London, June 17 (IANS) Indian-born Amol Rajan has been appointed editor of the London morning daily The Independent, making him Fleet Street’s first non-white editor, the newspaper reported Monday.
Rajan, 29, was previously the daily’s comment editor.
Oliver Duff, who was executive editor and news editor of The Independent, has been named editor of sister title, i, while another executive editor, Lisa Markwell, has been named editor of The Independent on Sunday.
This means two women and two men will serve as editors of the four titles owned by Evgeny Lebedev.
Sarah Sands is the editor of the group’s fourth title, the Evening Standard.
The Independent’s previous editor, Chris Blackhurst, has been given the new post of group content director, charged with the responsibility of overseeing editorial output and content creation across the newspapers, the website, and London Live TV scheduled to be launched next spring.
“Our businesses are at a critical stage and a bold approach is needed for our industry,” Lebedev was quoted as saying in a statement after the new appointments.
“Today I am continuing this approach by appointing as editors two highly talented young journalists. Their energy, creativity and resourcefulness will invigorate both The Independent and i.”
He added that the group’s goal “is to develop a pioneering and integrated newsroom for the 21st century, providing print, digital and television output 24/7”.
According to the Huffington Post, Rajan, who is a columnist for the Evening Standard, has long been seen as a potential future editor.
He had previously served as deputy comment editor and sports and news correspondent in the newspaper.
According to the Post report, he is also a keen cricket fan, and has authored a book on cricket’s best spin bowlers.
Rajan, who was born in Calcutta, as Kolkata was then called, moved to Britain when he was three and studied at a state school.
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