Overview

• Udant Martand, first published on May 30, 1826, in Calcutta as a weekly costing Rs 2 per year, ran 79 editions despite financial and distribution hurdles.
• The emergence of Hindi journalism provided non-English speakers access to news and played a significant role in informing and mobilizing the public during India’s freedom movement.
• Today’s events span regional conferences and award ceremonies aimed at fostering dialogue on the evolution of Hindi news media.
• Organizers are also using the anniversary to spotlight persistent risks faced by Hindi journalists, including threats to safety, biased reporting and censorship challenges.
• Commemorations pay tribute to early vernacular pioneers such as Pt. Jugal Kishore Shukla, Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi, Pt. Rambhuj Dutt Chaudhary and Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi for their roles in enabling Hindi-language media.