The Board of Directors of D.B. Corp Limited (hereinafterreferred as ‘Company’ / ‘DBCL’) is pleased to presentthe 30th Annual Report along with the Audited Standaloneand Consolidated Financial Statements (‘Audited FinancialStatements’) for the financial year ended March 31, 2026(‘FY 2025-26’).
During the year under review, the Company continuedto deliver steady performance across its businesses.Print continued to demonstrate resilience with sustainedadvertising demand and stable circulation, reinforcingour confidence in the medium’s relevance and strengthin our key markets. The Print business maintainedstrong momentum led by an improved overall advertisersentiment. Advertising demand remained strong acrosskey sectors such as education, real estate, healthcare,automobile and government, supported by improvingconsumption trends.
Your Company remained focused on disciplined costmanagement and operational efficiencies during the year,which supported stable operating performance and healthymargins despite volatility in newsprint prices, higher rawmaterial costs and foreign exchange movements. TheCompany also continued its emphasis on circulationgrowth, reader engagement initiatives and strengthening itsmarket position across core markets.
Editorial excellence, hyperlocal relevance and responsiblejournalism continued to remain central to the Company’srelationship with its readers. Your Company continuedto strengthen its integrated "phygital” presence throughinvestments in digital capabilities, technology platformsand high-quality content offerings. The Digital businesscontinues to be a key growth driver for the Company, witha strong momentum in user engagement and contentconsumption. Monthly Active Users (MAUs) stood around20 million as of March 2026, reflecting sustained growthand strong consumer traction. The Radio business, MYFM, remained focused on enhancing listener engagementthrough innovative and locally relevant content offerings.Looking ahead, your Company remains optimistic aboutthe opportunities across print, digital and radio businesses,supported by improving consumption trends, growingaspirations across Tier II and Tier III markets and continuedfocus on long-term value creation for all stakeholders.
FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE
The Audited Financial Statements for the FY 2025-26 havebeen prepared in accordance with the Indian AccountingStandards (‘Ind AS’) notified under Section 133 of theCompanies Act, 2013 (‘the Act’) read with the Companies(Indian Accounting Standards) Rules, 2015 and other relevantprovisions of the Act, as amended from time to time.
The financial performance of the Company for the year ended March 31, 2026, on a Standalone and Consolidated basisis summarised below:
Particulars
Standalone
Consolidated
2025-26
2024-25
Revenue from operations
23,550.21
23,382.41
23,555.21
23,391.11
Other income
851.02
819.00
852.81
820.90
Total income
24,401.23
24,201.41
24,408.02
24,212.01
Operating Expenditure
18,668.78
17,935.70
18,671.93
17,942.50
EBITDA
5,732.45
6,265.71
5,736.09
6,269.51
EBITDA Margin
23%
26%
24%
Finance Cost
259.63
247.31
259.66
Depreciation and Amortisation
998.31
1,036.63
1,036.72
Total Expenditure
19,926.72
19,219.64
19,929.90
19,226.53
Profit Before Tax
4,474.51
4,981.77
4,478.12
4,985.48
Provision for Tax
1,158.04
1,275.55
1,158.13
1,275.65
Profit After Tax (PAT)
3,316.47
3,706.22
3,319.99
3,709.83
PAT Margin
14%
15%
Dividend as % of face value per share
70%
120%
REVIEW OF PERFORMANCE, OPERATIONALHIGHLIGHTS AND FUTURE OUTLOOK
As per FICCI E&Y Media & Entertainment (‘M&E’) SectorReport released in March, 2026, the Indian media &
entertainment sector grew 9% in 2025 to reach ' 2.78trillion, exceeding India’s nominal GDP per-capita growthof 7.7%. Despite global declines, print remained resilient inIndia. Advertising revenues rose 2% in 2025, especially inpremium formats for affluent metro and non-metro readers.
The print segment remained largely stable and is estimatedat ' 259 billion in 2025. While the advertising revenues grewby 2%, circulation revenues declined by 1% in 2025. Printcontinued to be the go-to medium for reaching affluent,decision-making audiences and was used by premiumcategories such as auto, real estate, education, BFSI andretail, particularly for launches and high-impact campaigns.Hindi remained the largest contributor to newspaperadvertising volumes, accounting 37% of total ad volumes,reflecting its wide reach across markets. (Source: FICCIE&Y Media & Entertainment Sector Report, March 2026)
For your Company, the advertisement revenue stood at' 16,918 million in FY 2025-26 as against ' 16,899 millionin the financial year 2024-25. The circulation revenue stoodat ' 4,751 million in FY 2025-26 as against ' 4,734 millionin the financial year 2024-25.
Newsprint prices saw some increase due to supplydisruptions on account of global geopolitical tensions,higher raw material costs and foreign exchange movements.However, your Company anticipates that this is a temporarydisruption for couple of upcoming months.
Digital continues to be a key focus area and an important pillarof the Company’s long-term growth strategy. Our sustainedinvestments in high-quality content, superior user experience,technology capabilities and talent have enabled us tobuild a highly engaged and loyal user base, driving strongmomentum in user engagement and content consumption.The Digital business continued to witness healthy growthduring the year. Monthly Active Users (MAUs) stood around20 million as of March 2026. Dainik Bhaskar news app andDivya Bhaskar news app remain the #1 Hindi and Gujaratinews app, reinforcing their leadership. Your Company’sdigital strategy, focused on high-quality content, superior userexperience and a strong technology backbone, continues todrive engagement and retention. Ongoing improvements incontent formats, visual presentation and hyperlocal coverageacross markets have further enhanced user stickiness. Usingdemographic insights, user preferences, location, economicsegment and real-time context, we accurately predict andserve content to drive engagement, long-term retention,loyalty and willingness to pay. We also leverage technologyto efficiently scale high-quality journalism across formats,from original and exclusive stories to real-time hyperlocalcontent. The Company remains optimistic about its digitaljourney, supported by continued investment and growingaudience reach.
Editorial excellence, hyperlocal relevance and meaningfulaudience engagement are at the core of the Company’sgrowth strategy. Through reader-centric initiatives, strongon-ground presence and continuous innovation in contentdelivery across print and digital platforms, the Company hasfurther strengthened its connect with readers and advertisersacross its markets, reinforcing its leadership position andlaying a strong foundation for sustainable growth.
As per FICCI E&Y Media & Entertainment Sector Report,March 2026, Radio segment revenues declined by 7%in 2025. Your Company’s Radio business revenues alsodeclined, however, the decline is 5%.
Your Company’s MY FM continued to be relentless in itsefforts to connect with the audience and enhance listenerengagement through groundbreaking content creation.During FY 2025-26, your Company was awarded 14 newradio stations in the auction of Private FM Radio Phase IIIchannels by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Outof 14, 7 stations were operationalized as well. With the launchof 7 new stations, your Company’s MY FM radio marks itspresence in 37 cities across India and reinforcing its positionas a fast-growing private radio network. It is the fastestamong peers to operationalize the highest number of stationsfrom the aforesaid auction round, reflecting strong executioncapabilities. The new stations in Daman, Gandhidham, Bhuj,Ratlam, Pali, Sri Ganganagar and Alwar make MY FM the firstand only private radio broadcaster in these markets.
OPERATIONAL HIGHLIGHTSAdvertising Revenue
Advertising Revenue stands at ' 16,918 million for FY 2025¬26 as compared to ' 16,899 million for FY 2024-25.
Circulation Revenue
Circulation Revenue stands at ' 4,751 million for FY 2025¬26 as compared to ' 4,734 million for FY 2024-25.
Total Income
Total income stands at ' 24,401 million for FY 2025-26 ascompared to ' 24,201 million for FY 2024-25.
Raw Material consumed
The cost of newsprint consumption was increased by 1%YoY to ' 6,507 million for FY 2025-26 as compared to '6,424 million for FY 2024-25.
Employee Cost
The employee cost increased by 4% YoY amounting to '4,596 million for FY 2025-26 as compared to ' 4,438 millionfor FY 2024-25.
Other Expenses
Other operating expenses increased by 7% YoY amountingto ' 7,566 million for FY 2025-26 as compared to ' 7,073million for FY 2024-25.
Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation andAmortization (EBITDA)
EBITDA de-grow by 9% to ' 5,732 million for FY 2025-26 ascompared to ' 6,266 million in FY 2024-25 due to increasein other expenses.
Depreciation
Depreciation and amortization expenses decreased by 4%YoY to ' 998 million during FY 2025-26 from ' 1,037 millionduring FY 2024-25.
Finance Cost increased by 5% YoY amounting to ' 260million in FY 2025-26 from ' 247 million in FY 2024-25.
Profit after Tax (PAT)
The Operational PAT stands at ' 3,316 million during FY2025-26 as compared to ' 3,706 million during FY 2024-25.
FUTURE OUTLOOKPrint
As per the FICCI E&Y Media & Entertainment Sector Report,March 2026, the Print segment is expected to grow to' 264 billion by 2028. Advertising revenues are expectedto grow at over 3% in 2026 and at a CAGR of 2% till 2028,driven by access to increasingly elusive affluent audiencesand premium inventory formats. The recent increase ingovernment advertising rates is also expected to providea pricing reset for the industry. Events will remain revenueand engagement engines. Growth in events advertisementis expected to be robust, as these events solve businesschallenges for advertisers, as well as market the new brandthrough event promotion. Print consumption in India isincreasingly bifurcated by age and lifestyle segments. Olderand professionally engaged audiences continue habitualprint consumption, driven by a preference for depth,structure, completeness and credibility. Younger cohortsincreasingly consume news through mobile-first, visual,and short-form formats across digital and social platforms,which focus on speed and ease of consumption.
Your Company remains committed to editorial excellence andcontinues to focus on issues that have a strong impact on thelives of its readers, guided by its commitment to courageousand responsible journalism. The Company will continue tostrengthen reader engagement through innovative initiatives,expanding its reach through on-ground activations, whilereinforcing its leadership across its markets.
Digital
As per the FICCI E&Y Media & Entertainment Sector Report,March 2026, the Digital media segment is expected to growto ' 1,640 billion by 2028. Growth will be driven by increasingConnected TV and smartphone penetration and rising percapita income, which are likely to further accelerate digitalcontent consumption across the country. In the Digital Newssegment, the industry estimates suggest that in case moreaggressive bundling strategies are adopted, the number ofsubscriptions could increase to around 13-14 million by 2028.
Your Company will continue to invest in its Digital businesswith a focused strategy of increasing App Daily Active Usersthrough high-quality content, deployment of the best talentand continued strengthening of its technology platform.The Company remains focused on delivering premium,original and hyperlocal content across multiple formats,including rich text, visual graphics and short videos whileleveraging technology to deliver best in class personalizednews experiences and drive engagement, which eventuallyresults in long-term retention, loyalty and willingness to pay.
Backed by a robust product and technology team,complemented by one of India's largest digital journalismand content teams and a strong technology-led approach,the Company remains well positioned to further strengthenaudience engagement and expand its digital footprint.
Radio
As per the FICCI E&Y Media & Entertainment Sector Report,March 2026, the radio segment revenues will be stagnant andexpected to be at ' 22 billion by 2028. As per the Report,radio broadcasters are focusing on hyperlocal connect,community leadership, exclusive content offerings, integrationwith other media platforms, digital co-existence and brandextensions to enhance media spent investment of themarketers in the radio segment. The importance of non-FCTrevenues is expected to increase, contributing around 39%of total radio revenues by 2028 as radio brands evolve into360-degree media and experience providers. The landscapeof Radio sector is excepted to reshape due to regulatorychanges recommended by the government allowing privateFM radio stations to broadcast independent news and currentaffairs programming, moving from licensing-led regime to astructured authorisation framework and reforms in license fee.
Your Company will continue its relentless efforts to connectwith audiences and enhance listener engagement throughground-breaking content creation. The Company remainsfocused on strengthening audience connect and deliveringmeaningful content experiences across its markets, therebysupporting business growth and creating opportunities forrevenue enhancement.
MATERIAL CHANGES AND COMMITMENTS, IF ANY,BETWEEN THE END OF THE FINANCIAL YEAR ANDTHE DATE OF THE REPORT
No material changes and commitments have occurredbetween the end of the financial year of the Company towhich the financial statements relate i.e. March 31, 2026and the date of this Report which may affect the financialposition of the Company.
DIVIDEND
During the FY 2025-26, your Company has declared and paid the following dividends:
Financial Year 2025-26
Dividend per share(in ')
Dividend payout(in ' million)
Date of declaration ofdividend
Date of payment ofdividend
Interim Dividend
5.00
(50% of face value)
891.12 (gross)1
July 16, 2025
August 11,2025
Second Interim Dividend
2.00
(20% of face value)
356.48 (gross)1
January 15, 2026
February 3, 2026
The above dividends are in accordance with provisions ofthe Act, rules made thereunder and the Company’s DividendDistribution Policy, which is available on the website of theCompany athttps://www.dbcorpltd.com/Investors.php. Therehas been no change in the policy during the year under review.
TRANSFER TO RESERVES
The Board of Directors have decided to retain the entireamount of profit for FY 2025-26 in the retained earnings.
SHARE CAPITAL
As on March 31, 2026, the issued, subscribed and paid-upequity share capital of the Company is ' 1,782.46 millioncomprising 17,82,45,926 equity shares of ' 10/- each.
During FY 2025-26, the issued, subscribed and paid-up equity share capital increased from ' 1,781.92 millioncomprising 17,81,92,149 equity shares to ' 1,782.46 millioncomprising 17,82,45,926 equity shares of ' 10/- each,pursuant to the allotment of 20,769 equity shares of ' 10/-each under D.B. Corp Limited - Employees Stock OptionScheme - 2011 (‘DbCl ESOS - 2011’) and 33,008 equityshares of ' 10/- each under D.B. Corp Limited - EmployeesStock Option Scheme - 2021 (‘DBCL ESOS - 2021’).
EMPLOYEE STOCK OPTION SCHEMES
The Company grants share-based benefits to eligibleemployees with a view to attract and retain the best talent,encouraging employees to align individual performanceswith Company’s objectives and promoting participation bythem in the growth of the Company.
Considering the value addition in the growth of the Companyby employees through their past performances, the Companyformulated and administers the DbCL ESOS - 2011 Schemeand DBCL ESOS - 2021 Scheme under which options aregranted in various tranches to reward the employees andmotivate them for future growth and profitability.
The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directorshas been constituted in accordance with the erstwhile SEBI(Share Based Employee Benefits) Regulations, 2014, interalia to, administer and monitor the Employee Stock OptionSchemes. There has been no change in the DBCL ESOS -2011 Scheme and DBCL ESOS - 2021 Scheme during thefinancial year under review.
During the financial year 2025-26, no stock options weregranted to any employees of the Company and no employeehas been issued stock options during the year equal to orexceeding 1% of the issued share capital of the Companyat the time of grant.
The disclosure in terms of Rule 12(9) of the Companies(Share Capital and Debentures) Rules, 2014 and Regulation14 of the SEBI (Share Based Employee Benefits and SweatEquity) Regulations, 2021 (‘SEBI sBeBSE Regulations’) is
annexed herewith as ‘Annexure A’ and forms part of theBoard’s Report. The same is also hosted on the Company’swebsite at www.dbcorpltd.com/Investors.php.
Certificates from the Secretarial Auditor viz. Makarand M.Joshi & Co., Company Secretaries have been obtained bythe Company certifying that the Employee Stock OptionSchemes i.e. DBcL ESOS - 2011 Scheme and DBCLESOS - 2021 Scheme in vogue have been implementedin accordance with the SEBI SBEBSE Regulations and therespective special resolution passed by the members of theCompany. The said certificates will be open for inspectionat the ensuing Annual General Meeting of the Company andare also annexed herewith as ‘Annexure B1 and AnnexureB2’ and form part of the Board’s Report.
SUBSIDIARIES, JOINT VENTURES AND ASSOCIATECOMPANIES
The Company has two subsidiaries as on the date ofthis report viz. DB Infomedia Private Limited (wholly-owned subsidiary) and I Media Corp Limited (step-downsubsidiary). There are no associate companies or jointventure companies within the meaning of Section 2(6) ofthe Act.
The Company has prepared the Consolidated FinancialStatements of the Company and of both the subsidiariesviz. DB Infomedia Private Limited and I Media Corp Limited,in the form and manner as that of its own, duly audited byM/s. Price Waterhouse Chartered Accountants LLP and M/s.Gupta Mittal & Co., Joint Statutory Auditors in compliancewith the applicable provisions of the Act, accountingstandards and the Securities and Exchange Board ofIndia (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements)Regulations, 2015 (‘SEBI Listing Regulations’), as amendedfrom time to time.
The Consolidated Financial Statements for the financial year2025-26 form part of the Annual Report and shall be laidbefore the members of the Company at the ensuing AnnualGeneral Meeting while laying the Standalone FinancialStatements and the same are also available on the websiteof the Company and can be accessed at the web-linkhttps://www.dbcorpltd.com/annual-reports.php.
Further, pursuant to the provisions of Section 136 of the Act, theStandalone Financial Statements of the Company, ConsolidatedFinancial Statements along with relevant documents andseparate Audited Financial Statements in respect of subsidiariesare available on the website of the Company athttps://dbcorpltd.com/ under the tab ‘Reports & Financials’.
During the year under review, your Company does nothave any material subsidiary. However, your Company hasformulated a Policy for determining ‘material’ subsidiaryas defined under Regulation 16(1)(c) of the SEBI ListingRegulations. The Policy is available on the website of theCompany and can be accessed at the web linkhttps://www.dbcorpltd.com/Investors.php.
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 129(3) of the Act readwith Rule 5 of the Companies (Accounts) Rules, 2014, astatement containing the salient features of the FinancialStatements of the subsidiaries in Form AOC-1 is attachedto the Consolidated Financial Statements of the Companyand forms part of the Annual Report.
• DB Infomedia Private Limited (‘DBIPL’)
During the financial year ended March 31, 2026,DBIPL could achieve a total income of ' 5.74 millionas against ' 9.96 million for the previous financial year.DBIPL reported a net profit of ' 0.78 million for FY2025-26 as against ' 1.14 million for FY 2024-25.
Although the financial performance during the yearwitnessed a moderation compared to the previousyear, DBIPL continued to remain profitable andmaintained operational stability during a challengingbusiness environment. DBIPL remains focusedon strengthening business operations, improvingefficiencies and exploring growth opportunities toenhance performance in the coming years.
• I Media Corp Limited (‘IMCL’)
During the financial year ended March 31, 2026, totalincome of IMCL stands at ' 1.04 million as against' 1.00 million for the previous financial year. IMCLreported a net profit of ' 0.50 million for Fy 2025-26as against ' 0.54 million for FY 2024-25.
IMCL continued to maintain stable financialperformance during the year with a marginal growth intotal income. Despite slight moderation in profitability,IMCL remained profitable and maintained a goodfinancial position during the year.
Both DBIPL and IMCL continued to remain profitable duringthe year and contributed positively to the financial performanceof the Company. However, their contribution to the overallfinancial performance of the Company was not significantconsidering the scale of operations of the Company.
During the year under review, no company has become orceased to be subsidiary, joint venture or associate of yourCompany.
CHANGE IN NATURE OF BUSINESS
There has been no change in the nature of business andoperations of the Company during the year under review.
CREDIT RATING
The Company has obtained Credit Rating for its bankfacilities from CARE Ratings Limited which is determinedon the basis of recent developments including operationaland financial performance of the Company. CARE RatingsLimited has the right to undertake surveillance / review of therating from time to time based on circumstances warranting
such review subject to at least one such surveillance /review every year.
During the year under review, on September 1, 2025, CARERatings Limited has reaffirmed the ratings assigned earlierviz. ‘CARE AA ; Stable (Double A Plus; Outlook: Stable)’for Fund based long-term bank facilities and CARE AA ;Stable/CARE A1 (Double A Plus; Outlook: Stable / A OnePlus) for Non-fund based long-term/short-term bank facilities.
PARTICULARS OF LOANS, GUARANTEES ANDINVESTMENTS
Particulars of loans, guarantees given or security providedor acquisition of securities in terms of Section 186 of theAct have been provided in the Financial Statements of theCompany under Note 7, 8 and 9 of the Standalone FinancialStatements, form part of the Annual Report.
PARTICULARS OF CONTRACTS OR ARRANGEMENTSWITH RELATED PARTIES
All related party transactions that were entered into duringthe financial year under review were on an arm’s lengthbasis and in the ordinary course of business and incompliance with the applicable provisions of the Act andSEBI Listing Regulations. There were no material relatedparty transactions entered by the Company during the yearunder review that required Members’ approval. Accordingly,the disclosure of related party transactions as requiredunder Section 134(3)(h) of the Act read with Rule 8 of theCompanies (Accounts) Rules, 2014 is not applicable for thefinancial year 2025-26.
All transactions with related parties are placed beforethe Audit Committee for its approval. Before thecommencement of every financial year, an omnibusapproval from Audit Committee is obtained for relatedparty transactions which are repetitive in nature. The AuditCommittee review all transactions entered into pursuantto the omnibus approval so granted, on a quarterly basis.In accordance with the Act and SEBI Listing Regulations,your Company has formulated a ‘Policy on Materialityof Related Party Transactions and dealing with RelatedParty Transactions’ (‘the Policy’). The Policy deals withidentification of related parties, approval mechanismsfor related party transactions, ratification of related partytransactions, etc.
During the year under review, the Policy has beenamended, inter alia, to include and align with theprovisions of the Securities and Exchange Board of India(Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) (FifthAmendment) Regulations, 2025. The Policy is available onthe Company’s website and can be accessed athttps://www.dbcorpltd.com/Investors.php.
The details of the transactions with Related Parties areprovided in the Financial Statements of the Company underNote 35 of the Standalone Financial Statements and formpart of the Annual Report.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND KEY MANAGERIALPERSONNEL0 Appointment / re-appointment / cessation ofDirector:
During the year under review, no appointment/re-appointment was made on the Board of the Company.
Ms. Anupriya Acharya (DIN: 00355782) resignedfrom the position of Independent Director of theCompany with effect from the closure of businesshours on May 15, 2025 due to her preoccupation andother professional commitments. The Board placedon record its appreciation for the valuable servicesrendered by Ms. Anupriya Acharya, during her tenureas Independent Director of the Company.
0 Retirement by rotation / Change in terms ofappointment:
Pursuant to Section 152 of the Act and the Articlesof Association of the Company, Mr. Pawan Agarwal(DIN: 00465092) Director is liable to retire by rotationat the ensuing 30th Annual General Meeting and beingeligible has offered himself for re-appointment. Hehas confirmed that he is not disqualified from beingappointed as a Director in terms of Section 164 (1)and (2) of the Act. Based on recommendation ofthe Nomination and Remuneration Committee, theBoard of Directors recommend his re-appointmentas Director of the Company, liable to retire byrotation.
The brief resume and other information/details of Mr.Pawan Agarwal as required under Regulation 36(3) ofthe SEBI Listing Regulations and Clause 1.2.5 of theSecretarial Standard on General Meetings (‘SS-2’) isgiven in the Notice of the ensuing 30th Annual GeneralMeeting.
0 Resignation of Independent Director:
During the year under review, Ms. Anupriya Acharya(DIN: 00355782) resigned from the position ofIndependent Director of the Company with effectfrom the closure of business hours on May 15, 2025due to her preoccupation and other professionalcommitments. The Board placed on record itsappreciation for the valuable services rendered by Ms.Anupriya Acharya, during her tenure as IndependentDirector of the Company.
Other than Ms. Anupriya Acharya, none of theIndependent Directors of the Company had resignedbefore the expiry of their respective tenure.
0 Declaration by Directors:
All the Directors of the Company have confirmedthat they are not disqualified from being appointed/ continuing as Directors in terms of Section 164 (1)
and (2) of the Act read with Rules made thereunder ordebarred from holding the office of Director by virtueof any order of Securities and Exchange Board of India(‘SEBI’) or any other such authority.
0 Declaration by Independent Directors:
All the Independent Directors of the Companynamely, Mr. Santosh Desai (DIN: 01237902), Ms.Paulomi Dhawan (DIN: 01574580) and Mr. RunitShah (DIN: 00064657) have given their respectivedeclaration under Section 149(7) of the Act andRegulation 25(8) of the SEBI Listing Regulationsand have confirmed that they fulfil the criteria ofindependence as prescribed under Section 149(6)of the Act and Regulation 16(1)(b) of the SEBIListing Regulations and have also confirmed thatthey are not aware of any circumstance or situationwhich exist or may be reasonably anticipated thatcould impair or impact their ability to discharge theirduties with an objective independent judgementand without any external influence. They havealso confirmed compliance with the provisions ofsub-rules (1) and (2) of Rule 6 of the Companies(Appointment and Qualification of Directors) Rules,2014 with respect to inclusion of their name in thedata bank of the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs("IICA”) and hold a valid registration.
Further, the Board after taking these declarationson record and acknowledging the veracity of thesame, concluded that the Independent Directorsare persons of integrity and possess the relevantproficiency, expertise and experience and fulfil thecriteria to qualify as Independent Director of theCompany and are independent of the managementof the Company.
0 Key Managerial Personnel:
During the year under review, there was no change inthe key managerial personnel of the Company.
Pursuant to Section 203 of the Act, Mr. Sudhir Agarwal,Managing Director, Mr. Pawan Agarwal, DeputyManaging Director, Mr. Lalit Jain, Chief Financial Officerand Mr. Om Prakash Pandey, Company Secretary &Compliance Officer are the Key Managerial Personnelof the Company.
FAMILIARIZATION PROGRAMME FOR INDEPENDENTDIRECTORS
In terms of the requirement of Regulation 25(7) of theSEBI Listing Regulations, the details of programmes forfamiliarisation of Independent Directors with the Company,their roles, rights, responsibilities in the Company, natureof the industry in which the Company operates, businessmodel of the Company, etc. are available on the website ofthe Company and can be accessed at the web linkhttps://www.dbcorpltd.com/Investors.php.
BOARD EVALUATION
Pursuant to the provisions of the Act, SEBI Listing Regulationsand Guidance Note on Board Evaluation prescribed bySEBI, the Board in its meeting held on May 11, 2026, hadconducted the annual performance evaluation of its own, itsCommittees and individual Directors including IndependentDirectors. The process of performance evaluation wasconducted through an online performance evaluation formcovering various aspects of the Board’s functioning suchas structure of the Board and its Committees, Directorsstrengths and contribution etc. Qualitative comments andsuggestions of Directors were taken into consideration.The criteria for the performance evaluation and the wayin which the annual performance evaluation done is givenin the Corporate Governance Report, forms part of theAnnual Report. The Board of Directors expressed completesatisfaction over the results of evaluation.
MEETINGS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
During the year under review, four (4) meetings of the Boardwere convened and the gap between two consecutivemeetings of the Board was not more than 120 days as perthe requirements of the Act, SEBI Listing Regulations andSecretarial Standards on Meetings of the Board of Directors(‘SS-1’) issued by the Institute of the Company Secretariesof India.
The composition of the Board and other details relating tothe Board meetings is provided in the Corporate GovernanceReport, forms part of the Annual Report.
COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD
As on March 31, 2026, the Board has seven committees,viz. Audit Committee, Nomination and RemunerationCommittee, Stakeholders Relationship Committee,Corporate Social Responsibility Committee, CompensationCommittee, Risk Management Committee and ExecutiveCommittee.
The composition of above Committees, number of meetingsheld during the year under review, brief terms of referenceand other details have been provided in the CorporateGovernance Report, forms part of the Annual Report.
During the year under review, all the recommendationsof the above Committees were accepted by the Board ofDirectors.
AWARDS AND ACCOLADES
Your Company was honoured with the prestigious GoldenPeacock Award as Winner in the CSR category. TheCompany won Gold at Brand Storyz by Afaqs! for best useof User-Generated Content for its campaign No NegativeMonday.
At the Indian Marketing Awards, 2025 organised byExchange4Media, the Company won Silver for Jeeto 14Crore campaign in the customer experience category andBronze for Vastradan campaign in the Not-for-Profit/CSRcategory.
MY FM shined at the Radio and Music India Audio Summit,2025 by winning 8 honors. Highlights include MY FM keRangrezz winning for both ROI effectiveness and BestClient Activation, while Ved ka Wittypedia and ChandniRaatein with RJ Teena were named Best Evening and Late-Night Shows. Other wins include Best 360° Client Solutionfor Honda BigWing, Best CSR Initiative for ConnectionsCafe, Best In-House Ad for Jal Shakti and Best On-GroundInitiative for the MY FM Gaddha Concert.
At the ACEF Global Customer Engagement Awards, MY FMsecured two Gold trophies - one for Rangrezz for effectiveMeasurable Impact on Brand Awareness and another for DNegative for successful use of CSR Activity.
At the international level, the campaign Ek Ped EkZindagi won the award for Best Community ServiceProject at Asian Media Awards organised by WAN-IFRA,for its meaningful contribution towards environmentaland social responsibility. The Company also won Silverfor Corporate Social Crusader of the Year at IAA OliveCrown Awards, 2026 for campaigns including Ek Ped EkZindagi, Mitti ke Ganesh, Sarthak Diwali, Vastradaan andSave Birds.
Further, two journalists from your Company were honouredwith the Ramnath Goenka Awards for Excellence inJournalism 2026 for their courageous and impactfulreporting.
STATUTORY AUDITORS AND AUDITOR’S REPORT
In terms of Section 139 of the Act read with the Companies(Audit and Auditors) Rules, 2014, the members of theCompany at 26th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held onSeptember 20, 2022 had approved the re-appointment ofM/s. Price Waterhouse Chartered Accountants LLP (FirmRegistration No.: 012754N/N500016) and M/s. GuptaMittal & Co. (Firm Registration No.: 009973C) as the JointStatutory Auditors of the Company for the second term of5 consecutive years commencing from the conclusion ofthe 26th Annual General Meeting till the conclusion of the31st Annual General Meeting to be held in the year 2027.
The Joint Statutory Auditors are not disqualified fromcontinuing as Statutory Auditors of the Company and holda valid certificate issued by the Peer Review Board of theInstitute of Chartered Accountant of India.
The Auditor’s Reports given by M/s. Price WaterhouseChartered Accountants LLP and M/s. Gupta Mittal & Co.,Joint Statutory Auditors on the Standalone and ConsolidatedFinancial Statements of the Company for the financial year2025-26, form part of the Annual Report. The Auditor’sReports does not contain any qualification, reservation,adverse remark or disclaimer.
SECRETARIAL AUDITORS, SECRETARIAL AUDITREPORT AND SECRETARIAL COMPLIANCE REPORTSecretarial Audit Report:
In terms of Regulation 24A(1) of the SEBI ListingRegulations read with Section 204 of the Act and Rules
made thereunder, the members of the Company at 29thAnnual General Meeting (AGM) held on September 2,2025 had approved the appointment of M/s. Makarand M.Joshi & Co., Company Secretaries (Firm Registration No.:P2009MH007000) as Secretarial Auditors of the Company tocarry out secretarial audit for a term of five (5) consecutivefinancial years, commencing from April 1, 2025 to March31, 2030.
M/s. Makarand M. Joshi & Co., Company Secretaries arenot disqualified from continuing as Secretarial Auditors ofthe Company and hold a valid certificate of peer reviewissued by the Institute of Company Secretaries of India.
M/s. Makarand M. Joshi & Co., Company Secretaries hadconducted the secretarial audit of the Company for thefinancial year ended March 31, 2026. The Secretarial AuditReport for the financial year ended March 31, 2026 doesnot contain any qualification, reservation, adverse remarkor disclaimer. The said Report is annexed herewith as‘Annexure C’ and forms part of the Board’s Report.
Secretarial Compliance Report:
In terms of Regulation 24A(2) of the SEBI Listing Regulations,every listed entity has to submit a Secretarial ComplianceReport in such form as specified to Stock Exchanges withinsixty days from end of each financial year.
The said Secretarial Compliance Report for financial year2025-26 has been submitted by the Company to the StockExchanges within the prescribed time limit. There is noqualification, reservation, adverse remark or disclaimer inthe Secretarial Compliance Report.
COST ACCOUNTS AND COST AUDITORS
In terms of Section 148 of the Act read with the Companies(Cost Records and Audit) Rules, 2014, the cost accountingrecords/statements maintained by the Company in respectof its Radio business are required to be audited by a CostAuditor.
The Board of Directors on recommendation of the AuditCommittee have re-appointed M/s. K. G. Goyal & Associates,Cost Accountants (Firm Registration No.: 000024) as CostAuditors of the Company for the financial year 2026-27 at aremuneration of ' 33,000 p.a. plus applicable taxes and outof pocket expenses. M/s. K. G. Goyal & Associates, CostAuditors have confirmed that their appointment is within thelimits prescribed under section 141 (3)(g) of the Act andthey are free from any disqualifications specified inter-aliaunder section 141 read with section 148 of the Act.
As per the provisions of the Act, the remuneration payableto the Cost Auditors is required to be ratified by theshareholders. Accordingly, a resolution seeking members’approval for ratification of the remuneration payable to M/s.K. G. Goyal & Associates, Cost Auditors is provided in theNotice of the ensuing 30th Annual General Meeting.
REPORTING OF FRAUDS BY AUDITORS
During the year under review, the Statutory Auditorshave not reported any instance of fraud committed inthe Company by its officers or employees to the AuditCommittee or Board of Directors of the Company asmandate under Section 143(12) of the Act. Further, theCost Auditors and Secretarial Auditors have also notreported any instance of fraud committed in the Companyby its officers or employees to the Audit Committee orBoard of Directors of the Company.
INVESTOR EDUCATION AND PROTECTION FUND
In terms of the provisions of Sections 124 and 125 of theAct read with the Investor Education and Protection FundAuthority (Accounting, Audit, Transfer and Refund) Rules,2016 (‘ I EPF Rules’), the Company is required to transferunpaid or unclaimed dividends which remain as such for aperiod of seven years to Investors Education and ProtectionFund (‘IEPF’). Further, all shares in respect of which dividendhas not been paid or claimed for seven consecutive years ormore, are also required to transfer to IEPF. During the yearunder review, your Company has transferred an amount of' 1,04,547/- being the unclaimed/unpaid dividend of theCompany in respect of Final Dividend for FY 2017-18 andInterim Dividend for FY 2018-19 to the IEPF. Further, 2,262equity shares, in respect of which dividend has not beenclaimed by the members for seven consecutive years ormore, were also transferred to IEPF.
During the year under review, the Company has remitted' 49,774/- as dividend in respect of shares which weretransferred to and held by the IEPF in accordance withSection 125 of the Act and Rules made thereunder.
The shares and dividends which have been previouslytransferred to IEPF can be claimed by filing an onlineapplication in prescribed form to the IEPF Authority.
The due dates for transfer of unpaid or unclaimeddividend to IEPF in respect of various dividend accountsof the Company are provided in the Report on CorporateGovernance forming part of the Annual Report.
SIGNIFICANT AND MATERIAL ORDERS PASSED BYTHE REGULATORS
During the year under review, there were no significantor material orders passed by the Regulators or Courtsor Tribunals impacting the ‘going concern status’ of theCompany and its future operations.
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (‘CSR’)
As a socially responsible corporate citizen, your Companyhas been persistently exploring novel opportunities andpossibilities in the form of sustainable programmes or
projects for its CSR activities in order to create larger socialimpact and positive changes in the society.
During the financial year 2025-26, pursuant to Section135 of the Act read with the Companies (Corporate SocialResponsibility Policy) Rules, 2014, Schedule VII of theAct and CSR Policy, your Company has undertaken CSRactivities in the fields of animal welfare, eradicating hunger,poverty and malnutrition, promoting education, promotinghealth care, protection of flora & fauna and protection ofnational heritage, art and culture, thereby, helping in theupliftment of the underprivileged and disadvantaged sectionof the society and focus on social issues. All the CSRactivities are aligned to the requirements of the Act and asper CSR Policy of the Company. The Annual Report on theCSR activities in prescribed format is annexed herewith as‘Annexure D’ and forms part of the Board’s Report.
The Company has adopted and amended its CSR Policyin line with the provisions of Section 135 of the Act andRules made thereunder or as warranted, from time to time.During the year under review, the Board has amendedthe CSR Policy to streamline the CSR Committee's scope,specifically transferring the broader review of environmental,social and governance (ESG) initiatives to other mostrelevant Committee of the Board to ensure unified corporateoversight and due to re-constitution of the CSR Committee.
The CSR Policy deals with objectives, scope/areas of CSRactivities, guiding principles for CSR funding, allocation,transfer, monitoring and reporting framework, CSRCommittee role, Board of Directors role, CSR budget,reporting, disclosures, etc. The CSR Policy is hosted on theCompany’s website and can be accessed at the linkhttps://www.dbcorpltd.com/csr.php.
PUBLIC DEPOSITS
During the year under review and also in past, yourCompany has not accepted or invited any deposits fromthe public within the meaning of Chapter V of the Act andapplicable Rules made thereunder. Hence, no disclosure interm of Section 134 and Rules made thereunder.
LOAN FROM DIRECTOR OR DIRECTOR’S RELATIVES
During the year under review, your Company has not takenany loan from its Directors or their relatives.
MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS REPORT
In compliance with Regulation 34 read with Schedule Vof the SEBI Listing Regulations, the Annual Report of alisted entity shall contain the Management Discussionand Analysis Report as a part of Board’s Report or as anaddition thereto. Accordingly, the Management Discussionand Analysis Report is given separately and forms part ofthe Annual Report.
REPORT ON CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
A separate Report on Corporate Governance as prescribedunder the SEBI Listing Regulations, together with a certificate
from the Statutory Auditors confirming compliance with theconditions of corporate governance as stipulated in SEBIListing Regulations forms part of the Annual Report.
BUSINESS RESPONSIBILITY AND SUSTAINABILITYREPORT
The Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report(‘BRSR’) as required under Regulation 34(2)(f) of the SEBIListing Regulations forms part of the Annual Report.
Further, the requirement of obtaining assessment orassurance of the BRSR Core, as prescribed under SEBIMaster Circular HO/49/14/14(7)2025-CFDPOD2/I/3762/2026dated January 30, 2026 is not applicable to the Companyfor FY 2025-26.
ANNUAL RETURN
In compliance with the provisions of Section 92 of theAct and rules made thereunder, the Annual Return of theCompany for the financial year ended March 31, 2026 hasbeen uploaded on the website of the Company and thesame is available on the Company’s website athttps://www.dbcorpltd.com/annual-reports.php.
INTERNAL FINANCIAL CONTROL SYSTEM AND ITSADEQUACY
Your Company has deployed a vigorous Internal controlsand Audit mechanism to facilitate an accurate and fairpresentation of its financial results. A detailed section onthe Company’s internal financial controls with referenceto Financial Statements and its adequacy is a part of theManagement Discussion and Analysis Report which formspart of the Annual Report.
INTERNAL COMPLAINT COMMITTEE UNDER THESEXUAL HARASSMENT OF WOMEN AT WORKPLACE(PREVENTION, PROHIBITION AND REDRESSAL) ACT,2013
The Company is committed to provide a safe and conducivework environment to all of its employees. In line with this,your Company has in place a policy for prevention of sexualharassment at workplace as per the requirements of theSexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention,Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (‘POSH’) and Rulesmade thereunder. Further, the Policy also gives shelter towoman trainees and retainers. In line with the requirementsof the said Act, an Internal Complaints Committee (‘ICC’)has been set up to redress the complaints receivedregarding sexual harassment at workplace.
As per Section 134 of the Act and Rules made thereunder,the details of complaints under POSH for the year endedMarch 31, 2026 is as under:
(i) number of complaints of sexual harassment receivedin the year: Nil
(ii) number of complaints disposed off during the year: Nil
(iii) number of cases pending for more than ninety days:Nil
DISCLOSURE ON COMPLIANCE WITH THEPROVISIONS OF THE MATERNITY BENEFIT ACT, 1961
During the year under review, your Company has compliedwith the applicable provisions of the Maternity Benefit Act,1961 related to providing maternity benefits to femaleemployees.
WHISTLE BLOWER POLICY / VIGIL MECHANISM
Integrity and ethics have been the bedrock of theCompany’s operations. DBCL is committed to conductingits business in accordance with the highest standards ofprofessionalism, honesty and ethical behaviour and hassystems in place to nurture a similar working culture,therefore, DBCL is amongst the first few companies inIndia who had taken active steps towards establishing a‘Whistle-blowing Mechanism’. This initiative was taken toencourage employees, circulation/advertisement agentsand suppliers/vendors to report irregularities in operations,besides complying with the statutory requirements underthe Act and the SEBI Listing Regulations. A detailed noteon Whistle Blower Policy/Vigil Mechanism is providedin the Corporate Governance Report, forms part of theAnnual Report. The Company has adopted and amendedthe Whistle Blower Policy in line with the provisions ofSection 177 of the Act, Rules made thereunder, Regulation22 of the SEBI Listing Regulations and Regulation 9A ofthe SEBI (Prohibition of Insider Trading) Regulations, 2015or as warranted, from time to time. The Whistle BlowerPolicy has been appropriately communicated within theCompany and is available on the website of the Companyathttps://www.dbcorpltd.com/Investors.php.
RISK MANAGEMENT
The Company recognises that risk is an integral andinevitable part of business and is fully committed to managethe risks in a proactive and efficient manner. The Companyhas a disciplined process for continuously assessing risks inthe internal and external environment along with minimisingthe impact of risks.
The Company has adopted and amended the RiskManagement Policy in line with the provisions of Regulation22 of the SEBI Listing Regulations and applicableprovisions of the Act and Rules made thereunder, or aswarranted, from time to time. Your Company is very keenon identifying, evaluating and managing significant risksfaced by the Company and it prioritises relevant actionplans in order to mitigate such risks. This is primarilythe responsibility of the Risk Management Committeewhich is carried out through discussing and reviewing themanagement submissions on risks, evaluating key risksand approving action plans to mitigate such risks. Riskmanagement framework is reviewed periodically by theRisk Management Committee.
The development and implementation of Risk ManagementPolicy has been covered in the Corporate GovernanceReport, which forms part of the Annual Report.
POLICY ON NOMINATION AND REMUNERATION OFDIRECTORS, KEY MANAGERIAL PERSONNEL ANDOTHER EMPLOYEES
The Nomination and Remuneration Committee (‘NRC’)of the Board of Directors of the Company leads theprocess for Directors appointment in accordance with therequirements of the Act, the SEBI Listing Regulations andother applicable laws. As per the Policy on Nomination andRemuneration of Directors, Key Managerial Personnel andother employees (‘Nomination & Remuneration Policy’),all the Board level appointments are considered basedon meritocracy. The potential candidates for appointmentat the Board level are, inter alia, evaluated on the basisof highest level of personal and professional ethics,standing, integrity, values and character, professionalskill, knowledge and expertise, financial literacy and suchother competencies and skills as may be considerednecessary. In addition to the above, the candidature ofan Independent Director is also evaluated in terms of thecriteria for determining independence as stipulated underthe Act and SEBI Listing Regulations.
The remuneration paid to the Directors, KMPs and seniormanagement is in accordance with the policy on Nominationand Remuneration of Directors, KMPs and other employees.The Company has adopted and amended the Nomination& Remuneration Policy in line with the provisions of Section178 of the Act, Rules made thereunder and Regulation19 of the SEBI Listing Regulations or as warranted, fromtime to time. During the year under review, there was nochange in the Nomination and Remuneration Policy. Thesalient features of the Nomination & Remuneration Policyare given in the Corporate Governance Report, forms partof the Annual Report. The said Policy is available on thewebsite of the Company and can be accessed athttps://www.dbcorpltd.com/Investors.php.
HUMAN RESOURCES
A detailed section on the Company’s Human Resourcedevelopment is a part of the Management Discussion andAnalysis Report, forms part of the Annual Report.
PARTICULARS OF REMUNERATION
Disclosure with respect to the remuneration of directorsand employees as required under Section 197(12) of theAct read with Rule 5(1), 5(2) and 5(3) of the Companies(Appointment and Remuneration of Managerial Personnel)Rules, 2014 is annexed herewith as ‘Annexure E’ andforms part of the Board’s Report.
PARTICULARS REGARDING CONSERVATION OFENERGY, TECHNOLOGY ABSORPTION AND FOREIGNEXCHANGE EARNINGS AND OUTGO
Details as required under Section 134(3)(m) of the Act readwith Rule 8(3) of the Companies (Accounts) Rules, 2014are as under:
• Conservation of Energy:1. Steps taken or impact on conservation ofenergy:
(a) Individual monitoring of every location'selectrical panels power factor was done byinternal maintenance team to avoid powerfactor penalties and maximize rebate/savings.
(b) Converted press drive systems from Analogto Digital drives for accurate speed controland steady production.
(c) Replaced conventional Lights with LEDenergy efficient lights across the locations.
2. Steps taken by the Company for utilisingalternate sources of energy:
(a) Investment of ' 22.96 million was madeduring FY 2025-26 at the following locationsfor installation/capacity enhancement ofSolar PV plants.
Location
Installed
capacity
(kWp)
Investment(' in Million)
Indore
200
5.17
Nashik
125
3.24
Akola
70
2.03
Nagaur
100
2.59
Kota Office
50
1.61
Total(A)
545
14.64
Enhanced
Jaipur
1.17
Kota
2.51
Ajmer
1.28
Sikar
1.35
Bharatpur
80
2.01
Total(B)
330
8.32
Grand Total(A B)
875
22.96
(b) In FY 2025-26, total solar PV plant capacityof 875 kWp was added.
(c) Total solar installed capacity across thelocations is 3,545 kWp.
(d) In FY 2025-26, total solar energy generationat all locations was 37,25,811 kWh.
(e) Total saving of ' 27.33 million was achievedthrough solar energy generation from all thelocations.
Location wise generation and savings are asfollows:
Total Units(kWh)
Savings(' in Million)
6,16,735
4.50
Ahmedabad
2,62,072
1.89
Jodhpur
2,69,749
2.10
2,08,311
1.62
Udaipur
1,90,498
1.48
1,28,878
1.01
Baroda
92,360
0.65
Hamira
96,586
0.64
Rajkot
1,11,663
0.78
Panipat
1,46,104
Bilaspur
1,13,404
0.80
Muzaffarpur
80,244
0.51
Hisar
74,000
0.49
Rewari
52,329
0.35
1,56,608
1.22
1,52,496
1.19
Bhilwara
55,872
0.44
Chandigarh-
office
1,03,016
0.46
Raipur-office
98,417
0.69
VKI-Jaipur
2,86,011
2.22
70,984
0.53
1,17,558
0.88
89,088
0.70
1,52,828
Total
37,25,811
27.33
3. Capital investment on energy conservationequipment:
The Company has not made any capitalinvestment on energy conservation equipmentduring FY 2025-26.
Technology Absorption:
1. Efforts made towards technology absorptionand benefits derived like product improvement,cost reduction, product development or importsubstitution:
Your Company’s Technology function deliveredstrategic initiatives across digital transformation,AI adoption and infrastructure modernization,driving measurable improvements in operationalefficiency and workforce productivity.
Business Applications & Automation
• Editorial Automation: Automated WhatsApp-to-publication content conversion and AI-powered performance resulting in reportingwith real-time stakeholder notificationsvia WhatsApp and email reduces manualworking and helps to improve newsroomefficiency.
• Performance Intelligence Dashboards:
Implemented comprehensive editorial MIS
dashboards enabling data-driven editorialdecision-making and performance optimization.
• Circulation Management: Modernized
the Agent Connect Module to improveagent engagement and automated dailyachievement tracking reports, helpingenhance productivity.
• Enterprise Analytics: Deployed BigQuery-
based MIS platform for Finance, Newsprint,and Ad Sales, delivering advanced analyticsand actionable insights.
AI & Workforce Transformation
• Cross-Functional AI Training: Conductedcomprehensive AI and ChatGPT capability¬building programs across Editorial, Finance,Newsprint and HR, driving enterprise-wideAI literacy and adoption.
• Editorial AI Enablement: Launched GeminiPro subscriptions with Train-the-Trainermethodology, enhancing content creation,research efficiency, and collaborationcapabilities across newsroom operations.
• AI-Driven Productivity Gains: LeveragedAI tools to accelerate content workflows,improve research accuracy and enhanceeditorial quality, delivering measurableimprovements in operational efficiency.
IT Infrastructure Modernization
• End-User Computing: Strategic devicerefresh with modern laptops; high-performance systems deployed toCentralized Finance team for advancedreporting and analytics.
• Network Enhancement: Expanded
bandwidth across multiple locations resultsin improving connectivity, applicationperformance and enabling seamlesscollaboration for distributed teams.
2. In case of imported technology (importedduring the last 3 years reckoned from thebeginning of the financial year):
The Company has not imported any technologyin last three years reckoned from the beginning ofthe financial year, hence, nothing to report here.
3. Expenditure on Research and Development:
As research and development is part of the on¬going quality control and manufacturing costs,the expenditure is not separately allocated andidentified.
• Foreign Exchange Earnings and Outgo:
Your Company has earned foreign exchange of' 599.57 million (previous year ' 606.55 million). Thefinancial expenses in foreign exchange during the yearwas ' 11.87 million (previous year ' 2.15 million) andon account of other expenses was ' 216.26 million(previous year ' 119.60 million).
DISCLOSURE ON COMPLIANCE WITH SECRETARIALSTANDARDS
During the financial year 2025-26, your Company hascomplied with applicable Secretarial Standards i.e. SS-1and SS-2 relating to ‘Meetings of the Board of Directors’and ‘General Meetings’ respectively as notified by theInstitute of Company Secretaries of India.
DIRECTORS’ RESPONSIBILITY STATEMENT
Pursuant to Section 134(3)(c) of the Act, it is herebyconfirmed:
1. that in the preparation of the annual accounts for thefinancial year ended March 31, 2026, the applicableAccounting Standards have been followed along withproper explanation relating to material departures, ifany;
2. that the Directors had selected such accountingpolicies and applied them consistently and madejudgements and estimates that are reasonable andprudent so as to give a true and fair view of the stateof affairs of the Company as at March 31, 2026 andof the profit of the Company for the year ended as onthat date;
3. that the Directors had taken proper and sufficientcare for the maintenance of adequate accountingrecords in accordance with the provisions of theAct for safeguarding the assets of the Companyand for preventing and detecting fraud and otherirregularities;
4. that the Directors had prepared the annual accountsfor the financial year ended March 31, 2026 on a‘going concern’ basis;
5. that the Directors had laid down internal financialcontrols to be followed by the Company and that suchinternal financial controls are adequate and operatingeffectively; and
6. that the Directors had devised proper systems toensure compliance with the provisions of all applicablelaws and that such systems were adequate andoperating effectively.
DISCLOSURE IN RESPECT OF SHARES WITHDIFFERENTIAL RIGHTS, SWEAT EQUITY SHARES, ETC.
During the year under review, there were no transactions or
events with respect to the following, hence no disclosure:
• Issue of equity shares with differential rights as todividend, voting or otherwise.
• Issue of sweat equity shares.
• Issue of instruments convertible into equity shares.
• Buy back of shares.
• Provision of money by the Company for purchase ofits own shares by employees or by trustees for thebenefit of employees.
The equity shares of the Company were not suspended
from trading during the year.
OTHER DISCLOSURES• Disclosure pertaining to ‘Insolvency & BankruptcyCode (‘IBC’)’:
On February 3, 2025, a petition under Section 9 of theInsolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (‘IBC’) wasfiled by Go Paper GmbH & Co. KG, before the Hon'bleNational Company Law Tribunal (‘NCLT’), AhmedabadBench, seeking initiation of the Corporate InsolvencyResolution Process (‘CIRP’) against the Company fora claim amount of ' 157.03 million including amountagainst undelivered goods and Interest arbitrarly notlegitimate. In 2020, the Company and Go Paper GmbH& Co. KG, (a company based in Germany) entered intoa transaction for 41,000 MT of prime quality standardNewsprint 42 GSM. The alleged claim by Go PaperGmbH & Co. KG is in respect of 1572.579 MT, whichwas never received by the Company. In view thereof,as the delivery was not received, the Company is notliable to pay the alleged claim amount. The aforesaidpetition was registered as CP(IB) No. 131 of 2025.During the year under review, the matter was heardfrom time to time and on September 15, 2025, NCLT,Ahmedabad Bench has dismissed the petition filedby Go Paper GmbH & Co. KG on the ground of pre¬existing dispute between the parties.
• Disclosure on ‘One-time Settlement’: The Companyhas not taken any long-term loan from Banks orFinancial Institutions. Hence, the disclosure in respectof ‘the details of difference between amount of thevaluation done at the time of one-time settlement andthe valuation done while taking loan from the Banks orFinancial Institutions along with the reasons thereof’ isnot applicable.
• Disclosure of remuneration or commission toManaging Director or Deputy Managing Directorfrom holding or subsidiary company: None of theDirectors including Managing Director and DeputyManaging Director are in receipt of any commissionfrom the Company. Further, there is no remunerationor commission to the Managing Director or DeputyManaging Director of the Company from its holding orsubsidiary company. Hence, no disclosure in this regard.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT
Statements in the Board’s Report and the ManagementDiscussion and Analysis Report describing the Company’sobjectives, expectations or predictions may be forwardlooking within the meaning of applicable securities lawsand regulations. Actual results may differ materially fromthose expressed in the statement. Important factors thatcould influence the Company’s operations include globaland domestic demand and supply conditions affectingselling prices, new capacity additions, availability of criticalmaterials and their cost, changes in government policiesand tax laws, economic development of the country,geopolitical conditions and other factors which are materialto the business and operations of the Company.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The Board wishes to place on record its deep sense ofappreciation for continued support and co-operation receivedfrom the readers, hawkers, listeners, advertisers, advertisingagencies, government, banks, financial institutions, investors,shareholders, customers, vendors and other stakeholdersduring the year under review. The Board also recognisedand place on record its appreciation to all the employees fortheir unstinted dedication, commitment and contribution inthe performance and growth of your Company.
For and on behalf of the Board of Directors ofD.B. Corp LimitedSudhir Agarwal Pawan Agarwal
Managing Director Deputy Managing Director
DIN: 00051407 DIN: 00465092
Place: Bhopal Place: Noida
Date: July 16, 2026 Date: July 16, 2026
1
As per the Income-Tax Act, 1961, dividends paid by the Company is taxable in the hands of the shareholders. Accordingly,the Company has made the payment of the above dividends after deduction of tax at source.