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Synopsis Gandhian journalism began in India nearly 140 years after the first newspaper was started by a European, James Augustus Hickey in 1780. Since then, very few publications came into existence, which were launched both by the Britishers and Indians. Prominent among them were Rajarammohan Roy's Sambad-kaumadi which was launched in 1822 while Fardoonji Murzban started the Vernacular newspapers in Gujarati, Bombay Samachar in the same year. It was interesting to note that all the English dailies had 4000 subscribers, out of which 125 were Indian subscribers in 1823.

Mahatma Gandhi was instrumental in launching, Indian Opinion, in 1903 a weekly which started publication in four languages--English, Hindi, Tamil and Gujarati with an intention to serve all Indians in South Africa. Two close associates of Gandhiji, Madanjit Vyavaharik and Manshuklal Hiralal Nazar launched Indian Opinion on  June 4, 1903.

As the two gentlemen could not run the journal, the responsibility fell on the shoulders of Gandhiji, who took over the journal in October 1904. His friend, Albert West who gave up his business as a printer was managing it, while Gandhiji was editing the journal with the sole intention of educating and mobilizing Indians through the weekly columns on various aspects of life. The journal, in particular carried the popular biographical sketches of eminent men in many parts of the world such as Count Tolstoy, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington and Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar. The reader will find it very informatic, useful for students to understand Gandhian views and ways of effective writing.