History of Dainik Jagran – From 1942 to India's #1 Hindi Newspaper
Every morning, over 35 lakh copies of Dainik Jagran are printed and distributed across India. Crores of readers open its pages to understand what happened in their country, their state, their city. But how did a small newspaper founded in a small UP town during British rule become the most-read Hindi newspaper in the world? This is the remarkable story of Dainik Jagran.
Founding in Jhansi – 1942
Dainik Jagran was founded on September 1, 1942, in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, by Puran Chandra Gupta. The timing was historically significant — 1942 was the year of the Quit India Movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi. The Indian freedom struggle was at its peak, and the newspaper was born with a nationalist spirit — its very name "Jagran" (जागरण) means "awakening" or "to wake up." It was a call to Indians to wake up and fight for their independence.
In its early days, Jagran was a modest 4-page paper published from Jhansi. Its circulation was small, its resources limited, and its existence uncertain under British censorship laws. Yet it persevered, driven by the conviction that the Indian public deserved a newspaper that spoke in their language and for their cause.
Post-Independence Growth – 1947 to 1970s
After India's independence in 1947, Dainik Jagran's real growth began. The newly free nation's hunger for information in their own language — Hindi — created a massive opportunity. Jagran expanded steadily, first consolidating its position in Uttar Pradesh, which it would come to dominate for decades.
The 1960s and 1970s saw Jagran open new editions in key UP cities. Kanpur, Lucknow, Agra, Allahabad (now Prayagraj), and Varanasi all got their own Jagran editions during this period. The newspaper was becoming synonymous with Hindi journalism in the Hindi heartland.
The Narendra Mohan Era – 1970s Onwards
The second generation of the Gupta family — particularly Narendra Mohan, Puran Chandra's son — took the newspaper to new heights. Under his leadership, Jagran modernised its operations, invested in better printing technology, and expanded aggressively outside UP. Bihar, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Delhi all received Jagran editions.
Narendra Mohan served as a Member of Parliament and brought political connections and vision to the newspaper's expansion. He is credited with transforming Jagran from a regional UP paper into a national Hindi media powerhouse.
Becoming India's Most-Read Newspaper
By the late 1990s and early 2000s, Dainik Jagran had achieved something remarkable — it had become the most-read newspaper in India, surpassing English newspapers that had dominated readership surveys for decades. The Indian Readership Survey consistently placed Jagran at the top from the 2000s onwards.
This was a historic moment for Hindi journalism. For the first time, a Hindi newspaper was indisputably India's most-read newspaper — reflecting both the growing literacy and the growing confidence of Hindi-speaking India.
Jagran Today – 37 Editions, Digital Presence
Today, Dainik Jagran publishes from 37 cities across 12 states. Its operations span UP, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, and Rajasthan. With over 300 localised city and district editions, it produces more localised content than almost any other newspaper group in India.
The Jagran Group now includes Jagran.com (digital news), Radio City (FM radio), Jagran Josh (education), Mid-Day (Mumbai tabloid), and other media properties. It is one of India's largest media conglomerates.
The Legacy
Dainik Jagran's 84-year journey is the story of Hindi journalism itself — from a marginalised colonial era when English dominated, through independence and nation-building, to today when Hindi media is as powerful and respected as any other. It is a newspaper that grew with India and helped millions of Indians stay informed, opinionated, and engaged with their democracy.
You can read the Dainik Jagran e-paper for free on InduPaper — click here to read today's edition for your state and city.