Pratap: A Defiant Newspaper
The Urdu publication Pratap, alongside its Hindi sister paper Vir Pratap, lived a long, turbulent and frankly remarkable life. Founded by Mahashay Krishan on 30 March 1919, it passed through three generations of the same family, from son Virendra to grandson Chander, before finally closing its doors in 2017. Throughout nearly a century of publication, it bore witness to the full sweep of India's modern history, from the fight against colonial rule to the Emergency and Operation Blue Star. This book tells that story with real vigour. It traces the lives of the founders and editors alongside the seismic national events they reported on, and the result is something that reads as much like historical narrative as press biography. What makes Pratap's story so gripping is the sheer cost of its convictions. Within twelve days of launching, the British administration shut it down for a full year. Its founder and senior editors faced repeated arrest. In 1983, a parcel bomb arrived at the office. These weren't incidental setbacks; they were the price of honest reporting. It's a sobering reminder of what independent journalism has sometimes demanded of those who practise it. For anyone interested in the Indian press, the independence movement, or the relationship between political power and the printed word, this is a rewarding and important read.
- Author: Chander; Mohan Jyotsna Mohan
- Publisher: HarperCollins India
- Genre: Journalism & Media Studies
- ISBN: 978-9365696998
- Pages: 386 pages