The Hindu’s Editor-in-Chief Malini Parthasarathy puts in her papers

Malini Parthasarathy, The Hindu’s Editor-in-Chief, has put in her papers.  The board, it is understood, has accepted her resignation. Parthasarathy, who had taken over from N Ravi in February last year, was The Hindu’s first woman editor.  In her earlier avatars, she was Executive Editor of The Hindu and Director of The Hindu Centre for Politics and Public Policy, a think tank run by the publishers of The Hindu, Kasturi and Sons.

Parthasarathy’s resignation comes close on the heels of the paper’s much-publicised launch of a Mumbai edition – a project Parthasarathy had taken great personal interest in.

According to sources, the board of directors at Kasturi and Sons were unhappy with some of Parthasarathy’s decisions: specifically, financial ones pertaining to the Mumbai edition.

It is understood more than a few people hired by her for the Mumbai edition had been recently asked to leave, as she couldn’t justify the massive amounts spent on salaries.

Parthasarathy’s tenure as the editor of the paper has been eventful, and has seen many high-profile journalists exit on not-very-cordial terms.

Parthasarathy and N Ram, the chairman of Kasturi and Sons, didn’t respond to Newslaundry’s multiple text messages and calls. 

The Hindu yesterday published on its front page Parthasarathy’s decision to resign, while stating that she would continue as a Wholetime Director of Kasturi and Sons Ltd.

Parthasarathy today tweeted that she has also resigned from the Board of Management of The Hindu Centre.

She has in a series of tweets expressed gratitude to those who have shown solidarity with her.

Meanwhile, uncertainty continues at the Mumbai office of The Hindu. Though the lay-offs have been kept on hold, sources at the Mumbai office told us that there was a major shouting match yesterday between Resident Editor Sachin Kalbag and Deputy Resident Editor Peter Griffin. For some time now, there has been a difference of opinion on the content and direction of the Mumbai edition. Both Griffin and Kalbag have strongly denied these assertions on Twitter.