Popular Indian music streaming startup, Dhingana has shut down its operations, reports Medianama. The apps related to Dhingana have also been taken down from the app stores.
The companies top management has refused to make any comment on this decision. Though contrary to earlier reports back in December when it’s CEO Rohit Bhatia told the media that the company was in the process of restructuring its operations and plainly declined to make any official comments on the possibility of a shut down.
Their Twitter page also has not been updated for quite some time, instead they have subtlely posted a message on their website which says:
We hope that you enjoyed listening to Dhingana as much as we enjoyed building it. But alas, all good things must come to an end. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for letting us be a part of your musical moments! – The Dhingana Team.
The shutdown comes as a bit of a surprise as it was one of the most top funded music startups in India. Launched in the year 2007, Dhingana raised $7 million in series B funding led by Lightspeed Venture Partners. Since December last year, the online music streaming service has had over 9 million monthly active users. Experts are of the opinion that many music services have been struggling lately because companies like T-Series have been blocking access to its music.
Reports about the startup’s uncertain future started popping up last year when T-series decided to end it’s partnership agreement with the media start-up. T-Series has not renewed it’s license for Dhingana.com and T-Series’ music has been withdrawn from the site with immediate effect.
“We were not able to see much traction from this platform as compared to other similar services in India and abroad and thus decided to part ways in an amiable manner,” said Neeraj Kalyan, President of T-Series.
“I have been informed about the closure of Dhingana a couple of days ago and I speak on behalf of the music industry when I say it saddens us no end,” Devraj Sanyal, managing director of Universal Music and EMI Music South Asia said.
With Dhingana no more, we are left with Gaana, Saavn and Hungama.