The document provides a history of vernacular press and Urdu journalism in India. It notes that the first Urdu newspaper, Delhi Urdu Akhbar, was established in 1836. Urdu journalism grew remarkably in the 1830s-1840s due to factors like Urdu being declared the official language and the introduction of lithographic printing. The medium was widely used to promote western ideas and political awareness. Many influential Urdu newspapers were established in cities like Delhi, Lahore, and Lucknow in the late 19th century. Urdu journalism took on a strongly nationalistic tone in the early 20th century, covering political and social movements closely. The profession has continued to grow over the decades but also faced some decline

1. HISTORY OF VERNACULAR
PRESS IN URDU

2. VERNACULAR PRESS
 native language or native dialect of a
specific population
 newspapers came from smaller places of
the country.
 newspapers -published in local language
or native language or vernacular language.
 remarkable growth of vernacular press.
 Newspapers role - creating socio-political
consciousness.

3. URDU
 Associated with Muslims of the region
of Hindustan.
 The national language of Pakistan
 An official language of five Indian
states
 one of the 22 scheduled languages in
the Constitution of India.

4. URDU JOURNALISM
THE FORERUNNER
 The Persian newspapers of West Bengal
 The decline of Persian, Rise of Urdu.
 Jam-e-Jahan Numa , a Urdu newspaper
started in march 27,1822.
 Editor - Harihar dutta.
 Found that it would be very difficult to
continue the publication of newspaper in
Urdu
 Changed it to a Persian daily from may16,
1822.

5. THE FIRST URDU NEWSPAPER
 The first Urdu newspaper - DELHI URDU
AKHBAR in 1836.
 Started by MAULVI MOHAMMED
BAQAR.
 Many Urdu newspapers and weeklies
started.
 Four main factors helped in progress of
Urdu journalism in 3rd and 4th decade of
19th century

6. FACTORS BEHIND
PROGRESS OF URDU
JOURNALISM
 In 1830, EIC declared Urdu the official
language for government institutions and
court of law. So Urdu gained prominence.
 After 1835, many vernacular language
newspapers came to frontline. Among those ,
Urdu language newspapers were most
important because Urdu was the official
language.

7. FACTORS BEHIND
PROGRESS OF URDU
JOURNALISM
 In 1836, Litho-type printing started. It was
attractive and of low cost. Consequently, cost
of printing Urdu newspaper reduced. It
became easier to start an Urdu newspaper.
 Urdu newspapers - suitable medium for
promoting western ideas. The government
purchased Urdu newspapers. Financially
supported some of the newspapers.

8. URDU NEWSPAPER-PLACES
OF PUBLICATION
Later, many new Urdu papers started in following places
 Delhi,
 Lahore,
 Multan,
 Gujarat,
 Peshawar,
 Rawalpindi,
 Lucknow,
 Bombay,
 Aligarh and
 Madras.
However, Delhi and Lahore are considered to be
the mother land of Urdu journalism.

9. READERSHIP OF URDU
NEWSPAPERS, JOURNALS,
WEEKLIES.
 Not very remarkable.
 Koh-e-Noor, started by Munshi Harsukh Rai -
highest circulation with 350copies a day.
 Another weekly, Syed-ul-Akhbar - the lowest
circulation of 27copies.
 Majority of the newspapers – 50 copies per day.
 some papers - 200 copies because the British
took 50 to 100 copies on permanent basis.

10. THE FIRST JOURNALIST
MARTYR
 Maulvi Mohammed Baquar- founder of
Delhi Urdu Akhbar
 sentenced to death by British government .
 First journalist to martyr in the history of
Indian journalism.
 Another incident-three year imprisonment
given to editor Jamaludin of weekly Syed-ul-
Akhbar.
 A dramatic effect on Urdu journalism

11. A NEW ERA BEGINS
 In 1848, there were 26 newspapers in India in
vernacular language, out of which 19 were Urdu
newspaper.
 The great rebellion in 1857 also called as Sepoy
mutiny affected the newspapers.
 Some newspapers ceased publication.
 After the major setback in 1857, Urdu newspaper
realigned soon.
 A new era of Urdu journalism began.

12. A NEW ERA BEGINS
Some of the newspapers started after sepoy mutiny in
1857 are listed below.
 Oudh Akhbar, Lucknow
 Tahazib-ul-Akhbar, Aligarh
 The Oudh Punch, Lucknow
 Akmalul Akhbar, Delhi
 The Punjab Akhbar, Lahore
 Shamsul Akhbar, Madras
 The Khashful Akhbar, Bombay
 Qasiv-ul-Akhbar,Banglore.
 Out of these, OUDH AKHBAR started in 1858 lived longer
and soon became a daily under the editorship of
Ratannath Sarshar.

13. AFTER GREAT
REBELLION
 In 1858, Manbir Kabiruddin started
The Urdu Guide - the first Urdu daily
of Calcutta.
 Roznamha-e-Punjab from Lahore in
1858.
 Oudh Akhbar by Munshi Nawal
Kishore in1858 from Lucknow
 Extensive growth in Urdu journalism
from the 1850s till Independence in
1947.

14. FROM DELHI
 The first Urdu newspapers of Delhi –
Fawaid-ul-Nazarin and
Kiran-us-Sadai,
Founded by Rama Chandra in 1852.
 Urdu press in Delhi- highly critical of the
British government.
 Example : The Urdu Akhbar, edited by
Syed Hasan, highlighted many civic issues
like drainage, sanitation, adulteration of
food, and corruption.

15. TREND IN 1870’s
 In 1877, Maulvi Nasir Ali founded 3
newspapers-
Nusrat-ul-Akhbar,
Nusrat-ul-Islam and
Mihir-e-Darakhshan.
 Focused on current civil and political affairs,
valuable aids of Muslim empowerment.
 In 1877, Oudh Punch, started by Sajjid
Hussain.
 Oudh Punch – 1st humour magazine in Urdu .

16. TREND IN 1870’s
 The first women's journal in Urdu
was Akhbar-un-Nisa.
 During this time, Urdu journalist
started using cartoons and
humour was used as way in
newspaper to attract readers.
 The profession threw up a couple
of talented cartoonist.

17. IN 1880’s AND 1890’s
 In 1880’s,weeklies came out.
Akhbar-i-aam, edited by Pandit
Gopinath
Paisa Akhbar , edited by Munshi
Mahboob Aalam
 A new phase of Urdu journalism began.
 Newspapers - popular for more than half
century.
 Coverage was varied
 But not extensive.

18. IN 1880’s AND 1890’s
 An element added to their advertisements.
 Editorial comment - better informed.
 Ran on commercial lines and achieved
success.
 By the end of 19th century, Paisa Akhbar
surpassed all the other Urdu newspapers
in circulation.

19. BEGINNING OF 20TH
CENTURY
 Took on a strongly nationalistic note
towards the turn of the 20th century.
 Political and social issues dominated.
 The political and social movements
launched by Congress,
the Muslim league,
Aarya samaj,
Khilafat committee,
Aligarh movement .

20. BEGINNING OF 20TH
CENTURY
 The style more forceful
 A much richer and varied vocabulary
developed
 Result of increased tempo and widening
of horizons.
 Newspapers like Zameendar,
Hindustan, Al Hilal, Paisa Akhbar,
oudh Akhbar introduced the political
purposefulness of journalism.

21. 20TH CENTURY
 Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar started
Naqeeb-e-Hamdard in 1912.
 Another powerful political periodical was the
Madina, edited by Hamidul Ansari.
 The greatest Urdu periodical that time was Al
Hilal, started by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
 A weekly, Al-Hilal created political and
religious consciousness among the muslims.
 put equal importance on content and
presentation including the layout and design.
 the pattern of Egyptian newspapers.
 asset was the content.
 style of expression.

22. 20TH CENTURY
 In 1919, The Pratap was started in Lahore by
Mahshe Krishnan.
 vigorously supported Gandhis policies and the
Indian National Congress.
 a victim of government harassment and
suspended publication several times.
 In 1923, the Arya Samaj started The Milap, a
daily in Lahore.
 It was known for its powerful nationalistic
editorials.
 Jawaharlal Nehru founded Qaumi Awaaz in
1945.

23. FATHER OF URDU
JOURNALISM
 Maulana Zafar Ali Khan, father of
Urdu journalism
 Took charge of zameendhar and
converted it into a revolutionary
press.
 Zameendar, started in Lahore in
1903.
 The first Urdu newspaper to
subscribe to news agencies.

24. FATHER OF URDU
JOURNALISM
 Zameendar was intensely nationalistic
 Circulation over 30,000 copies
 Mainly due to efforts of Zafar Ali Khan.
 Attracted the Muslim youth of Punjab.
 No important incidents were left
uncovered by this veteran journalist.
 He helped Pakistan movement gain
momentum.

25. DURING AND AFTER
PARTITION
 Urdu journalism suffered heavily, during
and after Partition.
 Riots in Lahore lead to mobs raiding the
office of Milap and burning machines
and newsprint.
 Its Managing Editor, Ranbir was stabbed
and the paper was closed for six weeks.
It then shifted to Delhi.
 Due to the unrest, the Pratap also
shifted to Delhi.

26. DURING AND AFTER
PARTITION
 At the time of partition there were 415
Urdu newspapers .
 After partition 345 of them remained in
India
 As per the RNI report of 1957, there were
513 Urdu newspapers and the combined
circulation was 7.48 lakh.
 Fifty years later the number of Urdu dailies
alone was 3168 and the combined
circulation of all Urdu newspapers was 1.7
crore as per RNI report 2007.

27. DURING AND AFTER
PARTITION
 Urdu newspapers after partition in India
are Dawat, Nai Duniya, a popular Urdu
weekly
 After 1980s , a gradual decline in the
number of publications and readership .
 Some ceased publication. For example, in
West Bengal Shan-e-Millat, Imroze, Asre-
Jadeed, Ghazi and Iqra were closed.
 In 21st century, a number of new
newspapers making their entry.

28. TODAY’S SCENARIO
 More number of urdu newspapers published
today
 Till 2006 Andhra Pradesh had the maximum
number of registered Urdu newspapers (506)
 Mumbai have several Urdu publications
including The Inquilab daily and Urdu Times.
 West Bengal, especially Kolkata has a
sizable number of Urdu publications.
 In 2005 there were five Urdu dailies in
Kolkata: Azad Hind, Rozana Hind, Akhbaar -
e- Mashrique, Aabshaar and Akkas.

29. TODAY,S SCENARIO-GETTING INTO
INTERNET
 Hyderabad based Siyasat was the first Urdu
newspaper to start a web edition in late 90s.
Several other Urdu publications presently have
their web edition. SOME URDU NEWSPAPES
PRESENT TODAY
 Hamara Samaj
 Hindustan Express
 Inquilab, Mumbai
 Jadeed Mail, New Delhi
 Jadid Khabar, New Delhi
 Munsif,Hyderabad
 Rashtriya Sahara
 Roznama Sahafat
 Siasat, Hyderabad
 Urdu Times, Mumbai.

30. REFERENCES
 1)Dr. Mrinal Chatterjee; Professor, Indian Institute of
Mass Communication www.mrinalchatterjee.in
 -http://www.orissadiary.com/
 2)WIKIPEDIA-en.wikipedia.org/wiki/urdu
 3)www .docstoc.com/docs/23631682/History-of-Urdu-
Journalism
 4) madrasa.wordpress.com/category/urdu-journalism/
 5)www.gktoday.in
 6)www.thefreedictionary.in
 7)www.mediahive.co.in
 8)www.urdumediamonitor.com
 9)blogs.thenews.com.pk
 10)www.nusratalinsari.com
 11)www.google.co.in