 | |
 Lokmat Brand Logo | |
| Type | Dailynewspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Broadsheet |
| Owner | Vijay J. Darda |
| Founder | Jawaharlal Darda |
| Publisher | Lokmat Media Limited |
| Editor-in-chief | Rajendra Darda andVijay J. Darda |
| Founded | 15 December 1971; 54 years ago (1971-12-15) |
| Language | Marathi,Hindi,English |
| Headquarters | Lokmat Media Ltd, 1301/2, Lodha Supremus, Dr. E. Moses Rd, Worli Circle, Mumbai - 400 018 |
| Country | India |
| Circulation | 692,768 Daily[1] (as of April 2023) |
| Readership | 6.28 million (IRS 2019)[2] |
| Website | |
Lokmat (lit. 'People's Opinion') is aMarathi-language newspaper published inMaharashtra, India. Founded in 1971 byJawaharlal Darda, it is the largest read Marathi-language newspaper in India. and has presence in print, digital, TV and events.[2][3] It is also available in ane-paper format and is published inHindi andEnglish asLokmat Samachar[4] and theLokmat Times respectively.[5] Lokmat Media is one of the largest regional media groups in India and has presence in print, digital, TV and events.
Lokmat extended its media business to broadcast through a 50-50 joint venture withIBN18 Broadcast Limited. The joint venture company, IBN-Lokmat Private Limited (“IBNL”), operatesIBN-Lokmat, a 24 x 7 Marathi news and current affairs television channel which went on air on 6 April 2008.[6]
In 2015, a cartoon published alongside the article "ISIS cha Paisa" (ISIS' money), regarding the funding pattern of terrorist groupISIS, led to violent protests fromMuslim groups and attacks on the newspaper's offices inJalgaon,Dhule,Nandurbar,Malegaon and other locations acrossMaharashtra. Protestors deemed the cartoon to be "blasphemous". Several complaints were filed with the police regarding the cartoon, and subsequently, anFIR was lodged against the owners, the cartoonist and the editor. The newspaper later published an apology.[7][8][9][10] Police stated that they had increased security at allLokmat offices across Maharashtra following the attacks.[9]