Swadesamitran

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Swadesamitran
Type Daily newspaper
Format Broadsheet
Owner(s) The Swadesamitran Limited
Publisher The Swadesamitran Limited
Founded 1882
Language Tamil
Headquarters Madras, India

Swadesamitran was a Tamil language newspaper that was published from the then Madras city from 1882 to 1985. One of the earliest Tamil newspapers and the longest in print, Swadesamitran was founded by Indian nationalist G. Subramania Iyer four years after he had started The Hindu. The newspaper was sold to A. Rangaswami Iyengar of the Kasturi family in 1915 and the newspaper remained with them until its liquidation in 1985.

History

Swadesamitran was founded as a weekly by the journalist and politician G. Subramania Iyer in 1882.[1] The motive behind founding the newspaper was to create awareness among the Indian public about the economic backwardness and alleged discriminatory practices of the British government in India.[1] Encouraged by the early success of the newspaper, Iyer made it a daily in 1889.[1]

The early years of Swadesamitran were characterized by virulent anti-British articles and opinion pieces penned by nationalist writers professing extremist doctrines like Subramanya Bharathi and V. V. S. Aiyar.[1] Bharathi served as Assistant Editor in the newspaper from 1904 to 1906 before moving to the journal India.[1] Iyer, however, continued to condemn Britain's oppressive methods against Indian nationalists in strong terms and was, eventually, arrested on 21 August 1908 and released only on giving a written undertaking never to write anything against the British government. During Iyer's arrest, the Swadesamitran's offices in Georgetown were extensively searched.

As Subramania Iyer was diagnosed with leprosy, he sold the newspaper in 1915 to A. Rangaswami Iyengar, a nephew of the journalist and lawyer, S. Kasturi Ranga Iyengar who had taken over The Hindu in 1909. Rangaswami inducted his sister's son, C. R. Srinivasan in the editorial board. Rangaswami's tenure also witnessed Subramania Bharathi's short return to Swadesamitran. On his appointment as the editor of The Hindu in 1928, Rangaswami resigned from Swadesamitran and was succeeded by C. R. Srinivasan. Rangaswami, however, remained Managing Director until his death in February 1934.

Swadesamitran reached heights of popularity during Srinivasan's tenure. He made it a Public Limited Company - "The Swadesamitran Limited". Shortly after India's independence on 15 August 1947, Srinivasan purchased Whiteaway's Building on Mount Road and moved the newspaper's offices there. The building was subsequently renamed "Victory House".

Managing Directors

Editors

  • G. Subramania Iyer (1882-1915)
  • A. Rangaswami Iyengar (1915-1928)
  • C. R. Srinivasan (1928-1962)
  • C. S. Narasimhan (1962-1985)


Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Muthiah, pp 56-60

References

  • Muthiah, S. (2004). Madras Rediscovered. East West Books (Madras) Pvt Ltd. ISBN 81-88661-24-4. 
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