<p>Kokum (<i>Garcinia indica</i>), a tropical fruit native to India’s Western Ghats, is renowned for its culinary and therapeutic applications. This study explores the valorization by developing a functional marmalade of waste kokum rind—a by-product generated during reverse osmosis processing of kokum sugar syrup. The research evaluates the influence of varying proportions of kokum rind (12% – 40%), banana pulp (0% – 12%), and pineapple (0% – 16%) on the physicochemical, antioxidant and sensory attributes of the final product. Analytical parameters assessed included total soluble solids, anthocyanin content, vitamin C, color characteristics, water activity, moisture and ash content, titratable acidity, antioxidant activity, and total phenolic content. Results indicated that banana and pineapple pulp concentrations significantly (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05) affected key physicochemical and antioxidant properties of the marmalade, while increasing kokum rind concentration contributed to higher textural firmness. Sensory evaluation using a 9-point hedonic scale, revealed that the formulation without added banana and pineapple achieved the highest overall acceptability. The study highlights a viable approach for converting kokum rind waste into a value-added product, offering potential economic benefits for farmers and processors while supporting sustainable utilization of agro-industrial by-products.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>