In a historic step at the Hindu the last of the family member editors, N Ram, stepped down as editor in chief of four publications and was replaced by four professionals as editors at the Hindu, Sportstar, Frontline and Business Line. There will presumably be no editor in chief. Ram was however replaced as publisher by another family member, K Balaji. The paper carried an announcement on January 19, 2011. Ram sent a farewell letter to the staffers.