''Sainik Samachar'' is a journal about the India's Armed Forces. The journal is published every fortnight in thirteen languages including
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
on behalf of the Ministry of Defence,
Government of India
The Government of India (ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, c ...
.
''Sainik Samachar'' traces its descendants from the magazine ''Fauji Akhbar'' that started its publication on 2 January 1909.
The first issue was published in
Roman Urdu
Roman Urdu ( ur, ) is the name used for the Urdu language written with the Latin script, also known as the Roman script.
According to the Urdu scholar Habib R. Sulemani: "Roman Urdu is strongly opposed by the traditional Arabic script lovers. ...
. It was published from
Allahabad
Allahabad (), officially known as Prayagraj, also known as Ilahabad, is a metropolis in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.The other five cities were: Agra, Kanpur (Cawnpore), Lucknow, Meerut, and Varanasi (Benares). It is the administrat ...
. It was felt that a journal for the Armed Forces must be published for the Defence Services and among the
British Raj
The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent;
*
* it is also called Crown rule in India,
*
*
*
*
or Direct rule in India,
* Quote: "Mill, who was himsel ...
officials as well.
Pre Independence
The cover of the first issue, dated 2 January 1909, showed some Indian troops with spikes in hand, but soon the front cover began to flaunt many countries and place under the
British Empire
The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...
, where then the sun literally did not set, and where Indian troops serving the
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, commonly referred to as the Indian Army, was the main military of the British Raj before its dissolution in 1947. It was responsible for the defence of the British Indian Empire, including the princely states, which co ...
were posted. The countries and places ranged from well-known
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
,
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
,
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
and
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
and to such obscure names as
Assaye
Assaye is a small village in the Jalna district of the state of Maharashtra in western India. The village was the location of the Battle of Assaye in 1803, fought between the Maratha Empire and the British East India Company
The East Indi ...
,
Tel-El-Kebir
Tell El Kebir ( ar, التل الكبير lit."the great mound") is 110 km north-north-east of Cairo and 75 kilometres south of Port Said on the edge of the Egyptian desert at the altitude of 29 m. Administratively, it is a part of the Isma ...
and Tira. Not unexpectedly, the pages of Fauji Akhbar used to be filled with news from Great Britain and other countries of the Empire like grant of annual rank by the King- Emperor and summary of court cases in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
. Indian news used to feature the
Viceroy
A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory. The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the French word ''roy'', meaning "k ...
and senior British officers’ activities and movements with little or no news about Indians. Petty and often derogatory news about Indians used to be highlighted from the very first issue.
Roman Urdu used to accompany the Urdu version so that the British officers and soldiers could learn and speak in Urdu while talking to the troops and to
civilian
Civilians under international humanitarian law are "persons who are not members of the armed forces" and they are not "combatants if they carry arms openly and respect the laws and customs of war". It is slightly different from a non-combatant, b ...
s. Awards to, and recognition of, Indians in the Army also found a place in its pages, probably to boost their morale. The tours and movements of British Army Officers were regular in almost every issue of the thirties. This was probably done to enable touring officers meet ex-soldiers at places where they went. There also used to be regular news about the food grains production and their prices, particularly in the prosperous
Punjab State
Punjab (; ) is a state in northern India. Forming part of the larger Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, the state is bordered by the Indian states of Himachal Pradesh to the north and northeast, Haryana to the south and southeast, and ...
. As the shadows of the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
gathered, European and American politics with an obvious bias towards the British policy began to predominate.
Pictorial supplements running to eight pages with emphasis on the
Royalty
Royalty may refer to:
* Any individual monarch, such as a king, queen, emperor, empress, etc.
* Royal family, the immediate family of a king or queen regnant, and sometimes his or her extended family
* Royalty payment for use of such things as int ...
and printed on art paper were carried, three to four times in a year. The meetings of Soldiers’ Boards, the antetype of the present day Sainik Boards, used to be extensively reported. One Mrs. Bell used to send a “Cable from London”, for almost every issue in the thirties’ and the forties’. Cartoons, showing typical British military characters, had become common in the forties. A pictorial section, the antetype of “News in Pictures” on second (inside) cover these days, was introduced in 1928, featuring wonders like
Forth Bridge
The Forth Bridge is a cantilever railway bridge across the Firth of Forth in the east of Scotland, west of central Edinburgh. Completed in 1890, it is considered a symbol of Scotland (having been voted Scotland's greatest man-made wonder in ...
in
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
, horse-show in English country agricultural exhibition, British Airship, R-100 under construction, death and funeral of Field Marshal
Earl Haig
Earl Haig is a title in the peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1919 for Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig. During the First World War, he served as commander of the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front in France and Be ...
, who was given a reception at
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...
in 1922 etc. along with news of the troops, probably for the nostalgic British soldiers, serving in the then British Indian Army. The quality of reproduction on simple newsprint was remarkably good. Like Mrs. Bell’s column, there also used to be a regular serial, “Advice to Young Soldiers”, in which the troops were given tips to improve their career.
The Silver Jubilee Number on completion of 25 years was published from
Simla
Shimla (; ; also known as Simla, the official name until 1972) is the capital and the largest city of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared as the summer capital of British India. After independence, the ...
on 4 May 1935, featuring on its silvery cover the King-Emperor
George V
George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936.
Born duri ...
and the Queen-Empress, with royal news and visuals on the inside pages. The
Delhi Durbar
The Delhi Durbar ( lit. "Court of Delhi") was an Indian imperial-style mass assembly organized by the British at Coronation Park, Delhi, India, to mark the succession of an Emperor or Empress of India. Also known as the Imperial Durbar, it was ...
of 1911 with photos of the king and queen arriving at
Bombay
Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' financial centre of India. According to the United Nations, as of 2018, Mumbai is the second- ...
on 2 December 1911 was printed with care. Fauji Akhbar did not remain confined to being merely an ‘Army Newspaper’, but in mid-thirties carried a sub-title, ‘The Leading Journal of Rural Reconstruction’. In the 4 January 1903 issue when the sub-title was first used, there was nothing particular about rural
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, but a column was started in which various news about villages like "Rural Reconstruction Work in Shahpur District" and bulls for breeding and 'gallantry resolve for villagers' began to feature.
Second World War
With the Second World War Fauji Akhbar, still remaining the 'Leading Journal of Rural Construction', adjusted itself fast to war coverage. For example, the bombardment of
Barcelona
Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...
in the
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil War ( es, Guerra Civil Española)) or The Revolution ( es, La Revolución, link=no) among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War ( es, Cuarta Guerra Carlista, link=no) among Carlists, and The Rebellion ( es, La Rebelión, lin ...
was featured on the front page of 28 Jan, 1939 issue. The next issue featured
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...
's speech regarding his colonial claims. The Spanish situation with particular reference to France and the British Parliament’s sanction of 800 million for defence hit its first page. The Spanish Civil War was extensively covered. In the 18 March 1939 issue the news of German troops occupying
was flashed. However, notwithstanding such prompt and extensive war coverages, Fauji Akhbar retained its normal character of catering to the troops in peace and carried its usual features. "The London Letter", a regular feature in the 1930s, included items of common British interest and as early as 8 April 1939 the news of BBC televising by its mobile unit a
boxing
Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...
event, was carried by Fauji Akhbar. With coverage of war news the circulation of Fauji Akhbar went up by leaps and bounds and at one time exceeded even three lakh copies and a supplement on war news had to be issued. It is probably unknown to many that during the Second World War an Overseas Edition was started from
Cairo
Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metro ...
for the Indian troops fighting in
Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...
, Africa and in East European countries and was edited by Colonel ANS Murthi.
The image of the British Raj persisted throughout till 1947 and the Viceroy’s addresses were extensively covered. Whatever be the occasion, Mr.
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 Winston Churchill in the Second World War, dur ...
's appeals and exhortations to the troops, expectedly, found a good coverage. The Indian Freedom Movement and
Swadeshi
The Swadeshi movement was a self-sufficiency movement that was part of the Indian independence movement and contributed to the development of Indian nationalism. Before the BML Government's decision for the partition of Bengal was made public in ...
launched by
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...
came in for a lot of ridicule and banter but were not ignored. The Overseas Edition was a tabloid which Indian troops out of the country looked forward to and read avidly for war news in the home front. The visuals from the war front emphasizing the Allies, were flaunted on covers like British desert patrol.
Anthony Eden
Robert Anthony Eden, 1st Earl of Avon, (12 June 1897 – 14 January 1977) was a British Conservative Party politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1955 until his resignation in 1957.
Achieving rapid promo ...
, the then British Foreign Secretary General Sir
John Dill
Sir John Greer Dill, (25 December 1881 – 4 November 1944) was a senior British Army officer with service in both the First World War and the Second World War. From May 1940 to December 1941 he was the Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS ...
at Cairo, an Indian
sepoy
''Sepoy'' () was the Persian-derived designation originally given to a professional Indian infantryman, traditionally armed with a musket, in the armies of the Mughal Empire.
In the 18th century, the French East India Company and its oth ...
on the front line etc. Aerial views of Delhi, the new capital of India since 1912, and Air-Raid precautions in Calcutta and London were particularly highlighted. The cartoons on the second cover (inside) made fun of Hitler and the advancing Japanese forces. The advance of the War, particularly the success of the Allied Forces in Middle East, captured the centre-spread and features in the early forties and India’s involvement in the War came to be praised in its pages. The posthumous award of the
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...
to Subedar Richpal Ram of Raj Rif, the second Indian to be awarded the Victoria Cross during the War, was flashed on the cover photo of the soldier who died during the fight for Kerenin.
In the 6 September 1941 issue India’s war effort was editorially praised. A regular column, “Spotlight on the War and the pictures of Indian troops in Egypt and Middle East” must have made the issues highly sought after by the Indian troops abroad.
Post Independence
After the Independence, the publication was suspended temporarily but resumed operations in 1954 the magazine has undergone a sea change in its content and printing.
Sainik Samachar is published in more languages to cater to the needs of the Soldiers from different parts of India and from different Languages. Now Sainik Samachar is being printed in 13 Languages, probably the only Armed Forces Magazine in the world, that is being published in 13 languages.
With the advancement in
printing
Printing is a process for mass reproducing text and images using a master form or template. The earliest non-paper products involving printing include cylinder seals and objects such as the Cyrus Cylinder and the Cylinders of Nabonidus. The ea ...
technology, ''Sainik Samachar'' also quickly adorned multi colour. It became a multi coloured magazine.
Centenary Celebrations
''Sainik Samachars centenary celebrations were held in
New Delhi
New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament House ...
. The Defence Minister A. K. Antony released a coffee table book titled 'Soldiering On...'
'Soldiering On...' is a compilation of history of the nation through the eyes of ''Sainik Samachar''. It was well received and is accepted as a collectors piece.
Milestones
1909 : Begins publication as a 16-page weekly as Fauji Akhbar from Allahabad (office located at Simla) with a limited circulation in Urdu and two-page Roman Urdu among JCOs, NCOs and Jawans of the Indian Army. Printed in bold type with outer inter-spacing to facilitate reading in the light of the kerosene lamp by the troops in far-flung areas. Priced at an anna a copy, annual subscription being Rs 4 only.
Hindi edition starts from Simla.
Punjabi edition starts from Simla.
1911 : Fauji Akhbar starts publication from
Lahore
Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...
, resulting in a substantial reduction in the cost of production. A single copy was priced at 3 pice and the rate of annual subscription was brought down to Rs 2.4 (Rs 2.25 paise) and a concessional rate of Rs 2 was fixed for the units. The Urdu edition changes from type composition to lithography. Last two pages are reserved for lessons in Roman Urdu.
1914 : Fauji Akhbar leaps into limelight by publishing news about the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. The number of pages is increased.
A daily supplement, carrying First World War news, gets started which continued till the termination of hostilities.
1923 : The English edition makes its debut by merely rendering into English what appeared in other language editions. The printing of all the editions is taken over by the Army Press, Simla from the Mufid-i-Am Press, Lahore .
'News in Pictures' on the second cover becomes a regular feature.
The first cover of Fauji Akhbar begins featuring names of important countries, where Indian troops had served. A pictorial supplement of places and events of military interest is inserted. A system of lucky numbers is introduced in
vernacular
A vernacular or vernacular language is in contrast with a "standard language". It refers to the language or dialect that is spoken by people that are inhabiting a particular country or region. The vernacular is typically the native language, n ...
editions and a subscriber, getting the copy with one of the ten unduplicated numbers, gets a cash prize of Rs 5.
1935 : Silver Jubilee Number published from Simla.
1939 : A two-page bi-weekly supplement to Fauji Akhbar on news of the Second World War is added and given free to the subscribers. Overseas edition in Roman Urdu starts from Cairo for the benefit of Indian troops in the Middle East. Pictorial content and reading matter expand. The nucleus staff of 15 gets swelled to 60 including a number of experienced journalists. Rate of subscription is enhanced. The circulation shoots up and at one time exceeds one lakh.
1940 : The two-page supplement on war news, introduced in September 1939, gets replaced by a four-page bi-weekly called Jang-Ki-Khabren (War News) in English, Urdu, Hindi, Roman Urdu, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu and Marathi. The circulation of the bi-weekly reaches three lakh copies.
1944 :
Gorkhali
The Gurkhas or Gorkhas (), with endonym Gorkhali ), are soldiers native to the Indian Subcontinent, chiefly residing within Nepal and some parts of Northeast India.
The Gurkha units are composed of Nepalis and Indian Gorkhas and are recruit ...
edition starts as Gorkha Samachar from Simla.
1945 :
Tamil
Tamil may refer to:
* Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia
**Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils
**Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia
* Tamil language, nativ ...
edition starts from Simla.
The bi-weekly Jang-ki-Khabren is rechristened as Jawan.
1947 : Gorkhali edition of Jawan is introduced to replace Gorkha Samachar.
The office of Fauji Akhbar moves from Simla to Delhi as the heights of the
Himalayas
The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...
were not considered conducive to efficient round-the-year work and timely dispatch of copies.
Fauji Akhbar turns over a new leaf to serve the services in free India in a spirit of
patriotism
Patriotism is the feeling of love, devotion, and sense of attachment to one's country. This attachment can be a combination of many different feelings, language relating to one's own homeland, including ethnic, cultural, political or histor ...
and
nationalism
Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the State (polity), state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a in-group and out-group, group of peo ...
.
Publication is suspended for about a year due to the sudden migration of staff and printers.
1948 : Arrangements for printing with Mufid-i-Am Press, printers for the infant Fauji Akhbar, who had meanwhile shifted from Lahore to Delhi after Partition.
1950 : Publication of bi-weekly Jawan stops.
1954 : Fauji Akhbar is renamed as 'Sainik Samachar' for all its nine editions, namely English, Urdu, Roman-Hindi, Hindi, Punjabi, Gorkhali, Marathi, Tamil and Telugu.
1959 :
Golden Jubilee
A golden jubilee marks a 50th anniversary. It variously is applied to people, events, and nations.
Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, golden jubilee refers the 50th anniversary year of the separation from Pakistan and is called in Bengali ''"সু ...
Number is published in all the editions on completion of fifty years.
1964 : Malayalam edition starts from Delhi.
1969 :
Diamond Jubilee
A diamond jubilee celebrates the 60th anniversary of a significant event related to a person (e.g. accession to the throne or wedding, among others) or the 60th anniversary of an institution's founding. The term is also used for 75th annivers ...
edition published on completion of 60 years.
1971 : Bengali edition starts from Delhi . The post of Editor-in-Charge to control and supervise proliferating editions in Indian languages.
1983 : Three more language editions 'Assamese, Kannada and Oriya' get approved by the Government.
Eight language editions get temporarily suspended for lapse of printing arrangements. English and Hindi editions are published from Govt. of India Press, Minto Road, New Delhi.
1984 : Platinum Jubilee Number in English and Hindi editions.
1997 : Starts printing in four colours. The weekly becomes a fortnightly. From this year, the price changes from Rs 0.50 to Rs 5 with an annual subscription of Rs 100.
2009 : Hundred years of 'Sainik Samachar'. Release of a coffee-table book "Sainik Samachar 1909-2009: Soldiering On".
Indian Express
''The Indian Express'' is an English-language Indian daily newspaper founded in 1932. It is published in Mumbai by the Indian Express Group. In 1999, eight years after the group's founder Ramnath Goenka's death in 1991, the group was split betw ...