New Delhi: The Association of Indian Magazines (AIM) has announced the election of its new office bearers for the upcoming term following its Annual General Meeting held in New Delhi.
The new leadership team comprises:
- President: Manoj Sharma, CEO (Publishing & Experiential), Living Media India
- Vice-President: Dhaval Gupta, Director, CyberMedia
- General Secretary: Anurag Batra, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief, BW Businessworld
- Treasurer: Riyad Mathew, Chief Associate Editor & Director, The Week
Outgoing President Anant Nath, Executive Publisher, Delhi Press, expressed gratitude to AIM members for their collective efforts in revitalising the magazine industry.
“We have achieved significant milestones together — from strengthening subscription delivery and distribution networks, expanding digital storefronts, and building policy engagement with government ministries, to foregrounding magazines once again in the media and advertising conversation. AIM today stands on much firmer ground than it did five years ago, and the new leadership is well poised to build on this momentum,” Nath said.
Over the past year, AIM has driven several impactful initiatives that have helped magazines reassert their role as a trusted and influential medium. These include:
- Strengthening distribution through the Magazine Post initiative with India Post.
- Partnering with Indian Railways and IRCTC to expand retail distribution through travel channels.
- Launching the WAVES OTT magazine store in collaboration with Prasar Bharati and developing a shared storefront on ONDC.
- Deepening engagement with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Ministry of Railways, and India Post to support industry-wide policy and infrastructure growth.
The recently concluded 14th Indian Magazine Congress (IMC 2025), themed “The Deep Connect: Building Communities, Nurturing Trust, Re-imagining the Future,” brought together top publishers, advertisers, policymakers, and global experts to chart the future of the magazine industry.
- IMC 2025 witnessed the announcement of three key initiatives:
- Launch of WAVES OTT magazine store in partnership with Prasar Bharati.
- Development of a shared magazine storefront on ONDC/DigiHaat to boost e-commerce accessibility.
- Rollout of the “Magazines on the Move” program with IRCTC, offering curated magazines to premium train travellers.
The Magzimise Awards 2025, held alongside IMC, recognised creativity and excellence in magazine advertising across multiple categories.
The newly elected AIM leadership outlined a forward-looking agenda focused on expanding magazine distribution, subscription, and advertising growth. Priorities include:
- Launching a national magazine advertising campaign to reinforce the medium’s brand value.
- Strengthening policy advocacy with government ministries to secure allocations for magazines in public libraries and educational institutions.
- Urging DAVP to revise advertising rates and increase the empanelment of magazine titles for equitable access to government ad revenues.
Speaking on his appointment, Manoj Sharma, the newly elected President of AIM, said, “This is a pivotal moment for the magazine medium. AIM has done important groundwork over the past few years to rebuild our distribution backbone and strengthen our voice. The new leadership team looks forward to carrying this work forward with greater energy, sharper focus, and stronger collaborations to grow magazine readership, advertising, and relevance.”
The Association reaffirmed its commitment to positioning Indian magazines as a trusted, multi-platform medium that continues to inspire and inform readers across print and digital formats.
