Express launches Kolkata edition

Speaking on the occasion, Shekhar Gupta, Group Editor, The Indian Express Group, said the Express is meant for the discerning and those on the lookout for classical journalism.

‘‘We are a political paper. We take our politics seriously. We take our journalism seriously. We are here today as politics in India is now fairly guided by West Bengal,’’ Gupta said.

Celebrating the birth centenary of the paper’s founder Ramnath Goenka, the Indian Express Group has been launching editions around the country.

The year saw it launch a Hyderabad edition of Financial Express, followed by two new editions of Loksatta and an Indian Express edition in Lucknow.

‘‘Kolkata is the blossoming of this spree,’’ said N P Singh, Director, Marketing, The Indian Express Group.

In his note to the leaders of Kolkata, Gupta said: ‘‘We believe this city has voices that need to be heard but are drowned out in the noise of what is passed off as celebrity chatter. In the Express, they will have a forum where they will be heard loud and clear, not only here but across the country as well.’’

‘‘Our team in Kolkata will work as a key part of our network of national and international correspondents, the largest for any English newspaper in India.’’

Prominent guests at the function included Harshvardhan Neotia of Bengal Ambuja, Sanjay Budhia and Sumita Bhowmik of Patton, Balakrishna Dalmia, Neena Kapoor, Wasim Kapoor, Shubi Sanyal, A J Balsara, Thai Consul-General Wanna Perngmark, Rajiv Soni of Tata Steel, Anup Singh and S H Venkatramani of ITC, Tinku Roy of the US Consulate, state BJP president Tathagata Roy, former Union Minister Tapan Sikdar.

Ahead of the prize distribution ceremony for the winners of the golf tournament, a Sam Mathew film on the life of Ramnath Goenka was also screened where, in an interview, he highlighted the ethos of the group: ‘‘We would like to be as truthful as is humanly possible.’’