive a booking confirmation via email or SMS
If the portal is giving you trouble — especially for display uploads — call the TOI Mumbai classified desk directly. They'll walk you through it.
10 Frequently Asked Questions
1. How to place a remembrance ad in Times of India Delhi — what does classified display cost?
Rates in Delhi vary from Mumbai. TOI Delhi charges around ₹700–₹1,500 (depending on word count) for text classified ads. Display classified ads are ₹3,000–₹4,000 for a small box. Confirm with the Delhi classifieds desk — don't book on numbers from last year.
2. What is a remembrance obituary ad with a photo in Times of India Pune — rates for 2026?
For TOI Pune remembrance ads with photo, a small display box (roughly 4 cm × 5 cm) was priced at ₹2,500–₹4,000 in early 2026. Images need to be high quality — minimum 300 DPI. Pune rates are generally less than Mumbai.
3. How to book an obituary advertisement in Times of India Mumbai in 2026?
Online, phone, or agency. Best to book through the portal — select Mumbai edition, category Obituary/In Memoriam, enter text, pay. For display ads with photos, either upload your design or ask the TOI team for layout help. Allow at least 3 days in advance.
4. What is an affordable obituary ad agency for Times of India Mumbai?
Several agencies operate in Mumbai — Kumbhat, Bhavesh Ads, ReleaseMyAd are commonly used. Affordable TOI Mumbai obituary ad agencies typically charge 10–15% above card rates. Verify before booking that the agency is an authorized TOI empanelled partner.
5. What are legal requirements for an obituary ad in Times of India?
None, technically, for a personal remembrance ad. No death certificate required. No affidavit. You're not publishing a legal notice. TOI won't publish anything profane or libellous — beyond that, it's an ad, and the only stipulation is that you pay for it.
6. How to give a death announcement ad in Times of India online portal?
Visit timesofindia.com. Go to the ad booking section (usually "Classifieds"). Select your city edition. Choose Obituary. Enter your text, choose a date, make a payment. You'll get an email confirmation. The website does occasionally have problems with photo uploads for display ads — if so, send the photo to the booking desk with the reference number.
7. What is the Times of India obituary contact number for Mumbai edition booking?
Contact numbers change every now and then — posting a number here risks it being inaccurate when you read this. Google "Times of India Mumbai classified booking number" or request a call back from the portal. It's better to check their official website.
8. How much does an obituary display ad cost in Times of India Navi Mumbai?
Navi Mumbai is under the Mumbai edition — no separate print edition. TOI Mumbai display obituary ad costs start from around ₹2,500 for a small display ad and can go up to ₹20,000+ for larger boxes, front page or page 3 position, or prime dates. Always ask for a quotation.
9. What is the obituary advertisement process in Times of India Hyderabad step by step?
TOI's city edition is used in Hyderabad. Go to portal → select Hyderabad edition → Obituary/In Memoriam → write ad → select date → pay → confirm. For display — photo and layout required. Text ads are quicker. The portal steps are the same as Mumbai; the difference is that rates are generally lower.
10. How to book an obituary classified text ad in Times of India Kolkata — minimum cost?
TOI Kolkata obituary classified text ads — minimum cost around ₹500–₹800 in early 2026 for a short notice. Word-count based. Keep text brief to keep costs down. Book 2 days ahead minimum. One phone call to the booking desk saves a lot of trouble.