I am sure that there are many more. But,I am aware of two newspapers who are struggling to survive. One is the 'Overseas Chinese Commerce of India',a Chinese newspaper. C.J.Chen is the Editor of India's only Chinese newspaper. Located at Chinatown in Tangra in Kolkata, which had a 40,000 strong Chinese population,today the newspaper has a circulation of only 300.With 12 people on the payroll and a coverprice of Rs 2.50, the OCCI is a four page daily covering mainly international news. This is Chen's 56th year in Kolkata. At 82,he remains very active. He wants the bonds of friendship between India and China to strengthen.Will his newspaper survive or not? "It is extremely difficult to run the newspaper", says Chen. That is a million dollar question. Or now it is a question of the 'yuan'. He thinks that after he is gone,someone will take control and run the newspaper.That is called optimism.Never say die.
The other newspaper which is sailing on a similar boat is a Sanskrit two-page daily published from Mysore. Sri K.N.Sampatkumar is the Editor of 'Sudharma'.It is 36 years old and was started by the current editor's father Sri K.N.Varadaraja Iyengar. I have been reading this newspaper for the last one year.For an annual subscription of Rs 500,I get all the issues by post.I enjoy reading 'Sudharma' as it helps me to improve my vocabulary and proficiency in Sanskrit.Besides current domestic and international news,there are very interesting anecdotes and short stories,poems,extracts from our Ramayana and Mahabharata,and 'subhashitam' (aphorisms in the form of poetic couplets) which makes reading a pleasureable experience.
But then the irony is that the giver of pleasure suffers from pain and agony.His paper has a minimal circulation and he is struggling to keep it afloat. When I read his editorial on the birth anniversary of 'sudharma',my eyes turned moist. I love Sanskrit. I like to read it and chant shlokas.I am trying to speak it.What can I do to help the Editor and Publisher to keep this only devabhasha newspaper in the world alive.I would be happy to receive suggestions from my readers.
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6 comments:
that's a tough one uncle esp in this day and age. but they could target schools that still teach these languages. chinese would be tough but i know many schools still teach sanskrit. i was taught in one of my schools.
the chinese editor could speak to CII and see if he can work with them to reach similar industry bodies in china who are interested in understanding and knowing the indian markets, people and culture.
rums,excellent idea.i knew you will come up with some brilliant suggestions.recently i read an article by an industrialist who was suggesting that in the light of the growing business relationship between india and china,we should learn the chinese language.ficci or cii can be quite proactive as far as chini is concerned.
sanskrit is a different ballgame.being a language not spoken excepting for a miniscule section of the kannada population who speak sanskrit in their village.
thanks anyway for the leads which i will pursue.
"tangra mansala" is a well-known restaurant in queens that specializes in indian chinese. now i know where the name comes from!
Bhartruhari's Niti Satakam and Vairagya Satakam Sanskrit original in Roman Script and its English translation, I have kept for use of our readers. If you are really keen on Sanskrit literature, kindly visit www.bhartruhariyb.blogspot.com and encourage me. If you have strong critical comments to make, please write there. I shall rectify my deficiencies.
sudharma is now available online at http://sudharma,epapertoday.com
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