Starting with a readership of around 250 in 1878, The Hindu Group today enjoys the loyalty of over 4 million people. It was started in 1878, by six young men, as a voice against the British rule; specifically as a reaction to the Anglo-Indian press' campaign against the appointment of T Muthuswami Aiyer as the first Indian Judge of the Madras High Court.

Six young patriots, barely out of their teens, borrowed a rupee and twelve annas (an anna is 6 paise today) and founded The Hindu, printing 80 copies and promising a 4-anna weekly consisting of eight pages, (each a quarter of today's page size). The first issue came out on the 20th of September, 1878.

These young men were - G Subramania Aiyer, M Veeraraghavachariar, T.T.Rangachariar, P.V.Rangachariar, D. Kesava Rao and N. Subba Rao.

Subramania Aiyer as Editor and Veeraraghavachariar as Managing Director, were the principal organs during the formative years of The Hindu, even as the others parted ways. The Hindu survived, where other publications failed, not only because it filled a need, but also because it took a hard stance on issues that influenced the public at that time.

The Hindu saga

In 1883, The Hindu became a tri-weekly, retaining its original format, but coming out every Monday, Wednesday and Friday evening. The same year, with the help of prominent well-wishers, it acquired its own press and premises. The new address, 100Mount Road was to remain The Hindu's home till 1939.

• April 1st, 1889 - The Hindu becomes an evening daily.
• October 1898 - Subramania Iyer quits. Veeraraghavachariar takes over the struggling Hindu.
• April 1st, 1905 - Kasturi Ranga Iyengar takes over The Hindu for a sum of Rs. 75,000/-
• 1912 - The Hindu sells as an 18-page tabloid-sized newspaper.
• Between 1921 and 1922 - The first rotary printing press and modern type composing machines installed in Madras.
• 1923 - Kasturi Ranga Iyengar dies, leaving behind a paper with a circulation of 17,000 and considerable advertising support.
• 1925 - Acquires standard size, publishing at least 12 pages daily. Sports Page also introduced in 1925.
• S Rangaswami steps into Kasturi Ranga Iyengar's shoes and continues till his death in 1926.
• 1928 - A Rangaswami comes in as Editor and stays up to1934.
• 1928 - Starts an illustrated weekly that became the Sunday Magazine Section in1941.
• 1930 - The first library with a scientific system of indexing and cross-referencing for an Indian newspaper is started.
• Mid-thirties; a cinema page and a gardening page introduced.
• 1934 - 1959, Srinivasan at the helm
• 1938 - The Hindu becomes the first newspaper to have a teleprinter connection from the Central Telegraph Office. At the end of the war - a circulation of 45,000.
• November 24th,1939 - A new home at # 200 Mount Road.
• 1940 - Becomes a morning newspaper.
• 1947 - Started India's first sports weekly.
• 1962 - First Indian paper to charter planes to distribute copies.
• 1963 - Acquires its own planes.
• 1964 - Daily religious discourse introduced.
• 1969 - Commenced electronic facsimile reproduction for first time in India.
• 1970 - First newspaper to use photocomposition.
• 1977 - Sunday paper introduces colour features and colour advertisements for the first time in India.
• 1986 - Started a Delhi issue by using satellite transmission, facsimile transmission for news photographs, again leading the Indian newspaper Industry.

All this technological pioneering made 'The Hindu' the success it is today. The 'Srinivasan age' can be described as the golden age of 'The Hindu'. It was he who established the formula of comprehensive coverage of all news that has official confirmation, didactic editorial and the refusal to dig up private lives of public men with an eye on sensation and circulation. The Hindu Group has always maintained the image of a factual, unbiased reporting system, which has over the years won the attention and regard of Indians, both here and abroad.

The other publications of The Hindu Group include:

• Business Line
• The Sportstar
• Frontline
• Survey of Indian Industry
• Survey of Indian Agriculture
• Survey of the Environment
• Indian Cricket

The online edition of the publication has become today, one of the most credible reference points for net surfers seeking News and Information.
www.hinduonnet.com