Newspapers and Nationalism: Media as a Tool of Mobilisation in the Mysore Princely State in the Anti-Colonial Struggles

Abstract

The press played a pivotal role in shaping political consciousness and mobilising anti-colonial sentiment in colonial India. In the Mysore princely state, newspapers were not merely instruments of information but crucial platforms for civic education, public debate, and nationalist mobilisation. This study examines the contribution of newspapers to key movements, including the Non-Cooperation Movement, legal disruption campaigns such as the Shivapur Satyagraha, Vidurasvatha, and forestry protests, as well as the Quit India Movement, including the Isur tragedy and Mysore Chalo movement. Using a historical-analytical approach, the research draws on archival newspapers, government records, and secondary literature to analyse how print media connected local grievances to the broader national struggle, encouraged civic participation, and sustained underground political activism despite censorship and surveillance. Findings indicate that newspapers in Mysore effectively fostered public awareness, coordinated grassroots resistance, and amplified demands for responsible governance. The study highlights the press as both a mirror and mediator of anti-colonial activism, linking regional struggles with national movements. By examining the interplay between media, regional politics, and nationalist consciousness, this research provides a deeper understanding of the role of print culture in semi-autonomous princely states and highlights the enduring influence of newspapers in shaping the trajectory of India’s freedom struggle.