Who among the following started the newspaper Shome Prakash?

1. Evolution of the Press in British India (basic)

The story of the Indian press begins not as a medium for the masses, but as a private English enterprise. In 1780, James Augustus Hickey published India's first newspaper, The Bengal Gazette (also known as the Calcutta General Advertiser). Hickey was a rebel at heart, describing his weekly magazine as "a commercial paper open to all, but influenced by none" India and the Contemporary World – II. History-Class X. NCERT, Print Culture and the Modern World, p.120. However, his tendency to publish gossip about Company officials and criticize Governor-General Warren Hastings led to the seizure of his press within just two years Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India, Sources for the History of Modern India, p.8.

Initially, these early publications—such as the Calcutta Gazette (1784) and the Bombay Herald (1789)—catered almost exclusively to the intellectual entertainment of Europeans and Anglo-Indians. The East India Company viewed the press with deep suspicion, fearing that news of their corruption might reach London and damage their reputation. This tension led to the first phase of censorship, though the press found a brief window of freedom in 1835 when Charles Metcalfe (often called the "Liberator of the Indian Press") removed many restrictive regulations—a move that was initially celebrated by educated Indians Modern India, Bipin Chandra, Administrative Changes After 1858, p.163.

By the mid-19th century, the press underwent a radical transformation. It shifted from being a colonial newsletter to a tool for social and educational reform. A landmark moment in this evolution was the start of the Bengali periodical Shome Prakash (or Som Prakash) in 1858, founded by the great reformer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India, Development of Indian Press, p.559. This marked the rise of the vernacular press, which allowed reformers to engage with the public in their own languages, setting the stage for the later nationalist movement where the press became the primary weapon for political education.

Sources: India and the Contemporary World – II. History-Class X. NCERT, Print Culture and the Modern World, p.120; Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India, Sources for the History of Modern India, p.8; Modern India, Bipin Chandra, Administrative Changes After 1858, p.163; Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India, Development of Indian Press, p.559

2. The Vernacular Press and Legal Restrictions (intermediate)

To understand the history of the Indian press, we must first distinguish between the English-language press (which often supported the colonial government) and the Vernacular press (local language newspapers like Bengali, Marathi, and Tamil), which became the voice of nationalist critique. Initially, the British attitude was relatively liberal; officials like Thomas Macaulay formulated rules that restored freedoms to the press in the mid-1830s India and the Contemporary World – II, Print Culture and the Modern World, p.127. However, the Revolt of 1857 was a turning point. Enraged by the 'native' press's role in spreading anti-colonial sentiment, the British government began debating stringent controls to ensure the 'native' population remained subservient. In the post-1857 era, the vernacular press emerged as a powerful tool for both social reform and political mobilization. A landmark example was the Bengali periodical Shome Prakash (Som Prakash), founded in 1858 by the polymath Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, p.559. While papers like these initially focused on social issues, they increasingly turned their gaze toward the government's economic and political failures. By the 1870s, the rift between the government and the vernacular press widened, particularly due to Lord Lytton’s imperialistic policies. While India suffered through a devastating famine (1876–77), Lytton spent lavishly on the Imperial Delhi Durbar, a contrast that drew scathing criticism from regional journalists. To silence this dissent, the government enacted the Vernacular Press Act (VPA) of 1878. Often called the 'Gagging Act,' it was uniquely discriminatory because it applied only to vernacular newspapers, not English ones. Modelled on the Irish Press Laws, it gave the government the power to censor reports, warn editors, and eventually confiscate printing machinery if 'seditious' content was published India and the Contemporary World – II, Print Culture and the Modern World, p.127. Nationalist journalists responded with clever stratagems, such as quoting critical writings of British socialists or Irish nationalists to bypass local censorship while still delivering their message Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, p.559.

Sources: Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India, Development of Indian Press, p.559-560; India and the Contemporary World – II. History-Class X . NCERT, Print Culture and the Modern World, p.127

3. Press as a Tool for Socio-Religious Reform (basic)

In the early 19th century, the Indian press emerged not merely as a medium for news, but as the most powerful weapon for social and religious transformation. Before the advent of widespread printing, reformist ideas were often confined to small intellectual circles. The press changed this dynamic by providing a platform where traditional dogmas could be publicly debated, challenged, and reinterpreted for the masses.

Raja Rammohan Roy, the "Father of the Indian Renaissance," was the pioneer in using the press for this purpose. He understood that to fight social evils like Sati, polygamy, and caste rigidities, he needed to appeal to the logic and conscience of the public. He used his publications to disseminate a modern, scientific approach based on human dignity and social equality Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, A General Survey of Socio-Cultural Reform Movements, p.206. By translating ancient texts like the Vedas and Upanishads into Bengali, he used the power of the printed word to prove that Hindu scriptures did not support the superstitious rituals of the day Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, A General Survey of Socio-Cultural Reform Movements, p.208.

As the century progressed, the focus shifted toward the Vernacular Press (regional language newspapers), which were instrumental in reaching the grassroots level. A standout example is Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, who is associated with the founding of the Bengali periodical Som Prakash in 1858. Such journals were vital in promoting vernacular education and discussing sensitive social reforms like widow remarriage and women's rights. These early journalists were driven by a sense of national and public service rather than profit; their goal was to stimulate a "library movement" and foster a culture of critical thinking among the Indian public Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Development of Indian Press, p.559.

Reformer	Key Publication/Contribution	Reform Focus
Raja Rammohan Roy	Sambad Kaumudi / Gift to Monotheists	Abolition of Sati, Monotheism, Women's rights
I.C. Vidyasagar	Som Prakash (1858)	Vernacular education, Widow remarriage
G.G. Agarkar	Sudharak	Rationalism and social reform in Maharashtra

Sources: Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, A General Survey of Socio-Cultural Reform Movements, p.206; Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, A General Survey of Socio-Cultural Reform Movements, p.208; Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Development of Indian Press, p.559

4. Socio-Religious Reformers of the 19th Century (intermediate)

In the 19th century, the printing press became the most potent weapon for social reformers. They realized that for a movement to succeed, it could not remain an elitist discussion; it had to reach the masses and create "Public Opinion." This was the era where the vernacular press (newspapers in local languages) began to shape the Indian political and social consciousness.

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar stands out as a titan in this field. While he is legendary for his work on widow remarriage and women's education, he was also a pioneer in Bengali journalism. In 1858, he started the weekly periodical Shome Prakash (or Som Prakash). This wasn't just another journal; it was one of the first Bengali weeklies to engage deeply with political issues and social reform, bridging the gap between scholarly debate and public discourse. Vidyasagar understood that to change laws—like the Widow Remarriage Act of 1856—he needed to prove that his ideas had both scriptural backing and wide public support. He used print to circulate petitions and cite Vedic texts, effectively winning the intellectual battle before the legal one was even fought Rajiv Ahir, Spectrum, Chapter 29: Development of Indian Press, p.559.

Beyond Bengal, other reformers utilized the press to challenge orthodoxy and organize collective action. The year 1855 saw a massive surge in public petitions from cities like Madras, Bombay, and Nagpur, urging the government to legalize widow remarriage—a clear sign that the "press and public opinion" machinery was working nationwide Bipin Chandra, Modern India (NCERT), Social and Cultural Awakening, p.131. Similarly, Dayananda Saraswati used his seminal work, Satyarth Prakash (The True Exposition), to spread the message of the Arya Samaj Rajiv Ahir, Spectrum, A General Survey of Socio-Cultural Reform Movements, p.220. By writing in Hindi, Dayananda ensured his reformist ideas reached the common man in North India, further decentralizing the influence of the press.

Reformer	Major Work/Periodical	Primary Focus
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar	Shome Prakash (1858)	Social reform and political commentary in Bengali.
Dayananda Saraswati	Satyarth Prakash	Vedic revivalism and social critique in Hindi.
Vishnu Shastri Pandit	Widow Remarriage Association	Organizing institutional support for social change Spectrum, p.196.

Sources: A Brief History of Modern India (Spectrum), Development of Indian Press, p.559; A Brief History of Modern India (Spectrum), A General Survey of Socio-Cultural Reform Movements, p.213, 220; Modern India (Bipin Chandra/Old NCERT), Social and Cultural Awakening in the First Half of the 19th Century, p.131

5. Early Political Associations and their Leaders (intermediate)

In the mid-to-late 19th century, Indian political life underwent a massive transformation. We moved away from the early, conservative associations led by wealthy landlords toward more dynamic organizations led by the educated middle class. These younger nationalists recognized that to challenge British policies effectively, they couldn't just petition the government; they had to create a powerful public opinion. The primary tool for this was the vernacular and English press. For instance, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, a giant of social reform, founded the Bengali periodical Som Prakash in 1858, which became a vital platform for regional public discourse and reformist debates Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, p.559.

The most significant of these pre-Congress organizations was the Indian Association of Calcutta (also known as the Indian National Association), founded in 1876 by Surendranath Banerjea and Ananda Mohan Bose. They were dissatisfied with the older British Indian Association's pro-landlord stance. Their goal was clear: unify the Indian people under a common political program and promote their material and intellectual advancement Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, p.245. This association famously led the charge against the reduction of the age limit for the Civil Service exams in 1877, with Banerjea touring the country to build an all-India public opinion on the matter Bipin Chandra, Modern India, p.206.

During this era, journalism and political leadership were two sides of the same coin. These leaders did not view their newspapers as profit-making businesses, but as a form of national and public service. They used their columns to educate the masses about colonial exploitation and to spread nationalist ideals Tamilnadu state board, Rise of Nationalism in India, p.11. Below is a snapshot of these stalwarts and their influential journals:

Leader	Journal/Newspaper	Key Focus/Contribution
Surendranath Banerjea	Bengalee	Mobilizing public opinion through the Indian Association.
Dadabhai Naoroji	Voice of India	Critique of colonial economic policies and reform.
Sisir Kumar Ghosh & Motilal Ghosh	Amrita Bazar Patrika	Arousing patriotic sentiments and supporting Extremism.
Bal Gangadhar Tilak	Kesari (Marathi) & Mahratta (English)	Articulating the discontent of peasants and workers.

Sources: A Brief History of Modern India, Development of Indian Press, p.559; A Brief History of Modern India, Beginning of Modern Nationalism in India, p.245; Modern India (Bipin Chandra), Growth of New India—The Nationalist Movement 1858—1905, p.206; History (Tamilnadu state board 2024), Rise of Nationalism in India, p.11

6. Shome Prakash and Vidyasagar's Contribution (exam-level)

When we think of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, we often first recall his monumental efforts in widow remarriage and education. However, his contribution to the Indian press is equally transformative. In 1858, Vidyasagar founded the weekly Bengali journal, Shome Prakash (also spelled Som Prakash). This wasn't just another newspaper; it was a sophisticated intellectual platform that bridged the gap between high scholarship and public activism. Unlike many early publications that catered to the entertainment of European settlers, Shome Prakash was deeply rooted in the socio-political realities of Bengal Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Sources for the History of Modern India, p.8.

Vidyasagar’s vision for Shome Prakash was to use the vernacular language to stimulate public opinion on critical issues like the exploitation of indigo farmers and the need for social reform. It was known for its high literary standards and its fearless criticism of government policies. In fact, newspapers like Som Prakash, Banganivasi, and Sadharani were pioneering forces in Bengal that treated journalism not as a business, but as a national and public service Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Development of Indian Press, p.559. This era of journalism was so influential that nearly one-third of the founding fathers of the Indian National Congress in 1885 were themselves journalists Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Sources for the History of Modern India, p.9.

The impact of Shome Prakash was so profound that it eventually became one of the primary targets of the Vernacular Press Act of 1878. By providing a voice to the voiceless and fostering a "library movement" where people gathered to read and discuss the news, Vidyasagar ensured that the press became a pillar of the Indian national awakening. It proved that the pen was indeed a powerful tool for social and political liberation.

Sources: A Brief History of Modern India, Sources for the History of Modern India, p.8; A Brief History of Modern India, Development of Indian Press, p.559; A Brief History of Modern India, Sources for the History of Modern India, p.9

7. Solving the Original PYQ (exam-level)

In your recent modules on Socio-Religious Reform Movements and the Development of the Indian Press, you explored how the printing press became a primary vehicle for intellectual awakening and social critique. This question asks you to synthesize that knowledge by linking a specific reformer to their literary contribution. Shome Prakash (Som Prakash), launched in 1858, was a landmark in vernacular journalism; it was the first Bengali weekly to venture into political commentary and was famously targeted by the Vernacular Press Act of 1878. To solve this, you must connect the paper’s focus on widow remarriage and the Indigo Revolt to the figure who championed these specific causes through Bengali prose.

The reasoning path leads directly to (B) Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. While Dwarkanath Vidyabhushan served as the editor, it was Vidyasagar who conceptualized the paper to provide a platform for reformist ideas and rural grievances. When you see a 19th-century publication rooted in the Bengali language and focused on humanitarian social reform, Vidyasagar is the most logical architect. As detailed in A Brief History of Modern India (Spectrum), his involvement in the press was an extension of his work in education and social justice, making this periodical a vital historical document of that era.

UPSC often includes other legendary reformers as distractors to test your chronological and thematic precision. Raja Rammohan Roy is a common trap, but his pioneering works like Sambad Kaumudi and Mirat-ul-Akbar belong to the early 1820s, decades before Shome Prakash. Dayanand Saraswati focused his efforts on the Arya Samaj and his seminal book Satyarth Prakash, primarily in North India. Meanwhile, Surendranath Banerjee represents the later rise of political nationalism, associated with the newspaper The Bengalee. By isolating the time period (mid-19th century) and the linguistic medium (Bengali), you can effectively filter out these incorrect options as suggested in NCERT Themes in Indian History.