At a time, when the independence of the mainstream media is under question from several quarters, the little magazines -- small periodicals of serious, non commercial literary writing -- are emerging as the flag bearer of independent thoughts, simmering among the common masses.

Going with the flow, Dipak Kumar Sen, a retired mathematics professor, had established the oldest little magazine of Dhanbad Aami Ananya in 1977. The magazine recently organised a competition on stories based on the lockdown, highlighting issues like literacy environment, disparity, national integrity, science, human index, and economics.

Sen on Sunday told The Telegraph Online that they had selected 21 entries out of the 127, and would be sending honorary letters to the winners by the first week of March.

“We have received some magnificent and thought provoking compositions as part of the competition, one of which emotionally portrays the love between humans and animals. We have already started publishing the stories, and three to four award-winning pieces will be published in subsequent editions,” he said.

Sen has also been conducting a little magazine fair in Dhanbad since 2016, to promote them. “In 2016, 56 little magazines from across the country and abroad took part in the fair,” he added.

“The variety and quality of stories points out the fact that the society is full of independent thinkers and writers who need to be promoted,” he said.

“Through their thought provoking articles, little magazines act as agents stirring society out of its inertia,” said Sen.

The retired professor however complained about the lack of financial aid that little magazine publishers face.