<p>Asia’s oldest newspaper, 'Mumbai Samachar', will enter into the 200th year of its publication on 1 July.</p>.<p>The newspaper has seen the transformation of Bombay to Mumbai – and has covered all the historic events involving the financial capital and India.</p>.<p>Over the years, the Gujarati daily has carved a niche for itself – and its office is in the Red House at the SA Brelvi Road off the Horniman Circle in the Fort area of Mumbai.</p>.<p>Earlier known as 'Bombay Samachar', the Parsi-family owned newspaper has played an important role in India’s freedom struggle.</p>.<p>'Hicky's Bengal Gazette or the Original Calcutta General Advertiser' was the first newspaper printed in Asia, and was published only for two years, between 1780 and 1782.</p>.<p>The first edition of 'Bombay Samachar' came out on 1 July, 1822.</p>.<p>It was the second non-English newspaper published in India – the first being 'Samachar Darpan', that came out on 23 May, 1818 published from Serampore in Hooghly.</p>.<p>The first Hindi newspaper 'Udant Martand' came out on 30 May, 1826, published from Kolkata, then Calcutta.</p>.<p>The 'Bombay Samachar' was established in 1822 by a Parsi scholar and priest, Fardunjee Marzban, who was a pioneer not only of journalism in Western India but of all Gujarati printed literature. He founded the first native press in 1812 and in 1814 brought out a Gujarati Calendar, fully 6 years before the first Bengali calendar was printed and published in Calcutta.</p>.<p>Initially, the paper consisted of three small quarto sheets and a half sheet supplement, published in a 10x8 inch format, containing overall 14 pages of printed matter.</p>.<p>The newspaper, born as a weekly, was published till 1832; post which it transformed into a bi-weekly till 1855 and a daily after that till date.</p>.<p>The Mumbai Samachar is now owned by the Cama family, which took over in 1933.</p>.<p>One copy of the daily newspaper is priced at Rs 10, the highest in India – and it commands a circulation of 1.5 lakh.</p>.<p>A veteran in the media industry, Hormusji N Cama, is its present Director.</p>.<p>“The newspaper has a glorious tradition and it still continues,” Nilesh Dave, the Editor of Mumbai Samachar, told DH on Sunday. "Competing 199 years and entering the 200 year is a landmark occasion...we all are excited about it," said Dave.</p>.<p>“The paper has a unique relationship with the Gujarati-speaking community including the Parsees,” said Jatin Desai, a veteran journalist, writer, activist and political commentator.</p>.<p>The Bombay Samachar played a very important role during India's struggle for independence being often quoted by freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel and others.</p>.<p>“The newspaper has a glorious history but they are very futuristic. They were among the first to introduce card-punching for its staff and also computers in the newsroom,” says Ajit Joshi, a veteran journalist and an expert on Mumbai’s heritage.</p>
<p>Asia’s oldest newspaper, 'Mumbai Samachar', will enter into the 200th year of its publication on 1 July.</p>.<p>The newspaper has seen the transformation of Bombay to Mumbai – and has covered all the historic events involving the financial capital and India.</p>.<p>Over the years, the Gujarati daily has carved a niche for itself – and its office is in the Red House at the SA Brelvi Road off the Horniman Circle in the Fort area of Mumbai.</p>.<p>Earlier known as 'Bombay Samachar', the Parsi-family owned newspaper has played an important role in India’s freedom struggle.</p>.<p>'Hicky's Bengal Gazette or the Original Calcutta General Advertiser' was the first newspaper printed in Asia, and was published only for two years, between 1780 and 1782.</p>.<p>The first edition of 'Bombay Samachar' came out on 1 July, 1822.</p>.<p>It was the second non-English newspaper published in India – the first being 'Samachar Darpan', that came out on 23 May, 1818 published from Serampore in Hooghly.</p>.<p>The first Hindi newspaper 'Udant Martand' came out on 30 May, 1826, published from Kolkata, then Calcutta.</p>.<p>The 'Bombay Samachar' was established in 1822 by a Parsi scholar and priest, Fardunjee Marzban, who was a pioneer not only of journalism in Western India but of all Gujarati printed literature. He founded the first native press in 1812 and in 1814 brought out a Gujarati Calendar, fully 6 years before the first Bengali calendar was printed and published in Calcutta.</p>.<p>Initially, the paper consisted of three small quarto sheets and a half sheet supplement, published in a 10x8 inch format, containing overall 14 pages of printed matter.</p>.<p>The newspaper, born as a weekly, was published till 1832; post which it transformed into a bi-weekly till 1855 and a daily after that till date.</p>.<p>The Mumbai Samachar is now owned by the Cama family, which took over in 1933.</p>.<p>One copy of the daily newspaper is priced at Rs 10, the highest in India – and it commands a circulation of 1.5 lakh.</p>.<p>A veteran in the media industry, Hormusji N Cama, is its present Director.</p>.<p>“The newspaper has a glorious tradition and it still continues,” Nilesh Dave, the Editor of Mumbai Samachar, told DH on Sunday. "Competing 199 years and entering the 200 year is a landmark occasion...we all are excited about it," said Dave.</p>.<p>“The paper has a unique relationship with the Gujarati-speaking community including the Parsees,” said Jatin Desai, a veteran journalist, writer, activist and political commentator.</p>.<p>The Bombay Samachar played a very important role during India's struggle for independence being often quoted by freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel and others.</p>.<p>“The newspaper has a glorious history but they are very futuristic. They were among the first to introduce card-punching for its staff and also computers in the newsroom,” says Ajit Joshi, a veteran journalist and an expert on Mumbai’s heritage.</p>