MAM
Air Deccan inks pact with HPCL
BANGALORE: Air Deccan announced a tie up with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) to sell Air Deccan Air Tickets at HPCL petrol pumps.
HPCL Retail executive director S P Choudhary said that Air Ticketing was another product that HPCL was introducing as a part of the bouquet of product and services HPCL offer to customers at petrol bunks. The bulk of the customers at petrol refueling stations were the middle class, the very segment that Air Deccan wanted to tap.
“We want to ensure that the middle class has access to Internet in the country in our delivery system, our customers must have more options for ticketing sources, we’re expanding our network to connect the interior parts of the country and want to make tickets easily available, we are simplifying the purchase process of Air Deccan tickets,” said Air Deccan MD G R Gopinath.
This association will help integrate small cities with large metros in the country and provide a base of around 250 million middle class customers. The cash earned by petrol pumps could also be rolled over due to the sale of tickets. It is a win-win situation for both Air Deccan and HPCL.
HPCL staff have been trained by Air Deccan for new ticket distribution, which will initially be channelised through 10 select petrol pumps in Bangalore and could involve a network of the 2000 Club HP petrol pumps across the country within a yeas time. HP expects to upgrade another 1000 petrol pumps to Club HP and these too could be brought in the loop to sell Air Tickets.
Brands
Pocket FM elevates Lalit Gangwar to COO to drive global growth
Founding member to lead operations, monetisation and expansion across markets
MUMBAI: Pocket FM has elevated Lalit Gangwar to chief operating officer, tasking the founding team member with leading global business operations as the company sharpens its international growth strategy.
In his new role, Gangwar will oversee end-to-end operations across markets, including growth, monetisation and execution for the company’s audio business. The appointment comes as Pocket FM looks to strengthen its operating foundation and build a more predictable, scalable global business.
Gangwar has been closely involved in shaping the company’s trajectory from its early days. He played a key role in building the growth and marketing playbook in India, helping the platform scale to over 150 million users within its first year and establish a strong foothold in the audio storytelling category.
He later led Pocket FM’s expansion into the United States, where he set up teams, defined market strategy and drove scale, contributing significantly to the company’s international ambitions.
Pocket FM co-founder and CEO Rohan Nayak said, “Lalit has been central to Pocket FM’s journey from the very beginning. He has built our growth engine and scaled our business across markets.” He added that the company’s focus on nurturing internal talent makes Gangwar a natural choice to lead the next phase.
Gangwar said, “Pocket FM has always been driven by a simple belief that powerful stories can travel across borders and create meaningful impact.” He noted that the company will continue to focus on scaling markets, investing in AI-led storytelling and strengthening monetisation.
As COO, Gangwar is expected to bring greater operating discipline while building systems, talent and processes to support long-term growth.
With leadership continuity and a clear global focus, Pocket FM appears to be turning the page to its next chapter, one that aims to take its storytelling playbook well beyond home turf.
