Vanitha
{{short description|Indian magazine}}
{{about|the magazine}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{Infobox magazine
| logo = Vanitha logo.png
| logo_size =
| image_file = Vanitha April 01, 2016 (cover - Sai Pallavi).jpg
| image_size =
| image_alt =
| image_caption = Sai Pallavi on the 1 April 2016 cover of Vanitha
| editor = Prema Mammen Mathew
| editor_title = Chief Editor
| previous_editor =
| staff_writer =
| photographer =
| category = Women's magazine
| frequency = Fortnightly
| circulation = 687,915 (as of December 2013)
| website = [https://www.vanitha.in/home.html www.vanitha.in]
| founder =
| founded = {{Start date and age|1975}}
| firstdate =
| company = Malayala Manorama Company Limited
| country = India
| based = Kottayam
| language = Malayalam
| issn =
| oclc = 416870983
|title=}}
Vanitha ({{trans|Woman}}) is an Indian magazine published fortnightly by the Malayala Manorama group. It is the largest magazine in India by circulation according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, with an average of 687,915 copies sold (as of December 2013).{{cite web|work=Audit Bureau of Circulations|url=http://www.auditbureau.org/files/Details%20of%20Most%20Circulated%20Report%20Pg%202%2014%2007%202014.pdf|title=Details of most circulated publications for the audit period July - December 2013|access-date=29 December 2014}} It remained the largest by circulation in 2017 as well.{{cite web |url=http://www.printweek.in/news/irs-2017-vanitha-continues-lead-regional-language-magazines-27929 |title = Vanitha continues to lead regional language magazines}}
History and profile
Vanitha was launched in 1975{{cite news|author=Amrita Madhukalya|title=Of recipes and G-spots: On India's 'magazine era'|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/report-of-recipes-and-g-spots-on-india-s-magazine-era-2105879|access-date=25 September 2016|work=dna|date=19 July 2015}}{{cite book|title=The Far East and Australasia 2003|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LclscNCTz9oC&pg=PA491|access-date=28 October 2016|year=2002|publisher=Psychology Press|isbn=978-1-85743-133-9|page=491}} as a monthly magazine and became a fortnightly in 1987. The magazine was founded by Annamma Mathew, wife of K.M. Mathew, and is known for her contributions to social service, cookery, journalism, and literature. Vanitha is published in Malayalam and introduced a Hindi edition in 1997.{{cite web|work=Manorama online|url=http://www.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/common/footer/footerHtmls.jsp?contentHtml=About%20Us&BV_ID=@@@|title=About Us|access-date=1 April 2013}} Although its name translates to "woman" in Sanskrit, it includes news and views and other articles on a variety of topics, and is not strictly a women's magazine.
Vanitha is owned and published by MM Publications Ltd. in Kottayam. MM Publications Ltd. is part of the Malayala Manorama Group. In addition to being released twice a month, Vanitha also includes special double issues for Onam, Easter, New Year's Day and Christmas.
Between July and December 2000 Vanitha was the best-selling magazine in India with a circulation of 3,82,027 copies.{{cite news|title=Chitralekha Group to launch its first women's magazine|url=http://www.afaqs.com/news/story/3078_Chitralekha-Group-to-launch-its-first-womens-magazine|access-date=30 July 2015|work=Afaqs|date=13 August 2001}} In 2012, the Malayalam edition of the magazine had a readership of over of 2.27 million, making it the highest read magazine in India.{{cite web|work=Media Research Users|url=http://mruc.net/sites/default/files/IRS%202012%20Q3%20Topline%20Findings_0.pdf|title=IRS 2012 Q3 Topline Findings|access-date=29 December 2014}}