How To Publish Obituary In Times Of India Step By Step
Table of Contents
How to Put an Obituary in Times of India — A Step-by-Step Guide
By Radhika Nair | Newspaper Ad Consultant, 11 years | Based in Mumbai
Losing someone is hard enough. Then someone tells you the death notice has to go in the paper — and you have no idea where to start.
I've helped families place obituary ads across Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi, and smaller editions in between. The process isn't complicated. But there are a few things that trip people up every single time — wrong ad type, missed deadlines, photos that don't meet specs. This guide covers the whole thing.
Step 1 — Choosing the Right Ad Type Before Anything Else
Actually, this step belongs before you even think about content. Get this wrong and you're redoing the whole thing.
TOI offers two formats for obituaries:
Classified Text
Words only. Charged per line or per word depending on the edition. Works fine for a straightforward announcement with name, date, and family details. Most families use this.
Display (with Photo)
A boxed ad with a photo and designed layout. More expensive. But if the family wants a specific look, a portrait, or a tribute layout — this is the only option.
For a simple death announcement, classified is enough. Families sometimes choose display because they feel it's more respectful — that's a personal call. But if budget matters, classified does the job. Also note: TOI has dozens of regional editions. Rates differ per edition. Don't assume the Delhi rate applies to Mumbai.
Step 2 — Content Preparation
Short version: write the ad before you open any booking portal.
- Full name of the deceased
- Date of passing (sometimes date of birth too)
- Survived by — spouse, children, siblings, as the family wishes to mention
- Funeral/prayer meeting details if being announced
- Contact details (optional — some families include, some don't)
Display ad photo specs: TOI obituary booking with photo requires JPEG format, minimum 200 DPI. Low-resolution phone screenshots get rejected. I've seen this delay bookings by a full day while the family scrambled for a better image. Keep the text to what actually needs to be there — for classified, every extra line costs money.
Step 3 — Booking Channels — Online, Agent, or Direct
You have three real options.
Option A — TOI Online Portal (ads.timesofindia.com)
The most direct route for TOI obituary booking. Select edition, ad type, date, upload content, pay, and submit. Straightforward if you're comfortable online. One thing worth knowing: the portal sometimes shows different rates than what an agent quotes — confirm the final amount before paying.
Option B — Third-Party Booking Platforms
Sites like releaseMyAd, Bookadsnow, or myadvt handle TOI bookings and charge a small service fee. Useful if you want someone to handle the layout for a display ad, or if you're booking across multiple papers at once.
Option C — Walk into the TOI Office
Slower, obviously. But some families prefer face-to-face, especially older family members handling the process. The TOI branch offices in Mumbai and Hyderabad both have counter staff for this.
For placing an ad quickly during the mourning period — the online portal is the fastest. Most bookings process the same day if submitted before the cut-off time.
Step 4 — Approval and Proofing
After submitting, TOI sends a proof — usually email, sometimes SMS confirmation only for classified text ads.
Read it carefully. Names are the most common error. For display ads, the proof shows the full layout. Check:
- Photo quality as it appears in the proof
- All names spelled correctly
- Date of passing is accurate
- Edition and publication date shown correctly
Approve only when you're certain. Once approved and payment is confirmed, changes are almost never possible. Spelling mistakes in an obituary are painful to deal with after the fact.
Step 5 — Publication Confirmation
After the ad runs, TOI sends a tear sheet (physical copy of the page) for display ads, or an e-copy for online confirmation. For classified, some editions send confirmation, some don't.
If you booked through a third-party platform, they typically send you the published scan.
Keep this. For legal or estate purposes, families sometimes need proof of the death announcement. I've had clients ask me six months later if I had a copy of the ad — good to have yours saved.
How to Place Obituary Ad in Times of India — Quick Summary
| Step | What to Do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Choose classified or display; pick your edition |
| 2 | Prepare text, photo (if display), contact details |
| 3 | Book via TOI portal, third-party site, or branch office |
| 4 | Review proof carefully before approving |
| 5 | Save publication confirmation |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How to book an obituary advertisement in Times of India Mumbai 2026?
Go to ads.timesofindia.com. Select Mumbai edition. Choose "Obituary" under the classified or display category. Enter your text, upload a photo if needed, pick the publication date, pay online. Done. Mumbai rates for classified obituaries run around ₹800–₹1,200 for a short notice — but confirm before booking because TOI obituary ad rates in Mumbai shift quarterly.
2. What is the obituary advertisement process in Times of India Hyderabad step by step?
Same portal, different edition. Select Hyderabad. The Hyderabad edition has its own rate card — usually a bit lower than Mumbai for comparable classified sizes. Upload text. Submit for proof. Approve. Pay. The obituary advertisement process in Times of India Hyderabad runs identically to other metro editions, just different pricing. One thing: Hyderabad edition also accepts Telugu-language ads. If the family wants the announcement in Telugu, mention that during booking.
3. How to give a death announcement ad in Times of India online portal?
Visit ads.timesofindia.com. You don't need an account to start — you can browse rates as a guest. To book, you'll register with an email. Select "Obituary / Remembrance" category. Write or paste your text. If adding a photo, upload JPEG at 200 DPI or higher. Select your date. Pay by card, UPI, or net banking. You'll get an email confirmation within a few hours.
4. What is the Times of India obituary ad booking with a photo in Mumbai — how does it work?
For a Times of India obituary ad booking with photo Mumbai — book display format, not classified. Classified is text only. The display lets you include a portrait. Upload your JPEG when prompted. The portal shows a preview. If the image is too low-res, the system flags it before you pay. Review the proof they email before approving. Photo display ads cost more — plan for ₹3,000–₹8,000+ depending on size and edition.
5. How to place an obituary ad in Times of India newspaper — is there a deadline?
Yes, and this matters. For next-day publication, most TOI editions require ad submission by 5 PM the previous day. Some editions cut off earlier — around 3 PM. Don't assume. Deadlines for TOI obituary booking vary by edition and day of week. Weekday deadlines are usually stricter than weekend ones because of print schedules. Call the edition directly or check the portal's calendar — it shows available dates.
6. What are the deadlines for TOI obituary booking?
Standard cut-off: 5 PM for next-day print. Some editions: 3 PM. Sunday editions sometimes have Saturday afternoon deadlines. If someone passes away late in the evening and the family needs the ad in the next morning's paper — it's tight. Submit immediately. Don't wait to perfect the wording.
7. How to upload an obituary ad design to TOI?
For display ads with a pre-designed layout — the portal accepts JPEG or PDF. File size limit is usually 5 MB. If you've had a designer create the ad, export it as a high-resolution PDF and upload directly. The portal preview shows how it'll print. If you don't have a design, TOI's portal has basic templates. Third-party booking platforms like releaseMyAd have more layout options and can design it for you at a small extra cost.
8. What payment methods are accepted for placing an obituary ad in TOI?
Credit card, debit card, net banking, UPI — all work on the portal. Third-party platforms accept the same. Some branch offices still take demand drafts, but don't count on it if you're in a hurry. No cash payments online. For walk-in bookings, check with the specific office.
9. How to track obituary in newspaper publication status?
If you booked through the TOI portal — log in and check your order history. Status updates as: submitted → approved → scheduled → published. Third-party platforms send email updates at each stage. Some also send an SMS when the ad runs. If you don't get any confirmation within 24 hours of submission — follow up. Don't assume silence means everything is fine.
10. What to do after booking an obituary ad in Times of India?
Save the proof. Save the payment receipt. Note the publication date. On the day it runs, check the paper or ask someone to check if you can't. For display ads, request the tear sheet — TOI provides it for record purposes. After publication, some families also post the same notice on social media or share the scanned ad through WhatsApp. One last thing: if the death is being announced across multiple cities, book each edition separately. TOI editions don't automatically cross-publish. Multiple cities means multiple bookings.
