After Ei Samay, Adv Sanjay Basu acquires Nepali daily ‘Himalaya Darpan’

Kolkata-based Tidings Media & Communications, the publisher of Bangla daily Ei Samay, has acquired Nepali language newspaper “Himalaya Darpan” from M/S Darpan Times, marking its second major acquisition this year.

The six-month-old Tidings Media & Communications group, led by Advocate Sanjay Basu and industrialist Anurag Choudhary, purchased the Siliguri-based publication for an undisclosed amount.

The acquisition reflects Tidings’ ambition to connect with the sizeable Gorkha population across North Bengal, Sikkim, and the global diaspora, Advocate Basu told e4m, outlining the growth prospects.

He added, “While Himalaya Darpan currently has a circulation of 15,000, the publication has the potential to reach an estimated 60 lakh Nepali-speaking individuals in this region and beyond.”

To accelerate this expansion, the group plans to invest ₹15 crore to strengthen both digital and physical outreach, ensuring wider distribution and enhanced content offerings.

He also assures that Shibu Chhettri and the 70-plus employees of the Himalay Darpan would continue to serve. Basu further states, “The acquisition of Himalaya Darpan stems from our core belief that our mother tongue is a sacred inheritance for each of us. I would urge every single person, especially the young and budding generation to ensure that they are fluent and well rooted in reading and in writing in their mother tongue.”

Both Himalaya Darpan and Ei Samay investments are not merely business decisions for us. They are rather: our humble ode to the history of Indian languages such as Nepali and Bengali and we must read them every day to keep the language and history and culture alive for the next generation to carry on the baton, Basu noted.

Established in May this year, the Tidings Media & Communications group acquired Bangla daily Ei Samay from the Times Group and has steadily expanded its footprint.
On December 1, it launched Ei Samay’s North Bengal Edition, marking a historic moment—the first launch of a new newspaper in the region in 22 years. Additionally, a dedicated North Bengal section was introduced on Ei Samay’s digital platform, underscoring the group’s commitment to regional journalism.