May 31, 2022
2 mins read

Indian journo’s exhibition in UK brings back dark memories

It is also exhibiting work during the Indian emergency days from 1975 to 1977. The exhibition started from April 28 and would continue till September 3….reports Asian Lite News

It is rare that a Hindi journalist from the Hindi heartland makes his mark in the UK.

Ram Dutt Tripathi, former senior journalist with BBC and based in Lucknow, has done just that.

His work is being prominently displayed at a four-month long exhibition, currently underway at the SOAS, University of London titled, ‘Crafting Subversion: DIY and Decolonial Print’ at its Brunei Gallery.

It is also exhibiting work during the Indian emergency days from 1975 to 1977. The exhibition started from April 28 and would continue till September 3.

Exhibition curator Dr Pragya Dhital, whose interest in print history and experimental literature stems from her research on censorship in India during the colonial period and the internal Emergency imposed by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, explained the theme and title of the exhibition.

“DIY is a common acronym that means ‘do it yourself’. These journalists worked without the assistance of a commercial entity. They worked without commercial support and were not financially dependent on anyone else,” said Dhital, a British Academy postdoctoral research fellow at London’s Queen Mary University.

“This exhibition also includes a section on how journalists and activists published underground/ cyclostyled news bulletins to connect with their colleagues and masses during the emergency and communicated among prisoners,” Dhital said.

Ram Dutt Tripathi, at 22, was the managing editor of a fortnightly Nagar Swarajya published from Allahabad which is now being digitised by the University of Goettingen’s ‘Long Emergency’ project.

He showed how simple duplication technology could be used to produce news, focusing on the ‘Gestetner’ stencil duplicator.

This collection also contains legal documents from his arrest, trial, and imprisonment.

Tripathi said, “I am glad that my work has been displayed in London, a city known for its democratic and free-expression values. Even today, many countries tend to use more indirect and sophisticated tools to restrict freedom of expression. It was unfortunate what happened to a journalist covering the Hapur incident. People should be aware of how they attempt to communicate during a difficult time, as I did in 1975. In India, we never know if we will have to deal with it in the near future.”

The exhibition includes items from the Asia Art Archive, the Bruce Castle Museum’s Gestetner archives and pamphlets from the British library’s collection of publications proscribed in colonial India.z

ALSO READ: Indian-origin British cop to sue UK govt over ‘institutional racism’

Previous Story

WW I bomb found by boy on beach

Next Story

Boris, Sharif discuss UK-Pakistan trade

Latest from India News

Starmer to Visit India on Wednesday

UK and India to cement strategic ties with new free trade agreement and deeper cooperation across defence, technology and climate Prime Minister Keir Starmer will make his first official visit to India

UAE, India join on child services

The United Arab Emirates and India have opened discussions to enhance cooperation in integrated child development services, focusing on early childhood education, nutrition, and child participation initiatives. The talks took place on

‘It’s Mind Over Technique’

Gill said the quick white-ball to red-ball switch was more mental than technical, adding he focused on defence and getting in the zone….reports Asian Lite News India’s Test captain Shubman Gill, who
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Court permits Hindus to offer prayers at Gyanvapi mosque complex

The court has asked district administration to make the necessary

US Backs India’s Rise as Global Power

US said the US-India relationship is one of the most