“Tehelka is one of the best sources of news in India…”
The Guardian
“Tehelka has invested heavily in hard hitting investigative reporting and has pushed the boundaries of editorial content further than most…”
BBC
“Tehelka is a delightful Urdu word, difficult to translate. It refers to that special kind of tumult provoked by a daring act, or a sensational piece of writing. And Tehelka has certainly lived up to its name…”
Time
On January 31, 2004, after more than two years of persecution, Tehelka was reborn as a weekly newspaper committed to constructive, crusading journalism. As a people’s paper geared to take a stand, to follow the hard investigative story. A fearless paper ready to create opinion, and not just remain a passive vehicle of news.
Over the years, Tehelka has firmly established itself as a people’s media choice. With public interest journalism, serious opinion and analysis, Tehelka has earned unmatched credibility and brand recall.
It has very quickly established an enviable reputation — national and international — for the quality of its reportage, the eminence of its writers, and the refinement of its analyses and ideas. As a premium English weekly, Tehelka, increasingly, influences almost every opinion leader and decision maker in the country.
Tehelka, earlier in a tabloid size, is now in a weekly magazine format. The magazine format only means a more compact and elegant design — the core values of public interest journalism and literary writing remain unchanged. Tehelka, India’s fastest growing English language weekly, in its new format is poised for a dramatic up scaling of visibility and readership.
This follows repeated demand by readers to switch to a magazine format, since the contents of Tehelka are seen to have much more shelf value and depth than a newspaper. This format with its easy size allows for longevity and high pass along readership, a necessary attribute given the depth and quality of writing in Tehelka. For ardent readers, the switch to a magazine has enhanced the positive values already inherent in Tehelka.
The new look Tehelka may be smaller in format but is much bigger in impact. Also brighter, crisper, more unputdownable.
In the seven years since it was born, Tehelka has stood the test. Its courage under fire is well-known. But most importantly, it has brought back into hard focus the two most crucial pillars of a free press: public interest and the appetite to question. Tehelka has broken some of the most seminal stories in India in recent years.
One of the most important keys to a free and just society is the existence of a strong and independent media. A media that acts as our conscience and brings news and perspective to us on issues of national interest. A media that acts without fear or favour. Today, perhaps more than any other media group in India, Tehelka has come to stand for these values.
Tehelka was founded by Tarun J. Tejpal, a highly respected journalist and public icon in India. In 2001, Asiaweek listed him as “one of Asia’s 50 most powerful communicators”, and BusinessWeek declared him “among 50 leaders at the forefront of change in Asia”. The December 2006 issue of The Guardian listed Tejpal as one of “India’s New Elite — Top 20”.
