MAM
Firstandsecond.com in expansion mode with Hughes Escorts deal
BANGALORE: Online bookstore Firstandsecond.com has tied up with with satellite service provider Hughes Escorts Communications Limited (HECL). Under this tie-up, customers across India can access and purchase books from firstandsecond.com directly through 66 HECL Direcway Fusion centres spread across 49 cities.
Speaking on the occasion, Firstandsecond.com CEO Misha Dange said, “Firstandsecond.com offers a wide selection of books at competitive prices. The tie up with Direcway will allow consumers across these 49 cities get access to purchasing books online from our site. With this tie up we will be able to reach the consumer even at the smallest city through the Direcway Fusion centre and consumers in any corner of the country will have access to the option of purchasing books, music and movies online.”
“Direcway will be providing us with a turnkey service and the payment MIS will be made available to us the same day, allowing us to ship the products faster. Also customer will get a Receipt of his payment with the order details and this is also expected to help in sorting out payment related problems faced by our customers. This is a positive step in our endeavour to provide great service to our clients” Dange added.
Says HECL director Pranav Roach, “Hughes is looking at this tie up with Firstandsecond as a first step on the path to help boost e-commerce in the country, especially in tier-B and tier – C cities. Consumers can now pay through the Direcway Fusion model, even if he does not possess a credit card or an online account. This easy and convenient access through the Direcway Fusion model will make many more services possible for him. In the near future, we are looking at many more tie ups of a similar nature which will help Hughes propel personalized e-commerce in India.”
Brands
RPSG’s Sudhir Langer exits days before IPL 2026
Timing sharpens focus on stake sale buzz and LSG’s tightening financial playbook
MUMBAI: RPSG ( RP-Sanjiv Goenka) Ventures has sprung a late leadership surprise just as the IPL drumroll begins. Sudhir Langer will step down as whole-time director and from the board effective March 31, days after the 2026 Indian Premier League season kicks off on March 28.
The timing is hard to ignore. RPSG Ventures owns Lucknow Super Giants, and Langer’s exit lands in a narrow pre-tournament window when operational focus is typically at its peak.
The move also coincides with chatter around a potential stake sale. According to a Moneycontrol report, the RPSG Group, led by Sanjiv Goenka, is exploring options to offload up to a 15 per cent stake in the franchise. There has been no official confirmation.
RPSG had acquired the Lucknow franchise in November 2021 for Rs 7,090 crore, among the highest bids in IPL history. The team operates under RPSG Sports Private Limited and carries a sizeable annual franchise fee obligation of Rs 709 crore through FY31.
Financials underline both scale and strain. The franchise remains heavily reliant on central revenue distribution from the Board of Control for Cricket in India. In H1 FY26, it received Rs 399 crore as its share of franchise rights, compared with Rs 458 crore in FY25, the single largest contributor to income.
Total revenue for H1 FY26 stood at Rs 495.9 crore, with profit at Rs 63.7 crore. Yet FY25 saw a softer showing: revenue fell about 20 per cent to Rs 557 crore, weighed down by fewer matches and a lower league finish in the 2024 season. Growth has since been modest, with H1 FY26 revenue rising roughly 3 per cent year on year.
That leaves LSG balancing on a familiar IPL tightrope: strong central inflows, volatile on-field-linked earnings and a hefty fixed fee burden.
With a leadership exit, stake-sale speculation and a new season about to begin, Goenka’s cricket bet is entering a decisive phase—where timing, performance and capital strategy will all have to click.
