Varatha Bharathi (Kannada: ವಾತಾ೯ ಭಾರತಿ) also spelled as Vartha Bharati or Vartha Bharathi, is a Kannada daily News paper (ಕನ್ನಡ ದಿನಪತ್ರಿಕೆ) published simultaneously from Bangalore and Mangalore.[1] It was launched in August 2003. Its main focus was to provide voice and due representation to the deprived and marginalised sections of the society. Janapith and Padma Bhushan awardee Dr.U.R.Anantha Murthy was a great admirer and a regular contributor to this newspaper. Once, in a public meeting he called vartha bharati "The Guardian of Karnataka".

The Guardian is the best and most honest newspaper of England, and has created a revolution in the whole of its nation. In the same way, Vartha Bharathi is Karnataka's Guardian," he lauded. Abdussalam Puthige, the editor-in-chief of Varthabharati was inspired by veteran journalist Vaddarse Raghuram Shetty, who had launched Mungaru Kannada daily back in 1984.Mungaru was well known for its generous policy of providing fair representation to all castes, communities and sections of the society.

It left a significant mark in the history of Kannada journalism by identifying and nurturing several talents from Dalit, Muslim, Christian and Backward Communities.Numerous well-known Kannada leftist, social activists and Dalit ideologues including U. R. Ananthamurthy, U. B. Banakar, Dr. Niranjan Aradhya, write regularly for the paper.