Ian Melville Stephens was a British journalist who was the editor of the Indian newspaper The Statesman in Kolkata, West Bengal, from 1942 to 1951. He became known for his independent reporting during British rule in India, and in particular for his decision to publish graphic photographs, in August 1943, of the Bengal famine of 1943, which claimed between 1.5 and 3 million lives. The publication of the images, along with Stephens' editorials, helped to bring the famine to an end by persuading the British government to supply adequate relief to the victims.
Ian Stephens, editor of The Statesman, defied British censorship to publish pictures of death and misery (example pictured) on Calcutta's streets, informing the world of the Bengal famine of 1943.
On August 22, in the year 1943, Ian Stephens, editor of The Statesman, defied British censorship to publish pictures of death and misery (example pictured) on Calcutta's streets, informing the world of the Bengal famine of 1943. This event is recorded as a Selected Events event in the history of August 22, a notable event in this corner of history.
Key Facts
- This event took place on August 22, 1943 (AD era).
- It is categorised as a Selected Events event in recorded history.
- Referenced in 4 Wikipedia articles.
- Wikipedia source last updated on 13 May 2026.
On This Date in History
This article draws on content from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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