Lala Jagat Narain 9.9.2013

Lala Jagat Narain (31 May 1899 − 9 September 1981) was the founder of the Hind Samachar group. Lala Jagat Narain, a Chopra Khatri and Congress Party leader, was born at Wazirabad, Gujranwala District (now in Pakistan) in 1899. He graduated from D.A.V. College, Lahore in 1919, and joined the Law College, Lahore. He left his studies in 1920 at the call of Mahatma Gandhi to join the non-co-operation movement. He was sentenced in two and a half years imprisonment, in jail he acted as Lala Lajpat Rai's Personal Secretary. In 1924 he became the editor of Bhai Parmanand's Weekly Hindi Paper Akashvani. He participated in all the Satyagraha movement and was in jail for about nine years on different occasions. His wife was in jail for six months. His eldest son, Ramesh Chandra, was arrested during the Quit India movement.

Narain was President of the Lahore City Congress Committee for seven years, leader of the Congress Party in the Lahore Corporation, a member of the Punjab Provincial Congress Committee for more than thirty years and member of the All-India Congress Committee for about 30 years.

FIRST TRIENNALE NEW DELHI 1968

Lovers of art in India did not have the opportunity to see the developments in art in the contemporary world. Periodical exhibitions of world art, such as are held in Venice or Paris, were not attempted so far in this country as there was no machinery or institution to undertake the responsibility. The Lalit Kala Akademi filled this void and initiated the project of Triennales of contemporary international art. This venture formed a part of major projects organised under theauspices of UNESCO. This first Triennale was inaugurated at New Delhi by the President of India, Dr. Zakir Husain on the10th February, 1968. The first Triennale-India was an event of major significance to artists in India and abroad. Modern art is an expression of groping and questioning of artists in the midst of challenges which are now facing humanity. Therefore, experimentalism was the keynote of present world of art, of which Indian art is an integral part.  

The Indian Posts and Telegraphs Department was specially interested in the developments in Indian art because the postage stamps issued by it are largely an artistic representation of the various facts of Indian life and culture. The Department was happy to associate itself with this great exhibition of world art and to issue a special postage stamp to commemorate it.

AMRITA BAZAR PATRIKA CENTENARY 1968

 One hundred years ago, a great name in the journalistic annals of India came into existence. "Amrita Bazar Patrika" was launched on its illustrious, turbulent journey as a Bengali weekly on 20th February, 1868. Its early issues came out from a remote village in the district of Jessor (Now in East Pakistan). The "Patrika" was not started as a commercial proposition, but to serve as the mouthpiece of the travails and aspirations of a down-trodden people. It was a time of growing unrest. 


Politically, the people of India hardly counted in the eyes of the alien rulers. Economically, India was nothing more than a market for the expanding industries of their home country. As a result, the indigenous trades languished for want of support. The rural masses became increasingly poorer. Even in agriculture, the ryots were not left alone, but were compelled to grow indigo for the benefit of a small group of foreign indigo-planters. All this exploitation led to widespread discontent. 

Shishir Kumar Ghosh organised the peasants to protest against the tyranny of the indigo-planters and the antipathy of the Government. He and his brothers founded the "Patrika" as part of this movement. Three years after its inception, the paper shifted its venue to Calcutta. As was to be expected, the authorities were not happy that this outspoken publication should function in their midst. At first, attempts were made to cajole the paper into adopting a softer line. It was then that Shishir Kumar Ghosh addressed his famous words to the Lt. Governor of Bengal: "Let there be at least one honest journalist in the country." This infuriated the Lt. Governor who threatened the paper with eviction from Calcutta. Some years later, the Vernacular Press Act was enacted with a view to gagging the Indian language papers. But this design was frustrated in the case of the "Patrika". Its very next issue came out in Enlish. 

In 1891, the "Patrika" became a daily. Its subsequent history followed the course of India's struggle for independence. Beginning with a prosecution within the first few months of its existence, the paper faced many more prosecutions and other repressive measures. Nevertheless, it displayed unswerving devotion to the nationalist cause. This endeared it to the people who showed their gratitude by offering it their powerful patronage. Today, "Amrita Bazar Patrika" is one of the foremost national dailies, a position which it owes as much to its pioneering founders as to the patriotic fervour of the Indian people.  

All India Radio - Silver Jubilee 8.6.1961

All India Radio, formed in 1936, celebrated its Silver Jubilee (25 years) on 8.6.1961, and had a post card and a stamp and a first day cover issued on that occasion.

As India’s National Broadcaster and also the premier Public Service Broadcaster, All India Radio (AIR) has been serving to inform, educate and entertain the masses since it's inception, truly living up to its motto – ‘Bahujan Hitaya : Bahujan Sukhaya’. 

One of the largest broadcasting organisations in the world in terms of the number of languages of broadcast, the spectrum of socio-economic and cultural diversity it serves, AIR’s home service comprises 413 stations today located across the country, reaching nearly 92% of the country’s area and 99.19 % of the total population. AIR originates programming in 23 languages and 146 dialects.