Aveek Sarkar quits as Chief Editor of ABP

In a sudden development, Aveek Sarkar on Wednesday resigned as Editor of The Telegraph and Anandabazar Patrika and as Chief Editor of the ABP Group of Publications. His brother Arup Sarkar has taken over as the new Group Chief Editor, a top company official said.

"Aveek Sarkar has resigned as Editor of The Telegraph and Anandabazar Patrika. Arup Sarkar has taken over as new Group Chief Editor," ABP Chief Executive Officer and Managing Editor Dipankar Das Purkayastha told IANS.

Arup Sarkar was the Chief Editor (Bengali magazines) of the group.

Anirban Chattopadhyay will be the new Editor of the largest circulated Bengali daily Anandabazar Patrika and the group's Bengali tabloid Ebela.

R. Rajagopal is the new Editor of The Telegraph, said Purkayastha.

Aveek Sarkar would now play an advisory role as Editor (Emeritus) and vice chairman of the company.

The decisions were communicated to the employees in the form of a brief notIce signed by Purkayastha, that said the changes would come into effect immediately and were part of the "ongoing process of streamlining news operations".

Both Chattopadhyay and Rajagopal would report to the new Group Chief Editor.

"He (Aveek Sarkar) will be supporting the news operations of the group in an advisory role, but will continue to lead digital and other initiatives of the Group," said Purkayastha.

The move comes in the backdrop of the group's strident opposition to Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and her party during the recent assembly polls which she won comfortably.

However, Purkayastha said there was no connect between Sarkar's decision and the Trinamool.

"He is 71 years old and wants to give a chance to others. This is the succession programme which is being implemented," said Purkayastha.

Aveek Sarkar, one of the most prominent personalities in the Indian publishing scene, was tutored by the legendary Harold Evans, then the editor of The Sunday Times.

He was the moving force behind the transformation of the ABP Group from a regional house into a prominent national group and also led the group's entry into television.

--IANS

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