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Cult uncovers India’s 2025 fitness rhythm: Flexibility rules
BENGALURU: Forget Monday motivation – in 2025, it was Tuesdays that ruled the gym floor. According to cult’s data from around 1 million users, fitness in India became less about fixed schedules and more about fitting workouts around life.
Contrary to popular belief, Mondays weren’t the busiest day. Instead, gyms and studios buzzed on Tuesdays, especially between 6 pm and 8 pm. Group sessions such as dance and strength training gained traction, while machine-led workouts remained popular.
Flexibility proved key. Users with adaptable schedules completed more workouts over the year than those sticking to fixed slots, showing that fitting exercise around life beats forcing life around exercise. About 37 per cent of members consistently worked out three to four times a week, highlighting that steady commitment trumped occasional intensity.
Working out with a buddy also became a winning formula. Attendance jumped 26 per cent when members trained together, proving that fitness is more fun and more sustainable, when shared.
Different generations moved in their own ways. Gen Z kept it simple with gym workouts, Millennials split time between the gym and group classes, while Gen X gravitated towards structured, instructor-led sessions such as Dance Fitness and HRX strength training. Women made up 52 per cent of group class members, embracing formats that offered community energy and camaraderie. Overall, group exercise accounted for over 30 per cent of all workouts in 2025. Interestingly, members over 30 completed 10 per cent more sessions than younger users, challenging the idea that fitness peaks in your twenties.
Workout timings were split almost evenly between mornings (48.7 per cent) and evenings (51.3 per cent). The busiest windows were 7–9 am and 6–8 pm, showing how Indians are syncing fitness with work-life rhythms. While younger users often postponed workouts until after office hours, Gen X were already ticking off their sessions before the day even began.
Regionally, the NCR led in consistency, followed closely by Hyderabad, Mumbai and Bengaluru. Gym workouts showed the highest repeat rates, while badminton and swimming were particularly popular in Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Gurgaon. Impressively, 15 members worked out every single day of the year without missing a session, and the oldest active member at 55 still completed over 100 classes, proving that age is just a number when it comes to staying in motion.
In short, 2025 was the year India found its own rhythm – flexible, social, and tuned to life’s beats.
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FSS names Anand Krishnamurthi head of global digital delivery
Tech veteran to drive AI-first, cloud-led transformation in payments globally
CHENNAI: Financial Software and Systems (FSS), an AI-first payment infrastructure company, has appointed Anand Krishnamurthi as head of global digital delivery.
In his new role, Anand Krishnamurthi will lead FSS’s global digital delivery capabilities, focusing on AI-first and cloud-led transformation while ensuring predictable, high-quality outcomes for customers worldwide. He will be based in Chennai and report to V. Balasubramanian, CEO of FSS.
Bringing 28 years of experience in technology and digital transformation across banking, capital markets, financial services, and insurance, Anand has held senior leadership positions at Cognizant and NuSummit. He is recognised for scaling multi-geography delivery teams, leading mission-critical platforms, and embedding AI-driven automation in complex, regulated environments.
“What drew me to FSS is its deep payments expertise, strong product DNA, and the scale at which its platforms power real-world financial ecosystems,” said Anand Krishnamurthi. “I aim to strengthen delivery predictability, execution rigor, and engineering quality, building empowered teams that deliver measurable customer outcomes. FSS has a unique opportunity to create real-time, AI-infused payments infrastructure that is resilient, secure, and globally scalable.”
V. Balasubramanian added, “Anand’s track record in leading multi-geography delivery programs and AI-first operating models makes him the ideal leader for FSS as we accelerate our AI-driven digital payments business. His leadership will help us raise the bar for outcomes globally.”
This appointment is part of FSS’s broader push to build an AI-powered, cloud-native delivery organisation capable of meeting the evolving needs of banks, fintechs, and financial institutions worldwide.
