Question

Throw light on the beginning of the nationalist press in Tamil Nadu.

Answer 1

When it was realized that the press was essential to express the Indian perspective, people like G. Subramaniam, M. Veeraraghavachari, and four other friends together started a newspaper The Hindu in 1878. Soon it became the vehicle of nationalist propaganda. G. Subramaniam also started a Tamil nationalist periodical Swadesamitran in 1891 which became a daily in 1899. The founding of The Hindu and Swadesamitran provided encouragement to the starting of other native newspapers such as Indian Patriot, South Indian Mail, Madras Standard, Desabhimani, Vijaya, Suryodayam, and India.