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When bhasha spreads asha: Here's why regional newspapers still remain relevant
Updated On: 16 February, 2025 08:03 AM IST | Mumbai | Spandana Bhura
From the voice of nationalism during the freedom struggle, to standing strong during the Emergency, to serving as the carriers of awareness to the farthest corners of the nation—here’s why regional newspapers remain relevant to this day
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85-year-old Khadija Khan, a veteran reader of The Inquilab newspaper at her residence in Madanpura. Pic/Satej Shinde
Before India’s Independence in 1947, regional newspapers were more than just sources of news—they were the heartbeat of revolution. They defied colonial censorship, challenged oppressive policies, voiced the public’s yearning for independence and, most importantly, spread the word about the freedom struggle to the farthest and most remote areas of the nation. While the English newspapers of the time mostly shied away from critiquing British policies, regional papers emerged as a unifying voice for Indian nationalists against the colonisers, prompting harsh crackdowns on these publications.
Urdu newspaper Pratap, for example, locked horns with the British administration within days of its launch in 1919, reporting on atrocities against satyagrahis in Delhi. “Pratap was founded in Lahore on March 30, 1919, by my grandfather Mahashay Krishan,” says veteran journalist and author Chander Mohan. “Within just 12 days of Pratap’s launch, the British shut it down. Pratap wasn’t allowed to be published or circulated for almost a year after that,” he says, adding that the paper was also barred from any coverage of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre that occurred on April 13, 1919.
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