Seong Pow, India’s first Mandarin newspaper based in Kolkata, ceased publishing after over five decades. Lee Yun Chin founded the Overseas Chinese Commerce of India, or Seong Pow, in Kolkata in 1969, and its production continued until March 2020, when the covid pandemic struck.
Chinese newspaper from Kolkata shuts down after 50 years
Kuo-tsai Chang, the paper’s editor, ceased publication owing to the Coronavirus pandemic and died in July 2020. His death was the final nail in the coffin of the publication. The four-page newspaper addressed a wide range of topics concerning India’s Chinese minority. Approximately 200 copies were printed every day before the Covid lockout.
Speaking on the newspaper’s demise, Chen Yao Hua, president of the Chinese Association of India, blamed it on a dearth of Mandarin-educated workers. He told the media that they cannot find competent candidates to continue publishing the daily since the Chinese population in Tangra, where the office is located, is declining. He also stated that the few young people in Tangra are unable to read or write Mandarin effectively, making the continuation of Seong Pow’s publication unlikely.
The relevance of the publication was recognised by Zha Liyou, Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Kolkata. “To my knowledge,” he said, “the Chinese community in Tangra and Tiretta Bazaar in Kolkata is still striving to revive the daily, despite numerous challenges.” The newspaper’s cessation is a result of Covid-19, but it would be a huge loss if it was permanently withdrawn.” The “Seong Pow,” also known as “Overseas Chinese Commerce of India,” was not the region’s first Chinese-language newspaper. The Chinese Journal of India, India’s first “Chinese newspaper,” was launched in 1935.”Seong Pow” was formed in 1969 by community activist Lee Youn Chin.
The daily largely covered economic news and it was a source of great pride and significance for Kolkata’s Chinese population. The four-page periodical was diligently penned in its early days. Later, the labour-intensive technique was replaced by a Chinese Desktop Publishing (DTP) machine, ushering in a new era for “Seong Pow.”
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