About Beacon
The Himalayan Beacon known until 2006 simply as BEACON is a monthly news-magazine published in Darjeeling by The Mandalay Books India (Pvt.) Ltd., and distributed throughout Darjeeling Hills and Sikkim. It is now owned by The Mandalay Books India (Pvt.) Ltd., which publishes other periodicals, including the weekly newspaper ‘This Week’ and ‘The Himalayan Traveller’. It is the largest and the first magazine to be published by and for the Darjeeling Hills. Nicknamed the “Fire Hose” for its colourful appearance and undiplomatic journalistic style, it is often regarded as a source of record, meaning that it is frequently relied upon as the official and authoritative reference for modern events. Founded in 1998 by Barun Roy the magazine is by far more popular among the youths of the region than the readers of other generations. The magazine’s name is often abbreviated to Beacon, due to its earlier popularity as Beacon. Its famous motto, always printed in the upper left-hand corner of the cover page, is “News and Views on All for All.”
History
Beacon was founded on October 18, 1997 by Barun Roy. The first issue of Beacon came out on the 15th of January 1998 and then the Founding Team included:
Chief Editor: Barun Roy
Sub-editors: Subash Sthapit (Subash Sthapit later on went to become the Finance Manager of Beacon Publications which published the Magazine)and Raju Biswas (Raju Biswas later went up to be the Advertisement Manager)
Advertisement Manager: Vikash Agarwal
Marketing Executives: Nishan Chettri and Amina Fareedi
Reporters: Prateeq Ojha, Asif Iqbal, Prashan Rai
The Editorial Head office then was situated at 8/A Toong Soong Road, Darjeeling.
The magazine was originally published every 15th of the Month until April 1998.
The paper’s growing influence was seen during its very initial publication when in Jan-August 1998 a series of Beacon exposés targeting Bengal and the Local Administration ended the Government apathy over the retired workers of the Sidrapong Hydel Power Station.
In the later years, Beacon transitioned from supporting populistic politics to becoming a politically independent periodical; In 2001, Beacon Publications went bankrupt and almost 90 per cent of the employees lost their jobs. Beacon Publications had to shut down its offices and Beacon went out of circulation for almost two years. In 2003, Beacon was acquired by “The Mandalay Books India Pvt. Ltd.”
The paper moved its headquarters to 118/A Dr. Zakir Hussain Road, Elysee Lane. It has remained there ever since.
Some of the most controversial Beacon articles
Beacon published numerous highly investigative and mostly controversial articles with international ramifications. While some of the articles like Problems Unsolved[1] ultimately forced the West Bengal State Government to pay up all the payments that it had been holding for almost 25 years from the workers of the Historic Hydel Electric Project at Sidrapong, Darjeeling – articles like China’s claim on Indian Territory lead to major diplomatic scuffle between India and China which took years to heal. Ultimately, in 2003, China acknowledged Sikkim as an inalienable part of India. The “I am not seeking independence…”, from His Holiness The Dalai Lama in the June 1998 issue of Beacon lead to a major shift in the Foreign Policy of numerous Government all over the world including India’s.
Some of the backcovers of Beacon
Beacon - August 1998 issue. Click on the image to enlarge
Beacon - February 1998 issue. Click on the image to enlarge
Beacon January - February 1999 issue. Click on the image to enlarge
Beacon January 1998 - Click on the image to enlarge
Beacon July 1998 - Click on the image to enlarge
Beacon June 1998 - Click on the image to enlarge
Beacon October 1998. Click on the image to enlarge
Meenu Rizwal said
It is great to know that Beacon has come back. Thank you
Ravi Allay said
Dear Beacons,
Its a wonderful feeling to be in touch with
the developments happening in the Queen of Hills.
I am truly mesmerized by your articles.
It is thanking you, your true efforts to keep
us posted.
well wishers,
Ravindra Allay
Susan said
Is it possible to get the copies of Beacon?
Rajneesh said
Hello Barun,
Just a suggestion — How about a link to Gorkhapedia from the home page of B. Online as I see you have some space there ?
sangay dj said
hi Barun
just wanted to know where exactly is MR Subash Gishing, i hope he is safe and i want to wish him luck, i think people of Darjeeling treated him bad any how he was owr leader who leaded us for a good amount of time an i honestly respect him,may god bless him.And ya you are doing a great job keep it up,however i feel the people of Darjeeling should now be smart and act accordingly and dont just follow anyone and everyone.hope peace will come soon in the queen of hill’s,
for it is turned into a widow now.
sangay dj said
hi Braun
just wanted to know where exactly is MR Subash Gishing, I hope he is safe and I want to wish him luck, I think people of Darjeeling treated him bad any how he was our leader who leaded us for a good amount of time an I honestly respect him, may god bless him. And ya you are doing a great job keep it up, however I feel the people of Darjeeling should now be smart and act accordingly and don’t just follow anyone and everyone. hope peace will come soon in the queen of hill’s,
For it is turned into a widow now.
barunroy said
Dear Mr. Sangay,
Greetings from Darjeeling! Thank you for you kind words. Of what I last heard, Subash Ghisingh is in Himachal Pradesh recuperating from a bad health problem. However, I cannot confirm it.
Regs
Barun
JTM said
Ghisingh is in HP? Where exactly, barun? But as you say it is unconfirmed news.
Prabhat said
Its not confirmed,I think he is in Mussoorie.
Anant said
He s in basking in mussorrie regretting his follies.There r rumours that he s being offered Governership n a high profile gjmm leader a berth in the Rajya Sabha..! God knows whether its true or something else but there can t be smoke without fire..!
JTM said
Mussoorie is in Uttarakhand not HP.
G chettri said
JTM will u go and meet him and tell him you are not genuine Gorkha
Jim Wilson said
How can we go about getting copies of Beacon?
J
NIHARIKA LEPCHA said
“THE THIRSTY OLD CAMEL, TO WEARY COMES ALL THE WAY TO THE FOOTHILLS OF THE HIMALAYAS TO QUENCH HIS THIRST”
“If the blind leads the blind both shall fall into the ditch” is a very known proverb often heard by all of us……We as people from Darjeeling.”Can we be more cynical than this??? Are we certain of supporting BJP irrespective of their “Fascist Ideology” & dubious promises???? Are we here the people of Darjeeling fighting for the Cultural identity of the Gorkhas Or is it about Cultural Nationalism???? If BJP was so sympathetic to examine & appropriately consider the long pending demand of the Gorkhas why is the urgency shown only during elections..??? AND for people who are overwhelmed with the BJP’s MANIFESTO …Read it Attentively it says “We will “SYMPATHIZE” & “EXAMINE” the long pending demands of the GORKHAS & others…..hence, the word is “SYMPATHIZE” here IT DOES NOT CLAIM TO grant us the state in any words whatsoever….
“Politics of today is the History of tomorrow”…..
.So we must look back to what happened following are the facts that substantiate my point of view:
1> INDERJEET KHULLAR in 1989 won a ticket from Darjeeling with a promise to fulfill the GORKHALAND issue & did nothing.
2> In Rajasthan the home state of Yaswant Singh on the “Gujjar Issue” Vasundhara Raje the former CM of Rajasthan lobbied the support of Gujjar’s an ethnic tribe to amass their votes to come to power in the late elections however, once the election was over & the BJP government formed the promises were forgotten & in the present assembly elections the Gujjars withdrew support which lead to the fall of the BJP government, So do you think its right to trust the BJP?????
3> The lady who holds the reign of the BJP in Rajasthan holds a grudge against Yashwant Singh as she blames that she lost the present elections due to infighting between her colleagues Yashwant Singh & Buta Singh in this elections & therefore she will do everything to pin his wings down which in turn has lead Yaswanth Singh to contest from Darjeeling &..To substantiate this fact further …Vasundhara Raje has also filled a case against Yashwant Singh of serving OPUM in traditional Rajasthani style. Therefore, its time to think cautiously ….BJP is here to “CAPITALIZE” the situation we are in…
ARE WE STILL GOING TO LET PEOPLE MANIPULATE US SKILLFULLY, HAVENT WE LEARNT OUR LESSON’S.
ENOUGH OF EMOTIONAL DRAMA & TRAUMA.
HAVE’NT WE BEEN RAVAGED BY POLITICS TIME & AGAIN.
PLEASE THINK AGAIN OF THE PLIGHT WE HAVE BEEN IN & BE CAREFUL ABOUT THE CHOICE YOU MAKE.
CAUSE WE ARE THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO BEG TO DIFFER & MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO THE SOCIETY
WE LIVE IN.
karma said
get up stand up stand up for your right get up stand up dont give up the fight… this are the lines our favourite marley bajey sang for a cause and this is a song our youth have been listning since long and the youth today are still listnin as they idolise the singer…some have become grandfathers who listened to this song and fought for our land and cause and the youth still are fighting but are we making the same mistake…cause emotions and misguidance and manipulations have destroyed us and our sight…wake up people rise up think yourself dont go with what you hear
dr.priya neupaney said
Dr.Robert Schuller said: ‘You have one life to live———DON’T sPILL it’.
And Mr. Barun Roy set a trend for youth. He challenged with the impossible and proved that ,YES, we can do anything. One needs to set his/her targets and work hard patiently to achieve the targets,under all adversities. Men of achievement are the builders of society. They understand human suffering and know how to lead them to the path of peace and hormany.
To achieve all this self discipline and work ethics are very important.
Let me congratulate him sincerely. As he is a leader he has many followera.
Thankyou for giving me the opportunity to express my feelings in your esteemed column.
Jai Gorkhaland, which we must an we will, the day is not too far, I can visualize it.
bye
Cheryl Salyer said
Hello, I wish I could recieve a copy of the Beacon. I am very interested in locating a Surgeon that had an office in the USA. The location was Doran, Virginia.
With kind reguards and Respect,
Cheryl Salyer
U.S.A.
Cheryl Salyer said
Hello,
I would like to recieve your Beacon magazine. I find it very interesting. I am also looking for a Doctor that was a Surgeon in the U.S.A. His practice was in the Doran, Virginia area. Thank you for your help.
With kind reguards and much respect!
Cheryl Salyer
barunroy said
Hi Cheryl,
Greetings from Darjeeling! Thanks for your kind words. However, it might be possible to offer Beacon to you in the United States. I am also at a lose of ideas as to how I could help you with your Doctor friend who is from Doran, Virginia since I am based in Darjeeling, India.
Anyway, thanks again for your kind words.
Regs
Barun
Kato said
Hi Barun,
Still love Baecon! You doing a lot for the Gorkha.
Jai Gorkhaland!
Prakash said
Well, first web-site of its kind..man, seems to be in a different league!!! Great!!! Gonna look forward to this beacon stuff!!!
RAJESH CHETRI said
hey guys you are doing a great job! actually iamnt a daily reader or surfer of ‘BEACON” I WAS JUST GOING THROUGH THE DARJEELING ARTICLES AND I GOT BEACON. BEACON REAVEALS THE EXISTANCE OF DFARJEELING AND GORKHAS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD
GUYS REALLY ITS A FANTASTIC JOB.
“GUYS WORK ON MARKETING”
tenzin t sering said
please make me famous in all the casinos in Nepal.I am gonna visit Nepal casinos soon with vest.I can play by the name of humans.Casinos do speaks of humanities sometimes.