(S.Ravi Seshu)
A Civil Engineer’s media venture, Metro India, came to a halt on Friday (October 13, 2014) effecting the careers of about a dozen journalists. The owner, CL Rajam, paid two months salary to the residual employees and closed the operations, according to confirmed reports.
Launched in 2013 September with a senior journalist A.Srinivasa Rao as the Editor, Metro India attracted the attention of the media observers as the venture was seen as an experiment against all odds. At a time when there was no space for any English newspaper in the market crowded by DC, TOI, and The Hindu, Rajam pumped money to bring out an English newspaper. From the day-1, it miserably failed to find space in the Hyderabad market due to various reasons. Losses notwithstanding, Rajam went on to launch an edition in Raipur, where he had some business interests. Rajam apparently believed that media tag would help him in his operations!
A simpleton, Rajam, known for his capricious way of dealing things, created ripples in media industry by closing down operations of Metro India for three days in December 2015. Subsequently, he had shown door to A.S.Rao in February 2016 and appointed a Press Club-fame Diwakar as the editor. A.S.Rao later happily joined in Hindustan Times as Senior Assistant Editor.
More than anything, the owner and his family made use of the paper to publish their photographs on a daily basis, insiders said. We are not sure whether Rajam will continue Metro India’s web edition.
For starters, Rajam was a confidant of the present Chief Minister K.Chandrasekhar Rao and launched Namaste Telangana to propagate the Telangana movement. But later, he was forced to give up the ownership. In this process, Rajam joined BJP but it didn’t help him to save him from giving up Namaste Telangana. A senior journalist, Katta Sekhar Reddy played a vital role in the transition and he became the editor of Namaste Telangana.
According to the Metro India’s website, Rajam bequeathed Namaste Telangana. It says: “When the movement for a separate Telangana picked up and Rajam wanted to contribute his services to the new state, he launched a Telugu daily, Namaste Telangana. Along with the movement, Namaste Telangana also grew and became an integral part of Telangana’s socio-cultural life. After the formation of Telangana State, he bequeathed Namaste Telangana and focused on another publication launched by him, Metro India English News Daily. Metro India is now steadily making its presence felt among people.”
Unable to digest the uncertainty in Metro India, many journalists left and joined in various newspapers. Thankfully, the yet-to-be-launched Telangana Today could absorb many of ex-Metro India journalists. Telangana Today is right now being operated from where Metro India was launched three years ago.
Mr and Mrs.Rajam are seen in this photograph put up on Metro India’s website.
