N. Murali appointed Chairman of Hindu Group Publishing Private Limited

N. Murali has been unanimously appointed as the Chairman of The Hindu Group Publishing Private Limited (THGPPL) for a period of three years. He will replace Dr. Nirmalu Lakshman, who stepped down as Chairperson at the board meeting on Thursday 18 June 2026 as her three-year term drew to a close. The Board’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee, chaired by Mr. Krishna Srinivasan, Senior Advocate, unanimously recommended Mr. Murali’s appointment to the Board at this challenging time for news media and professional journalism.

Mr. Murali brings to this role more than 56 years of hands-on experience in management, business and finance in the newspaper industry. After completing his schooling at Madras Christian College High School, a degree in commerce from Loyola College, Chennai and a professional qualification as a Chartered Accountant, he joined the family business, The Hindu, in 1969. He became managing director in 1977 and joint managing director in 1995. In 2006, he took over the position of executive director. Kasturi & Sons Limited, publishers of The Hindu and other associated publications. He subsequently served as Chairman of Kasturi & Sons Limited (the holding company of The Hindu Group of Publications). He has been the director of THGPPL and KSL for the past few years.

Over the decades, Mr. Murali has served in senior positions in a number of industry bodies: he was the president of the Indian Newspaper Society (INS); Chairman, Board of Management, Audit Bureau of Circulations; Chairman of the National Council for the Study of Readership; Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Advertising Standards Council of India; and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Indian Press Institute – RIND. He was elected as the first South Asian board member of the world’s leading publishing media association, IFRA, Darmstadt, Germany (1998-2004), and served as a board member of the World Newspaper Association (WAN), Paris (2005-2006). He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Media Development Foundation, Chennai, which manages the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ).

He is the President of the Music Academy, Madras.

The Board of Directors of The Hindu Group Publishing Private Limited appreciated the contribution of Dr. Nirmala Lakshman for the group and its publications and the efficient manner in which she conducted meetings and proceedings at board level. Board members and employees expressed enthusiasm and confidence that Mr. Murali, with his wealth of experience and perspectives gained in an industry that has seen many successes, undergone a series of disruptive transformations and has repeatedly demonstrated resilience and relevance, will lead the company to new heights.

Published – 18 Jun 2026 20:07 IST