eNews
Network 18’s Pawan Kumar Sharma joins Josh Talks as business head
Mumbai: Regional content and upskilling platform Josh Talks has appointed Pawan Kumar Sharma as business head. Sharma will be expanding the brand solutions vertical at Josh Talks, while driving strategic partnerships for the platform’s regional languages and new content category channels.
Sharma brings 16 years of experience in branded content, revenue management, and strategic business planning. Prior to joining Josh Talks, he was at Network18 as national head of revenue. He has worked at The Walt Disney Company for 11 years, leading its youth vertical – Bindass. Other media brands that Sharma has been associated with include UTV Action & Movies, Star India, and Reliance Big Entertainment.
“Organisations today are socially conscious and are interested in partnering with platforms that are impactful. At Josh Talks, we are creating content that is inspirational and actionable in 10 regional languages,” said Josh Talks CEO and co-founder Supriya Paul. “In the last few years, we have collaborated with some of the largest organisations namely Google, Meta, and Amazon amongst others on 100+ campaigns to engage with the next billion users. We are excited to bring a seasoned leader like Pawan on board to establish our brand solutions vertical and drive strategic partnerships with like-minded organisations that are leveraging storytelling to create change at the grassroots.”
“Josh Talks’ content reaches an audience that is increasingly relevant for all organisations today – 70 million+ youth from tier 2 and 3 cities who are seeking information and opportunities to do well in life. I am confident that we will be able to find synergies with leading organisations across industries to foster partnerships and also create exclusive content that is relevant and meaningful for the Indian audience,” shared Sharma. “Our larger goal is to give reasons to the youth of our country to be inspired, chase their dreams and contribute to nation-building at large,” he added.
eNews
Swiggy sees record orders during India vs New Zealand T20 final
Chicken biryani tops match-day menu as fans order 7,500 times per minute at peak.
MUMBAI: India’s T20 final didn’t just break stumps, it broke Swiggy’s delivery records, proving cricket fans celebrate victories with plates, not just flags. Swiggy, India’s leading on-demand convenience platform, reported a sharp spike in food orders during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final between India and New Zealand. On 8 March 2026, overall orders rose 23.2 per cent year-on-year compared with the same date in 2025, driven by fans turning living rooms into mini stadiums complete with match-day feasts.
Key highlights from the evening:
- Orders during peak match hours (7–10 pm) were 2.1 times higher than pre-match levels.
- The highest order rate hit 7,500 orders per minute at 19:45.
- Chicken biryani reigned supreme as the most-ordered dish, followed by masala dosa, chicken fried rice, garlic breadsticks and paneer butter masala.
While metros such as Bengaluru, Mumbai and Hyderabad led volumes, the cricketing fever spread nationwide. Among emerging cities, Thiruvananthapuram, Surat and Rajkot recorded the strongest order growth. Smaller markets including Shillong, Agartala and Port Blair also showed significant appetite, underlining the expanding footprint of quick-commerce food delivery across India.
The surge reflects a growing trend of pairing major sporting events with doorstep delivery, turning big matches into shared, convenient celebrations. In a night where every boundary mattered, Swiggy proved the real MVP might just be the delivery partner who kept the snacks and the vibes flowing without missing a single wicket.
