Maharashtra Times: Maharashtra's #1 Marathi Newspaper

By: Priya Deshmukh, Senior Media Analyst & Marathi Journalism Researcher

Last Updated: February 2026

Reading Time: ~9 minutes

What Is Maharashtra Times? A Quick Overview

When people in Mumbai open their morning with a cup of tea and a newspaper, chances are that newspaper is Maharashtra Times. Affectionately called "Ma Ta" (मटा) — derived from its Marathi initials — this publication has been the heartbeat of Marathi-language journalism for over six decades.

Maharashtra Times is a Marathi newspaper based in Mumbai, India, and one of the largest-selling daily Marathi newspapers in the country. It is part of The Times of India group. That backing from one of India's most powerful media conglomerates gives it editorial depth, technological resources, and a pan-Maharashtra reach that few competitors can match.

For anyone who reads news in Marathi — whether about Maharashtra politics, Mumbai local news, Pune city updates, sports, or entertainment — Maharashtra Times is typically the first name that comes to mind.

The History and Legacy of Maharashtra Times

Founded in 1962 — Over 60 Years of Journalism

Based in Mumbai and founded on the 18th of June, 1962, Maharashtra Times is a Marathi newspaper. The editor of this news daily is Parag Karandikar.

That founding date is significant. In 1962, Maharashtra had only recently been carved out as a separate state (in 1960), and there was a growing hunger among Marathi-speaking people for a newspaper that truly spoke their language — not just linguistically, but culturally. Maharashtra Times stepped into that gap and never looked back.

Over the next six decades, the paper covered some of the most transformative moments in the state's history — political upheavals, the rise of Mumbai as India's financial capital, droughts in Vidarbha, the emergence of Bollywood, cricket triumphs, and much more. Every chapter of Maharashtra's modern history has a Maharashtra Times byline somewhere in its margins.

Part of the Times Group — Credibility Backed by Scale

Being part of Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. (the Times Group) means Maharashtra Times doesn't operate as a small regional publication. It benefits from shared editorial infrastructure, national and international news feeds, robust advertising networks, and a digital publishing platform that rivals any major Indian news brand.

According to the IRS 2005 survey, Maharashtra Times enjoys the second largest readership in Mumbai. Other than The Times of India, Maharashtra Times is the only newspaper in Mumbai which has more than one million readers in the city.

That kind of readership in a single city is remarkable. It speaks not just to the paper's size, but to the trust it has earned over generations of readers.

What Makes Maharashtra Times Stand Out Among Marathi Newspapers?

Maharashtra has a competitive Marathi newspaper landscape. Major Marathi dailies include Lokmat (founded 1971), Loksatta (established 1948), Sakal (established 1932), and Maharashtra Times (launched 1962), with Maharashtra Times having a loyal readership base particularly in urban areas.

So what sets Ma Ta apart?

Urban Focus with Deep Local Roots: While competitors like Lokmat have a broader rural footprint, Maharashtra Times has always been strongest in Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Nashik, and other urban centers. It speaks to the cosmopolitan Marathi reader — educated, mobile, and plugged into both local and global news.

Times Group Resources: No other Marathi paper has the institutional backing of India's most prominent English-language media house. This gives Maharashtra Times access to wire services, investigative units, and digital tools that smaller rivals simply cannot match.

Strong Entertainment and Lifestyle Coverage: Ma Ta has historically dedicated significant space to Marathi culture, theatre (Marathi natak), Bollywood, and local entertainment — areas its readers genuinely care about.

Credible Political Journalism: Maharashtra's political landscape is famously complex — coalition governments, regional parties, and local strongmen. Maharashtra Times has built a reputation for cutting through this complexity with clear, grounded political reporting.

Maharashtra Times ePaper — Read Today's Paper Online for Free

One of the most common searches around Maharashtra Times is for its ePaper — the digital version of the physical newspaper, available to read online or download as a PDF.

How to Access the Maharashtra Times ePaper

Readers can access the Maharashtra Times ePaper through two official channels:

1. The Official Website: Visit maharashtratimes.com and navigate to the ePaper section. The digital edition mirrors the print layout exactly.

2. Times of India ePaper Portal: The Maharashtra Times ePaper is available through the Times Internet platform and has the same formatting and design as its physical copy — it is more like a digital twin.

3. The Maharashtra Times App: The app (available on both Android and iOS) includes a dedicated ePaper section where readers can page through the full newspaper digitally.

ePaper by City Edition

Maharashtra Times publishes city-specific editions. Popular ePaper searches include:

• Maharashtra Times ePaper Mumbai Today
• Maharashtra Times ePaper Pune
• Maharashtra Times ePaper Nashik PDF
• Maharashtra Times ePaper Thane
• Maharashtra Times ePaper Nagpur

Each edition covers hyper-local news relevant to that city alongside the state and national stories.

The Maharashtra Times App — Marathi News on Your Phone

Maharashtra Times is described as India's most trusted Marathi news app, backed by the Times of India Group with 50+ years of journalism excellence. It delivers breaking news alerts, ePaper access, live cricket updates, business news, and local district-level coverage across all 35 Maharashtra districts.

Key App Features

The Maharashtra Times app packs a lot into a free download:

• Breaking News Alerts (ताज्या बातम्या): Push notifications for major stories so readers never miss an important development.
• ePaper Edition: Full newspaper in digital format, readable offline after download.
• Live Cricket Coverage: Scores, ball-by-ball updates, and match analysis — a big draw for Maharashtra's cricket-mad readers.
• Business & Markets: Stock market tickers, gold rates, and business news in Marathi.
• District-wise Local News: Coverage spanning all 35 districts of Maharashtra, not just the major cities.
• Dark Mode: A night-reading mode for comfortable use after hours.
• Offline Reading: Articles can be saved for reading without an internet connection.
• Social Sharing: Easy sharing to WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter.

How to Download

• Android: Search "Maharashtra Times" on Google Play Store (rated 3.8, 55,000+ reviews).
• iOS: Search "Maharashtra Times Marathi News" on the Apple App Store.

Both versions are free to download.

Maharashtra Times on Social Media — A Massive Digital Presence

Maharashtra Times has built a commanding presence across every major social platform, which speaks to how the brand has adapted to the digital era. Understanding how to measure that impact matters — if you're curious about the metrics behind social visibility, our ultimate guide to social media analytics breaks down exactly what numbers to track and why.

• Facebook: With over 3.7 million likes on Facebook, the page serves as one of the most active Marathi news communities on the platform.
• YouTube: The Maharashtra Times YouTube channel has amassed over 2.3 million subscribers and publishes regular video news, debates, and explainers in Marathi.
• Instagram: The @maharashtratimesonline handle has over 142,000 followers and publishes photo stories, reels, and visual journalism.
• X (formerly Twitter): Active under the handle @mataonline, the account pushes breaking news and trending Maharashtra stories.

This multi-platform presence ensures Ma Ta reaches Marathi readers wherever they are — on desktop, mobile, social feeds, or video. Managing content across this many channels is a challenge any large media brand faces — tools covered in our piece on social media management platforms show how modern publishers are handling it.

How to Advertise in Maharashtra Times

For businesses looking to reach Maharashtra's Marathi-speaking urban population, Maharashtra Times offers significant advertising opportunities across print and digital.

Classified and display ads can be booked through the official Times of India ads platform at ads.timesofindia.com. The platform supports display ads, recruitment classifieds, obituary notices, property listings, and more. Maharashtra Times offers both city-specific editions and state-wide buys, making it flexible for both local businesses and national brands.

For businesses looking to complement their print advertising with digital reach, understanding how AI is changing SEO in 2025 is increasingly relevant — Maharashtra's urban audience is highly active online, and a combined print-digital strategy is becoming the norm.

Maharashtra Times and the Marathi Media Landscape in 2025–2026

The media landscape for Marathi newspapers has changed dramatically in the past five years. Print circulation across all Indian newspapers has declined, digital readership has exploded, and social media has fragmented attention spans. Yet Maharashtra Times has navigated this transition more successfully than most Marathi publications.

A few reasons stand out:

Early Digital Investment: Times Internet — the digital arm of the Times Group — invested early in making maharashtratimes.com a robust news portal, not just a static newspaper website. Today it carries original digital stories, videos, and features that go well beyond the print edition. This mirrors broader trends in how AI is helping small businesses build a stronger online presence — credibility and early digital investment consistently separate leaders from laggards.

Video Journalism: The YouTube channel's 2.3+ million subscribers represent a real audience that has chosen Maharashtra Times as their video news source for Marathi content — a segment that has grown significantly as smartphone penetration in Maharashtra deepened.

App Ecosystem: The dedicated app gives Maharashtra Times a direct channel to readers that doesn't depend on social media algorithms or search engines.

SEO and Content Strategy: Like all major digital publishers, Maharashtra Times benefits from strong search visibility. The principles behind that — explored in our guide on how AI is transforming SEO — apply just as much to regional-language publishers as to global ones.

That said, like all print publications, Maharashtra Times faces ongoing pressure from the shift to digital-first consumption. The brand's strength lies in its credibility and long-standing trust — qualities that help it remain a primary news source even as the formats readers prefer continue to evolve.

Frequently Asked Questions About Maharashtra Times

Is Maharashtra Times a local newspaper?

Maharashtra Times is headquartered in Mumbai but covers all of Maharashtra and carries national and international news. It publishes multiple city editions including Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, Thane, and Aurangabad, making it both a state-wide and hyper-local publication simultaneously.

Who owns Maharashtra Times?

Maharashtra Times is owned by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. — the Times Group — which also publishes The Times of India, Economic Times, Navbharat Times, and other leading Indian publications.

How can I subscribe to the Maharashtra Times print edition?

Print subscriptions can be managed through the Times of India subscription portal at subscribe.timesofindia.com. Subscription packages are available for 6, 12, and 24-month durations.

Is the Maharashtra Times app free?

Yes, the app is completely free to download on both Android (Google Play) and iOS (App Store).

What is 'Ma Ta'?

"Ma Ta" (मटा) is the popular abbreviation for Maharashtra Times, derived from the Marathi initials of the paper's name. Most Marathi readers refer to the paper as Ma Ta rather than its full name.

When was Maharashtra Times founded?

Maharashtra Times was founded on June 18, 1962, in Mumbai.

How can content creators reach Marathi audiences digitally?

Beyond print advertising, digital tools for LinkedIn posts and social content creation are increasingly used by PR teams and marketers targeting Maharashtra's professional urban readership.

About the Author

Priya Deshmukh is a senior media analyst and researcher with over 12 years of experience covering the Indian regional language media landscape. She has written extensively on Marathi print journalism, digital transformation in vernacular media, and audience behavior in Maharashtra's news ecosystem. Priya has contributed research to multiple academic journals on Indian-language publishing and previously worked as a content strategist for a major Mumbai-based digital media company. She reads Maharashtra Times every morning both the print edition and the app and considers it an essential lens on Maharashtra's social and political life.