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 "Rise of the future newspaper" (उदय भविष्यपत्राचा) | |
| Type | Daily newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Broadsheet |
| Owner | Sakal Media Group[1] |
| Editor-in-chief | Rahul Gadpale |
| Founded | 1 January 1932 |
| Language | Marathi |
| Headquarters | 595, Budhwar Peth,Pune, Maharashtra, India |
| Circulation | 1,064,721 daily[2] (as of 2022) |
| Sister newspapers | Sakal Times Agrowon |
| Website | https://www.esakal.com/ |
Sakal (lit.“Morning”) is a Marathi daily newspaper published by the Sakal Media Group. Headquartered inPune,Maharashtra, it is among the most widely circulated Marathi newspapers in the state. As of 2025, Sakal had an estimated daily circulation of 1.1 million copies, distributed across major cities including Pune andMumbai.[3]
The Sakal Media Group also publishes several regional newspapers, magazines, and an online news portal,eSakal, which reportedly reaches more than 300,000 Internet users worldwide.
The paper was founded byNanasaheb Parulekar in 1932.Pratap Pawar, who joined the board of Sakal in 1985, serves as the chairman of the group as of 2025.
Sakal originated during the pre-independence nationalist period.[4] Its founder, Nanasaheb Parulekar, was influenced byAmerican newspapers during his time atColumbia University. Although it was started as part of the nationalist cause, the Sakal newspaper transitioned, after Indian independence, into a commercially viable publication by focusing on local and rural issues around Pune.[5]
By the 1960s, Sakal had appointed full-time correspondents, each equipped with a phone, in every town in its coverage area. It organized training camps for journalists, promotions, and cultural events for readers, and published letters to the editor on its front page.[4] Under Nanasaheb Parulekar, the paper was described as maintaining political neutrality and endorsing candidates for local, state, or national elections when deemed suitable.[citation needed]
When Nanasaheb Parulekar died in 1973, the paper continued operating with practices established during his tenure. It survived the initial changes brought by advancements in newspaper technology and continued for over 10 years.Pratap Pawar took over Sakal in 1985.[6][7] Pawar converted the paper into apublic limited company in 1989, becoming its managing director.[8]
Abhijit Pawar is currently the managing director of the group.[1] In 2021, the group launched Agrowon, described as the first and only agriculture daily. The official website states that it is the "first media company to organize events & exhibitions as well as the first media group to implement 6-sigma processes across the company." The company recently launched 515 agriculture marts inMaharashtra under the name of Agrowon Agrotech.[9][10]
The group organizes events and activities that target a variety of sectors such as education, agriculture, travel-tourism, and business. Its international event, 'EDUCON', serves as a forum for Vice-Chancellors from across India to present their vision for Indian higher education.[11] Other events include Property Mahayatra, Education Mahayatra, MPL, Pune Shopping Festivals, Family Health, Sakal Edugain, Sakal Investneet, Sakal Vastu, and Sakal Shagun. The Group has established clubs for specific audiences, such as Madhurangan (मधुरांगण) for women, Young Buzz and Sakal NIE (Newspaper in Education), and Family Doctor Club.
Pune Bus Day was an event organized by Sakal Media Group. The initiative, led by company managing director Abhijit Pawar, aimed to address traffic congestion inPune.[12] For Pune Bus Day, Sakal Media Group aimed to arrange 1,500 buses to supplement the existing fleet of 1,650 PMPML buses, demonstrating how using a sufficient number of buses with high frequency could potentially reduce traffic congestion. The tagline for the initiative was "Come, let's travel by PMPML bus on 1 November 2012".
At the time,[when?] the perceived lack of sufficient buses prompted commuters to opt for private vehicles, contributing to issues like traffic congestion, vehicular pollution, and accidents. According to a study conducted by city-based NGO Parisar in 2009–10, the bus service run by the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) was found to be comparatively expensive, with lower service quality and a higher breakdown rate when compared to transport utilities in Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Delhi.
A web portal developed by a Pune-based IT company provided information about bus routes and other details, utilizing real-time information on bus schedules from the PMPML.
The Pune Half Marathon is another event organized by the Sakal Media Group. The event was launched in 2018 with a focus on promoting wellness and fitness among Pune residents. The second event was held on 22 December 2019, and saw participation from over 20,000 runners.[13] US OlympianJanet Cherobon-Bawcom was the event ambassador for the 2019 race, which focused on supporting the Indian running community.[14]
The first event in 2018 collaborated withJack Daniels, a former Olympic medalist described as a prominent running coach. The event collaborated with Daniels' project, "The RUN Smart Project", which devised free training plans for participants. Daniels provided training talks and mentored aspects of the event execution.[15][16] In addition, American runnerRyan Hall was the event ambassador for Pune Half Marathon 2018.[17][18]
Bajaj Allianz were the title sponsors for the first two editions of the race.
The Group's publications include the English-language daily (which replacedThe Maharashtra Herald),Gomantak, andGomantak Times, Marathi and English language dailies published from Goa, respectively.Agrowon is a daily dedicated to agriculture. The group also publishes several supplements, such as Pratibimb, Young Buzz, positive (Financial supplement), and Job Buzz.
Sakal also has a book publishing division that covers various subjects, including health, entertainment, sports, spiritual, and children's literature. Published titles includeAyurvediya Garbhsanskar by Shri. Balaji Tambe andTimeless Inspirator edited by Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar, as well as a comic strip book ofChintoo.[19]
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Sakal Group publishes several magazines, such asSakal Saptahik (सकाळ साप्ताहिक). According to a 2010 Indian Readership Survey, Saptahik Sakal was the most popular magazine in Maharashtra.[20] Tanishka (तनिष्का) is a monthly magazine for women, andPremier (प्रीमियर) is a monthly magazine covering the entertainment industry.
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Sakal Social Foundation is a social initiative wing of the Group that works primarily in Maharashtra, focusing on areas such as health, poverty, education, environment, and governance.
In 2005, theSupreme Court of India ruled against Sakal in a case involving the unauthorized transfer of shares belonging to the late Claude-Lila Parulekar, daughter of the founder. In conclusion, the court ordered the company to pay ₹3 crore rupees in compensation.[21][6][22]
