Again,
after a decade or so, an Urdu weekly ‘RANBIR’ in 1924 appeared on the scene.
‘RANBIR’ was brought out by Lala Mulkh Raj Saraf which disappeared later in
1950. Thereafter, the only publication, Jammu and Kashmir Government Gazette
was the official weekly with the circulation of 900 mostly from the
neighbouring province of Punjab. However, the newspapers from Lahore widely
used to cover Kashmir affairs and imported into the dominions of Maharaja. The
education in the state had improved and these publications had a positive
effect not on the people alone but the Government too. The constitution of
Glancy Commission and its recommendations for the freedom of the press resulted
a free association of the masses for political activity.
After 1931
An Urdu weekly publication, Vitasta by Pt.
Premnath Bazaz in 1932 from Srinagar lead other publications like the Martand,
Sadaqat, Rehbar, Haqiqat, Bekar, Kashmir-i-Jadid, Al-Barq, Khalid, Hidayat, Wakil,
Kesari, Desh, Nur, Daily Hamdard, Khidmat, Hurriyat, Paigam, Kashmir Gaurdian,
Islah and Muslim. The Vitasta a real
torch bearer served the cause of social reformer in Kashmir especially for the
issues like child marriage and juvenile ‘hooka and tambaco’ smoking.
On
August 1, 1935, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and Pt. Prem Nath Bazaz in
collaboration started Hamdard which laid the foundation for “progressive
nationalism in the state”. The Hamdard played a vital role to convert Muslim
Conference to National Conference in 1938-39 but the later (MC) continued even
after the formation of the former (NC) as nationalist party. The two veterans
disassociated and Hamdard turned daily. The publications like Sadaqat, Haqiqat,
Nav Yug and Khalid openly supported Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’ and his
associates political movement while as Khidmat, the official organ of All Jammu
and Kashmir National Conference was edited by Moulana Mohammad Sayeed Masudi.
Nur attained the name since published by Mohy-ud-din Nur and championed the
nationalists cause and used to raise issues pertaining to the distress of
cultivators and labour community.
Pt. Kashyap Bandhu’s
Desh advocated the leftist approach while as Isla, a Qadiani inspired
publication supported the two nation theory. The Muslim and Khidmat preferably used
to cover the religious issues. Moulana Mohammad
The
journalism era started in 1931, three dailies were being published in 1946 and
inspite of the imposed limitations it was emerging as an effective organ of the
public opinion in 1947. In this period, any enterprising common man could bring
out a publication. The press offered dissemination of idea offered opportunity
to leaders like Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, Prem Nath Bazaz, Maulan Mohaammad Sayeed
Masudi , Maoulana Mohammad Yusuf Shah and Kashup Bandhu and many more to feel allured
by print media to reach out to the masses and share their opinion. Thereafter, journalism
in the state progressed slowly and contributed to enhance the literary activism
in J&K.
Galaxy of Veterans
The
media in the state has been represented by a galaxy of veterans like Lala Mulkh
Raj Saraf (Ranbir), Sheikh Mohamaad Abdullah (Hamdard), Moulana Mohammad Sayeed
Masoodi (Khidmat), Kashmir Chronicle (Gwashlal Kaul), down to other
publications in Hindi, Urdu and other state languages from Jammu, Kashmir and
Ladhak. Later on, shri Radhakrishan Kak (besides the foreign newspapers and The
Indian Express in Srinagar), B P Sharma, Nandlal Wattal (Khidmat), Ved Bhasin (Kashmir
Times), S D Rohmetra (Daily Excelsior), J N Ganhar (Kashmir Herald), Pushup
Saraf (India Express, at Jammu), Pushkernath Kaul Vakil (Kashmir Sentinel), Shyam ji Kaul (AIR Srinagar),
O P Ganjoo (The Patriot and The Statesman), D C Prashant, ML Kak (The Tribune), G M Sofi (Daily
Aftab), C B Kaul ( Indian Express, both the capitals, Jammu and Srinagar),
Shamim Ahmed Shamim (Aaina), Pran nath Jalali (PTI), B L Kak (The Telegraph,
Sunday magazine and Daily Excelsior), Gulam Nabi Khayal (India Today), Zafar
Mehraj, J N Raina (UNI) Bashir Ahmed Bab (famous cartoonist with his family
publication Srinagar Times).
The
late seventies- early eighties could add up
few names more. Jagmohan Singh Raina and myself (Neter Raina) were in journalistic
infancy without any formal training or education but successfully brought out a
magazine, State Reporter from Srinagar. My ‘Guru’ late Shri Radha krishan Kak corrected
the flow of my pen’s initial write-ups with his sharp visionary experience and guided
me to develop into a successful freelancer. Shri S Vishvam (The Statesman) and
shri V K Dethe (The Times of India), very good senior friends in the field also
helped me to learn the fundamentals of Journalism.
Numbers and
Circulation
In
early eighties, around 180 publications regularly or irregularly, 127 alone in
Urdu roughly constituting 95,000 copies were being published. Also, 19168 English
national dailies besides 9349 Urdu and 14761 Hindi were coming into the state. Later,
in 1993, Punjab Kesari and Hind Samachar 18,275 and 9192 respectively, Times of
India, Economic Times and Nav Bharat 3961, Hindustan Times 2764, Tribune 869,
Ajit 640, Indian Express, Jansatha and Financial Express 3995, The Hindu 137
and The Statesman 52 used come into J &K daily. The magazines like Filmfare
197 to Jammu and 437 Srinagar, Debonair 359 Jammu and 145 Srinagar were coming
during this period besides The Week 296, The Frontline 197, Sunday 550 used to
come to J & K. India Today 1965 to Jammu and 2037 Srinagar were regularly coming
into the state meet the readership. Today, there are around 12 prominent
dailies published with 6 in English, 3 Hindi and 3 Urdu. The state has about 10,15,273
circulation from the 12 publications with 8,70,875 for English, 90, 282 Hindi
and 54,116 Urdu language.
Nawadays, a large number of youth from J & K is associated with the
media in the state and outside spread all over the country. Today, the print
and electronic media has developed enormously in J & K and touched new heights
to flourish with results are before us.
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