The Times of India (TOI) Group on Monday launched a new Bengali daily, Ei Samay, which will compete with the likes of Anandabazar Patrika that boasts a circulation of around 1.2 million.

A total of 318 women, all clad in traditional red-bordered saris, blew conch shells on the bank of Hooghly river to announce the new daily's arrival.

The inaugural edition of the Bengali daily a whopping had 72 pages all packed with news and entertainment.

It received overwhelming reception from readers spanning a broad spectrum ranging from students, housewives, artists and executives to advertisers. Priced at Rs 4, the daily saw 'stock-outs' on almost all newsstands and cash points across the state.

Subhankar Sen, executive director of Senco Gold praised Ei Samay, saying it has an innovative look and an ultramodern flavour.

Speaking about the new daily, Sen added, "The existing Bengali newspapers deal too much with politics. But Ei Samay has dealt with a variety of subjects and dishes out national as well as international news."

Ei Samay is the first Indian language paper launched by the Times of India Group in around five decades.

The Times of India is the world's most widely-circulated English language daily. The group's Economic Times dominates the business sector, while the Navbharat Times, the Maharashtra Times and the Vijay are ruling Hindi, Marathi and Kannada spaces.