On June 5, Uber announced the departure of Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty, the head of its delivery division and one of the company’s longest-tenured top executives, after nearly 13 years.
According to his LinkedIn page, Gore-Coty began his career with Uber in 2012 as a general manager in France and rose to the position of vice president of mobility for the Europe and Middle East area four years later. In 2021, he was appointed senior vice president of delivery.
In a statement included in a regulatory filing, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi stated, “It’s difficult to imagine Uber without Pierre, because there hasn’t been much Uber without Pierre.” “He was a key contributor to our global mobility expansion as one of our first employees and took over as CEO of Uber Eats just weeks before the first Covid lockdowns.”
Andrew Macdonald to Get Promoted
Uber said that senior vice president of mobility and business operations Andrew Macdonald will take over as chief operating officer, reporting to Khosrowshahi.
According to the filing, Macdonald, 41, will be in charge of the company’s autonomous, global mobility, and delivery operations in addition to “key cross-platform functions like membership, customer support, safety, and more”.
Uber’s executive team page lists 11 individuals, including Gore-Coty. The only person with a longer tenure at the company is Macdonald. According to LinkedIn, he started in May 2012, four months ahead of Gore-Coty.
According to Gore-Coty’s statement, these 13 years have been an unforgettable experience. He went on to say that it was a real team effort and that he is really pleased with the work his team has done and the influence Uber has had on day-to-day living in cities all around the world.
Uber Expanding its Business Portfolio
With the changes taking effect immediately, Uber has been attempting to diversify its company in order to spur development as its core North American market shows indications of saturation. Rivals like DoorDash and DASH.O have been fiercely competing with Uber’s delivery service.
Uber agreed to pay $700 million last month to buy the majority of 85% of Trendyol Go, a Turkish grocery and food delivery service. The business just revealed first-quarter statistics that fell short on revenue but beat on earnings.
The Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit against Uber a month prior, claiming that the business had used “deceptive billing and cancellation practices” in connection with its Uber One subscription program.
Macdonald will move from Toronto to New York, where Khosrowshahi and other corporate executives are headquartered. He will get $5 million in stock, contingent on meeting performance and time goals.
By expanding its collaboration with the Indian government-backed nonprofit organisations, Uber is joining India’s expanding B2B logistics market.
Without giving a precise timeframe, the ride-hailing giant said on 19 May that it will soon introduce its B2B logistics solution through the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).
This platform will assist companies on the network in accessing on-demand logistics through Uber’s 1.4 million driver network. The service is intended to be extended to e-commerce, supermarkets, pharmacies, and even healthcare logistics, although it will initially allow food deliveries for companies using the open network.
Locking Horns With Shadowfax, Shiprocket etc.
Uber’s latest move will allow it to compete with companies like Shiprocket (funded by Temasek and PayPal), Shadowfax (supported by TPG, Qualcomm Ventures, and Eight Roads), Porter (a recent Indian unicorn), and LoadShare (backed by Tiger Global) as a logistics service provider on ONDC.
According to media reports, it would be a white-label service that functions similarly to Uber Direct, which was introduced in the US in 2020. However, it will only be available to companies who are part of the ONDC network, TechCrunch was informed.
Following its launch of Courier XL in Delhi NCR and Mumbai earlier this month, which enables users to deliver large items weighing up to 1,653 pounds from the company’s rider app by selecting three- and four-wheeler goods carriers, Uber is now expanding into business-to-business logistics in India. For a while now, the business has also provided its standard courier package delivery service on two-wheelers.
Uber’s focus on logistics in general makes sense because, according to Motilal Oswal, the Indian logistics market is predicted to expand 49% from 9 trillion Indian rupees ($105 billion) in the fiscal year 2023 to 13.4 trillion Indian rupees ($157 billion) in the fiscal year 2028.
Following a 41.1% year-over-year growth in operational revenue to $439 million in India last year, the move will help Uber make another business case in that country. According to previous year’s figures, ride receipts increased by 21.45% year over year to $94.27 million in total operating revenue.
However, local competitors are becoming more and more formidable in the Indian ride-hailing business, including up-and-coming firms like Namma Yatri (financed by Google, Blume Ventures, and Antler) and Rapido (supported by WestBridge Capital and Nexus Ventures).
It is anticipated that the San Francisco-based corporation will be able to keep India as a significant market by diversifying into other areas like logistics.
According to LiveLaw, the Delhi High Court on 5 May denied an interim injunction petition that the IPL team Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) had brought against Uber Moto over a purportedly offensive YouTube ad that featured Travis Head of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
RCB’s request for an interim injunction was denied by Justice Saurabh Banerjee, who stated that the disputed advertising did not call for any action at this time. According to the Delhi High Court, which Livelaw cited, the contested advertising is about a game of sportsmanship called cricket, which does not, in this court’s view, require any kind of intervention at this time.
The HC said that the plaintiff could run on water with guarantees that they wouldn’t fall because, in a situation like this one, the court’s intervention at this point would equate to falling. Consequently, the current application is denied.
Why RCB went to HC?
Travis Head, a cricket player of Sunrisers Hyderabad, appears in the Uber YouTube promo as part of the “Hyderabaddie” campaign. As a humorous jab at the rival IPL club Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Head is seen in the advertisement changing a banner to say “Royally Challenged Bengaluru”.
The ad, which was meant to advertise Uber’s bike taxi service, caused controversy since RCB claimed it violated their trademark and denigrated their brand. RCB claimed that this action, together with the use of their trademarked slogan “Ee Sala Cup Namde”, denigrated and diluted their corporate identity. There are currently 2 million views for the 0.59-second video.
RCB’s Allegations
Given that Uber Moto is a commercial sponsor of SRH, a rival IPL club, RCB said that Uber’s advertisement amounted to commercial ridicule and brand dilution due to its illegal use and distortion of their trademark.
The franchise requested a temporary injunction to prevent Uber from showing the commercial. The complaint was dismissed as unfounded by Uber, which defended the advertisement as a form of commercial free speech and marketing.
The court ruled that the complainant had not established a prima facie case of trademark infringement or disparagement against the defendants.
According to the court, there is currently nothing in the advertising that might incite or inspire anyone in the general public, much less any RCB or SRH cricket players, fans, or watchers.
The court pointed out that there cannot be a one-sided impression or version of the contested advertisement, especially when what the plaintiff believes to be “right” may be “wrong” in the defendants’ eyes, and vice versa.
Since there are always two sides to a story, it is impossible to draw conclusions about the act or acts of disparagement based solely on the opinions, remarks, or statements of a small number of viewers or followers. In any case, that cannot serve as the standard by which the act of disparagement and/or infringement is judged.
What does it take to turn a tough beginning into a big success? Dara Khosrowshahi’s life shows us how it’s done. From escaping political troubles as a young refugee to leading Expedia to big success and later stepping in as Uber’s CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi’s story is full of strength, smart choices, and brave leadership. Since he became the CEO of Uber in 2017, he has worked smartly to improve the company’s image, fix its problems, and build an evergreen future.
This article will share an inside look at Dara’s early life, his education, his career journey, and how he became a leader of a global tech company.
Dara Khosrowshahi was born on May 28, 1969, in Tehran, Iran, into a wealthy and well-established family. His family owned the Alborz Investment Company, a successful conglomerate with diverse interests in industries like chemicals, food, distribution, and pharmaceuticals, one of the largest private businesses in Iran at the time.
However, their lives changed dramatically during the Iranian Revolution of 1978–79. As political unrest intensified and the regime became hostile toward wealthy business owners, Dara’s family was forced to flee the country.
At just 9 years old, Dara arrived in the United States as a refugee with his parents and two brothers. The family initially lived with relatives before slowly rebuilding their lives from scratch.
Despite these early challenges, Dara adapted quickly to his new surroundings. Dara completed his high school education at Hackley School in New York and later earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Brown University in 1991.
Dara Khosrowshahi – Family
Dara’s first marriage was to Kathleen Grant, which lasted until 2009. Together, they have two children: a daughter named Chloe and a son named Alex. Dara Khosrowshahi is currently married to Sydney Shapiro, a former preschool teacher and actress. The couple tied the knot on December 12, 2012, in Las Vegas. They have twin sons named Hayes Epic and Hugo Gubrit, born in 2013, born in 2013.
Dara Khosrowshahi – Career
Dara Khosrowshahi began his professional journey in 1991 at Allen & Company, where he worked as an analyst. The job came with some great benefits after his first year. Dara received a $20,000 bonus and an all-expenses-paid African safari, according to The New Yorker.
It was also where he met media mogul Barry Diller, who quickly recognized his potential and began mentoring him for future leadership. Under his leadership, Expedia’s annual revenue has grown from $2.1 billion in 2005 to $8.7 billion in 2016.
Dara worked at Allen & Company for seven years before joining Barry Diller’s USA Networks (later IAC) in 1998. There, he climbed the ranks and eventually became the CEO of Expedia in 2005.
In 2005, following IAC’s acquisition of Expedia, Khosrowshahi was appointed CFO of Expedia Inc. Under his leadership, Expedia transformed into one of the world’s largest online travel companies. He spearheaded strategic acquisitions, including Travelocity for $280 million in 2015 , Orbitz for $1.6 billion , and HomeAway for $3.9 billion.
In August 2017, Khosrowshahi faced a career-defining moment when he was appointed CEO of Uber, succeeding co-founder Travis Kalanick amid a period of intense scrutiny and internal turmoil. Initially hesitant, Khosrowshahi was persuaded to take the role, emphasizing the need for cultural transformation within the company. He introduced new corporate values focusing on ethical practices and customer obsession, replacing the previous aggressive culture.
Khosrowshahi was identified as the highest-paid CEO in the S&P 500 in 2015. The average CEO at America’s largest companies earned $10.8 million. According to the report, Khosrowshahi received $94.6 million, which is the highest compensation among all 341 companies surveyed.
Dara Khosrowshahi – Uber
When Dara Khosrowshahi took over as CEO in 2017, Uber was in crisis mode, facing internal scandals, regulatory pushback, and an unstable public image. One of his first major goals was to stabilize the company and lead it to a successful Initial Public Offering (IPO).
In May 2019, under Dara’s leadership, Uber went public with a valuation of around $82 billion, raising $8.1 billion in one of the most anticipated IPOs in tech history. While the IPO faced criticism for an initial drop in share price, Khosrowshahi was credited with guiding Uber through the process with transparency and long-term focus.
Under Khosrowshahi’s guidance, Uber achieved its first annual operating profit in 2023, reporting a $1.1 billion operating profit and a $1.9 billion net profit, a significant turnaround from the $1.8 billion loss in 2022. This milestone marked a pivotal moment in Uber’s history, demonstrating its ability to generate sustainable, profitable growth at scale.
In 2023, he went undercover as an Uber driver for several months, completing around 100 trips under the alias “Dave K.” This experience provided him with firsthand insights into the challenges faced by drivers, leading to meaningful changes within the company.Since then, Uber has strengthened its business model, addressed regulatory challenges, and expanded its Eats and delivery services to new heights.
In May 2022, Khosrowshahi purchased 200,000 shares of Uber stock at an average price of $26.72, totaling approximately $5.34 million. Following this purchase, Khosrowshahi directly owned about 1.42 million shares of Uber. This move came shortly after he communicated to employees about the company’s strategic shift towards prioritizing free cash flow and cost efficiency.
Dara Khosrowshahi – Philanthropy
As a former refugee from Iran, Khosrowshahi has been a vocal advocate for displaced communities. In 2021, under his leadership, Uber increased its donation to $1 million to support Afghan refugee resettlement programs. These funds were directed to organizations like the International Rescue Committee and Women for Afghan Women, providing essential services such as transportation, food deliveries, and medical care to Afghan families.
In 2022, he hosted Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, to explore partnerships aimed at delivering emergency supplies to displaced families.
Dara Khosrowshahi – Controversies
In a 2019 interview with Axios on HBO, Khosrowshahi stated the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi as a “mistake” that could be forgiven, comparing it to an accident involving one of Uber’s self-driving cars. The remarks sparked widespread backlash, especially given Saudi Arabia’s significant investment in Uber. Khosrowshahi later retracted his statement and issued a public apology.
In addition, in May 2024, billionaire investor Bill Ackman criticized Uber after a New York City taxi driver claimed the company withheld passenger tips. Ackman’s own experience corroborated the driver’s claim, leading him to demand that Uber rectify the issue. Uber acknowledged the problem, attributing it to a technical glitch, and promised improvements.
Dara Khosrowshahi – Awards and Recognition
2013 – Ernst & Young Pacific Northwest Entrepreneur of the Year
2024 – Fortune’s 100 Most Powerful People in Business
When did Dara Khosrowshahi become the CEO of Uber?
Dara Khosrowshahi became the CEO of Uber in August 2017, succeeding co-founder Travis Kalanick.
What is Dara Khosrowshahi’s educational background?
Dara Khosrowshahi graduated with a bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronics engineering from Brown University in 1991. He also attended the Hackley School for his secondary education.
Does Dara Khosrowshahi own stock in Uber?
Yes, Khosrowshahi directly owned about 1.42 million shares of Uber.
According to a media outlet, cash-strapped company BluSmart intends to leave its primary taxi business and become a fleet partner of rival Uber. Nearly six years have passed since the EV ride-hailing firm first joined the market in 2019. A plan to start moving BluSmart’s current fleet to Uber in the coming weeks has been authorised by the company’s owners. According to reports, the change would be implemented gradually, beginning with 700–800 vehicles. The transition’s timeframe is still being decided.
High Rate of Cash Burn-Out
According to reports, the taxi startup spends more over INR 20 crore every month. In addition to outside fundraising rounds, the company has been receiving significant financial infusions from its founders, Anmol Singh Jaggi and Puneet Singh Jaggi. Cash is no longer readily available to invest in the business, according to the reports, because to Gensol Engineering’s severe debt crisis, which was also sponsored by the Jaggi brothers. According to the most recent report, the corporation now intends to return to its original role as a fleet operator. Due to claims of fabricated debt servicing documents and excessive debt levels, Gensol Engineering has come under investigation. Gensol Engineering has started an internal investigation and denies any role in the falsification.
Delays in Salaries, Deals Cancelled Adding More Pain to the Agony
According to various reports, BluSmart Mobility, an electric taxi-hailing firm that is currently experiencing financial difficulties, has postponed its March salary payments. Cofounder Anmol Singh Jaggi promised in an email to the staff that all outstanding debts will be paid by the end of April. Jaggi stated in an email that there will be a little delay in processing salaries because of present cash flow issues. The firm would like to reassure its employees, nonetheless, that all outstanding payments will be paid by the end of April. He said that the company will be releasing pay cheques in stages, beginning with the lowest pay grades and working up, to guarantee equity and consideration for those who might be more affected. BluSmart was established in 2019 by Jaggi and Punit K. Goyal and provides EV ride-hailing services as well as charging stations in Bengaluru and Delhi NCR. In January of this year, it extended its services to Mumbai and maintained a presence in Dubai.
Refex Industries cancelled its agreement with Gensol Engineering to purchase 2,997 electric vehicles a few weeks ago. Gensol EV Lease Pvt Ltd, Gensol’s EV financing division, agreed in January to sell 2,997 EV vehicles—originally leased to BluSmart—to Refex Green Mobility Limited (RGML), a subsidiary of Refex. Before that, rumours circulated that Uber was in preliminary discussions to buy BluSmart, a claim the latter once more refuted. Additionally, it was stated that the startup’s activities in Dubai were shut down in mid-March, and its intentions to expand its services in Saudi Arabia were shelved.
In a market with enormous growth potential, the Indian government plans to introduce a new cooperative-based taxi service called “Sahkar Taxi” nationwide as an alternative to well-known ride-hailing services like Ola and Uber. In Parliament on 26 March, Union Minister Amit Shah unveiled the idea, announcing that the new service will register four-wheeler taxis, rickshaws, and two-wheeler taxis. Additionally, he stated that Sahkar Taxi will guarantee that all profits flow directly to the drivers rather than big businesses, in contrast to current private firm services.
Reaping Financial Benefits for the Drivers
The Minister added that a government-run cooperative sarkar taxi service similar to Ola and Uber will be introduced in the upcoming months on a cooperative basis. Rickshaws, four-wheeler taxis, and two-wheeler taxis will all be registered by the service. The drivers of the vehicle will be the only recipients of the earnings from this service, not any large industrialists. The proposed action will pit the government against Uber, Ola, Rapido, and the recently developed app taxi aggregators like BluSmart, all of whom are fighting for a bigger share of the enormous market in the most populated nation in the world. With robust growth projections, rising Internet penetration, shifting lifestyles, and rising incomes, the market may also have plenty of room for new participants, even though the supply of app-cabs isn’t keeping up with demand. Prabhjeet Singh, president of Uber India and South Asia, had previously informed a media outlet that a lack of vehicles is making it difficult for ride-hailing services in India to satisfy growing customer demand, pointing to high asset ownership costs as a major obstacle.
State Governments Testing India’s Taxi Market
The Indian taxi industry is currently valued at $23.40 billion and is expected to reach $44.18 billion by 2030, according to Mordor Intelligence. With the introduction of Yatri Sathi by the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC administration in West Bengal, a comparable model is already in place. The service was first offered in Kolkata and has subsequently spread to Siliguri, Asansol, and Durgapur, among other places. Yatri Sathi is a handy and accessible choice for travellers around the region since it offers prompt dispatch, local language assistance (English or Bengali), reasonable fares, and round-the-clock customer service. Namma Yathri, a privately held taxi services app in Karnataka, uses a similar business model by guaranteeing that all earnings go to the drivers. With a variety of services like taxis, two-wheelers, four-wheelers, and pooling possibilities, the app gives drivers more control over their income while allowing passengers access to economical and effective modes of transportation.
More than a year after rival Rapido extended its subscription fee-based strategy to vehicles, ride-hailing service provider Uber has introduced a software-as-a-service (SaaS)-based zero commission model for drivers throughout India.
According to a notice on the app, Uber will only serve as a technological platform that links passengers and independent driver partners as of February 18. It further stated that it will not offer any kind of transportation. An Uber representative informed a media outlet, “The company has decided to align its approach accordingly in order to avoid being at a competitive disadvantage, given the industry’s shift towards a subscription-based model for drivers.”
New Business Strategy by Uber
Only the fare for a journey will be suggested by the Uber app; the rider and driver will have to negotiate the final price. The corporation will no longer be in charge of the rides’ quality, execution, or completion. The rules also stated that the business would not be held responsible for any ride cancellations made by drivers or their refusal to offer transportation services at any time.
Last April, the massive ride-hailing company tested a subscription-based scheme for drivers of autorickshaws on its network. Uber launched the service in six locations, starting with Visakhapatnam, Chennai, and Kochi. It is important to note that over the years, drivers have frequently gone on strike against ride-hailing services like Uber and Ola because of the commissions these companies charge. In the meantime, this has also led to a deluge of client complaints over service problems on social media.
Mobility will be Redefined by Ride-Hailing Trends in 2025
Nowadays, consumers have many options and are discriminating. The primary differentiation for standing out from the competition and optimising the customer experience will be customer centricity. Despite its ability to facilitate customer happiness, technology is merely a tool for improving the customer experience. Therefore, brands that give customers more control over the car, price, and driver instead of relying only on technology to decide these factors will have an advantage over their rivals.
Ride-hailing has emerged as a popular freelance option as hybrid employment models and a desire for flexibility gain traction. In order to become a popular job marketplace, many ride-hailing businesses are now including health and leave benefits in their drivers’ contracts.
A research study released by a well-known media company states that in 2025, businesses would place a greater emphasis on underdeveloped suburban markets and Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities by making partnerships and infrastructure investments in these areas. Rapid technical and infrastructure development, a large consumer base, and inadequate public transit infrastructures all point to the growth of ride-hailing companies in these locations.
The Maha Kumbh Mela of Hindus, celebrated 144 years ago, is a religious event that is attended by millions of pilgrims from all over the world. The pilgrims are from far away to four places in India – the Holy cities of Prayagraj (Allahabad), Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik. Based on Hindu philosophy, the holy dip in the sacred rivers present at these places will purify the soul and grant deliverance from the worldly cycle of birth and death. Also linked with some stories from the ancient Hindu scripture and mythology is the age-old belief about the falling of drops of the divine nectar of immortality at any of these sacred spots.
The Kumbh Mela has references dating back to the Rigveda and the 3rd century BCE. However, this festival became very powerful in the 7th century AD when King Harsha arranged grand gatherings at Prayagraj. Today, it is one of the biggest peaceful gatherings in the world, uniting culture and spirituality. Seekers from several regions attend the festival for bath-taking activities, sage lectures, and vibrant cultural exchanges, which showcase India’s cultural repertory.
Maha Kumbh Mela offers brands an opportunity to connect with millions of people in Prayag’s mobility and shape strategies that align the campaign with the event’s inherent spiritual essence. The campaign could also provide customized add-on services, such as travel insurance, and experiential marketing. The advertising glut could be as high as INR 3,000 crores as brands fight it out in a strategic duel of brand and product choice placement and direct new customers to centers of consumption.
Let’s explore some exemplary marketing campaigns done by some popular brands.
The “Dettol Banega Swasth India” (DBSI) Dettol’s campaign is capitalizing on the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela to fight for public hygiene and health for millions of pilgrims. The program will involve deploying hundreds of thousands of soaps at the food service areas to instill the habit of washing hands before and after eating. In addition, Dettol is also assisting sanitation workers by training about 15,000 staff and providing hygiene products to ensure cleanliness across the period. Health and hygiene volunteers will be on duty to help pilgrims with their orientation promoting civic involvement and hygiene promotion at the community levels. For authentic cultural resonance, the campaign utilizes street plays and puppet shows featuring hygiene messages. Dettol is a constant presence (2016) and a trusted public health partner, in line with India’s vision of a healthier country by 2047.
Eveready Industries India Limited is undertaking a focused promotional drive at the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela, to enhance this experience for the large number of pilgrims. The program entails the mounting of 13,000 LED lights at the Mela site, which provides bright illumination and enhances safety, particularly during nighttime hours. Eveready’s energy-saving lighting promotes sustainability as well as accident reduction and provides conveyance for the attendees. In this work, the brand is bestowed with a socially equitable status focused on the public good and uses its products as vehicles to represent the spiritual and cultural heart of the festival occurring. This campaign is aimed at strengthening the relationship with consumers among Eveready, creating goodwill, and furthering its brand image as an innovative company and responsible corporation.
Uber
In collaboration with the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Uber has launched a strategic campaign to improve the transportation services during the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 at Prayagraj airport, with the potential for 40 crore believers to visit. The plan covers airport terminal collection areas, clearly posted with signs and assistance for smooth transfers. Uber is providing a 25% discount (maximum ₹200) redeemed for airport-to-airport travel to promote the travel. The campaign provides effective mobility options for attendees while also providing income-generation alternatives for local drivers. With its app, Uber delivers an easy-to-use system for ride bookings that is tailored to the specific transport needs of this large-scale event and reaffirms its support of reliable, community-driven services at large-scale events.
Coca-Cola India has a significant presence at the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, where its programs revolve around hydration, sustainability, and cultural interaction. The brand will provide access to beverages such as Coca-Cola, Thums Up, Sprite, Maaza, and Fanta every 400 meters along the event site, to retain the participant’s hydration. Special Maha Kumbh edition packaging is a semblance of India’s heritage. Hydration carts and food activations will add to the culinary experience of visitors. Coca-Cola’s Maidaan Saaf campaign fosters sustainability through the distribution of 21,500 recycled PET jackets to sanitation workers, the installation of recyclate plastic playrooms, and the use of Reverse Vending Machines for waste recycling. With immersive experiences and recycling consciousness, Coca-Cola enhances festivities and provides sustainability and community support.
Dabur
Dabur is utilizing diverse innovative marketing techniques for Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 to access pilgrims and visitors. The activity consists of product sampling in streetside dhabas and food joints in Prayagraj, where, for example, popular brands like Hajmola are being promoted to induce trial and knowledge of the brand. The company is fitting out oral hygiene stations with automatic toothpaste dispensers and highlighted that health and hygiene are of paramount concern for the company. Family-friendly amenities, including female baby rooms and baby care rooms with Dabur products, are incorporated to add value to the delegates’ experience. In addition, Dabur is investing in brand activation, to foster deeper cultural bonds between the brand and customers, and attempt to access the market of a growing rural population where demand for healthy and wellness products is exploding.
In a new proposal, the footprint of Amazon India could be in Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 and one of its contributions is meant to provide relief to the pilgrims there. The company is distributing free upcycled cardboard beds in the prescribed locations of the festival (i.e., Kumbh Police and hospital staff). This sustainability-based work reuses the cardboard packaging boards from an environmentally resistant bed. Amazon collaborated with Ogilvy and specialist fabricators to provide robustness. After the event, Amazon will responsibly recycle beds unsalvageable items and donate salvageable beds to local NGOs. Director of Marketing, Pragya Sharma, pointed out this program is a part of the larger vision of Amazon India to empower communities and offer ease during mega events such as the Maha Kumbh Mela.
Vodafone Idea
Vodafone Idea (Vi) is launching a comprehensive campaign for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, aiming to enhance connectivity anduser experience. The 5G company services will be rolled out to consumers by 2025 in 17 priority circles, beginning with major cities such as Delhi and Mumbai, to cater to high data needs for events. To ensure reliable connectivity Vodafone Idea is setting up more than 46,000 new network sites and modernising 58,000 existing sites. The company will offer affordable 5G plans to attract customers away from competitors. Second, Vodafone Idea is planning to expand its 4G coverage to 90% of the Indian population by June 2025. Strategic partnership and participation of the community will result in deeper penetration of the platform at the Mela.
PhonePe
PhonePe enhance the digital payment experience during the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 such that they are not interrupted in their ability to use the service to access transportation, food, and lodging. With almost 47% of the UPI market, PhonePe will handle a massive volume of transactions that will ensure speed and stability. The platform also offers a cross-border payment function, which can be used to settle transactions by international tourists. Through a range of community engagement activities, PhonePe will promote digital inclusion and financial literacy. Novel abilities such as voice-enabled point-of-sale payment and artificial intelligence (AI)-based fraud prevention will add to convenience and security even more. Collaborations with local merchants ensure widespread service accessibility. Carrying out this heavy traffic scenario, PhonePe aims at enhancing the degree of the interaction among the user and the marketspace while positively supporting the financialization of India.
Ixigo is customizing the trip for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 participants with a series of facilities, tools, etc. On the platform, there has been a 187% rise in train reservations for Prayagraj, which reflects an escalating demand for travel to the Mela. In particular, 57% of bookings are from single travelers, of whom 39% are female, indicating changing travel patterns. Ixigo provides functionality for comparing train schedules, making tickets, and getting actual travel information. Ixigo, partnering with Indian Railways, provides special trains or services during the Mela. On the other hand, the platform may also provide combined trip and lodging packages. Ixigo nurtures its users with safety-related travel advice and the details of the local culture, making it the traveler of choice for Mela-bound travelers.
Park+ is leveraging advanced parking solutions to enhance the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 and is the official parking partner. The platform will provide the city of Prayagraj’s first smart parking system based on artificial intelligence (AI), offering the pilgrims an easy method of reserving and prepaying for parking spaces through the Park+ application. Coupled with FASTag payments, the system offers a fast and cashless payment system. The app will be used to offer navigation at more than 30 parking lots that are government-approved and have a total of 500,000 parking locations. Park+ will also offer 24-hour security, electric vehicle charging, medical assistance, food and drink service, and bathroom facilities. Using predictive AI, the architecture will enhance parking space allocation. By working together with Indian Oil, users will be offered fuel-price discounts, thus providing a stress-free and easy-flow parking experience.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 provides a novel chance for a wide array of brands and service providers to improve the lives of millions of pilgrims. Companies such as Dettol, Coca-Cola, Amazon India, Vodafone Idea, PhonePe, Ixigo, and Park+ are adopting new ideas and projects around health and connectivity, ease, and sustainability in life. Using technology and community involvement, these companies not only aim to address the possible challenges of logistics but also to add new value to the cultural and religious meaning attached to the congregation. In line with these plans becoming a reality, these methods are intended to guarantee a seamless and meaningful journey for the participants, which is a natural consequence of the importance of cross-communication and innovation in the planning of large-scale events.
FAQs
Why is 2025 Kumbh special?
This special Maha Kumbh Mela marks the completion of 12 Kumbh Mela cycles, making it a once-in-144-years event. It is set to span 44 days and is estimated to draw approximately 400 million visitors.
What are Maha Kumbh 2025 dates?
The dates for Maha Kumbh 2025 are Mon, 13 Jan 2025 – Wed, 26 Feb 2025.
How often is Maha Kumbh Mela?
Maha Kumbh Mela is approximately every 6 and 12 years.
On December 26, Union Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi ordered the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) to conduct a thorough investigation into the discrepancy in taxi fares that ride-hailing platforms display simultaneously on Android and iOS devices for identical rides. This was in response to a media report about the issue. He has instructed the consumer affairs division to investigate additional industries, like online ticket booking and food delivery applications.
The minister tweeted, tagging the media report, that the taxi aggregators are allegedly employing differential pricing based on the factors listed in the article below, which on the surface appears to be an unfair trading practice. If that is the case, this is a flagrant violation of the consumer’s right to know. “I have instructed @jagograhakjago through CCPA to carry out a thorough investigation into this and submit a report as soon as possible,” he added. I’ve requested that the department investigate more areas, such as apps for online ticket booking and food delivery. Authorities stated that they will gather the proof and ask the taxi aggregators and other platforms that deal with online ticketing and food delivery for their reaction.
Reports’ Citing & Uber’s Response
Joshi was replying to a post that featured a news clip about how the prices of taxi rides on Android and iPhone handsets differed. According to the report’s citing, iPhone users pay more than Android users for transportation to the same destination from three distinct sites in Chennai. This comes a day after a user highlighted a notable price variation when using an Android and an iPhone to book the same ride on Uber in a post on LinkedIn. Uber denied the claim that the “observed fare differences” were caused by the type of phone used as the matter grew into a controversy. The aggregator clarified that the pricing is affected by the numerous variations between these two rides. These requests have distinct pick-up, ETA, and drop-off locations, which will result in different fares. Uber does not adjust trip costs according to the manufacturer of a rider’s mobile device.
Startups Under the Strict Scanner
The CCPA has recently taken action against startups and consumer internet platforms for violating consumer protection regulations. This development has occurred at a particular juncture. It began a thorough investigation into many customer complaints against Ola Electric, an electric vehicle manufacturer, in October. Eleven rapid commerce and e-commerce businesses, including Blinkit, Zepto, and Meesho, were given notices for violating metrology standards in the same month. Before that, in April, the CCPA ordered the swift commerce companies to provide evidence for their “10-minute” delivery claims.
Uber launched Uber Moto Women, a first-of-its-kind service that provides bike rides only for women, in Bengaluru on 13 December. The business intends to expand into additional major cities, including Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata. The on-demand two-wheeler ride service is intended to meet the safety and mobility demands of women by matching female drivers with female passengers.
This is the first global project for Uber. Nowhere else in the world do you find such things exclusively for ladies. Since Bengaluru is the biggest market for bike taxis, Uber began there. About a million riders and 100,000 drivers are served by the city’s 5 million bike-taxi journeys every month across all platforms. Uber India and South Asia’s Head of Regional Business Operations, Abhishek Padhye.
In Bengaluru, last-mile transportation is extremely scarce. Uber discovered that 30% of its female users were already using bike taxis. In addition to providing women with a safer and more convenient travel alternative, “Uber Moto Women gives female drivers the chance to work flexibly in one of India’s fastest-growing mobility markets,” Padhye said.
Service is Crafted After Receiving Feedback from Women Riders
Uber Moto Women, which was created in response to input from female drivers and passengers, provides a simple, cost-effective, and safe commute choice for women who would rather travel with female drivers or passengers.
In metropolitan India, bike taxis are one of the modes of transportation that is expanding the fastest. In 2022, more than 280 million bike taxi rides were made across platforms, per a KPMG analysis titled “Unlocking the Potential of Bike Taxis in India.” Bengaluru is one of the biggest bike taxi marketplaces in the nation, with over a million rides every month. Furthermore, 65–70% of bike taxi trips accommodate first- and last-mile connectivity, underscoring the significance of these modes of transportation in enhancing public transportation.
Uber faces competition from companies like Namma Yatri, Ola, and Rapido. Since two-wheelers with white license plates are prohibited from operating commercially under the Karnataka Motor Vehicle Rules, the government has contested the legitimacy of bike taxis, creating regulatory obstacles for the state’s mobility companies.
Operating Under High Court’s Stay Order
The Karnataka transport authorities took action against Uber-affiliated bike taxis in Bengaluru in November, citing regulations that prohibited two-wheeler taxis. According to experts, Bengaluru’s bike taxis are protected by a stay order from the High Court.
In order to determine the best regulatory framework, all of the aggregators are actually working together and constructively with the authorities. “There is a real need in the market, and we are working with the government,” Padhye said, referring to the approximately one million riders and 100,000 drivers who use bike taxis.
