Malda, Jan. 28 -- As India marks National Newspaper Day on January 29, commemorating the publication of Hicky's Bengal Gazette in 1780, a unique tribute to the country's rich print journalism heritage has emerged from Malda. Subir Kumar Saha, librarian of Old Malda Bani Bhavan Town Library and resident of Green Park, has built an extraordinary private collection of newspapers representing India's linguistic, regional, and cultural diversity.

On the eve of National Newspaper Day, Saha showcased a portion of his vast archive at his residence, drawing attention from journalists, researchers, and newspaper enthusiasts. His collection, built patiently over the years, now includes nearly 1,000 newspapers from across the country-ranging from prominent national dailies to rare regional and district-level publications.

"The printed newspaper is a living document of its time," Saha said. "Each edition captures history as it unfolded. That is why I feel compelled to preserve them, especially those published in regional and minority languages."

From Manipur, his archive features newspapers such as Poknapham, The Sangai Express, Hueiyen Lanpao, and Imphal Free Press. Tripura's journalistic voice is represented by Tripura Times, Dainik Sambad, Syandan Patrika, Manush Patrika, and Jagaran Tripura.

The southern states form a significant part of the collection. From Andhra Pradesh, Saha has preserved editions of Andhra Jyothy, Andhra Patrika, Krishna Patrika, Eenadu, and Sakshi.

Karnataka is represented by Vijaya Karnataka, Prajavani, Udayavani, Samyukta Karnataka, Kannada Prabha, and even editions of The Times of India published from the state. From Kerala, leading Malayalam dailies such as Malayala Manorama, Mathrubhumi, Kerala Kaumudi, Deshabhimani, and Deepika find place

in his archive.

His collection also spans Rajasthan, with Rajasthan Patrika, Dainik Bhaskar, Pratahkal, and Dainik Jagran, and Gujarat, featuring Gujarat Samachar, Sandesh, and Divya Bhaskar. From the Northeast, Assamese newspapers like Asomiya Pratidin, Dainik Assam, Janambhumi, The Assam Tribune, The Sentinel, and The Eastern Chronicle are carefully preserved.

The Kashmir and Himalayan region is represented by Greater Kashmir, Kashmir Times, Rising Kashmir, Kashmir Reader, and Himachal Darpan. Umadas Bhattacharya, a noted writer from Malda, visiting the collection remarked: "This is not just an archive; it is a tribute to India's multilingual democracy and to generations of journalists who chronicled everyday history. Though many platforms deliver news today, newspapers carry depth beyond headlines-shaping thought, reviving forgotten connections, and guiding readers toward relevance. On Newspaper Day, they must rediscover their role."

Recalling the legacy of Hicky's Bengal Gazette, Saha added: "This collection is my salute to newspapers, press freedom, and the power of the printed word. Digital media may dominate today, but newspapers remain the backbone of credible journalism."

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.