From a fire-gutted press to a digital giant: the turbulent history of Indian Express
In short: Founded in 1932 by an Ayurvedic doctor, the Indian Express survived financial collapse, a catastrophic fire, and bitter ownership battles to become a major media force. Today, it remains a central, albeit occasionally contested, pillar of Indian journalism, navigating the complex intersection of digital growth and high-stakes public accountability.
The Indian Express began in 1932 in Madras, established by P. Varadarajulu Naidu. The publication quickly faced financial instability, leading to a series of ownership shifts. Swaminathan Sadanand, founder of The Free Press Journal, took control before losing the paper to Ramnath Goenka following a protracted legal battle in 1935. Goenka’s influence expanded significantly as he acquired other dailies, including the Telugu newspaper Andhra Prabha and the Tamil edition Dinamani, forming a trio often referred to as the Three Musketeers.
The newspaper’s resilience was tested in 1940 when a fire destroyed its premises. In a notable moment of industry cooperation, rival newspaper The Hindu provided temporary facilities and printing support, allowing the Express to continue operations. This period also saw the newspaper secure better printing technology, setting the stage for its future expansion. By 1952, the paper reached a circulation of 44,469, and by 1996, it had embraced the digital age, launching an online presence that drew 700,000 daily hits within months.
Following Ramnath Goenka’s death in 1991, the group underwent a major restructuring. In 1999, the organization split between his grandsons, Manoj Kumar Sonthalia and Viveck Goenka. The northern editions retained the original name, while the southern editions became The New Indian Express. This legacy continues today, with the Indian Readership Survey 2017 placing the paper as the sixth most-read English daily in India, boasting nearly 1.6 million readers.
The newspaper’s modern editorial history is marked by both investigative reach and public disputes. It has faced scrutiny over its reporting, including a 2020 investigation into a doctored audio clip, a 2022 correction regarding Republic Day parade attendance, and a 2025 accusation of speech manipulation by Shashi Tharoor. These incidents highlight the ongoing tension between the publication’s role as a watchdog and the challenges of verifying information in a fast-paced, often polarized media landscape.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: The Indian Express
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