Lokmat to launch Delhi edition

The edition will be launched on December 15 on the occasion of Lokmat commencing its 100th year in circulation.

In a recent announcement, Marathi daily Lokmat stated that it will be launching a Delhi edition on December 15; the day when the newspaper brand begins its 100th year. Lokmat will start off the Delhi edition with 50,000 copies.

Vijay DardaWhen talking about the reason behind launching the Delhi edition, Vijay Darda, chairman, Lokmat Media Group says, "We live by the principle of 'Jeethe Marathi, Teethe Lokmat' (Wherever you find Maharashtrians, you will find Lokmat). Keeping our vision in mind, we decided to launch the New Delhi edition as we enter our 100th year. Besides, in the last few years, we were focused on our Pune and Kolhapur campaigns where we are clear leaders now."

We asked Darda if it was a research-led decision to launch the Delhi edition. He says, "We have conducted an elaborate study to understand the needs of Marathi readers outside Maharashtra. We are in touch with the Maharashtrian community through our various initiatives such as the Annual Diwali Festival celebration, special issues etc. and hence we already have a database in place for other states in India. Delhi especially, being the Capital, we decided it might be an opportune moment to reach out to this market as we enter our centenary year of operation. It has both readers and advertisers."

Lokmat had already set up a team in the last year gearing towards the launch of the Delhi edition. The company plans to promote the launch via print, radio, outdoor campaigns, and events.

Apart from Delhi, we asked Darda if Lokmat plans to launch its edition in other states like Madhya Pradesh where Maharashtrians also reside. He says, "Although there is a constant demand from Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Telangana, we will look at these markets in the future. However, we are set to expand our digital reach by launching news websites in various languages including Bengali, Hindi, Punjabi and some Southern languages."