Change of guard at Business Standard

A change of guard is in the offing at Business Standard. Having reached the age of 60, editor AK Bhattacharya will retire at the end of July. Shyamal Majumdar, currently the managing editor of the paper, will take charge as the editor from August 1.

This was announced to employees in an internal mail by Chairman TN Ninan. “After a long association of over 20 years, our Editor Mr. AK Bhattacharya will be retiring at the end of the month, on his reaching the age of 60,” Ninan wrote to employees. “Mr. Bhattacharya will continue to be associated with the organization, as Editorial Director on a part-time basis with effect from August 2, 2016.”

Bhattacharya became the editor in September 2011 when Sanjaya Baru left the paper. Months later, Majumdar, who was the resident editor of the paper’s Mumbai edition, was elevated to the post of executive editor. It was only last October that he moved to Delhi.

There was speculation within the organisation that the management might bring in an outsider or someone with more experience, a source told Newslaundry. The announcement, however, has laid all such speculation to rest.