Shekhar Gupta joins the India Today Group

NEW DELHI. SHEKHAR GUPTA, Editor-in-Chief of The Indian Express Group, will be joining as the Vice Chairman of the India Today Group (ITG) and Editor-in-Chief of all its news properties. These include all its news and business publications, news TV brands and all related news and business digital brands.

Announcing the appointment today, ITG Chairman Aroon Purie said: “This is a homecoming for Shekhar. He joined India Today in 1983 and was here for 12 eventful years during which he was an outstanding journalist. Shekhar is by far the best reporters’ editor in Indian journalism today. Because of his fierce independence and integrity, he attracts and inspires the finest talent, and I look forward to him bringing an entire ecosystem of excellence on editorial as well as corporate platforms.”

Shekhar will also, in association with Aroon, launch a series of unique new editorial products that will showcase, 24 by 7, the finest in investigative reporting and interpretative commentary.

“At a personal level, our friendship has grown as we have bounced ideas off each other about the rapid changes in our business,” said Aroon. “So Shekhar’s return is a moment of deep satisfaction and vindication of my belief, our shared belief, in the power of good journalism to help make sense of the noise rather than to add to it. Shekhar has also promised to liberate me from day-to-day operations so that I can work to guide the Group into a future of great promise, growth and excitement.”

“It’s a privilege to have the opportunity,” said Shekhar, “to return to the India Today Group to work with Aroon and his fine teams and nurture the most trusted news brands. ITG, with its commitment to excellence and credibility, is best placed to meet the biggest challenge in our business today: to earn the trust and respect of our readers and viewers.”

Shekhar Gupta will report to Chairman, Aroon Purie, and will be responsible for the editorial quality of all news and business brands. He will work closely with Ashish Bagga, Group CEO, and enable him to effectively grow readership and viewership profitably.

The India Today Group, India’s most respected and diversified media conglomerate, has more than 36 magazines, including editions of leading international titles. Its flagship newsweekly, India Today, and other Group publications are all market leaders. It also has four leading 24-hour news channels, including the largest Hindi news channel, 7 radio stations, a newspaper, a consumer e-com shopping portal and strong digital, mobile and social media presence. Its leading web property is www.indiatoday.in. The Group’s web presence is currently ranked number two among the Top News & Information category websites in India with 9 million unique users. Through its multiple media brands and platforms, the India Today Group reaches more than 100 million people every month.