TRIBAL JOURNAL LOOKS FOR FUNDS, NEW LEASE OF LIFE
[The Asian Age “An English Daily published from Calcutta to revived Adibasi Sambad coverage anchor story for Adibasi Sambad in the year of 1997]
(After 3 issues closed down, Adibasi Sambad due to financial crisis, KACDC organized and All India Conference to revive Adibasi Sambd at Khatra Tennis Court Premises in 6 and 7th August 1994).
By Sonali Majumdar
Calcutta , July 18:
A 49-year-old journalist, Mr. Lakshimdra Kumar Sarkar, is in Calcutta to save Adibasi Sangbad – India’s first newspaper for tribals. Mr. Sarkar is confident that a monetary grant will be enough to get the newspaper back in circulation.
Adibasi Sangbad , published from Khatra sub-division, Bankura, folded up in October 1993 after only 3 issues. Mr. Sarkar, the editor has also applied for a 6 lakh loan from the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Finance Corporation. “I am yet to receive a reply from the corporation,” says Mr. Sarkar.
A correspondent with a Bengali daily, Mr. Sarkar gave up his job in 1992 to start a newspaper for tribals. “I felt the city’s dailies are not doing justice to the tribals,” he says. Therefore, in August 1993, he launched the monthly Adibasi Sangbad from Khatra with much fanfare. Mr. Mahadev Hansda, an adibasi, was the assistant editor of the paper. Writer Mahasweta Devi and eminent Santhal poets Saradaprasad Kisku and Rupchand Hembram were present on the occasion. Mr. Ranjit Chatterjee provided the financial support during those three months.
The eight-page newspaper priced at Rs. 4 was unique because for the first time, tribals had a platform from which they could voice their opinion. “Articles from adibasis simply poured in, Mr. Sarkar recalls. They wrote on the poor state of the irrigation system in the villages, sociocultural problems like witch-hunting and many other issues.
There were a few success stories as well. The October issue, carried a story about their adibasi girl, Neoti Hembram, who became a state level champion in weightlifting. It also had drawn by adibasis.
Five thousand copies of the newspaper were circulated in Bihar, Bengal and Orissa and the response was overwhelming. About a thousand letters poured in from various states.
However, Mr. Sarkar had to close down the newspaper due to a funds crunch. He had even proposed to Bengali dailies to circulate two pages of Adibasi Sangbad for mutual benefit. The daily incorporating the Sangbad can rest assured that it will notch up the circulation of a few lakhs more. “ He says confidently.
Although newspaper was a thing of the past, Mr. Sarkar has started a programme of initiating young boys into journalism. About 250 children from Purulia, Midnapur and Ranchi have taught the basic tenets. “Now they can run a newspaper on their own,” Mr. Sarkar saves with pride.
