Sanskrit Newspaper Sees Business Model in New Government

The Saturday after Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party’s historic victory in the country’s parliamentary elections was announced, some 40,000 subscribers to a weekly Sanskrit newspaper woke up to a resounding headline:

“Miracle, Miracle, Miracle,” printed in bold Sanskrit over the top of Sajal Sandesh, which means “Gentle Message.”

But for Deven Khatri, who manages an edible oil export business as his day job, there may have been a double meaning in the headline. He saw the election of the Hindu nationalist leader and his right-of-center party as not just a political windfall, but also an economic one.

Mr. Khatri, 42, started Sajal Sandesh in May 2013, partly in anticipation of a new government, which is likely to be friendlytoward the revival of the ancient language, and therefore could provide a much-needed platform, promotion and advertising to his fledgling paper….

Click here to read more