In a world where independent journalism is threatened by vested interests, besieged by violent suppression and technology's ‘Big Brotherly’ manipulation, the echoes of history resonate loudly.

Remember when in his previous term US President Trump branded the press as the ‘enemy of the people’? His words mirror the colonial disdain of East India Company's Viceroy Warren Hastings, who dismissed James Augustus Hicky, the trailblazer behind India’s first newspaper, as ‘a stupid, ignorant wretch’.

Read in Hindi: एक निडर कलम ने ऐसे किया था अंग्रेजी औपनिवेशिक अत्याचार का मुकाबला...

Yet, in the face of tyranny, JA Hicky stood undaunted. His legacy blazes bright, a beacon of courage and conviction, constantly reminding us of the indispensable role of a free press, a cornerstone of true democracy. Initiating the adversarial variety of journalism, Hicky’s audacious spirit has guided and nurtured Indian journalism for over two centuries. In free India, many generations of journalists have kept alive Hicky’s legacy which remains a shining example of courage and conviction, an enduring testament to the power of an independent press, a prerequisite for democracy.

An Irishman by birth and a rebel by spirit, Hicky founded the Bengal Gazette in January 1780. This was India’s first newspaper. Editor and publisher Hicky promised a rigid adherence to truth and facts, but his path was soon obstructed by the powerful colonial administration.

Refusing to bribe Marian Hastings, wife of the viceroy, Hicky became the target of systematic harassment. His postal privileges were revoked, and he was relentlessly persecuted. Undeterred, he declared his mission to make his weekly paper the ‘scourge of despotic and arbitrary tyrants’.

Hicky’s pen, filled with venom for ink, turned his Bengal Gazette into a weapon of dissent. Week after week, he fearlessly exposed corruption and malpractices within the East India Company and Hastings’ administration, denting the viceroy’s image and igniting debates across Calcutta. Even imprisonment couldn’t silence him. For nine months, Hicky published his paper from jail, each issue a defiant roar against colonial tyranny.

The Viceroy retaliated with libel suits and the supreme court in Calcutta ordered the seizure of his printing press in 1782. Hicky’s newspaper was silenced, but his courage had left an indelible mark. Hastings faced impeachment in London, his reputation tarnished by the relentless pen of a lone journalist.

Hicky’s story is one of fiery conviction, a trailblazer who demonstrated that the press could be a fearless watchdog, holding power to account. His short but impactful career inspired the foundations of adversarial journalism in India. The Bengal Gazette wasn’t just a publication; it was a clarion call for justice and truth, challenging oppression in an era of censorship and control.

Today, as journalists worldwide confront threats to press freedom, Hicky’s unyielding resolve serves as a reminder of the power of the written word. His defiance in the face of tyranny continues to inspire, urging the free press to remain steadfast in its duty, to speak truth to power.