Prashant K. Nanda

New Delhi, Feb 1 Delhi will have the country's first museum on news — Newseum!

"This is a first of its kind initiative. It is a unique idea. The Newseum, as we are calling it, will be on display from Monday," Banwari Lal, director of the Delhi Public Library (DPL), said.

The initiative is part of the DPL's 60th year of existence and it has been painstakingly carved out of several libraries under the DPL.

"It will host rare archival collection of old newspapers from 1952 to 2009. It will explore patterns and moments in modern Indian history," Lal explained.

"The museum tries to depict various facets of a changing India through a visual history of newspaper articles, advertisements as well as a collection of rare and memorable photographs, cartoons and articles from the past," Lal explained.

The DPL would showcase an exhibition India's growth trajectory through its repository and the Newseum will make its debut on February 1.

The museum display traces a wide range of products used by Indians, and how these were altered, diversified or replaced over last several decades. It also unravels the role of advertisements - how they are shaped and in turn, influenced events and trends post 1952.

A source of nostalgia for some, the museum will be of great interest to youngsters who want to learn more about the way things were before them, Lal added.

The earliest newspapers in this museum has been taken from the DPL archives. These date back to 1952 — the year of the country's first general elections.

The Newseum, will also flaunt memorable photographs, cartoons and articles printed between 1952-72, that elaborate important events, individuals and government policies.

Lal said after a seven-day exhibition, the museum will occupy a permanent position at the DPL headquarters near the Old Delhi railway station. The DPL is a government library under the union culture ministry.

"I was passionately involved and it was a tedious but educative one for me. In short, this is a sociological and historical analysis of India over decades," said Gauri Verma, who helped DPL in this project.

"We have also converted some old but important newspaper clippings into slide-shows. It will be informative and educative to all," said Verma, who is a historian by training.