The meaning of history is embedded in the process of investigating realities and through research it brings to light significant facts. The facts become basis for identifying time division and for critically examining the tendencies inherent in the facts-and such method of the representation of facts is known as historiography or writing of history. History writing is an arduous task but to write the history of journalism is much more difficult work. The domain of journalism is larger than any other discipline. Significantly enough, following the standards of the art of writing history, the first authentic history of Hindi journalism in English entitled The Rise and Growth of Hindi Journalism was produced by Dr. Ramratan Bhatnagar. The book presents the history of journalism from 1826 to 1945 and formed that Hindi journalism was a part of Hindi literature. Journalism is one of the most important part of modern social science. Development of printing press, journalism came into existence and became a part of Mass Communication. So the role of journalism is many dimensional. Hindi journalism first appeared in 19th century. The first Newspaper being Oodunta Martand, whose first issue appeared on the 30th May 1826. It started the History of Hindi Journalism. Journalism was most integral part of Hindi Literature. Therefore, the Hindi Journalism has played a very important role in development of Hindi language, literature and Indian Freedom Struggle. The writer has analysed and reviewed the facts in the light of the fullest possible background of social, religious, literary and political forces. This historiography is based on Time Sequence, Chronological order, Temporal Location, and thorough going critical study of the facts. Besides, he analysed the contribution of journalism in the development of Hindi language and literature. Therefore, this work become more useful to Hindi Scholars as well as to students of journalism. Since the book has been originally written in English, it is very useful to foreign scholars as well.

हिन्दी पत्रकारिता का यह प्रथम प्रामाणिक इतिहास है। डॉ० रामरतन भटनागर ने 1826 ई० से 1945 ई० तक प्रकाशित मूल पत्र-पत्रिकाओं का अध्ययन कर यह शोध ग्रन्थ प्रस्तुत किया था। अब उनमें से कितनी ही पत्र-पत्रिकाएँ उपलब्ध नहीं हैं। हिन्दी पत्रकारिता का यह इतिहास तत्कालीन राजनीति, सामाजिक, धाॢमक तथा साहित्यिक आन्दोलनों का साक्षी है। पत्र, पत्रिका और पत्रकार सभी ब्रिटिश सत्ता की दमन नीतियों के बीच पत्र निकालते रहे, जमानत देते रहे, जेल जाते रहे, जनमानस की वाणी बनते रहे, जन-जन को संघर्ष का आत्मबल देते रहे। साहित्य, इतिहास, अर्थशास्त्र, समाजशास्त्र, राजनीति के सभी अध्येताओं के लिए महत्त्वपूर्ण।