Sambalpur
Hiteishini , the first weekly Odiya newspaper
in Western Odisha was published in 1889 May 30th from Jagannath
Ballav Press, Deogarh by Raja Basudev Sudhala Dev . During that period,
Sambalpur area was in Central Province. Nilamani
Bidyaratna was editor of the news paper .
‘Sambalpur Hiteishini’ was feeding news on contemporary social conditions,
development of agricultural system, need for co-operatives, industries, commerce, transport, prohibition
, female education , national and international news. Poets like Gangadhar Meher
, Fakir Mohan Senapati, Radha Nath
Rai enriched ‘Sambalpur Hiteishini’
through their poetry, and writings.
Sudhala
Press was firstly established in Cuttack in 1885. Sansaraka, and Sebaka were
being published at Sudhala Press, Cuttack. Later on, Sudhala Press was shifted
to Deogarh, and it was renamed as
Jagannath Ballav Press. Sansaraka & Sebaka were published at Jagannath Ballav Press, after
its establishment. In 1911, this Press was renamed as Hiteishini Electric
Machine Press, after an electric machine
was installed in the press building. This was named as Electric Press from 1923
to 1948 . Last copy of ‘Sambalpur Hiteishini’
was published in 1923, and then
Sambalpur Hiteishini was closed. Raja Bhanuganga Tribhubandev published ‘Sankha’
from this Press. Poet Dr Mayadhar Mansingh was the Editor of ‘Sankha’. In 1948,
the state of Deogarh was merged into the state Odisha and in the process, this
press was owned by Government of Odisha.
Government of Odisha shifted two printing
machines in April 2014, from Deogarh to Cuttack, had earlier shifted two
printing machines to Cuttack. Government of Odisha wanted to establish a museum at Cuttack and
preserve those in the said museum.
Public from Deogarh
demanded
that a museum should be established at Deogarh and the printing machines should be preserved for future, should not be shifted to Cuttack.