Lokmat Chairman Vijay Darda's new book to be released on 30th May in New Delhi

Lokmat Media Group Chairman and former member of Rajya Sabha Vijay Darda's new book- Ringside: Up, Close & Personal on India & Beyond  is all set be released on Tuesday, 30 May 2023 at 4.30 pm in the speaker hall of the Constitution Club of India, New Delhi. 

Senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Dr. Shashi Tharoor will release this book. Former media advisor to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and former editor Sanjay Baru will also grace the program by being present in this dignified evening.

India Today Television's Consulting Editor and Padma Shri awardee senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai will discuss his book with Vijay Darda during this programme.

An award-winning journalist, veteran parliamentarian, dynamic entrepreneur and compassionate philanthropist, Vijay Darda straddles several worlds of experience. Born on May 14, 1950 in Yavatmal (Maharashtra, India), his father and freedom fighter Jawaharlal Darda (Babuji), overwhelmed by the country’s independence, named him as ‘Vijay’, meaning victory. He wanted him to fight for the poor and downtrodden, lend voice to the voiceless and contribute to nation building. Darda was groomed as an all-rounder in his school days under the mentorship of Arun Halbe, recipient of the President’s Ideal Teacher Award. 

He developed a flair for painting and poetry, while excelling in hockey and table tennis. He further obtained his Diploma in Journalism and Printing Technology from Mumbai University and completed a Humanities Program on Religion, Conflict and Peace from Harvard University. Vijay Darda was awarded D.Litt. (Doctor of Literature) degree by internationally renowned D Y Patil University at the convocation of the university in Navi Mumbai on 28th March, 2023, at the hands of Maharashtra governor Ramesh Bais and chancellor of Dr D Y Patil University Dr Vijay Patil in the presence Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and dignitaries from all walks of life. He was conferred with the degree for his outstanding work across the fields of journalism, social work, education, politics, philanthropy for the betterment of society. 

Vijay Darda along with his brother Rajendra took up the reigns of Lokmat, a Marathi daily newspaper launched from Nagpur on December 15, 1971. They later introduced Lokmat Times (English) and Lokmat Samachar (Hindi), while ensuring the numero uno position of Lokmat among all Marathi dailies in India with 21.8 million readership. Today, under his chairmanship, it is a leading multi-platform media company with a diversified portfolio of publishing, broadcast, digital, entertainment, community and sports verticals. 

Darda has been conferred with several awards, including Feroze Gandhi Memorial Award (1990-91) presented by former Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao. He headed media institutions like Indian Newspaper Society (INS), Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) and was the founder president of South Asian Editors Forum (SAEF). He also has many books to his credit and weekly columns published in various national and regional dailies since decades.