Explain the role played by the news papers published at the time of british rule.
Answers
Answer: James Augustus Hickey is considered the father of Indian press. He started the Bengal Gazette in the year 1780. Later, many newspapers were started by the Indians. These included The Hindu and Swadesamitran under G. SubramaniyaAiyar, The Bengalee under Surendranath Banerjee, Voice of India under DadabhaiNaoroji, Amrita Bazar Patrika under Sisir Kumar Ghosh and Motilal Ghosh, Indian Mirror under N.N. Sen, Kesari (in Marathi) and Maharatta (in English) under BalgangadharTilak, Sudharak under Gopal Krishna Gokhale, These newspapers played an important role in creating a feeling of nationalism amongst the Indians. They criticised political Acts and brutal repression of the national movement by the government.
Newspapers also led to the begining of social reform movement in India. Various evils existing in the Indian society were criticised by reformers and progressive nationalists in newspapers.
Newspapers provided a plateform where Indians could come together and discuss not only political but also social, economic and cultural situation in India. It also made people aware of the international events taking place at that time.