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| Type | Daily newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Broadsheet |
| Owner | Deccan Chronicle Holdings Limited |
| Editor-in-chief | Kaushik Mitter[1] |
| Founded | 1938 |
| Language | English |
| Headquarters | 36, Sarojini Devi Road,Secunderabad,Telangana, India |
| Sister newspapers | Financial Chronicle The Asian Age Andhra Bhoomi (defunct) |
| OCLC number | 302708964 |
| Website | deccanchronicle |
Deccan Chronicle is anEnglish-language daily newspaper based inHyderabad,India. Founded in 1938, it was initially launched as aweekly and later converted into a daily. The newspaper's name reflects its origins in theDeccan region of India.Deccan Chronicle is owned by Samagrah Commercial Pvt Limited and published by Deccan Chronicle Holdings Limited (DCHL).[2]
Deccan Chronicle has historically been one of the largest and most influential English dailies in the region, with editions inAndhra Pradesh,Telangana,Chennai, andBengaluru.[3] Despite facing financial challenges, including significant debt and the impact of digital media,Deccan Chronicle remains an important publication, primarily serving readers in the southern states of India.[4]
In addition toDeccan Chronicle, DCHL also publishesFinancial Chronicle, a financial newspaper, andThe Asian Age, an English-language daily.[5] Additionally, it published theTelugu dailyAndhra Bhoomi from 1960 until 2020.[6]
Deccan Chronicle was founded in 1938.[7][2] The paper was initially owned by Rajagopal Mudaliar, a paper supplier to theNizam of Hyderabad's press.[4][8]
The company launched its flagship newspaper,Deccan Chronicle, as aweekly, which was later converted into a daily.[2] In 1960, the group launched theTelugu dailyAndhra Bhoomi with Govinduni Rama Sastri (Gora Sastri) as the editor.[9]
Over the decades,Deccan Chronicle became one of the largest and most influential English dailies in the region. In 1977, the newspaper faced financial difficulties and was sold to Tikkavarapu Chandrashekhar Reddy, who modernized its operations. Under the leadership of Chandrashekhar Reddy's son, T. Venkattram Reddy, the paper saw significant growth, expanding its circulation and editions to cities likeChennai (2005),Bangalore (2008),Coimbatore (2010), andKochi (2011), with the circulation reaching over 2,95,000 copies in Chennai by 2006.[4] In 2005, DCHL acquiredAsian Age Holdings, and in 2008, launchedFinancial Chronicle, a financial newspaper. In its prime,Deccan Chronicle dominated the local advertising market in Hyderabad, and by 2012, it was the fourth-largest English newspaper in India.[2]
At its peak,Deccan Chronicle had expanded its operations to 11 editions across Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as three editions in Kerala (Cochin,Calicut, andThiruvananthapuram). The newspaper was considered a leader in theundivided Andhra Pradesh market, competing withThe Hindu,The New Indian Express, andThe Times of India.[4]
Despite its growth, Deccan Chronicle’s rapid expansion led to significant financial challenges. The newspaper's parent company, Deccan Chronicle Holdings Limited (DCHL), which also owned theIndian Premier League (IPL) teamDeccan Chargers, accumulated a massive debt of ₹4,000crore.[10] This financial burden, combined with mismanagement, led to a decline in profits starting in 2010. The situation worsened and resulted in the termination of the Deccan Chargers franchise by theBoard of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).[4]
By 2013, DCHL faced severe financial instability, leading to the resignation of six board members and the arrest of T. Venkattram Reddy in 2015 on charges ofloan default, forgery, and criminal breach of trust.[11] The newspaper’s circulation and readership declined significantly during this period. The rise of digital media and the changing print market further impactedDeccan Chronicle. Factors such asdemonetisation,GST, and acustoms duty onnewsprint exacerbated the financial strain. In response,Deccan Chronicle closed its editions in Bengaluru and Kerala on December 27, 2019, and shut down its Mumbai operations ofThe Asian Age.[2]
Today,Deccan Chronicle remains an important newspaper in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, offering news and analysis. It continues to serve as a platform for advertisers, particularly in the regions of Hyderabad,Vijayawada,Visakhapatnam,Anantapur,Karimnagar,Nellore, andCoimbatore.[4]
TheDeccan Chargers, anIndian Premier League (IPL)cricket franchise representing Hyderabad, was owned by Deccan Chronicle Holdings Limited (DCHL). The franchise was initially managed by Venkattram Reddy's daughter,Gayatri Reddy and WPP GroupM.[12]
In 2012, DCHL's ownership of the Deccan Chargers was transferred to Samagrah Commercial Pvt Limited and the Committee of Creditors. On 14 September 2012, the IPL Governing Council terminated the franchise for breaching contract terms.[13] Following this,Sun TV Network won the bid for the Hyderabad franchise[14] and the new team was named asSunrisers Hyderabad.[15]
However, in July 2020, aBombay High Court-appointed arbitration tribunal ruled that the termination of the Deccan Chargers by the BCCI was illegal. The tribunal awarded Deccan Chronicle Holdings Ltd. a compensation of ₹4814.67crore, plus 10% interest from 2012.[16]
Media related toDeccan Chronicle at Wikimedia Commons