Shekhar Gupta joins the India Today Group

Gupta will report to Group Chairman Aroon Purie, and will be responsible for the editorial quality of all news and business brands.

Shekhar Gupta, who had recently stepped down as the editor-in-chief of Indian Express Newspapers, will be joining the India Today Group as vice chairman and editor-in-chief of the group's entire gamut of products that include all news and business publications, news TV brands and all related news and business digital brands.

This is Gupta's second stint at the India Today Group. He had earlier served at the group for 12 years. Gupta had earlier said that he will be at the Indian Express Group till June 15 and will be joining India Today after that. Meanwhile, Raj Kamal Jha has been named the editor-in-chief of The Indian Express post Gupta's resignation.

Announcing the appointment today, Aroon Purie, chairman, India Today Group, says, "This is a homecoming for Shekhar. He joined India Today in 1983 and was here for 12 eventful years during which he was an outstanding journalist. Shekhar is by far the best reporters' editor in Indian journalism today. Because of his fierce independence and integrity, he attracts and inspires the finest talent, and I look forward to him bringing an entire ecosystem of excellence on editorial as well as corporate platforms."

Gupta will also, in association with Aroon, launch a series of unique new editorial products that will showcase, 24 by 7, the finest in investigative reporting and interpretative commentary. He will report to Aroon Purie, and will be responsible for the editorial quality of all news and business brands. He will work closely with Ashish Bagga, Group CEO, and enable him to effectively grow readership and viewership profitably.

"It's a privilege to have the opportunity to return to the India Today Group to work with Aroon and his fine teams and nurture the most trusted news brands. ITG, with its commitment to excellence and credibility, is best placed to meet the biggest challenge in our business today: to earn the trust and respect of our readers and viewers," Gupta says.

The India Today Group has more than 36 magazines, including editions of leading international titles. Its flagship newsweekly, India Today, and other Group publications are all market leaders. It also has four leading 24-hour news channels, including the largest Hindi news channel, seven radio stations, a newspaper, a consumer e-com shopping portal and strong digital, mobile and social media presence. The Group's web presence is currently ranked number two among the news and information category websites in India with 9 million unique users.