iWorld
News18 launches YouTube channel for Maha Kumbh 2025
MUMBAI: Close to Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad) is Triveni Sangam – the sacred confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers. Today, Prayagraj is a husltle bustle of activity as it gets ready to stage the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, a magnificent spiritual celebration anticipated to draw 400 million pilgrims from around the world.
And to make sure its influence is felt the world over, news television network News18 has launched News18 Kumbh, an exclusive YouTube channel that provides 24/7 coverage of this extraordinary event. It will bring the vibrant traditions of Indian spirituality into homes globally, offering viewers a virtual pilgrimage that encapsulates the essence of devotion and unity, showcasing the largest religious gathering on earth from 13 January to 26 February 2025.
To get a dekko of the YouTube channels click here: https://www.youtube.com/@news18kumbh
The News18 Kumbh logo was unveiled by the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad president Mahant Ravindra Puri – the apex religious body of 13 recognized monastic Hindu orders. The showcasing of the logo was streamed directly from the Kumbh Mela on the YouTube channel.
As part of the launch, Prateek Trivedi’s popular show Bhaiyaji Kahin featured a special live episode that captured the rich culture and tradition defining the Kumbh Mela.
According to a press release issued by the network, News18 Kumbh is to provide live coverage from multiple ghats and akharas. With 24-hour live streaming, special programming, and curated shows, the channel will delve into the mythology, spiritual significance, and cultural traditions of the Maha Kumbh. From detailed insights into the Shahi Snan and the importance of bathing rituals for different akharas to key dates, travel advisories, and daily event calendars, News18 Kumbh will serve as a guide for devotees and viewers alike.
As a tribute to the spirit of Maha Kumbh 2025, News18 also released a specially composed song that beautifully captured its essence and magnificence.
News18 network has deployed a dedicated team to cover the event. and has set up operations in Prayagraj to bring viewers updates and insights over the two-month-long event.
e-commerce
Visa report tracks rise of India’s affluent, experience-led spending
Affluent base doubles to 130 lakh, travel 58 per cent of elite spends.
MUMBAI: In India’s new luxury playbook, it’s less about owning more and more about living better. A new whitepaper by Visa Consulting and Analytics (VCA) maps a decisive shift in India’s affluent economy, where spending is becoming more intentional, experience-led, and closely tied to personal identity rather than pure income growth.
Titled India’s Affluent Economy 2025–2026, the report draws on a Visa-commissioned Yougov study and VisaNet data across travel, dining, retail and lifestyle categories. The headline number is hard to miss: individuals earning over Rs 10 lakh annually have nearly doubled from 69 lakh to 130 lakh, significantly expanding the country’s discretionary spending base.
But it’s not just about scale, it’s about behaviour. As consumers move up the affluence ladder, discretionary categories are taking a larger share of credit card spends, positioning cards as key enablers of premium, lifestyle-driven consumption.
The geography of wealth is shifting too. Affluence is no longer confined to metros such as Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru, with cities like Ahmedabad, Surat, Jaipur and Lucknow increasingly mirroring metro consumption patterns.
The report highlights a clear pivot from ownership to access. More than 50 per cent of affluent consumers now use cards for elite memberships, while 7 in 10 are drawn to limited-edition drops and curated collections. Increasingly, luxury is defined by seamless access be it concierge-led travel or curated dining where time saved is as valuable as money spent.
Spending patterns reinforce this shift. Among the ultra-elite, travel accounts for 58 per cent of discretionary spends, far outpacing retail and luxury combined at 28 per cent. Cross-border spending penetration stands at 63 per cent, signalling a growing global outlook among India’s affluent.
Closer home, indulgence is becoming routine. Nearly 4 in 5 affluent consumers dine at premium establishments at least three times a year, while 1 in 4 visit luxury venues more than five times annually. Dining spends are also climbing, with Rs 20,000 emerging as a new entry-level benchmark per experience and Rs 50,000 marking premium territory.
Retail, meanwhile, is becoming more selective. Three in four affluent consumers make a high-end purchase at least once a quarter, while one in four shops premium every two weeks. Luxury retail intensity is also rising, with 2 in 5 consumers spending over Rs 5 lakh annually, and a smaller but significant segment exceeding Rs 10 lakh.
Technology and wellness are carving out new roles in this ecosystem. High-end gadgets now see average spends of Rs 60,000 or more per purchase, while ultra-elite consumers are eight times more likely to visit spas and show five times higher engagement with cosmetic stores than non-affluent groups.
The broader takeaway is structural. Affluent consumers are no longer buying products, they are buying ecosystems. Integrated experiences across travel, dining, wellness and payments are becoming central to how this segment lives and spends.
As India’s affluent base expands beyond metros and aligns more closely with global consumption patterns, the real opportunity lies not just in size, but in speed. For brands, the message is clear: relevance will be defined by how early and how seamlessly, they plug into this evolving lifestyle economy.
