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Editor’s Note: Happy 17th Birthday, HT Brunch!

As India’s largest lifestyle magazine transitions into its 18th year of existence, it promises to be younger than ever

Published on: Feb 20, 2021, 21:04:15 IST
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In September 2020, as part of a well-orchestrated relaunch and redesign of the iconic Hindustan Times, its Sunday magazine underwent a change. HT Brunch now spoke to you in a new, younger voice, reflecting the ideas of a changing generation. Millennials and Gen Zers were at the heart of the magazine – and on its cover, as the topic plans broad-based themselves from what originally constituted lifestyle (think: food, fashion, films) to include social media, and an ambition-led, tech-savvy, irreverent, but never disrespectful take on life.

Editor Jamal Shaikh talks about the well-orchestrated relaunch and redesign of the iconic Hindustan Times and its Sunday magazine in September 2020
Editor Jamal Shaikh talks about the well-orchestrated relaunch and redesign of the iconic Hindustan Times and its Sunday magazine in September 2020

Of course, some feathers were ruffled. Can we have the old Brunch back, some readers wrote out of love. Only to be pleasantly surprised to know that little had been eliminated from the older Brunch, the new-age bits were simply add-ons.

You could still turn to the country’s best columnists, be it Vir Sanghvi, Seema Goswami or Hormazd Sorabjee. But on your way to them, you could also pick up some new ideas from the front of the book Q&As by social media star Ranveer Allahbadia, chef Prateek Sadhu, YouTube’s Technical Guruji, int’l travel entrepreneur Jeremy Jauncey, and more.

It is now a tradition that the Anniv issue cover personality writes a hand-written note for HT Brunch
It is now a tradition that the Anniv issue cover personality writes a hand-written note for HT Brunch

Sure, you had to occasionally scan a QR code to access some pages, but we made that worth your while by ensuring the e-edition packed more pages than any one city edition did. So, if you’re in Mumbai and Delhi and have your printed copy of Brunch, you could still scan the QR code on the cover and access more columns, features and ideas. (If you haven’t already, try it now!)

Almost six months after the relaunch, I am happy to say that the newer, fresher HT Brunch has arrived. Even older readers are enjoying the younger faces and fresh outlook that this generation has to offer.

As I chatted about HT Brunch on the hot new app, ClubHouse last Sunday (we run an informal open house at 11am, and if you’re on the app, do join in), I was heartened to hear the following words, “If the newspaper it comes with helps you stay on top of things, HT Brunch helps you stay ahead of the curve…”

Thank you, dear reader… on behalf of the entire editorial team, it’s words like these that make our work worthwhile.

Follow @JamalShaikh on Twitter and Instagram

From HT Brunch, February 21, 2021

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  • Jamal Shaikh
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Jamal Shaikh

    Jamal Shaikh is National Editor - Brunch and New Media Initiatives at the Hindustan Times. He is a well-known TV host and magazine editor, who has launched and edited the Indian editions of Men’s Health, Robb Report and Discovery Channel Magazine. He tweets and Instagrams @jamalshaikhRead More

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