MAM
Vijaya group launches Kannada daily ‘Usha Kirana’
BANGALORE: Vernacular Journalism received yet another boost with the launch of the new daily “Usha Kirana”. The new publication for the Vijaya Karnataka group is a sister publication of Vijay Karnataka – the Kannada Daily that transformed the vernacular newspaper scenario in Karnataka in a span of just 5 years.
In a period of just 3 years Vijay Karnataka claims that it overtook newspapers with an established history to emerge as the state’s number 1 daily with a circulation today that is close to 5, 76,000. Vijaya Karnataka has a network of 500 journalists. Vijaya Karnataka claims to be the only daily to offer 18 supplements that encompass a range of topics of interest to different segments of the reader community.
Usha Kirana, the new offering from the Group will be published from nine centers. Usha Kirana is also the first Kannada Newspaper to launch nine simultaneous editions available all across the state because of an effective distribution network that the group has established across the state.
The new daily was launched at a ceremony on 3rd March, with luminaries such as Infosys Foundation Chairperson Mrs. Sudha Murthy, Lokayukta Justice N.Venkatachala, and Kannada Sahitya Parishad President Mr. Chandrashekara Patil present at the occasion.
MAM
Indigo appoints Aloke Singh as Chief Strategy Officer
Air India Express MD joins to steer global growth and operational efficiency.
MUMBAI: Indigo just recruited its next big strategist from the rival camp because when you’re chasing the skies, sometimes the best way to fly higher is to borrow the pilot who already knows the route. InterGlobe Aviation, parent company of IndiGo, announced on 23 March 2026 that its board has approved the appointment of Aloke Singh as Chief Strategy Officer. Singh, who most recently served as managing director and CEO of Air India Express, will lead enterprise-wide strategic planning, operational efficiency initiatives and the airline’s aggressive push into international routes.
Reporting initially to managing director Rahul Bhatia and later to Indigo’s incoming CEO Singh brings over three decades of experience across strategy, operations and commercial functions in aviation. At Air India Express he drove network expansion and performance turnaround, earlier roles at Air India and Oman Air sharpened his focus on long-term planning.
“Aloke brings an exceptional blend of strategic vision and operational depth,” Bhatia said. “His experience will be critical as Indigo seeks to build a more agile, resilient and future-ready organisation.”
The appointment arrives at a pivotal moment. Indigo, India’s dominant domestic carrier, has faced intense scrutiny after operational disruptions in December 2025 thousands of cancelled and delayed flights due to crew scheduling misalignments with new pilot fatigue norms triggering fines, passenger chaos and regulatory heat. Former CEO Pieter Elbers resigned in March 2026 citing personal reasons, though his exit followed sustained pressure from those setbacks and rising costs.
Singh described joining Indigo as “a pivotal moment” for both the airline and Indian aviation, as the carrier accelerates beyond its domestic stronghold into a more competitive global arena.
In an industry where turbulence is measured in both altitude and headlines, Indigo isn’t just hiring a strategist, it’s recruiting a steady hand to navigate from domestic dominance to international takeoff, one calculated flight plan at a time.
