Disclaimer : If you are a Hard Core ’’The Hindu’’ lover or a Hard Core ’’Times of India’’ Hater - Please go no further, no point giving false ratings and comments on the back side, Just pass by - I dont mind even if you are a friend or a foe.
Sincerely - I dont have any idea who owns the Times of India - Congress?? or BJP?? - Neither I am bothered to care more about the same. Also - please dont bother to tell me how biased these guys are - as I already know that and believe me there is nothing I can do about it. Moreover I dont intend to say that Times of India is the best - but yeah - it is indeed one of the best.
I have been reading Times of India since I started reading anything English, I remember to this day that our copy of TOI used to reach around 4.00 PM in Bhopal - If I am not wrong the year was 1991 - while I was in Class 11th. I used to wait for that newspaper guy to throw the copy in our Balcony so as I can read the all the news and update my dad as soon as he returns home. (Just to impress him).
Tradition still continues, but now it reaches almost 5.30 AM and by the time it comes to me, I get a lecture from my dad / wife - that a lot has happened in the world while I was sleeping.
To this day - I start my day with TOI - as soon as I get my morning Tea (around 9.30 AM) I pick up the Hyderabad Times Section (Every City has there own supplement), and straight land on the second page, checking what’s coming on HBO / Star Movies, Movie Updates from City, If Men in Blue are playing somewhere I check the schedule where and with whom and when can I watch them live, second thing - I go for Cartoon Section, these days they give a lot many - some facts and figures, Ripley’s believe it or not, Some mind games, Some puzzles and than I come to my favorite section on the same page - Astrology (Daily Prediction), than comes the most favorite - SU-DO-KU - this is some kind of new Crossword game where in you have to fill in a 9 X 9 squares with numbers from 1 to 9, it comes in three ways, easy, medium and tough, I am yet to check the tougher one as they are giving easy and medium these days and believe me - Even the medium one takes more than 20 minutes to fill up. Last page will give you a peek into the lives of Hollywoodians / Bollywoodians.
From there I go back to the main Paper - Front page, As I have No interest in politics, I will keep on shuffling the pages till I reach the Editorial - Or I get some good news in between which is of my interest - herein I have got to stop - as my mom was / is an avid reader of this section and she can ask me any day who wrote what - SO I have got to check this section a bit more closely and it is worth a read, even the sacred Space is good. I remember that my mom used to tell me ’’If you read the Editorial section from A to Z, than you are not required to read anything at all - it almost covers all the things’’.
Now comes the business page - read what company is taking over which one - anything and everything of the business world, new product launches, upcoming things - everything is right there.
Previously they had a sports section right after this, but now they have come up with a separate 4-page sports section (Daily) - which is even better since it contains sports news in great details and with better photo coverage.
Around the world is one section wherein you get all the international news - Entertainment too.
Day specific additions - Property times for prospective buyers and sellers, Job Seekers / Employers can check out Ascent, Looking for Bride / Groom? Can check out Matrimonial on Sunday (special additional supplement), Education Times for those who are looking for some additional courses or are confused what to do after 12th or Graduation, Sunday Magazine (Review) - which covers some big shots life in great details with other section like new product launches, book reviews, movie reviews, Times Life, Body Shop etc.
Sunday Times - This is a fat copy you get every week with hell lot of articles from the biggest writers all across (Bachi Karkaria, Jug Suraiya, Swaminathan Iyer, Shobha De etc), On regular basis it takes more than a couple of hours for me to complete / digest this section and it gives the information about what is happening all around the world some times in sarcastic / positive / negative notes depending upon the writer, but its always good to read, since you have got nothing to lose and a lot to gain. Open Space - for those weird questions you can’t dream about but with answers too to increase your GK. Weekly Bridge Game for those intellects. God and I - Article from a celebrity.
More to add : Lots of classified in daily news paper, hell lot of advertisements for those who crave for things they never intend to buy, page 3 for those guys and gals - who will never make it to that page but will never skip to read who did what and lots of gossips, all kind of new fashion designing things you can check out in here. Dr. Mojo will suggest all kind of solutions to Sex / Physical problems, Yoga / Meditation Articles and what not.
I might have left something’s uncovered in here - please let me know in the comments section.
All in all - I will recommend Times of India to anyone any day.
Moreover - Ratings and Comments are more than welcome as always.