In 2025, Mint's dedicated space for narrative journalism, Long Stories, published nearly 250 deep-dive reports. The year's finest work took readers from the foggy banks of the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj to the pastoralist camps of Rajasthan, blending rigorous data with evocative on-ground storytelling. The reporting tackled critical themes shaping the Indian economy: corporate governance lapses, a shifting digital landscape, and the hidden costs of rapid industrial growth. The timeless forces of ambition and greed, flowing through modern boardrooms, provided rich fodder for spectacular investigative pieces.
Here is a curated look at the 15 best long reads of the year, each representing weeks or months of meticulous reporting to get the story right.
Investigations: Uncovering Financial Crimes and Governance Puzzles
One of the most talked-about investigations detailed how the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) tracked down an insider trading ring. The case involved two friends working at rival IT giants, Wipro and Infosys. One, a chartered accountant, and the other, an engineer, exchanged confidential notes on a mega deal, profiting from the information. The report by Jas Bardia and Varun Sood detailed their misdeeds and how Sebi's surveillance systems flagged the unusual trading activity.
Another probe focused on the spectacular blow-up of the EV ride-hailing darling, BluSmart. Once a clean, disciplined alternative to Uber and Ola, especially for airport trips, the company's sudden collapse was linked to its complex ties with the publicly listed Gensol Engineering Ltd. The investigation pieced together how Gensol's balance sheet was used to build BluSmart's business, revealing a significant governance puzzle.
In a major data-driven story, reporters reviewed 9,000 voting decisions by the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) over 14 quarters. They found that LIC consistently backed or never opposed resolutions from the Reliance and Adani groups, while rejecting similar proposals from other companies. This inconsistent standard raised questions about global governance practices and potential risks in managing its $645 billion in assets.
Corporate and Economic Deep Dives
The corporate narrative of the year included a focus on Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). The story examined the challenges facing India's largest IT services exporter, with 2025-26 poised to be its most difficult year. It detailed how Tata Sons chairman N. Chandrasekaran has stepped in to fix the firm, in a move reminiscent of Nandan Nilekani's return to Infosys.
On the economic front, a ground report highlighted Tamil Nadu's distributed growth model. The state is successfully turning previously ignored ghost districts in the south into booming industrial hotbeds, attracting significant investments and challenging the narrative of lopsided development in India.
The year also saw an evocative report from the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, capturing a $30 billion economy in action. From sages in smoky haze to street plays by the Association of Mutual Funds in India, the report painted a vivid picture of the ancient congregation's modern commercial pulse.
Profiles and the Fightback Against Giants
A standout profile traced the rise and hard landing of Vibhu Agarwal, founder of the adult streaming app Ullu Digital. The app's revenue grew 12-fold to ₹100 crore between 2019-20 and 2023-24, with Agarwal even filing for an IPO before his soft-core empire faced a reckoning.
In the consumer space, a compelling story documented a mutiny in the food delivery sector. In Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, restaurants revolted against the high commissions of Zomato and Swiggy, betting their survival on local platforms and direct WhatsApp orders. This revolt signalled the toughest test yet for the commission-heavy model of food delivery giants.
A sobering environmental and cultural report came from Rajasthan's Pali district. It revealed how the camel, an animal integral to the Raika pastoralist community, is facing a silent crisis. With over 85% of India's camels in Rajasthan, the report highlighted the community's struggles and the animal's vanishing act, asking if its milk could be its salvation.
From the boardroom to the desert, these 15 long reads defined Mint's journalistic ambition in 2025, offering readers not just news, but context, narrative, and a deeper understanding of the forces shaping India.
