Marking 20 years of Samadrusti, an independent Odisha-based magazine that champions people’s journalism, social justice, dissent, and voices beyond corporate media
Sudhir Patnaik
Founded in 2005, Samadrusti emerged as an alternative media platform at a time when corporate influence over journalism was steadily increasing. At both the national and state levels, political power was undergoing significant shifts, and public discourse was becoming increasingly shaped by money, power, and spectacle.
From its very beginning, Samadrusti chose to stand apart—committed to people’s voices rather than corporate or political interests.
Over the last two decades, India and Odisha have witnessed dramatic political and social transformations. Governments have changed, alliances have collapsed and re-emerged, and new forms of power have consolidated themselves. Through all these changes, Samadrusti has maintained a consistent editorial position: to question authority, expose injustice, and stand with ordinary people affected by flawed policies, administrative failures, and unchecked corporate expansion.
A review of past issues of Samadrusti and its associated video archives shows a clear pattern of people-centric journalism. Whether the issue involved displacement, environmental destruction, attacks on minority rights, or the erosion of democratic institutions, the magazine has persistently highlighted stories that are often ignored or deliberately silenced by mainstream media.
The decline of Left and progressive forces in national and regional politics has had serious consequences for democracy, freedom of expression, and media independence. As corporate capitalism expanded and communal politics gained ground, opposition spaces shrank.
Much of the corporate-owned media gradually aligned itself with those in power, transforming journalism into public relations. In this environment, Samadrusti continued its difficult but necessary role as an independent voice.
Surviving as an alternative media platform for twenty years without corporate advertisements or institutional funding has not been easy. Rising printing costs, limited circulation, and financial uncertainty have been constant challenges. That Samadrusti continues to exist is a testament to the commitment of its writers, readers, and well-wishers, who have sustained it through voluntary contributions, solidarity, and shared conviction.
The journey of Samadrusti did not begin overnight. It is rooted in a long tradition of alternative thinking and people-oriented publications in Odisha. Magazines such as Bikalpa Bichar, edited by socialist thinker Kishen Pattnaik, and initiatives like Bikalpa Sandhani Manch and Odia O Odisha Samikshya created powerful spaces for critical debate and collective reflection. These platforms brought together socialists, Gandhians, Marxists,
activists, scholars, and grassroots leaders on a common stage—nurturing a culture of dialogue and dissent.
Other publications like Anwesha, Nishan, Derna, Banatulasi, and newspapers such as Rudra Ahwan and Gana Istahar enriched this tradition across different regions of Odisha.
Though many of these initiatives eventually faded due to structural and economic pressures, their intellectual legacy continues to inspire.
Samadrusti sees itself as part of this continuum. Its evolution was shaped by long-term engagement with people’s movements—Gandhamardan, Baliapal, Chilika, Kashipur, and several Dalit and Adivasi struggles. These movements exposed the deep links between corporate interests, state power, and media silence, and raised an urgent question: who will tell the people’s stories when mainstream media refuses to listen?
During the years of economic liberalization, multinational and domestic corporations emerged as powerful actors, often backed by political authority, bureaucracy, police, and large sections of the media. In such times, independent initiatives like Jagaran, Orissa Watch, Independent Media, and Janatantra tried to keep people’s issues alive under severe constraints. Samadrusti learned from these experiences and carried the responsibility forward.
The magazine was finally launched as a fortnightly publication, consciously rejecting corporate advertisements and institutional funding. The name Samadrusti—suggesting equality, balance, and justice—reflected its editorial philosophy. From the beginning, it relied entirely on readers’ support.
Even today, many readers who wish to access Samadrusti cannot afford it. When individuals or institutions sponsor copies for them, the magazine welcomes such support, as long as its independence remains intact.
Despite financial challenges, Samadrusti has gradually built a distinct identity and earned credibility among readers, writers, activists, and scholars.
After twenty years, Samadrusti stands as a collective effort—sustained by writing, resistance, and solidarity. It continues its commitment to people’s journalism, believing that democracy survives not through silence, but through questioning, dialogue, and courage.
(The writer is a social activist and founder-editor of Samadrusti. Views expressed are personal)