Payam-e-Azadi

Payam-e-Azadi
TypeDaily newspaper
FormatLithographic
Owner(s)Azimullah Khan
Editor-in-chiefMirza Bedar Bakht
Launched1857; 167 years ago (1857)
LanguageUrdu, Hindu, Marathi
HeadquartersDelhi
CountryBritish India

Payam-e-Azadi (Message of Freedom[1]), was an Urdu and Hindi language daily newspaper published by Azimullah Khan and edited by Mirza Bedar Bakht, grandson of the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar. It first started publishing in February 1857 from Delhi and later appeared in Jhansi.[2]

It is believed the newspaper played a significant role during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the first revolt of independence against the rule of the British East India Company.[3][4] Khan brought a printing press to India in 1854 when he went to London following the independence cause.

History

The newspaper was established in February 1857 by Azimullah Khan. Its first Marathi language edition appeared in September 1857 from Jhansi.[2] It was later banned by the government for its involvement in sedition, independence movement and writing on government policies, involving rebellion groups and articles.[5][6] The copies of the publications are only available in the British Library, the national library of the UK.[2]

References

  1. ^ Kumar, Kuldeep (5 May 2017). "Lessons we forgot..." The Hindu.
  2. ^ a b c Chattopadhyay, Guatam (2013) [First published 1991]. "Petition, protest and revolt - the changing face of the anti-imperialist press in India 1857-1947". In Johansson, Eve (ed.). La presse de la liberté: Journée d'études organisée par le Groupe de Travail IFLA sur les Journaux, Paris, le 24 août 1989. De Gruyter. p. 47. ISBN 978-3-11-135730-0.
  3. ^ "How the Press fought for India's freedom". Deccan Herald. 15 August 2019.
  4. ^ Aggarwal, Vir Bala; Gupta, V. S. (2001). Handbook of Journalism and Mass Communication. Concept Publishing Company. ISBN 978-81-7022-880-6.
  5. ^ "Media resistance in British India". The News International.
  6. ^ "MODEL ANSWER PAPER Q1.a 1. Vernacular Press Act, in British India" (PDF). mu.ac.in.