The Hindu which is one of the oldest and the most respectable newspaper has finally started publishing an edition from Mumbai. This is great news for people like me in Mumbai who were earlier regular readers of this news paper before coming to Mumbai. For some The Hindu is a part of their life and cannot do without it. I started reading the Hindu regularly from 1996 and this was critical in shaping my way of life, leisure and English. I particularly remember articles by Vijay Lokapally on cricket. His articles on great Indian spinners, one spinner every Saturday and Shane Warne’s magical bowling made me to take to spin bowling (only gully level!).
When I came to Mumbai five years ago I was surprised to find that The Hindu has no edition from India’s financial capital. Sampling a couple of popular papers in Mumbai made me to search for news in between the page 3 tabloids and huge advertisements. Unlike Hindu these news appeared to be more on the sensational side and it took no time to turn through the huge number of pages. I thought they were only good for the raddhiwalas. One day old Chennai edition of The Hindu was however available in Mumbai possibly for people preparing for civils. Even if I would liked to have a Hyderabad edition I settled to subscribe the day old Chennai edition of The Hindu. Fortunately there was more national content for consumption, about 4 pages had news from Chennai and Tamil Nadu. This allowed me to understand state of affairs in that state. But when I moved to the neighbouring Navi Mumbai two years later, I found that I could at best get to read a two day old Chennai edition. This made me to settle for the popular Telugu daily Eenadu.
Early November this year I started seeing that The Hindu is starting Mumbai edition. Further probing conformed the news that Hindu is indeed starting in Mumbai with Sachin Kalbag as the resident editor. Constant pop ups and side banners on the Hindu website reminded the date 28th November, I was glad that it was a Saturday
When I came to Mumbai five years ago I was surprised to find that The Hindu has no edition from India’s financial capital. Sampling a couple of popular papers in Mumbai made me to search for news in between the page 3 tabloids and huge advertisements. Unlike Hindu these news appeared to be more on the sensational side and it took no time to turn through the huge number of pages. I thought they were only good for the raddhiwalas. One day old Chennai edition of The Hindu was however available in Mumbai possibly for people preparing for civils. Even if I would liked to have a Hyderabad edition I settled to subscribe the day old Chennai edition of The Hindu. Fortunately there was more national content for consumption, about 4 pages had news from Chennai and Tamil Nadu. This allowed me to understand state of affairs in that state. But when I moved to the neighbouring Navi Mumbai two years later, I found that I could at best get to read a two day old Chennai edition. This made me to settle for the popular Telugu daily Eenadu.
Early November this year I started seeing that The Hindu is starting Mumbai edition. Further probing conformed the news that Hindu is indeed starting in Mumbai with Sachin Kalbag as the resident editor. Constant pop ups and side banners on the Hindu website reminded the date 28th November, I was glad that it was a Saturday
When the day arrived the first task for the day was to get hold of the first edition of The Hindu Mumbai edition. No way that I am going to miss the inaugural edition. Mean while I followed the @the_hindu and #THMumbai on twitter to see how the paper is received. Several noted Industrial heads and Film personalities welcomed its arrival. At half past seven I went to a news paper vendor and found The Hindu….. but it was two day old 26 November 2015 Chennai edition. When I enquired the lady there said the paper would arrive in about a half hour. I went to another vendor a couple of hundred meters ahead and got the same reply. He however took my address and said that he will send it when it arrives. I however took the old Chennai edition to see how The Hindu’s standards are now in buildup to the Mumbai’s edition. After going through the Chennai edition and while relishing it rang the door bell and there came The Hindu Mumbai Edition. I thanked the news paper guy for keeping his word and then its scrutiny.
The weekend is then spent well on living "The Hindu" life with leisure reading and appreciating the paper. The main headline "Constitution is our holy book:PM" summarizes the priority of this news paper. Prominent is an exclusive interview of Shahrukh Khan. Further down "Good Morning, Mumbai!" by Dr. Malini Parthasarathy ,Editor, The Hindu. There was a good amount of Mumbai content.
However comparing with the two day old Chennai edition paper quality of Mumbai edition is less which can be seen in the above figure. In terms of look and the touch the former feels better.
Finally the price, Hindu costs Rs 8.00 in Mumbai when it is available for half the price in Chennai and other places. While there are early bird and student discounts for yearly subscriptions the price seems to be little higher specially when other papers are at half the price. Hindu may be the choice of only its ardent readers.
The weekend is then spent well on living "The Hindu" life with leisure reading and appreciating the paper. The main headline "Constitution is our holy book:PM" summarizes the priority of this news paper. Prominent is an exclusive interview of Shahrukh Khan. Further down "Good Morning, Mumbai!" by Dr. Malini Parthasarathy ,Editor, The Hindu. There was a good amount of Mumbai content.
However comparing with the two day old Chennai edition paper quality of Mumbai edition is less which can be seen in the above figure. In terms of look and the touch the former feels better.
Finally the price, Hindu costs Rs 8.00 in Mumbai when it is available for half the price in Chennai and other places. While there are early bird and student discounts for yearly subscriptions the price seems to be little higher specially when other papers are at half the price. Hindu may be the choice of only its ardent readers.