India

Marble Plaque Honoring Indian Express Founder Unveiled at Mumbai’s Nariman Point

By Express News Service

A marble plaque commemorating Ramnath Goenka, the founder of The Indian Express Group, was inaugurated on Monday at Mumbai’s Nariman Point, where the newspaper’s office is located. The ceremony was presided over by Bombay High Court judge Somasekhar Sundaresan and attended by Anant Goenka, Executive Director of The Indian Express Group. The plaque marks the 35th anniversary of Goenka’s death and celebrates his role in establishing The Indian Express, founded in 1932, as a fearless, credible and fiercely independent newspaper.

The plaque, made from Makrana marble, is installed on Ramnath Goenka Marg, a street that connects Maharashtra Vidhan Bhavan to Vinay K Shah Road in Nariman Point. The road was named after Goenka on September 13, 1993, following a request approved by former Mumbai mayor and senior Congress leader Ramcharitra Rambhajan Singh. Two years later, on November 25, 1995, the BMC officially named the road Freedom Fighter Ramnath Goenka Marg; the inauguration was attended by then Vice‑President K. R. Narayanan, Chief Minister Manohar Joshi and municipal commissioner JD Jadhav. The plaque now bears the lane’s name, Goenka’s portrait and his words that define the newspaper’s motto of “Journalism of Courage”.

The plaque measures 8.5 feet in width and 12.5 feet in height, and was constructed over four months. Urban planner Hardik Sankhe, who worked on its design, noted that the intricate engravings were completed in 25 days. The structure rests on a platform that brings its total height to 14 feet. The project was carried out by contractor Aditya Interiors. Final approval was granted by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s A ward office in July 2025, after which permissions were obtained from traffic police, BEST and the Mumbai Heritage Conservation Committee.