-By Dr. Mayank Chaturvedi

The Hindusthan Samachar news agency’s identity is rooted in national vision and credibility, said Arvind Bhalchandra Mardikar, who was unanimously re-elected chairman for a second term. In an era of rapidly changing journalism, where the pace of information has become unprecedented, serious questions have also emerged about credibility, ideological balance and cultural perspective. At such a time, India’s first multilingual news agency, Hindusthan Samachar, continues to move forward with its core mission: nation first, respect for Indian languages and positive journalism.

Founded on April 10, 1948 by noted thinker Dada Saheb Apte, Hindusthan Samachar was India’s first multilingual news agency. It began in ten languages, including Bengali, Odia, Assamese, Telugu, Malayalam, Urdu, Punjabi, Gujarati, Hindi and Marathi, and today it has expanded to 15 Indian languages, including English. Restored in 2000 by Shrikant Joshi, the agency now serves more than 200 newspapers across the country, Doordarshan and All India Radio under Prasar Bharati, state governments, several news channels, news websites and media training institutions.

Working on the principles of truth, dialogue, service and cooperation, the agency has witnessed many ups and downs over time, but has never drifted from its original ideological foundation. In a detailed conversation, Mardikar spoke at length about the changing nature of journalism, technology, fake news, Indian languages and national perspective. He also shared important insights about the current media landscape and Hindusthan Samachar. The key excerpts of the interview are presented below.

Question: You have been associated with the leadership of Hindusthan Samachar in various roles since 2016. What has this long experience taught you about the agency’s core spirit and its future?

Answer: The greatest lesson I have learned is patience. Journalism is a field full of constant challenges. Every challenge is different, and it appears without warning. In such moments, maintaining composure becomes the greatest strength. I firmly believe that Hindusthan Samachar was founded on a very strong ideological base. Our predecessors built it not merely as a news agency, but as a medium of national consciousness. That is why, even as time changed, technology changed and the media landscape changed, the agency’s core spirit did not change. We have moved forward with the feeling that the nation comes first, and we will continue to do so. I believe that is why the future of this agency is extremely bright.

Question: In the era of digital and social media, maintaining credibility has become a major challenge for traditional news agencies. How does Hindusthan Samachar view this?

Answer: If news is truthful, balanced and based on facts, the challenge of credibility disappears on its own. Today, social media and digital platforms are means of delivering information rapidly to people. We do not see them as rivals, but as supportive mediums.

Hindusthan Samachar has embraced new technology and built a strong presence across digital platforms. But I can say with full confidence that people still place the greatest trust in traditional journalism. That is why newspapers remain relevant. Our belief is that the future belongs to those who combine traditional credibility with modern technology.

Question: What new dimensions do you expect to see in the editorial priorities under your leadership?

Answer: Our very foundation is built around Indianness and national vision. We have been shaped by values that teach positive thinking and dedication to national interest. So for us, the question of changing direction or becoming confused does not arise. We believe in positive journalism. Instead of dividing society, spreading confusion or increasing negativity, we give importance to constructive discourse. Journalism centered on India’s cultural consciousness, national unity and public sentiment is our priority.

Question: Fake news has become the biggest challenge today. In such a situation, what is your agency’s fact-checking policy?

Answer: It is true that in the early phase of fake news, many large media organizations were also misled. We learned from that too. But we made the necessary improvements in our functioning. Now, before releasing any news, official sources, expert opinions, facts and evidence are examined very carefully. Our clear policy is: “Truthful news, exactly as it is.”

Question: What is Hindusthan Samachar doing to empower small-town and regional journalists?

Answer: The true face of India lives in its small towns and villages. That is why strengthening regional correspondents is a priority for us. We have developed a modern mobile app through which correspondents can write news, attach photos and upload them instantly from anywhere. Regular virtual interaction is also held with journalists in different languages. We place special emphasis on training, technical support and morale-building. Appreciating the good work of any correspondent is part of our work culture.

Question: How is the agency preparing for the era of artificial intelligence and new technologies?

Answer: Journalism cannot have a future if it stays away from technology. Hindusthan Samachar is already using a cloud-based news processing system and a mobile app. Our team is continuously working on AI. Recently, we partnered with the Bhashini platform, and a major part of it has already been integrated into our system. This technology is proving very useful in expanding Indian languages and enabling faster translation.

Question: How do you view journalism in Indian languages?

Answer: In my view, the future of Indian languages is extremely bright. There are certainly challenges, but the possibilities are much greater. India is a country of diverse languages and cultures. That diversity is our strength. Hindusthan Samachar’s biggest strength is that it works in 15 Indian languages simultaneously and gives equal respect to every language.

Question: Which achievements from your previous tenure give you the greatest satisfaction?

Answer: There are many achievements that give satisfaction, such as GST registration, administrative transparency, division of work, discipline, financial planning and timely compliance with all legal procedures. But the greatest satisfaction is that the institution is steadily moving towards self-reliance.

Question: What is your message for young journalists and media students?

Answer: If someone wants to become a good journalist, they must have a strong command of general knowledge, history and their language. Journalism cannot be done by technology alone. One should read good literature and the biographies of senior journalists and inspiring personalities. Positive thinking, awareness and spotless conduct—these three things help a journalist earn respect for a long time.

Question: Hindusthan Samachar is often associated with a particular ideological background. How do you see that?

Answer: We definitely represent one idea, and that is “the nation comes first.” But an important distinction must be understood here. Being supportive of a position is natural, but being biased is wrong. We support national interest, cultural consciousness and social harmony, but we are not driven by prejudice. We give space to all views, but we do not consider anti-national thinking to be a legitimate part of normal discourse.

Question: Today, media faces pressure from the market, TRPs and political polarization. How difficult is it to maintain balance in such times?

Answer: It is difficult, but not impossible. If media is not for sale and is free from bias, it has no reason to fear. We value truth more than sensationalism. Rather than joining the blind race to be the fastest, we work on the principle of “News as it happens.” Journalism in Indian languages is our greatest strength. Ground-level correspondents are our real asset.

Question: Finally, if you had to describe the biggest challenge and the biggest opportunity in Indian journalism in one sentence each, what would you say?

Answer: The biggest challenge is preserving truth amid an overload of information, and the biggest opportunity is the revival of positive journalism rooted in the foundations of Indian society. We see challenges not as crises, but as opportunities. Hindusthan Samachar is moving forward with that belief.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar