Sports
Gen Z Skips Valentine’s, Millennials Plan It
Quackquack survey reveals love’s generational split on 14 Feb 2026.
MUMBAI: Cupid’s bow seems to have missed the memo in 2026 some are dodging the arrow entirely while others are aiming straight for the bullseye. A fresh survey by dating app Quackquack has peeled back the layers on how India’s young daters are treating Valentine’s Day, and the generational divide is as clear as a swipe-left.
The poll quizzed 10,853 active users aged 20–35 Gen Z (20–26) and Millennials (up to 35) from bustling metros, sleepy suburbs, and small-town corners. Everyone surveyed had been swiping seriously for at least three months.
Quackquack founder and CEO Ravi Mittal summed up the mood swing, “Gen Zs are going in total airplane mode this Valentine’s Day… Millennials, on the other hand, are picking up the pace. They are choosing to make an effort and seal the deal on matches they have been courting for a while.”
For 33 per cent of Gen Z daters, 14 February has become a deliberate non-event. They’re hitting pause on new matches and keeping existing chats low-key to sidestep the pressure of instant labels or grand gestures they might not sustain. Five in seven admitted the day triggers comparison anxiety not exactly the vibe for building something real. Nikita, 25, from Delhi, put it bluntly, “I don’t like forced milestones. Just because it’s V-Day doesn’t mean I have to turn my new match into my boyfriend.”
Meanwhile, 6 in 10 Gen Z respondents who aren’t outright fasting are embracing “quiet romance” no gifts, no dates, just gentle check-ins via memes, emojis, and the occasional “thinking of you”. Anshu, 26, explained the logic, “If it’s real, it won’t need a strong hashtag to take over my heart.”
Millennials, though, are playing chess while the younger crowd opts for solitaire. Among them, 39 per cent of women and 21 per cent of men from Tier-1 and Tier-2 cities are treating the day as a compatibility litmus test gauging effort, consistency, and emotional wavelength. Ashwini, a 29-year-old software engineer from Mumbai, laid out her checklist: “Is he making plans or leaving it all on me? Is he communicating well? Is he too indifferent about the day? I’m checking the pattern.”
Over 4,364 Millennials in the survey ranked a thoughtful coffee date higher than a flashy last-minute restaurant booking. Almost 43 per cent of those aged 28–35 are deliberately planning V-Day with matches they see as having long-term legs ready to talk exclusivity, future expectations, and the next step without hesitation.
So while Gen Z is practising romantic fasting to keep things natural and pressure-free, Millennials are turning Valentine’s into a strategic checkpoint in the quest for something solid. In the great Indian dating game of 2026, one side is slowing down to breathe, the other is speeding up to commit and both insist they’re playing it exactly right.
Sports
Kaacon Sethi retires as CMO of Dainik Bhaskar Group after 12 years
Led brand, content and revenue innovation across media, sports and entertainment.
MUMBAI: After nearly a dozen years of shaping narratives and building brands, Kaacon Sethi is signing off from the marketing playbook at least for now. The long-time chief marketing officer at Dainik Bhaskar Group has stepped down, bringing to a close a 12-year stint that saw her steer the organisation through evolving media and revenue landscapes.
During her tenure, Sethi worked at the intersection of advertising, content and commerce collaborating closely with advertisers to craft client solutions and develop content-led offerings that went beyond traditional formats. Her role increasingly focused on aligning editorial strengths with brand objectives, unlocking new revenue streams in a media ecosystem undergoing rapid transformation.
Her journey at Bhaskar, she noted, was among the most defining phases of her career, one that allowed her to build, experiment and contribute across marketing, branded content and business strategy. From strengthening market presence to driving newer initiatives such as “Urban Bharat”, her work reflected a broader shift in how media organisations approach audience engagement and monetisation.
Sethi also highlighted the collaborative environment within the organisation, describing it as a space where ideas were tested, debated and pursued with conviction, an approach that helped shape several of the group’s marketing and content innovations over the years.
With experience spanning media, entertainment and sports marketing, her exit marks the end of a significant chapter not just for her but also for the organisation’s evolving marketing strategy.
For now, Sethi plans to take a short break before moving on to the next phase of her career. If the past 12 years are any indication, the pause may be brief but the impact is likely to linger longer.
