United News of India
Indian news agency founded in 1959, owned by The Statesman since 2025
United News of India (UNI) is a multilingual Indian news agency based at Rafi Marg, New Delhi. It was founded on 19 December 1959, sponsored by eight newspapers including The Hindu, The Times of India and The Statesman, and began commercial operations on 21 March 1961. It is registered as a non-profit company under section 25 of the Companies Act and is owned by the newspapers that hold its shares, which elect its board.Sources:1Wikipedia: United News of India, Wikipedia (source, opens in a new tab)2United News of India: About us, United News of India (source, opens in a new tab)
Besides English it runs the Hindi service UNIVARTA (since 1982), an Urdu service (since 1992) and a photo service. During the 1976 Emergency it was merged into the single agency Samachar and was revived in April 1978.Sources:1Wikipedia: United News of India, Wikipedia (source, opens in a new tab)2United News of India: About us, United News of India (source, opens in a new tab)
After an insolvency petition by its employees' union over unpaid dues, the National Company Law Tribunal in February 2025 approved a roughly Rs 75 crore plan by The Statesman Ltd to take over UNI through a subsidiary acquiring all of its shares; Scroll reports The Statesman acquired 100% of the agency in June 2025. The government later took over UNI's Rafi Marg office after the Delhi High Court lifted a stay on a 2023 order cancelling its lease.Sources:3Scroll.in: How a loan from a mysterious lender helped a distressed newspaper take over UNI, Scroll.in, 22 March 2026 (source, opens in a new tab)4Newslaundry: From courtrooms to uncertainty: Inside UNI's Rs 75-crore deal with Statesman, Newslaundry, 21 March 2025 (source, opens in a new tab)
Who it favours
We have not analysed United News of India's coverage yet. When we do, this shows which side its articles favoured, story by story.
Who controls it
Whoever owns an outlet, provides most of its money or directs it controls it. Our rule.
No government, party or politician is documented as its owner, main funder or director.
Owners, funders and directors
- OwnerThe Statesman LtdAcquired 100% of UNI after NCLT approval (February 2025; completed June 2025, per Scroll) Sources:3Scroll.in: How a loan from a mysterious lender helped a distressed newspaper take over UNI, Scroll.in, 22 March 2026 (source, opens in a new tab)4Newslaundry: From courtrooms to uncertainty: Inside UNI's Rs 75-crore deal with Statesman, Newslaundry, 21 March 2025 (source, opens in a new tab)
- OwnerRajender Parshad GuptaChairman of The Statesman; his family controls the company, per Scroll Sources:3Scroll.in: How a loan from a mysterious lender helped a distressed newspaper take over UNI, Scroll.in, 22 March 2026 (source, opens in a new tab)5Wikipedia: The Statesman (India), Wikipedia (source, opens in a new tab)
- DirectorRavindra KumarManaging director of The Statesman, who led the UNI takeover Sources:3Scroll.in: How a loan from a mysterious lender helped a distressed newspaper take over UNI, Scroll.in, 22 March 2026 (source, opens in a new tab)4Newslaundry: From courtrooms to uncertainty: Inside UNI's Rs 75-crore deal with Statesman, Newslaundry, 21 March 2025 (source, opens in a new tab)
As documented, nearest first. Each note says what the source supports.
- Ownership disclosed on its site
- Published corrections policy
- Funding disclosed
- Sources:2United News of India: About us, United News of India (source, opens in a new tab)
How we use it
2 stories cite United News of India directly.
October 2026
- Sensex falls for a third day as crude tops $110 and RBI minutes rule out near-term rate cutsThe Sensex lost 460 points and the rupee weakened to 94.81 per dollar as Brent crude rose above $110, a day after RBI minutes signalled the next move can only be a hike or a pause.
- India Against Corruption seeks probe into CJP fundingIAC president Hemant Patil said the movement's finances need "closer scrutiny". He cited no evidence.
Outside left–right raters
For comparison only. Western raters place outlets on a left–right line, which says nothing about whom they favour in a given story or who funds them; our own tally is above.
No outside rater covers this outlet.
Sources
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