The Hindu : New Delhi News : Pursuing the Gandhian way of journalism

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Apr 20, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

Pursuing the Gandhian way of journalism

Mandira Nayar

NEW DELHI: These are children who continue to follow in the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi at least in the journalistic way. Inspired by the work of the Mahatma, they choose to live by his words: "The sole aim of journalism should be service."

While the huge brigade of television channels and newspapers might have forgotten this quote, for a few young people who have been bringing out their own newspaper, "The Yamuna", for the past two years, this is a lesson they will not forget.

Part of the Gandhi Media Literacy programme, the newspaper has been steadily growing. And having been in the business for some time now, the paper has turned global with contributions from children in Angola and Brazil.

"We have got contributions from both these countries. It was fascinating to read the poem sent by a Brazilian boy in the fifth standard. You could feel after reading the poem how strongly he felt about Mahatma Gandhi. The paper has been growing every moment. We started out with a small group of students and now we have many more. I think the paper offers the youth the chance to critique the present for a better future," says Amna Mizra, an M.A. student from Hindu College who is co-ordinating the paper's operations.

Discovering the influence of Mahatma Gandhi on the rest of the world, the international articles have reinforced their beliefs in his mission. They have also helped them connect with the youth in places like Angola, which usually doesn't get so much attention, to realise that the problems are similar.

"Lia Diskin, from Associacao Palas Athena in Brazil who has co-ordinated with the children to get an article from Brazil has promised to start the Gandhi Media Literacy Programme in some schools there. It is nice to know that in Brazil it is compulsory for police to do a course in Gandhi," says programme officer of Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti Vedabhyas Kundu.

Giving young people a chance to speak out, the paper has stuck to the original idea of being socially relevant. From taking up the issue of violence against women to finding out really how much children matter in the plans made by the Government, this quarterly tries to put these complex issues through the eyes of the children.

"This programme has given me information and trained me to be a journalist. The paper has been focused on social issues which concern the common man. It gives us a platform as children to put forward our views. It is not that children do not get space in mainstream newspapers, but not much. It is really interesting that we have had articles from different parts of the world. It gives the newspaper a global platform," says Neethu Vincent, a Class X student of Kerala School.

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