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History of Sakal
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Sakal began its publication in Pune on January 1, 1932 in a novel way. Its founder, Dr. N. B. Parulekar, who with his dynamic personality rose to eminence in Indian journalism, announced a competition inviting suggestions for titles for his proposed newspaper. He created considerable enthusiasm among newspaper readers at that time. No less than 1500 persons sent in 4000 suggestions. The title "SAKAL'', which means `morning' in Marathi, was selected and the prize was won by a college student. Sakal made its appearance as a small 4-page daily. |
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Sakal's birth coincided with the beginning of Gandhiji's mass movement and Sakal wholly supported it. But from its first day, from its first editorial, it proclaimed its role as an independent daily, not tied to any political party, or to economic or parochial interests. It has maintained this stance unchanged for all these years and has built up traditions that assure that it would continue to be an independent newspaper. Thus it never sought assistance from any political party or any industrial house even during its earlier days of financial difficulties. |
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In the editorial of the first issue, Dr. Parulekar said : "A newspaper is a medium of public education and of social change. A few intellectuals of the earlier generation in Maharashtra selflessly adopted this profession with that purpose in mind. We deem it essential to carry forward that tradition". |
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And carry forward he did, in pursuit of the basic objective of educating the masses and working as a catalyst for social change. In addition, Dr. Parulekar created new traditions in Marathi journalism. |
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Sakal Innovations |
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Sakal came on the scene exactly a hundred years after the first Marathi paper, the weekly Darpan, began publication on January 6, 1832. These hundred years saw the rise and fall of a number of newspapers which were, in fact, opinionated papers sponsoring political and social causes. There was hardly anything in the nature of news of the day as we know it. Sakal was the first Marathi daily which put news of the day at the centre of the newspaper. It made full use of the speediest available means of communications at the time, and widened its coverage to include not only local and regional news, but to give prominence to national and foreign news also. It made special arrangements with the experimental broadcasting station at Pune for the announcement of the ending of Gandhiji's fast in 1933. |
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Wider News Concept : |
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Sakal added another dimension to the concept of news. Earlier, reports of political activities and meetings, especially of speeches were all that the reader got by way of news. Occasionally, literary and social activities received some coverage. Sakal was the first daily to widen this narrow groove of news and to make it as wide as the life of the people. Any matter that concerned the common man was newsworthy for Sakal. For example, the vegetable market-rates formed a regular news item in Sakal. In the beginning there were not a few who made fun of it. But gradually, readers began to talk and show curiosity about it and finally it was accepted as a newsworthy subject by all. |
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Another field in which Sakal was a trend-setter from its beginning was the rural bias in its news and features. Reports on the rainy season, crops, plant and animal diseases, weather conditions, rural festivals, sports like wrestling etc. found regular and prominent place in Sakal. That is why Sakal became the major paper in Western Maharashtra and North Karnataka. |
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Sakal has steadfastly cherished certain basic values : the primacy of national interests over any `ism', secular outlook advocating equal regard for all religions and democracy, especially regard for the value of dissent and for the freedom of the press. Sakal was opposed to the principle of linguistic reorganisation of states as a threat to national integration, and vehemently opposed the demand for Samyukta Maharashtra (United Maharashtra) even though Marathi speaking people were almost unanimous on this demand. Dr. N.B. Parulekar showed exemplary courage of his convictions and stood by them to the end. He fought many a battle in the interest of freedom of the press, the most notable of them being the Price-Page schedule case in the Supreme Court. This steadfastness in his own convictions drew praise from India's first Prime Minister, Pandit Nehru. He paid a visit to Sakal in October 1959 and described Sakal as a "brave paper". |
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SAKAL has progressed to its present state through the sagacity and astute business acumen of its founder Dr. N.B.Parulekar. He had made it a point that this newspaper ought to be self-reliant if it has to preserve its independence. |
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For many years Sakal was on the `black list' as regards government advertisements in pre-independence days and again during the Emergency. Even the Poona Municipality had stopped its advertisements due to the publication of true reports about the gravity of the plague epidemic in Pune in 1932. But Sakal never compromised on the principles and objectives that it had set before itself. It built up its own contacts in the business world and particularly with the small traders and soon the `classified advertisements' in Sakal earned the same reputation as 'hot' news of the day. |
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Social leadership |
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Believing that a newspaper is a powerful medium of public education and the nucleus for constructive activities in various spheres of life, Dr.Parulekar effectively used the medium of Sakal for a number of charitable and social programmes. Sakal initially chose Pune City as the area of operations for most of the programmes. Today they are being conducted on a much wider scale, and some like On the Spot Painting Competition for Children, on an all Maharashtra level even. |
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Since 1985, Sakal is owned by Mr..Pratap Pawar and associate companies. Mr. Pawar is on the board of many renowned companies in India and abroad. He was president of MCCIA (Maratha Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture) during 1998-2000 & president of INS (Indian Newspaper Society) during 2001-2002. He is also associated, as Trustee/Chairman with many social, educational, charitable institutions since 1970. With Mr.Pawar at the helm Sakal has made rapid progress on all fronts. Sakal has added in its fold a family weekly 'Saptahik Sakal', 'Arthamanthan' - the first ever complete economic, financial and investment fortnightly in Marathi and a monthly named 'Kridavishwa' which is dedicated to the world of sports. And in 2000 launched the internet edition of eSakal, drawing the expatriate Marathi community with its affection for its home country. |
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As far back as 1985 Sakal has initiated complete modernization of machinery, pre-press communication system and computerization. New printing establishments equipped with all facilities were created in New Bombay (Navi Mumbai), Nashik, Aurangabad, Kolhapur, Solapur, Nagpur, Satara and Jalgaon. Gomantak and Gomantak Times, Marathi and English dailies from Goa, were bought over by the Pawar group which became complementary to Sakal's business. And the latest to join the Sakal group is the 41 year-old English daily, Pune's very own newspaper, Maharashtra Herald. |
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Mr.Pawar has introduced several social, educational activities that take special interest in students' welfare, pollution, family planning, traffic control etc. Sakal has also started giving policy support to individuals and institutions working for betterment of society and participating in such events as well. This gives a human face to Sakal making it as an institution, which also prints |
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Sakal... continuing our forward march on the same path. |
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