The Mumbai edition of 'The Hindu', one of India's oldest English dailies with a netpaid circulation of about 1.5 million copies around the country, will hit the news-stands in the 'Maximum city' tomorrow.

Announcing the launch of the edition at a press meet here today, N Ram, Chairman, Kasturi and Sons, the publisher of the daily, said the new edition has been one of the most ambitious projects of the media house which has a long association with the city stretching from the days of its very inception 137 years back.

"We enjoy a goodwill in Mumbai...We enter Mumbai with great hope. We are extremely optimistic...There is a place for our kind of journalism... We believe in credibility, integrity and authenticity of journalism," Ram said.

Asked if who he thought is the competitor of 'The Hindu' in Mumbai, Ram said "nobody", and added that "we have respect for all newspapers."



On a question about a predominantly south-based newspaper being accepted in a different cultural milieu, Ram said, "We greatly admire the culture here."



Though these are very strong cultures standing on their own feet, both are passionate about music and sports, he said.

Ram said there is still a demand for the 'long-form' of journalism even among the youth, and added that the newspaper will continue to maintain "a line between editorial and business" that has always been its clear principle.

Dwelling on the long association of the daily with Mumbai, N Ravi, the former Editor-in-Chief of the Hindu and Director of Kasturi & Sons Ltd, said the city has a tradition of welcoming the newcomers.

"Bombay has been exhaustively reported by 'The Hindu' right from its inception. We are quite optimistic about the new edition," he said.

Dr Malini Parthasarathy, Editor, said while holding on to its core brand strength of "credibility and integrity", the Mumbai edition of 'The Hindu' will be unique incorporating special pages, catering to each aspect of the "Maximum City" as the country's financial and corporate headquarters as well as a film and fashion hub.

"We realise our core brand strength is the credibility and integrity of our reporting. This brings authenticity to our perspective. At the same time we acknowledge Mumbai's great transformation into an upwardly rising global city," she said.

A pioneer in bringing cutting-edge technology in the



field, in Mumbai's context 'The Hindu' was the first newspaper in India to have a direct teleprinter network between its Madras (Chennai) and Bombay (Mumbai) offices in 1949, a press release issued by the daily said.

'The Hindu', which has a major presence online, was the first Indian newspaper to start an online edition in 1995.

Stating that the Mumbai edition marks "many firsts" for the newspaper, it has eight pages uniquely catering to the city capturing both the buyoant and poignant stories.

Resident Editor Sachin Kalbag and Kasturi & Sons CEO and MD Rajiv Lochan were also present at the press meet.