MAM
Myntra gives sneakerheads a unique experience with Nike’s latest Air Max collection
MUMBAI: In a first of its kind partnership with Nike, Myntra formed a five member squad of the ambassadors of Nike’s Airmax culture, to be the face of the launch of Nike’s latest Air Max collection. Myntra chose two sneakerheads from its customer base, one of their existing sneakerhead influencers’ and two employees who are Nike loyalists.
Termed as the ‘Masters of Air’, Air Max is a way of life and form of self-expression for these five individuals. Designer-turned-tattoo artist Shyamli Panda was one of the five individuals who came together to form the 'Masters of Air' squad. The second sneakerhead from Delhi is Nishant Fogaat, a designer who is known for breaking down sneakers and converting them into trendy headgear. Manpreet Kaur, a stylist and a sneaker enthusiast was joined by Gaurav Singh Bisen aka @midspectrum and Bharat Jain from Bangalore – all with a deep passion for sneakers and the culture behind it
The birth of sneaker culture may draw its roots from the United States, but that hasn't stopped people in India from joining the art of collecting, trading or just admiring limited edition shoes as a hobby. It is a subculture that is now uniting genders and generations from all spheres of life in the country. As India’s leading destination for fashion and lifestyle, Myntra has its own, ‘Myntra Sneaker Club’, which has established itself as the storehouse of all leading sneaker brands.
As a continued effort to elevate sneaker shopping experience, Myntra Sneaker Club sought out to give sneaker enthusiasts in the country a unique experience, by inviting them along with style influencers and celebrities, to promote their passion for the culture.
Brands
Airtel, Jio, Vi quietly raise tariffs with tweaks ahead of major hike
Airtel, Jio and Vi test subscriber response with subtle plan changes
NEW DELHI: India’s top telecom operators, including Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea, are quietly reworking their prepaid plans in what appears to be a calculated run-up to a broader tariff hike expected later this year.
Rather than announcing headline-grabbing price increases, the operators are opting for subtle tweaks that are less likely to trigger immediate consumer backlash. Industry observers describe this as a “testing the waters” approach, where small changes help gauge subscriber sensitivity while gradually improving revenues.
Among the most visible moves is plan pruning. Airtel has discontinued its popular Rs 799 pack, widely seen as a high-value offering, while nudging up the price of its Rs 859 plan to Rs 899. The changes may seem marginal, but across millions of users, they translate into meaningful revenue gains.
Reliance Jio, on its part, has taken a sharper route by slashing the validity of its Rs 195 plan from 90 days to just 30 days. The price remains unchanged, but the value per day has dropped steeply, effectively raising costs for consumers without altering headline tariffs.
Meanwhile, Vodafone Idea is restructuring its “NonStopHero” packs, limiting unlimited data benefits to night hours in several circles. The move trims usage flexibility while keeping plan positioning largely intact.
Another common tactic is bundling. Operators are increasingly pairing plans with OTT subscriptions such as streaming services, framing price adjustments as value additions even when the core offering remains largely unchanged.
The broader goal behind these moves is to lift ARPU (Average Revenue Per User), a key profitability metric in the telecom business. Airtel is targeting an ARPU of around Rs 300, up from roughly Rs 250, while Jio is under pressure to demonstrate stronger revenue growth ahead of a potential IPO. For Vodafone Idea, the urgency is more immediate as it seeks higher cash flows to fund 5G expansion and manage outstanding dues.
Industry estimates suggest that these incremental changes are a precursor to a larger, industry-wide tariff hike of 15 to 20 per cent, likely towards the end of 2026. The delay in announcing a full-scale increase is partly due to macroeconomic concerns, including inflation and volatile fuel prices, which could dampen consumer sentiment.
The push to monetise 5G is also gathering pace. After investing more than Rs 3 lakh crore in next-generation networks, operators are expected to gradually phase out free 5G data and reposition it as a premium service.
For consumers, the impact is already visible in small but steady increases in monthly bills. For telcos, however, this is a carefully choreographed build-up, easing users into higher spending before the bigger pricing reset arrives.
