By Mohammed Talha Siddi Bapa
BENGALURU: At a time when journalism is increasingly shaped by market pressure and sensationalism, sustaining a print magazine for twenty-five years is no ordinary achievement. Published from the coastal city of Mangaluru in Karnataka, Anupama has completed its silver jubilee as a magazine that has steadily built its identity as a serious and principled voice.
Reaching this milestone is not merely a measure of longevity. It reflects a consistent editorial commitment aimed at strengthening social values, women’s well-being, and ethical awareness among Kannada-speaking readers. Over the past two and a half decades, Anupama has demonstrated that journalism grounded in integrity and professional responsibility can thrive—even under intense ideological and commercial pressure.
Women’s Leadership and Institutional Continuity
One of Anupama’s most distinctive features is that it has been entirely conceived, edited and managed by women from its very beginning. Led by Muslim women associated with Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Karnataka, the magazine has, for 25 years, offered a rare example of sustained women’s leadership in the Kannada media space.
Jamaat-e-Islami Hind President Syed Sadatullah Husaini (fifth from left) released the Silver Jubilee edition of the Kannada monthly Magazine, Anupama, at a function in Bengaluru recently. Photo by Mohammed Talha Siddi Bapa
In an environment where media decisions are often driven by commercial priorities, Anupama has consistently focused on themes such as family life, education, social justice, mental health, child care, and marital relationships. These subjects have been handled with seriousness and balance, avoiding sensationalism. As a result, the magazine has earned credibility and a loyal readership, particularly among educated women.
Social Dialogue and Reducing Cultural Distance
According to media circles, in a diverse society like Karnataka—where misunderstandings about Muslims and their cultural identity are not uncommon—Anupama has played the role of a “quiet bridge.” Through its writings, the magazine has presented values such as peace, tolerance, justice, and human service within a broader social context, helping reduce intellectual and cultural distance.
By emphasising shared human ethics prevalent in Karnataka’s social life, Anupama has contributed to an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding among people of different faiths. Sensitive issues such as women’s rights, family life, and personal choices have been discussed in a modern, balanced and accessible manner. This approach has helped these themes emerge not as points of conflict, but as part of a dignified and positive way of life.
This editorial approach has influenced public perception in a constructive way and has opened new spaces for meaningful social dialogue in a multi-religious society. Today, Anupama’s readership extends across different social groups in Karnataka, with notable acceptance among educated women. At the same time, there remains scope to expand its reach among wider sections of society.
Public and Institutional Recognition
When Anupama’s Chief Editor, Shehnaz M, along with her editorial team, met the Chief Minister and presented the Silver Jubilee edition, the moment was seen as a sign of the magazine’s broader social acceptance. On the occasion, Siddaramaiah noted that Muslim women’s presence in journalism remains limited, making Anupama’s sustained journey all the more commendable.
Media observers viewed the meeting not merely as a formal gesture, but as recognition of the magazine’s editorial credibility at the state level.
Recognition Beyond the Organisation
The magazine’s long and consistent journey has also been acknowledged by senior voices in the media world. Veteran journalist Ms Vijayalakshmi Shibaroor, Editor of the Vijaya Times, published in Kannada language, described the continuation of a women’s magazine for 25 years as an achievement of rare perseverance in today’s difficult media environment. She observed that Anupama has consistently brought women’s pain, joy, and aspirations into the social mainstream, while remaining firm on facts, ethical clarity, and professional responsibility.
Such assessments from outside the organisation strengthen Anupama’s standing beyond any single ideological or institutional framework.
Organisational Support and Editorial Space
At the release of the Silver Jubilee edition, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind President Syed Sadatullah Husaini described Anupama as an example of the coming together of faith, ethics, and social responsibility. He noted that when women’s leadership is guided by intellectual clarity and social awareness, it leaves a lasting impact on society.
Anupama’s Chief Editor, Shehnaz M, presenting a copy of the magazine’s Silver Jubilee edition to Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Karnataka Amir-e-Halqa Mohammed Saad Belgami.
Similarly, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Karnataka Amir-e-Halqa Mohammed Saad Belgami appreciated the magazine’s professional discipline and ethical strength, describing it as an important chapter in the organisation’s broader social engagement.
Ethics Over Expediency
Anupama’s identity is closely tied to its ethical choices. Despite financial challenges, the magazine has consistently refused advertisements related to tobacco, alcohol, cigarettes, and other products it considers socially harmful. In a media climate where revenue pressures often shape editorial decisions, this stance is widely seen as a clear ethical position.
A Continuing Journey
After completing 25 years, Anupama is not at an endpoint, but at the beginning of a new phase. Its journey raises important questions: Can serious and ethical journalism survive without noise and spectacle? Can women-led editorial spaces build sustainable institutions in today’s media environment?
According to media analysts, magazines like Anupama keep these questions alive by offering a value-based alternative to commercial media culture. The magazine’s journey so far offers a quiet but confident response—and the years ahead will determine how that response continues to take shape.
