This study examines the foundational phase of Tibetan media history by examining the role of Yul phyogs so so'i gsar 'gyur me long, or the "Mirror of News from Various Regions of the World," and Kalimpong, a town in West Bengal. The 'Mirror of News', published from 1925 to 1963, was one of the most successful Tibetan-language newspapers, existing continuously for 38 years. The researcher uses Critical Discourse Analysis of editorials, opinion columns, essays, and news reports from the 1,853-page archives to trace how the newspaper rose as a forum for complex discourses. Babu Tharchin, a Tibetan Christian convert, transformed the newspaper into an agent of persuasion and solidarity for Tibetans in Tibet, connecting Tibet to the rest of the world and championing the cause of Tibetan Freedom and unmasking atrocities committed in Tibet after its occupation by Communist China. The research also highlights the influence of Indians of Tibetan origin, such as Gergan Dorjee Tharchin - the journalist, editor, publisher, and owner of the first commercial Tibetan printing press, 'Tibet Mirror Press'. The discourses of the 'Mirror of News' offer valuable insights into how Tibet as a nation-state was imagined and how Tibetan as a literary language and Tibetan journalism evolved.

Authors:
Barun Roy, University of North Bengal, India

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Barun Roy is an Assistant Professor and Head of the Department of Mass Communication at the University of North Bengal in India.

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