NEW DELHI: Pavan Varshnei, the prime mover behind the India Today group's launching of a slew of magazines, has quit the group.

Two senior managers, Raktim Das and Bidhu Sagar, who were working under him, have also quit the group, sources told Indiantelevision.com.

Varshnei, who left as publishing director-business division, is weighing options in the advertising world and says he decided to move after four years with Living Media because of major opportunities outside.

Varshnei was with Lintas for more than a decade before he joined the Living Media group.

Asked about the resignations of Das and Sagar, Varsgnei said: "Sorry, I cannot comment on that."

Varshnei took over the division in 2004, with Business Today and Golf Digest as its only two products, but rapidly expanded the portfolio of magazines.

He identified new segments and, during the past three years, successfully launched four new publications - Scientific American, Harvard Business Review, Men's Health and BT More, which are leading brands in their respective segments.

Varshnei also negotiated a joint venture with Germany's Axel Springer Group, to launch Auto Bild India.

Prior to the India Today Group, he was Executive Vice President at Lintas India, where he spent 14 years working across the brands of Unilever, Maruti Suzuki, Electrolux, Joyco, Wills Lifestyle and Sony Ericsson, among others.

During his tenure with Lintas, he also served as the Head of Insight and oversaw the AOR media business for Bajaj Auto, Idea Cellular, UTI, Pantaloon and Parley Agro.