Who was Ramnath Goenka ?

Goenka was born in northeastern India, schooled in Benares (Varanasi), and sent by his family to Madras (now Chennai) in 1922 to become a dealer in yarn and jute. In 1934 he bought shares in a local company that owned the Indian Express newspaper.

Two years later he took over the company and began to build a national network that eventually included 14 editions of the Indian Express—making it India’s largest English-language daily—and six other newspapers in as many Indian languages.

Darda, who is also Chairman of Lokmat Media Private Limited, was upset with Scindia for not releasing ads to his media group despite its “good and positive coverage” of the power sector.

During the 1930s Goenka joined Mohandas Gandhi’s fight for independence from Britain and later became a supporter of the Indian National Congress (Congress Party) headed by Jawaharlal Nehru. In 1971 he was elected to Parliament and served one term.

In 1987 Goenka’s newspapers resumed criticism of the government with allegations of nepotism and corruption. His stinging editorials and cartoons about Rajiv Gandhi were largely credited with securing the election victory of V.P. Singh in 1989.

In 1975, reportedly in retaliation for enthusiastically supporting Jaya Prakash Narayan for prime minister, Goenka and the Indian Express were among the most harshly penalized during the national state of emergency imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

As soon as censorship was lifted, Goenka’s newspapers published a series of exposés on forced sterilizations, mass resettlements of the extreme poor, widespread corruption, and political arrests. These reports were a key factor in the defeat of Indira Gandhi in 1977 and the rise of the Janata Party.

When she was reelected (1980), the Indian Express was deluged with tax- and property-violation notices. A truce was called when she was assassinated in 1984 and her son Rajiv Gandhi succeeded her.

Goenka was born in northeastern India, schooled in Benares (Varanasi), and sent by his family to Madras (now Chennai) in 1922 to become a dealer in yarn and jute.

In 1987 Goenka’s newspapers resumed criticism of the government with allegations of nepotism and corruption. His stinging editorials and cartoons about Rajiv Gandhi were largely credited with securing the election victory of V.P. Singh in 1989.

In 1934 he bought shares in a local company that owned the Indian Express newspaper. Two years later he took over the company and began to build a national network that eventually included 14 editions of the Indian Express—making it India’s largest English-language daily—and six other newspapers in as many Indian languages.

During the 1930s Goenka joined Mohandas Gandhi’s fight for independence from Britain and later became a supporter of the Indian National Congress (Congress Party) headed by Jawaharlal Nehru. In 1971 he was elected to Parliament and served one term.

Whether he was loved or hated, feared or admired, Ramnath Goenka was an enigma. Born in Darbhanga on April 3, 1904, Goenka went to Chennai to learn the business and worked as a despatch vendor with the Free Press Journal. In 1936, he founded The Indian Express.

The Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards is the most prestigious annual event in Indian media space.

In 1975, reportedly in retaliation for enthusiastically supporting Jaya Prakash Narayan for prime minister, Goenka and the Indian Express were among the most harshly penalized during the national state of emergency imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi

Ramnath Goenka (1904–1991) was an Indian newspaper publisher.

The awards were distributed today in the national capital. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh was the chief guest on the occasion. He distributed awards to 29 winners in 18 categories in print, broadcast and digital journalism for outstanding performance in 2017.

As soon as censorship was lifted, Goenka’s newspapers published a series of exposés on forced sterilizations, mass resettlements of the extreme poor, widespread corruption, and political arrests.

Rajnath Singh, in his address at the Ramnath Goenka excellence in journalism awards, ceremony said that any criticism of an individual or government must be taken in a sporting manner. “I think media acts as a mirror to the government. But that mirror should not be painted with any colour as it can pose a question mark on its credibility,” he was quoted as saying by PTI.

He launched The Indian Express in 1932 and created the Indian Express Group with various English and regional language publications

These reports were a key factor in the defeat of Indira Gandhi in 1977 and the rise of the Janata Party. When she was reelected (1980), the Indian Express was deluged with tax- and property-violation notices. A truce was called when she was assassinated in 1984 and her son Rajiv Gandhi succeeded her.

Ramnath Goenka. Ramnath Goenka (1904–1991) was an Indian newspaper publisher. He launched The Indian Express in 1932 and created the Indian Express Group with various English and regional language publications. In 2000, India Today magazine, named him amongst their list of "100 People Who Shaped India".

The minister while lauding the role of late Ramnath Goenka, founder of Indian Express newspaper, for his courageous journalism. The agency quoted him further as saying, “I believe that sensationalism of news is an insult to journalism. And I can say that Ramnath Goenka never allowed it while he was around.”

In 2000, India Today magazine, named him amongst their list of "100 People Who Shaped India"