The Hindu : Kerala News : School students bring out ‘inland’ news in a different tongue

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Wednesday, Jul 23, 2008
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Kerala

School students bring out ‘inland’ news in a different tongue

Students bringing out wallpapers, manuscript magazines or lab-journals in Malayalam or English is no news. But, a newspaper in Hindi in inland format brought out by the students of an upper primary Malayalam medium school in a far-flung village of Kerala makes news.

‘Mundakkara Ki Ankhem,’ (The eyes of Mundakkara), a monthly colour ‘inland-newspaper’ produced by Class VI and VII students of Mundakkara AUP School at Balussery in Kozhikode, is a commendable effort. These budding teens are no holders of a master’s degree or even a diploma certificate in journalism. But they have among them a promising bunch of reporters, sub-editors, proofreaders and even translators, as the enthusiasm expressed in their work shows. “It is a complete students’ affair with our subtle but careful guidance at various stages,” says P.V. Ramakrishnan, who guided his wards along with other staff members in their novel endeavour.

Five hundred copies of ‘Mundakkara Ki Ankhem’ have been printed and distributed among students as the first issue of the paper. “Students can also send them by post to their relatives and friends by affixing a Rs.2 stamp, as it is in inland format,” says K. Ramanunni, Principal of the school.

The paper, which covers various events at the school, has an impressive lay-out with colour photographs of the events.

The first issue has an editorial on the importance of Hindi language titled ‘Bhasha ka Mahathuv’ on Page 1 along with other stories of important events that took place at the school. These include the lead article on the importance of agriculture to Kerala, reports on environmental issues and news on different activities of various clubs and forums in the school. A pocket cartoon titled ‘Meetu Ki Vani’ and the imprint and credit line have been accommodated in the last part of the tiny paper, making it a complete form of a newspaper. “We are planning to include small poems and stories by students in the coming issues,” says Ramakrishnan, who added that the PTA was only “happy to bear” the nominal production cost of such a “creative” venture. “The students have planned a special issue for August 15, which they have already started working on,” says Ramakrishnan.

Jabir Mushthari

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