Down the memory Lane

by K.Vijaykumar, Former Jt.Director of Information & Publicity

My donation of its New York published 19 Volumes to Journalism Department

While reading the other day a unique initiative of Mysore Librarians and Information Scientists’ Association giving away 2,000 used books to 38 educational institutions (books received by donors) at a book exhibition held in University Library, Manasagangotri, my particular attention was drawn at the donation of three volumes of Gandhiji’s Harijan Weekly published by Navajeevan Trust received by one Tirumala Rao, was given away to the University Library itself.

My donation of 19 volumes

This news drew my memory back to mid nineteen-ninety, when I donated my prized collection of 19 volumes of Harijan Weekly (18th volume missing) published by Garland Publishing Inc., New York and London in 1973 to my Alma Mater Journalism Department in Manasagangotri. Prof. Usha Rani, who was heading the Department, arranged a function in the Department where Prof. M. Madaiah, the then Vice-Chancellor (he was senior in Maharaja’s College in our student days) received the volumes. This shows the importance given to Gandhiji’s Harijan.

Earn Ph.Ds on Harijan

I still remember Prof. Madaiah advising journalism students that they can earn Ph.Ds by studying Harijan Weeklies vis-à-vis Gandhiji’s journalism. The journal which was started in Feb. 1933 (suspended in between 1940-42 by the government and continued again till 1956) with 955 issues running into 8,400 pages, has been published by Garland Publishing Inc., New York and London in 1973 with a brilliant 25 page introduction by Joan V. Bondurant, Professor of Comparative Politics, University of the Pacific.

Views Paper instead of News Paper

Gandhiji himself referred Harijan as ‘Views Paper’ instead of ‘News Paper.’ He writes in his autobiography ‘Experiment with Truth’ (Part IV Chapter 15) thus: “I realised that the sole aim of Journalism should be Service. The newspaper Press is a great power… It can be profitable only when exercised from within.”

He writes earlier in 1925 when he started a weekly ‘Young India’ in South Africa — “I have taken up journalism not for its sake but merely as an aid to what I have conceived to be my mission in life.”

Gandhiji — A Peerless Communicator

Gandhiji is described as a ‘Peerless Communicator’ but we can tell that he is a ‘Peerless Journalist’ too by running the following papers in his life time:

1. Indian Opinion (From South Africa in four languages)

2. Nava Jeevan (Gujarati Weekly)

3. Nava Jeevan (Hindi)

4. Young India (English Weekly)

5. Harijan (English Weekly)

6. Satyagrahi (Man-script)

7. Harijan Bandhu (Gujarati)

8. Harijan (Urdu)

9. Harijan Sevak (Hindi)

With these multiple journals, Gandhiji can be termed as a model journalist (of newspapers of his time with rich contents in them).

NOTE: As I was writing this column, I came to know that Sri Ankegowda, a remarkable book-lover, who has established a rare rural library in a village near Pandavapura, has been chosen for Rajyotsava award. Calling him to congratulate, I enquired whether Harijan finds a place in his library. To my joy, he immediately said yes. That is Ankegowda’s library with rich collections of rare books in that ‘Pustaka Mane,’ in a village. Congratulations Ankegowda.

Acknowledgement: I have to acknowledge the help rendered by Sri C.P. Ramasesh, Mysore University Librarian and staff, for scanning the facing page and introduction page of Harijan that are appearing with this article.

e-mail: kumarkv59@gmail.com

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles  / Sunday , November 16th, 2014