MAM
IRS Q2: Top newspapers post growth
MUMBAI: Dainik Jagran and The Times of India are holding on to their top spots as the most read publications in the Hindi and English language dailies respectively, according to the IRS (Indian Readership Survey) second-quarter report released by the Media Research Users Council (MRUC) and Hansa Research.
Among the Hindi dailies, Dainik Jagran’s average issue readership (AIR), which had seen a drop in the previous survey, has gone up.
The top four players have seen surge in AIR, while Rajasthan Patrika and Punjab Kesari have seen marginal fall.
Dainik Jagran’s AIR has risen in Q2 to 16.39 million, from 15.91 million in the trailing quarter. Dainik Bhaskar (AIR of 14.17 million), Hindustan (11.98 million) and Amar Ujala (8.89 million) follow.
Navbharat, which was pushed out of the top 10 Hindi dailies by Hari Bhoomi in previous report, has still not managed to get back.
Among the English dailies, the Times of India continues to hold its numero uno position.
TOI has garnered a total AIR of 7.47 million, slightly higher than the trailing quarter report (7.44 million). It is followed by Hindustan Times (AIR of 3.74 million) which also saw a marginal growth as compared to Q1. The Hindu (AIR of 2.28 million), saw a dip from AIR of 2.09 million in the Q1.
Interestingly, The Economic Times, which was pushed to eighth place behind DNA and Mumbai Mirror in Q1, managed to outnumber Mumbai Mirror. However, it is still behind DNA.
Meanwhile, the pecking order of the regional dailies has remained same as of Q1. Malayalam Manorama has once again topped the chart with 9.96 million AIR, up from 9.94 million in Q1.
The list includes Lokmat (Marathi) (AIR of 7.59 million) and Daily Thanthi (Tamil) with an AIR of 7.29 million.
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.
