Hindustan launches Aligarh edition

The Aligarh edition has been launched with an initial circulation of 75,000 copies.

Hindustan Media Ventures Limited (HMVL) has launched an edition of the daily Hindustan from Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh (UP) on December 10, 2011. This marks the newspaper's ninth edition in UP.

The Aligarh edition of the daily has been launched with an initial circulation of 75,000 copies. It comes a year after the launch of the Gorakhpur edition. With the new edition, Hindustan is now printed from 17 centres across various states of the Hindi-speaking belt including UP, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand and Delhi.

In an official communiqué, Amit Chopra, chief executive officer, HMVL, says, "Aligarh is a unique region, culturally rich and prosperous. Its traditional segments like manufacturing and agricultural trade have made the region prosperous. And, education adds to its cultural heritage. It is the perfect setting for a progressive newspaper such as Hindustan to enter."

Shashi Shekhar, editor-in-chief, Hindustan, says, "Aligarh is a city with a rich legacy. This is the city of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and Sir Muhammad Iqbal. Until now, readers had limited choice in terms of newspapers. Hindustan will offer a refreshing change for Aligarh and its surrounding region."

Talking about the marketing activities undertaken by the group to create a buzz prior to the launch of the daily in Aligarh, Rajan Bhalla, head, marketing, strategic businesses, HT Media, says, "The core proposition of Hindustan is 'Tarakki ko chahiye naya nazariya'. We have approached Aligarh with the respect that the 'Mecca of Education' commands. We sought participation from college and school students in a unique initiative, asking them to express themselves on the topic 'Aisa ho mera naya Aligarh'."

For the record, HMVL is the publisher of the leading Hindi newspaper Hindustan, Hindi magazines Nandan and Kadambini, and a news website livehindustan.com. HMVL is a subsidiary of the HT Media Group, which has interests in radio, print, and the online media.