People's Democracy

Milestones In The Long Sojourn Of Prajasakti

Started as a weekly on June 17, 1942, during the movement for the country�s independence, Prajasakti stood by the people fighting for independence. Navasakti, which was started in Rajahmundry on December 15, 1937, was the predecessor of Prajasakti. For the first time, Prajasakti reached the people as a daily on December 3, 1945. Subjected to repression by the then government, its voice was silenced from April 22, 1948, but it re- emerged as a weekly from November 21, 1951. During the general elections in 1952, Prajasakti was brought out as a bi-weekly. It transformed into Visalandhra on June 22, 1955, with Visalandhra as its aim. Again, from September 1, 1966, it came out as a daily named Janasakti. Having been published as Prajasakti weekly from July 28,1968, it continued like that till it became a daily from August 1, 1981. In its soujourn since then, Prajasakti has been relentlessly fighting against imperialism, globalisation and communalism. Prajasakti was shifted into a new building built on the land provided by Katragadda Srinivasa Rao and his wife on May 1, 1983 in Vijayawada. Besides acquiring offset printing press, it started the process of computerisation in 1990.

Prajasakti has brought out a number of special issues on various issues ranging from Godavari pushakarams to the Ayodhya dispute and its consequences, thereby setting a new trend in the vernacular media. Starting its Hyderabad edition on November 7, 1994, Prajasakti has to its credit a total of nine editions today, with the other editions at Visakhapatnam, Tirupati, Khammam, Kurnool, Kareemnagar, Rajahmundry and Srikakulam. In 2004, foundation stone was laid for construction of M H Bhavan. Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh addressed the silver jubilee celebrations of Prajasakti in the year 2005. In its long sojourn, Prajasakti has undergone many changes, catering to the requirements of different sections of the people, but firmly continuing as a voice of the people, especially of the toiling masses, with a firm commitment to secularism and progressive social change.

M H Bhavan is a six storied building constructed at the Azamabad industrial area. All the wings of Prajasakti - Prajasakti Book House, web section with modern machinery to print the daily in multi colours, Prajasakti Journalism College, Management School, etc. - which are at different places in Hyderabad are being shifted to the new building. A hospital to cater to the medicare of the poor also will be started in M H Bhavan. Prajasakti also will provide free training in computer courses to the poor students.