Baburao Vishnu Paradkar, an eminent Hindi Editor and journalist, was born on 16th November, 1883 in a well-known scholararly family of Varanasi. His father Pandit Vishnu Shashtri Paradkar was also an eminent Sanskrit Scholar. Baburao lost his father at the age of 15 and his mother when he was only 20. Paradkar passed his FA Examination from Tej Narayan College, Bhagalpur, but had become an introvert after loosing his beloveds. He toiled hard for his livelihood, did tuition and worked in the Postal Department. He decided to leave the Government job and in 1903 when he was only 20 years old, his uncle Sakharam Ganesh Deuskar gave him his first lesson in revolution. In high spirits he engaged himself in serving the motherland in association with other revolutionaries of his time. Paradkar adopted journalism for his livelihood.

In 1906, he joined 'Hindi Bangwasi' as an Assistance Editor: in 1907, he started editing 'Hitwarta' and in 1910 became one of the editors of 'Bharatmitra'. In 1916 he was arrested being accused of revolution and assassination and was imprisoned for three and a half years. After his release from Jail in 1920, he went back to Varanasi. In 1920, the late Shri Shiv Prasad Gupta started publication of 'Aj' to propagate national ideology and appointed Paradkar in the editorial department.

Thus, Paradkar Started editing 'Aj', the Hindi daily from the beginning. Later, he joined the 'Sansar' daily for a short period but returned to 'Aj' with which he was associated till his death. The editorials written by Paradkar, are a unique collection in Hindi Journalism. Through these editorials, Paradkar, the brilliant journalist, thoughtful critic, superb writer and the pioneer of ideological revolution, struggle for India's freedom and establishment of Rashtrabhasha Hindi. Paradkar not only awakened his countrymen but also prepared a new generation of Hindi writers.

Through 'Aj', Paradkar gave hundreds of new words like 'Rashtrapati' and 'Sarvashri' to Hindi Language. As far as language is concerned he was quite liberal and was in favour of accepting any word of any language in Hindi. With his journalistic style, Paradkar spent 50 years, from 1906 to 1955, in the service of Hindi language, literature and his country.

In 1925, Paradkar presided over the First Conference of Hindi Editors and was the president of the Simla Sahitya Sammelan in 1938, He started publication of 'Ranbheri' in 1930, and also edited a women's magazine 'Kamala'. Pandit Baburao Vishnu Paradkar breathed his last on 12th January, 1955. (Text courtesy: Editor 'Aj').

The Indian Posts & Telegraphs Department is privileged to issue a commemorative stamp in honour of this veteran journalist.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India