On completion of 200 years of Urdu journalism, IJU appeals Centre and State Govts to celebrate this officially and encourage language

Hyderabad, March 25, 2022: Indian Journalists Union (IJU) has said that Urdu journalism has completed 200 years. On this occasion, it congratulated all the journalists and non - journalists associated with Urdu language.

In a statement today, the IJU president K. Sreenivas Reddy and secretary general Balwinder Singh Jammu added Urdu’s first newspaper ' Jaam Jahan Numa ' was published on 27th March 1822, by Pandit Hari Dutt from Calcutta (present Kolkata). The Founding Editor of this newspaper was Lala Sada Sukh Lal, William Hapkuis was its printer. This newspaper was the gateway of vernacular journalism in the country.

They further said Urdu journalism and the journalists associated with Urdu played an important role in the freedom struggle. Moulvi Mohammad Baqur was the first journalist who was martyred by the Britishers by tying and shooting from a canon. Urdu journalism which has given the slogan “Inquilab Zindabad” was deprived of its status to a large extent after independence.

Adding, they said Urdu journalists along with other fellow journalists have been taking part in the struggle for the freedom of press. They are integral part of Indian Journalists Union (IJU)

The IJU has been active in protecting the interest of Urdu journalists from Delhi, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Telangana and other parts of the country, they said, adding the IJU will continue to strive for the Urdu journalists.

On the completion of 200 years of Urdu journalism the IJU appeal the union Government as well as different State governments to celebrate this officially and encourage the language, they concluded.