Pratap : A Defiant Newspaper

by Chander Mohan, Jyotsna Mohan

320 pages, Paperback

Published March 27, 2025

Reviews

[Aashna Godha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book doesn't just tell a story—it drags you straight into the newsroom and dares you to keep up.

Pratap: A Defiant Newspaper by @jyotsnamohan_ @harpercollinsin isn't soft, reflective nostalgia. It's sharp, restless, and very real. Built around the Urdu newspaper Pratap, it traces a legacy that starts in pre-Partition Lahore and refuses to dilute itself across decades of political pressure, censorship, and shifting power. This isn't just journalism-it's survival with ink on its hands.

What hit me most is how personal it feels. You're not just reading about a paper, you're watching a family carry it forward like something fragile and explosive at the same time.

From Mahashay Krishan to the generations after him, there's this quiet but relentless thread: we don't bend. Not for the British, not for governments, not for fear.
And the book doesn't romanticize that defiance. It shows the cost. Arrests. Threats. Financial strain.

The constant edge of collapse. It reads fast, almost like a political thriller, because the stakes were never abstract-they were immediate, dangerous, and very human.

There's also something unsettling about how relevant it feels.
You start drawing parallels without meaning to. About media, about power, about who gets to speak and who gets silenced.

This isn't a comfortable read. It's not supposed to be. It leaves you thinking about what journalism used to demand—and quietly asking what it demands now.
And somewhere between those pages, you realize: truth has always been expensive.

[Bookish.krishu · Rating 4 out of 5]

📰 Pratap: A Defiant Newspaper
✍️ by Chander Mohan & Jyotsna Mohan
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"Some newspapers reported history. Pratap did it."

This is not just the story of a newspaper - it is the soul of a revolution on paper.
Pratap was created in 1919 and became a fearless voice from India's freedom struggle, and defied British rule, dictators and even the dangers of death - literally (yes, a package bomb).

This book is written by a father-daughter couple, who won this legacy, and takes you behind the headlines through war, censorship, protest and courage.

💡 What will you love:
🔹 Bold journalism that puts everything at risk
🔹 real history, real effort
🔹 A powerful family heritage really lies
🔹 heart + heading = a perfect reading for today's world

For lovers of prose, journalism, Indian history and stories that are still echo in today's news room chaos - this is your next reading.

🫖 The best combined with tea, a warm throw and a deep respect for fearless reporting.

[Niraja Mohan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect blend of the freedom struggle and what true journalism is. So many factors of the freedom struggle and those who fought for our freedom, people silently gone into the background and how the newspaper Pratap fought through its editorials and coverage is remarkable. Not only the fight for our independence but also the punjab terrorism and emergency all have been narrated so well. The book is a perfect blend of relating the freedom struggle and other events blended with the true essence of journalism so needed these days. In fact it is a true tribute to journalism. A must must read for all.

[Simran · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book offers a formidable piece of journalism, weaving an engaging narrative with firsthand accounts of lives during the freedom struggle. It provides a deeply immersive and thought-provoking perspective, reminding us of the hardships endured to secure the freedoms we often take for granted. A must-read for anyone seeking to understand the sacrifices that shaped our present. This book is tribute to true and fearless journalism.

[Saira Bhargava · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pratap : A Defiant Newspaper is a must read book. From the cover to the content, this book captivates you from the start. Chander Mohan and Jyotsna Mohan have told us the story behind the Urdu newspaper Pratap, and how that played a role in our country. The authors did a wonderful job of blending history with facts and personal anecdotes. To conclude, Pratap : A Defiant Newspaper is a remarkable book, and should be on the must read list for all.

[Mineet Jaywant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! For a history buff this is an important read as it’s an introduction to a time and era in the history of Punjab that is not so well known. Was definitely an eye opener and a window into an important time in our countries history. An easy and engaging read it is very well written. A book about courage and resilience which is a must read for our generation

[Meenakshi Mehta · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a fascinating and thorough account of fearless journalism during the tumultuous years of India’s partition and years after! The authors have also given us a profound insight into Pratap’s legacy of integrity, truth and resilience through the years!
A must read!

[Kashish Mehta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Left midway but a crazy revolutionary newspaper