About Express Network Private Limited
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Express Network Private Limited is a private limited company based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, a subsidiary of Express Publications (Madurai) Private Limited. It operates in the online entertainment platforms segment of the internet and digital services sector. It was incorporated on 13 August 1999 and has been in existence for over 27 years.
The company is registered with the Registrar of Companies (ROC), Chennai, under CIN U22219TN1999PTC048505. Its GSTIN is 33AAACE6586A1ZY (Tamil Nadu).
The company has an authorised share capital of ₹5 Cr and a paid-up capital of ₹1 Lakh. It is led by directors including Siddharth Sonthalia (Managing Director) and Manoj Kumar Sonthalia.
Its last annual general meeting (AGM) was held on 30 September 2025, and its latest financial statements are for the year ended 31 March 2025. The registered office is at Express Gardens No.29 Second Main Road Ambattur Industrial Estate, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India – 600058.
As per the financials filed for FY 2025, the company reported a revenue of ₹9.63 Cr, a decline of 8% compared to the previous year. For the same year it recorded a net loss of ₹4.79 Cr (net margin -49.8%) and EBITDA of -₹4.18 Cr (EBITDA margin -43.4%). Revenue has grown at a compounded annual rate (CAGR) of 7% over three years and 5% over five years.
The company is associated with 2 brands: The New Indian Express and Kannada Prabha. As per MCA filings, the company has open charges of ₹1.57 Cr on record. Court records list 34 cases involving the company, including 18 filed by the company and 16 filed against it; 8 cases are pending.
The current compliance status is marked as compliant by the Registrar of Companies. For more details, the company can be reached via its website newindianexpress.com.
Company details
CIN history
Express Network has one previous CIN (Corporate Identification Number): U22219TN2002PTC048505. The current CIN is U22219TN1999PTC048505, which is the unique identifier assigned by the Registrar of Companies.
| CIN | Status |
|---|---|
| U22219TN1999PTC048505 | Current |
| U22219TN2002PTC048505 | Previous |
Contact details
Express Network Private Limited's registered office is in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Its website is newindianexpress.com. Its e-mail address and telephone number are in the company report.
- Email
- Telephone
- Website
- Social Media
- Apps
- Registered AddressExpress Gardens No.29 Second Main Road Ambattur Industrial Estate, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India – 600058
- IndustryInternet, Online Entertainment Platforms
To see the full contact details of Express Network Private Limited, buy the company report.
- Company details, directors and signatories
- Historical financials and ratios
- Shareholding pattern and group structure
- Charges with holder and property details
- Legal cases, compliance and MCA filings
Brands
Express Network operates two associated brands: The New Indian Express and Kannada Prabha. Each brand links to its own profile.
| Brand | Description | Website |
|---|---|---|
| English language newspaper operating in India | thesundaystandard.com | |
| Real-time Kannada news is delivered through an online portal. | kannadaprabha.com |
Business activity
The main business activity of Express Network is information and communication. In detail, this covers publishing of newspapers, books, periodicals, etc. activities.
| Main activity group code | Main activity | Business activity code | Business activity | Share of turnover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| J | Information and communication | J1 | Publishing of Newspapers, Books, periodicals, etc. activities |
To see the full business activity and turnover split of Express Network Private Limited, buy the company report.
Financials of Express Network Private Limited
FY 2025 filings availableExpress Network Private Limited reported revenue of ₹9.63 Cr (down 8% YoY) for FY 2025.
Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
Revenue fell 8% in the latest year, but over five years it has grown at a compounded annual rate (CAGR) of 5%. EBITDA fell 521% in the latest year. Three- and five-year figures are compounded annual growth rates (CAGR): the steady yearly rate that links the first and the last year. All are worked out from the filed statements.
Financial Statement Summary
| Metrics | FY 2024-25 | FY 2023-24 | FY 2022-23 | FY 2021-22 | FY 2020-21 |
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| EBITDA | -₹4.18 Cr | ||||
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| Net Profit (PAT) | -₹4.79 Cr | ||||
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Financial Ratios
| Metrics | FY 2024-25 | FY 2023-24 | FY 2022-23 | FY 2021-22 | FY 2020-21 |
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| EBITDA Margin | -43.4% | ||||
| Net Profit Margin | -49.8% | ||||
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To see the full financial statements and ratios of Express Network Private Limited, buy the company report.
Board of directors of Express Network Private Limited
Express Network has 3 current directors and 5 former directors. Current directors are listed first, with their designation and appointment date.
| Name | Designation | Appointment Date | Tenure | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Siddharth Sonthalia | Managing Director | 22 Jan 2013 | 13 Years 9 Months | Current |
| Manoj Kumar Sonthalia | Director | 21 Nov 2023 | 2 Years 11 Months | Current |
| Kalpana Sonthalia | Director | 13 Aug 1999 | 27 Years 2 Months | Current |
Auditor
Express Network Private Limited is audited by B THIAGARAJAN & CO for the financial year 2023.
| Auditor firm | Financial year | Firm registration number |
|---|---|---|
| B THIAGARAJAN & CO | FY 2023 | 004371S |
Shareholding
The shareholding of Express Network Private Limited is on record for 5 financial years, the latest being FY 2023, split between promoters, domestic institutions, foreign institutions, public shareholders and others.
| Shareholder category | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 | FY 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Promoters | |||||
| Domestic institutional investors (DII) | |||||
| Foreign institutional investors (FII) | |||||
| Public | |||||
| Others |
To see the full shareholding pattern of Express Network Private Limited, buy the company report.
Charges & borrowings
| Date | Charge ID | Lender | Amount | Status | Modified or satisfied on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06 Feb 2025 | 101052434 | City Union Bank Limited | ₹11 Lakh | Open | |
| 03 Feb 2023 | 100679766 | City Union Bank Limited | ₹23 Lakh | Open | |
| 29 Apr 2022 | 100581381 | City Union Bank Limited | ₹1.5 Lakh | Open | |
| 21 Jan 2022 | 100533047 | City Union Bank Limited | ₹21.5 Lakh | Open | |
| 26 Oct 2021 | 100501126 | City Union Bank Limited | ₹1 Cr | Open |
To see the full charge records of Express Network Private Limited, buy the company report.
Total charge records: 5 View all charges
Legal cases
Express Network Private Limited has 34 court cases on record: 18 filed by Express Network, 16 filed against it. 8 cases are pending and 26 are disposed.
Cases by court
| Court | Cases | Against the company | Pending |
|---|---|---|---|
| District courts | 21 | 5 | 2 |
| High courts | 11 | 11 | 6 |
| NCLT | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Cases on record (5 of 34)
| Court | Type of case | Party | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| High Court | Writ petition | Filed against the company by Jupiter Ventures LLP and 2 others | Pending |
| High Court, TAMIL NADU | Appeal | Filed against the company by Google India Private Limited | Pending |
| High Court, TAMIL NADU | Appeal | Filed against the company by Google India Private Limited | Disposed |
| NCLT, Mumbai | Insolvency matter | Filed by the company against M/S. Fork Media Group Private Limited | Disposed |
| District court, Tiruvallur, Tamil Nadu | Criminal case | Filed by the company against Fork Media Group Private Limited, Rep. by Its Director Mr. Upen Roop Rai and 1 other | Disposed |
To see the full case history of Express Network Private Limited, buy the company report.
Case records are compiled from court listings and may lag the court's own records. A case filed against a company is not a finding against it.
MSME payment delays
Express Network Private Limited has 8 MSME Form 1 returns on record between 2019 and 2022, listing 24 overdue payments to 5 micro and small suppliers. Companies must report dues to micro and small suppliers that stay unpaid for more than 45 days in a half-yearly MSME Form 1 return.
Suppliers with reported dues (5 of 5)
To see the full MSME payment records of Express Network Private Limited, buy the company report.
Individuals and sole proprietors among the suppliers are not named.
GST
Express Network has 1 GST registration: 1 active.
| GSTIN | State | Status | Registered on |
|---|---|---|---|
| 33AAACE6586A1ZY | Tamil Nadu | Active | 01 Jul 2017 |
To see the full GST registrations and return filing status of Express Network Private Limited, buy the company report.
Recent activity
Express Network Private Limited has 7 board changes on record since 1999: 3 appointments and 4 cessations. The latest: Manoj Kumar Sonthalia ceased to be Additional Director on 30 Nov 2023.
4 earlier events are in the company report.
Frequently asked questions
Express Network is an active private limited company based in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. The company works in online entertainment platforms, within the internet industry. It was incorporated on 13 August 1999 (27+ years old) and is registered under CIN U22219TN1999PTC048505.
Express Network has 3 current directors:
- Siddharth Sonthalia - Managing Director
- Manoj Kumar Sonthalia - Director
- Kalpana Sonthalia - Director
The latest financial statements of Express Network on record with the MCA are for the year ended 31 March 2025. Its last annual general meeting was held on 30 September 2025. Year-wise statements from 2015 are in the company report.
The GSTIN of Express Network is 33AAACE6586A1ZY, registered in Tamil Nadu.
The CIN (Corporate Identification Number) of Express Network is U22219TN1999PTC048505. It is issued by the Ministry of Corporate Affairs under the Companies Act, 2013, and uniquely identifies the company in India.
Express Network has 34 court cases on record: 18 filed by the company and 16 filed against it. 8 are pending. Most are in the district courts.
Express Network was incorporated on 13 August 1999, making it 27+ years old. It is registered with the Registrar of Companies, Chennai.
Manoj Kumar Sonthalia ceased to be Additional Director on 30 Nov 2023. Manoj Kumar Sonthalia was appointed as Director on 21 Nov 2023. Tenkasi Krishna Sastrigal Bhagiratharama Venkataraman ceased to be Director on 31 Mar 2022. Express Network has 7 board changes on record in total.
Express Network has 8 MSME Form 1 returns on record between 2019 and 2022, listing 24 overdue payments to 5 micro and small suppliers. The latest return was filed on 07 Feb 2024.
Express Network can be reached through the website newindianexpress.com. Its registered office is in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
The registered office of Express Network is at Express Gardens No.29 Second Main Road Ambattur Industrial Estate, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India – 600058.