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Explain briefly the initial efforts made by foreigners to introduce the printing press in India.
Answer:
Hickey’s weekly magazine, BENGAL GAZETTE.
Points to remember :
- Portuguese missionaries introduced print in india.
- Jesuits learnt konkani and produced books in konkani and kanara.
- First tamil book in 1579, first malayalam book in 1713.
- English language press developed in India much later.
- In 1780, James Hickey began publishing weekly magazine Bengal Gazette.
- A lot of newspapers and magazines began to be printed.
Answer to be written :
- The Portuguese Missionaries first introduced printing press in India in the mid-16th century.
- Jesuit priests learned Konkani and printed many books. By 1674 about 50 books had been printed in the Konkani and Kanara language.
- Catholic priests first published printed books in Tamil in Cochin in 1579 and in 1713 first Malayalam book was printed.
- The English language press did not grow in India till very late even though officials of the East India Company began to import presses from late 17th century.
- From 1780, James Augustus Hickey began to edit the Bengal Gazette, a weekly magazine; it was a private English enterprise and was free from Colonial influence. Hickey published a lot of advertisements i ncluding those that related to import and sale of slaves.
- By the end of the 18th century, a number of newspapers and journals appeared in print.
