Page 79 - NIS-English 16-31 May 2022

Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav India@75

RAJA RAM MOHAN ROY

Launched the First Press
Freedom Movement AZIMULLAH KHAN

Published 'Payam-

E-Azadi' To Rouse

Revolution

aja Rammohan Roy, who gave a new direction to India's
Rfreedom movement through his journalism, is regarded as
the father of modern India's Renaissance, having sacrificed his
life for the sake of the nation. Raja Rammohan Roy, who was
born on May 22, 1772, in Radhanagar, Bengal in an orthodox
Brahmin family, is widely regarded as the father of independent
journalism. He published a newspaper in three languages:
English, Bengali, and Urdu. Not only that, but through writing
and other activities, he actively supported and fought for a free
press in India. The printing press was invented in 1778, and
when Raja Rammohan Roy entered the field of journalism, the
British government controlled the Indian newspapers. In such
a situation, he launched the first movement for freedom of the
press. When Lord Hastings relaxed press censorship in 1819,
Ram Mohan Roy published three journals: the Brahmanical
magazine (1821), the Bengali weekly-Samvad Kaumudi (1821), British officer once asked
and the Persian weekly-Mirat-ul-Akbar (1821). The forerunner of A Najeeb Mistry, Azimullah's
the Indian Renaissance, he not only founded the Brahmo Samaj father, to clean the horse stables.
but also gave the freedom and social reform movements a new On his refusal, the officer threw
direction through journalism. While his movements gave shine Najeeb from the roof and then
to journalism, his journalism also played a role in steering the hit him with a brick from above.
As a result, Najeeb died after
movements in the right directions. Raja Rammohun Roy edited lying in bed for six months. As
and published several level papers during his lifetime. Bangdoot a result, Azimullah Khan lost his
was a one-of-a-kind publication in which the Bangla, Hindi, and father when he was a child. This
Persian languages were used simultaneously. His belligerent and incident had a profound effect
strong personality can be gauged by the fact that in 1821, an Indian on his mind. Azimullah Khan's
named Pratap Narayan Das was sentenced to death by a British role in the Revolt of 1857 was
judge for whipping. Rai published an article condemning the not only military and political; he
vandalism. His efforts resulted in a strong foundation for Indian was also an important thinker
journalism, as well as new dimensions for Indian journalism. Raja in that rebellion. He was a great
and
revolutionary
strategist
Rammohun Roy was one of the few people of his generation who who led the first Indian freedom
recognised the significance of the modern era. He understood struggle from Kanpur in 1857.
that the ideal of human civilization did not exist in isolation from When Azimullah, the first advisor
freedom, but rather in tandem with it.

New India Samachar May 16-31, 2022 77