The Hindustan Times, one of India’s most prominent newspapers, marks a milestone as it completes 100 years of shaping public opinion, fostering dialogue and informing the nation
Mrinal Chatterjee
‘Every word and sentence published in the paper should be weighed. There should not only be no untrue statements but also no suggestio falsi or suppressio veri.’
— Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi on September 15, 1924, at the launch of Hindustan Times
The Hindustan Times (fondly called HT), one of India’s most prominent and respected newspapers, marks a milestone as it completes 100 years of shaping public opinion, fostering dialogue and informing the nation. It was launched by Mahatma Gandhi on 15 September and the first edition of the newspaper was published on 23 September 1924.
Launched in the aftermath of the First World War and amid the freedom struggle, HT was envisioned as a voice for India’s emerging consciousness. Founded by the Akalis and later supported by Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya (who bought the paper) and Mahatma Gandhi, the paper quickly established itself as a platform for nationalist sentiment, articulating the aspirations of a nation yearning for independence. KM Pannikar was the first editor of The Hindustan Times. Devdas Mohandas Gandhi, the youngest son of Mahatma Gandhi, joined the newspaper in 1937 as the managing editor and held the position until his death in 1957.
In 1936, its sister publication in hindi, Hindustan was launched.
Over the past century, HT has evolved from a print daily to a multimedia powerhouse, embracing the digital age while maintaining the journalistic integrity that has always been its hallmark. With editions across India and a robust online presence (its news website was launched in 1997) HT has adapted to the changing media landscape. In 2006, HT Media launched Fever FM, in 2016 it launched Radio Nasha in Delhi and Mumbai and in 2019 started its third radio station- Radio One. This year it also launched HT smartcast, a podcast destination.
HT’s centennial is not just a celebration of its longevity but a testament to its role as a guardian of democratic values and public discourse. Throughout its history, it has fearlessly reported on critical events, including India’s independence, liberalization and the digital revolution, reflecting the pulse of the nation.
As Hindustan Times steps into its second century, it continues to inspire new generations of journalists and readers alike. Its legacy is a reflection of India’s own journey, and its future remains as bright and dynamic as ever.
Shiuli
Shiuli (Nyctanthes arbor-tristis, Parijat in Hindi, night-flowering jasmine in English) has been an important cultural marker in regional India. The clear blue skies with fluffy clouds, a teeny tiny bit cool late September – early October wind blowing and Shiuli Phool falling from its branches one by one signals the arrival of Durga puja.
Shiuli flower has religious significance in the Hindu religion and is therefore considered sacred. According to folklore, a princess ‘Parijataka’, who was in love with the Sun, tried to win its heart. When he rejected her, she committed suicide and a tree sprung from her ashes. It bore tiny white flowers with a sweet fragrance, which lasted only a night. By daybreak it wilted and fell off. Drops of dew descended on it, like teardrops.
Tirupathi Laddoo
After the controversy over Tirupathi Laddoo, which is distributed as Prasad allegedly containing animal fat and fish oil emerged, scores of cartoons have been published both in print and digital media. One cartoon by Kaptan shows a line of ants going away from a laddoo, saying “we should stay away from controversial stuff”.
Laddu or laddoo is a spherical sweet from the Indian subcontinent made of various ingredients and sugar syrup or jaggery. It has been described as “perhaps the most universal and ancient of Indian sweets”.
It is believed that Susruta, the wise physician used laddoos as an antiseptic to treat his surgical patients. In the 4th century BC, he used a concoction of ingredients with nutritional properties like sesame seeds, jaggery and peanuts to make laddoo.
The first holy offering of laddoo at Tirupathi was documented on August 2, 1715. It was prepared by the temple officials at Lord Venkateswara’s hill shrine. The laddoo that we see currently acquired its presence and shape under the Madras Government circa 1940 after undergoing almost 6 iterations.
How to spend time in airport
Recently I spent six and half hours at Kolkata Airport waiting for the onward flight. I reached Kolkata from Bagdogra at around 11 am, the connecting flight to Jharsuguda was at 6 pm.
So I tried many things to pass the time. Should you land in the same situation, here are some tips on how to spend time at an airport.
- Do some serious window shopping. Warning: buy nothing. Stuffs at airports are generally overpriced.
- Strike conversation with random people. Discuss politics, cinema and cricket.
- Watch people. People watching like bird watching could be developed as an academic discipline with some high sounding psychological numbo jumbo thrown in.
- Go up and down escalators umpteen times. It’s fun. If you are aged like me, relive your childhood.
- Try meditation, which you always wanted to do, but never finding time for it.
- Clean random photos and messages from your phone. I am sure, you’ll be surprised why you take/ download these many photographs.
- Pretend to read a fat book. People will think you are an intellectual.
- Take a long nap. It’s so refreshing.
(The author is Regional Director Indian Institute of Mass Communication, IIMC Dhenkanal. Views are personal)
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