The Hindu Chennai

Led by social reformer G Subramania Aiyer, the first editor and educationist M Veeraraghavachariar, The Hindu was started by a group called ‘The Triplicane Six’, (the name comes from the fact that the other four of its members, TT Rangachariar, PV Rangachariar, D Kesava Rao Pant and N Subba Rau Pantulu, were associated with the Triplicane Literary Society). It was started on one British rupee and twelve annas of borrowed money, and printed at Srinidhi Press on Mint Street.

A weekly, with a print run of 80 copies it was quarter of its present size, it was sold for quarter of a rupee (US $0.005). In 1905, the newspaper was bought by its legal advisor S Kasturi Ranga Iyengar; today it belongs to a family-held company, Kasturi and Sons Limited. Many of the family members have grown up with a journalistic bent of mind and hold active posts in the organisation. 

From the start, the newspaper established a reputation for its assertive editorials; the very first editorial declared that “the Press does not only give expression to public opinion but also modify and mould it according to circumstances. It is this want that we have made bold to attempt to supply.” It was a mission statement in many ways, and The Hindu is the oldest surviving major newspaper of Indian nationalism, having cemented a reputation as one of the country’s most balanced and effective examples of the Fourth Estate. In the recent past too, it has not shied away from raising tough questions about the political establishment.

A pioneer in the media scenario, the paper was the first to introduce colour, to implement computer-aided integration of text and images in page layouts, and the first in India to go online in 1995. The Hindu was the first mainline newspaper to go in for photocomposition and the first in the region to use facsimile transmission of pages. At one time, it used its own aircraft to distribute copies. Its print editions are published out of 12 cities - Chennai, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kochi, Madurai, Mangalore, Thiruvananthapuram, Tiruchirapalli, Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam. Together their current daily circulation is 1.3 million copies with a readership of 5.2 million.

Over the years, The Hindu has added a spectrum of publications to its portfolio. The Hindu Business Line, its financial daily, and the weekly sports magazine Sportstar are leaders in their segments, and Frontline, the fortnightly features magazine is known for its analytical depth and progressive perspective. The Group publishes annuals on industry, agriculture, environment and cricket, and compiles articles on a range of topics under ‘The Hindu Speaks’ series as well.

While it has long given extensive coverage to literature and the arts – its Friday Review and Sunday magazine sections are eagerly awaited for the authoritative reviews. Its conservative image has been tempered with the more recent introduction of supplements to the daily newspaper such as MetroPlus, which cover contemporary culture and lifestyle. The Hindu extends its reach far and wide. Its formidable reputation ensures that its views are duly noted both by policy makers in several state capitals and the national capital, New Delhi. The newspaper is an eternal favourite among the erudite; a typical reader peruses the daily paper from cover to cover, a habit that has become a legacy for generations.