Brands
Swiggy, Hotstar bowl cricket lovers over
MUMBAI: As the cricket frenzy reaches a crescendo this March, Swiggy lives up to its promise of providing unparalleled convenience to its consumers yet again. In what is potentially a global first, Swiggy and Hotstar are coming together to allow consumers to order their favorite meal from Swiggy, without taking their eyes off a single ball. Swiggy POP, Swiggy’s curated single-serve meals from top restaurants across the neighborhood, will be integrated on the Hotstar App making for a pleasurable viewing as well as food ordering experience.
Commenting on this integration, Swiggy VP marketing Srivats TS said, “Our collaboration with Hotstar aims to satisfy the insatiable love we Indians have for cricket and food. We believe a nail biter of a match accompanied with great food is a delicious combination to serve up this cricketing season! We are extremely pleased to present this innovation in association with Hotstar. Through this, we hope to build a deeper bond with our cricket crazy fans by offering them an uninterrupted viewing and extremely convenient food ordering experience.”
Swiggy’s food ordering analysis from the cricketing season last year indicated an increase in online orders during the period. Considering the sporting event is all about action, suspense, drama and food, last year, Swiggy saw a 25 percent increase in order numbers during the season, compared to pre-season, with the highest number of orders received on the day of the finale.
This integration with Swiggy is part of Hotsar’s bid to provide viewers with an engaging experience for VIVO IPL 2019. With the motto of ‘Koi Yaar Nahi Far’, Hotstar is rolling out a first-ever social cricket-watching experience which will provide viewers the opportunity to invite, chat and compete with their friends and family. On the back of this, the streaming giant expects to reach over 300 million viewers, about 50 percent more than last year. For Swiggy, which has millions of users itself, this would mean an opportunity to innovatively engage with their existing customers whilst tapping newer ones as well, serving everybody their favourite dishes with absolute ease.
Brands
International Women’s Day ’26: Peace, freedom and self-expression drive Gen Z women, Newme survey finds
Solo travel and self-expression are rising among young women in India
INDIA: Ahead of International Women’s Day, fast-growing fashion brand Newme released a nationwide survey revealing how gen z women across India are redefining ambition, independence and happiness.
Titled The Confidence Edit, the study draws on responses from more than 1,000 young women and paints a portrait of a generation quietly reshaping traditional expectations, choosing balance over burnout, independence over approval and self-expression over conformity.
“One clear takeaway is that this generation is ambitious but also deeply self-aware,” said Newme co-founder Vinod Naik. “Women today are not simply following old definitions of success, they are rewriting them in ways that feel more personal and authentic.”
Peace over perfection
One of the survey’s most striking insights is a shift in how success is defined. Nearly one in four respondents said they prioritise peace over perfection, suggesting a move away from hustle-driven notions of achievement. For many young women, success now means building a life that feels balanced, sustainable and self-directed rather than constantly chasing milestones.
Independence beyond money
Independence remains central to gen z aspirations, but respondents increasingly view it as multidimensional. Around 86 per cent said they want to be both financially and emotionally independent, signalling a generation unwilling to trade personal freedom for stability or the other way around.
Decision-making is also becoming more individual. While many respondents said they consult family members on major life choices, fewer than one in five said their family alone has the final say.
Solo travel gains ground
Mobility and personal freedom are also becoming more mainstream. More than 70 per cent of respondents said they are comfortable travelling solo, either spontaneously or with advance planning.
Safety remains the biggest concern, ranking ahead of budget or family reactions. Yet the findings suggest that solo travel is increasingly seen not as a bold act but as a practical extension of independence.
Fashion as self-expression
The survey also highlights a changing relationship between confidence and personal style. Nearly 70 per cent said they would dress the same even if nobody could see them, indicating that fashion is becoming less about external approval and more about self-expression.
At the same time, almost 90 per cent said they feel comfortable expressing themselves publicly, through clothing, opinions or lifestyle choices, pointing to a generation that is confident about how it presents itself to the world.
Confidence grows, pressure remains
Despite rising confidence levels, emotional pressures persist. Nearly 40 per cent of respondents said they feel guilty about not meeting expectations, by far the most common source of guilt.
Many also cited difficulties such as asking for what they want, saying no, or dealing with being misunderstood, highlighting the complex emotional negotiations that often accompany independence.
Finding joy in everyday moments
When it comes to happiness, the survey suggests that everyday pleasures matter more than big milestones. About 43.3 per cent of respondents said simple acts such as treating themselves bring the most joy, followed by learning something new at work and spending time with friends.
Founded in 2022, Newme targets more than 500 million gen z consumers across India and Southeast Asia, positioning itself as a technology-driven fashion brand built around self-expression and rapidly changing youth trends.
