TOI to launch Bengali magazine Amar Somoy

The Times of India Group is launching Amar Somoy, a Bengali literary magazine, on January 31. The magazine will be printed every two months – a total of six issues a year. Amar Somoy is the bi-monthly version of Somoy, which was launched as a Puja special in Bengali in September 2007.

The magazine is targeted at the educated Bengali community, which is fond of reading rich editorial content. Somoy, priced at Rs 35, had 613 pages and was sold in Kolkata and in Bengali dominated areas in New Delhi and Mumbai. Amar Somoy will have around 200 pages and be priced at Rs 25. The magazine is targeted only at the Kolkata market for the moment. The initial print run for the magazine is around 40,000 copies.

Amitava Bhattacharya, general manager, The Times of India Group, says the magazine is based on the theme of six seasons divided according to Bengali tradition: Boshonto (spring), Grishmo (summer), Barsha (rain), Sarat (early autumn), Hemanta (late autumn) and Sheeth (winter). Each issue will be in sync with a season and include literary work of authors from all genres. The October issue of the magazine is likely to coincide with the Pujas and therefore have content dedicated to the festival.

Bhattacharya says, “Somoy received a tremendous response from readers when it was launched during the Pujas in 2007. The first print run got over in less than a week’s time. We hope the new format, Amar Somoy, will do as well in the market.”

Bhattacharya says The Times of India Group plans to launch the Oriya and Assamese versions of Amar Somoy in six months’ time.