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{{Short description|Indian youth magazine (1967–1977)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2026}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}}
{{Infobox magazine
| title = JS
| founder = Alfred Evan Charlton
| company = [[The Statesman]]
| frequency = Weekly (later fortnightly)
| editor = Desmond Doig
| category = Youth culture
| firstdate = {{Start date|1967|2}}
| finaldate = August 1977
| country = India
| based = [[Kolkata|Calcutta]], [[West Bengal]]
| language = English
}}
'''''JS''''' (originally '''''Junior Statesman''''') was an Indian English-language [[youth magazine]] published from [[Kolkata|Calcutta]] by ''[[The Statesman (India)|The Statesman]]'' from February 1967 until August 1977. Edited by Desmond Doig, it began as a weekly and later became a fortnightly.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-67759073|title=JS: The iconic magazine which 'invented' the Indian teenager|date=December 28, 2023|via=www.bbc.com|access-date=December 31, 2023|archive-date=December 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231231234709/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-67759073|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Bhagat1999">{{cite magazine |last=Bhagat |first=Dubby |date=31 May 1999 |title=The World’s Oldest Teenagers |url=https://www.himalmag.com/cover/the-worlds-oldest-teenagers |magazine=Himal Southasian |access-date=16 April 2026}}</ref>

''JS'' is described as India's first youth magazine and as an influential forum for urban Indian youth culture in the late 1960s and 1970s.<ref name="BS1997">{{cite news |date=4 March 1997 |title=Just In Time |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/specials/just-in-time-197030401004_1.html |work=Business Standard |access-date=16 April 2026}}</ref><ref name="TOI2007">{{cite news |last=Tharoor |first=Shashi |date=4 February 2007 |title=This one's for you, JS |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/shashi-tharoor/shashi-on-sunday/This-ones-for-you-JS/articleshow/1568437.cms |work=The Times of India |access-date=16 April 2026}}</ref> It covered [[music]], [[fashion]], [[film]], [[campus|campus life]], and [[youth culture]].<ref name="Bhagat1999" /><ref name="AJ2021">{{cite news |last=Doulatramani |first=Chandni |date=9 December 2021 |title=The rise and fall of JS, India's 70s cult youth magazine |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2021/12/9/the-rise-and-fall-of-js-indias-70s-cult-youth-magazine |work=Al Jazeera |archive-date=2023-12-31 |access-date=16 April 2026|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231231232206/https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2021/12/9/the-rise-and-fall-of-js-indias-70s-cult-youth-magazine|url-status=live}}</ref>

==History==
The magazine originated as a project of Alfred Evan Charlton, the last British editor of ''[[The Statesman (India)|The Statesman]]'', who wanted a publication that would attract younger readers to the newspaper.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestatesman.com/features/nostalgic-homage-beautifully-executed-1503054520.html|title=Nostalgic homage, beautifully executed|first=Statesman News|last=Service|website=[[The Statesman (India)|The Statesman]] |date=March 24, 2022|access-date=December 31, 2023|archive-date=December 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231231234755/https://www.thestatesman.com/features/nostalgic-homage-beautifully-executed-1503054520.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Before leaving India in late 1966, Charlton recruited Doig, then an assistant editor at ''The Statesman'', to lead the new magazine.<ref name="Bhagat1999" /><ref name="AJ2021" />

In February 1967, the first issue of the magazine was published with [[the Beatles]] on its cover.<ref name="AJ2021" /> At that time, it was aimed at readers aged about 10 to 12, in keeping with Charlton's original brief. Within about six months, however, Doig had redirected the magazine toward older readers and the publication evolved from ''Junior Statesman'' into the magazine remembered simply as ''JS''.<ref name="Bhagat1999" />

In 1997, its circulation peaked at 40,000 copies.<ref name="BS1997" /><ref name="Bhagat1999" /> Although it was originally launched as a weekly, but by 1976, due to printing delays, it was forced to become a fortnightly magazine.<ref name="Bhagat1999" /> The magazine closed in August 1977.<ref name="BS1997" />

In 2016, bound volumes of the magazine were rediscovered in the former [[Mumbai]] office of ''The Statesman'' and scanned, which helped to preserve a partial archive of issues from 1970 to 1977.<ref name="AJ2021" />

==Content==
''JS'' used the strapline "For people who think young".<ref name="BS1997" /> Its editorial mix combined music, fashion, lifestyle and youth-issues reporting with comics, posters, short fiction, crosswords, horoscopes and sports coverage.<ref name="AJ2021" /><ref name="BS1997" /><ref name="TOI2007" /> It was an early Indian example of youth-oriented "infotainment", and it cultivated an interactive relationship with readers through campus correspondents, reader participation, and advertising specific to its audience.<ref name="BS1997" />

Among its recurring features were Dubby Bhagat's music column ''Disc-Cussion'', Jug Suraiya's ''Rear Window'', and ''Kookie Kol'', a witty reader-oriented feature associated with the sisters Papiya and Tuk Tuk Ghosh.<ref name="AJ2021" /><ref name="Bhagat1999" /> The magazine was also known for its pop-art graphics, illustrated layouts and fold-out posters.<ref name="TOI2007" />

==Writers==
* [[Dubby Bhagat]]<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/jugglebandhi/js-remembered-a-magazine-which-stopped-publication-almost-50-years-ago-lives-on-in-many-memories/|title=JS remembered: A magazine which stopped publication almost 50 years ago lives on in many memories|first=Jug|last=Suraiya|work=The Times of India |via=The Economic Times – The Times of India|access-date=2023-12-31|archive-date=2023-12-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231231233221/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/jugglebandhi/js-remembered-a-magazine-which-stopped-publication-almost-50-years-ago-lives-on-in-many-memories/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Desmond Doig]], Anglo-Irish journalist<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Suraiya |first1=Jug |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/jugglebandhi/when-i-got-my-first-job/ |title=When I got my first job |website=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=2024-01-01 |archive-date=2024-01-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240101000943/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/jugglebandhi/when-i-got-my-first-job/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Jug Suraiya]], former associate editor of the ''[[Times of India]]''<ref name="auto"/>
* [[M. J. Akbar]], Indian politician<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web|url=https://english.mathrubhumi.com/columns/i-mean-what-i-say/recalling-js-shashi-tharoor-junior-statesman-magazine-1.7383995|title=Recalling JS|date=March 28, 2022|website=English.Mathrubhumi|access-date=December 31, 2023|archive-date=December 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231231233941/https://english.mathrubhumi.com/columns/i-mean-what-i-say/recalling-js-shashi-tharoor-junior-statesman-magazine-1.7383995|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Shashi Tharoor]], Indian politician<ref name="auto1"/>
* [[Anurag Mathur]], Indian journalist<ref name="auto1"/>
* Bhaskar "Papa" Menon, writer of Bounder column<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.himalmag.com/calcutta-days/|title=Calcutta days|date=May 31, 1999|website=Himal Southasian|access-date=December 31, 2023|archive-date=December 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231231234227/https://www.himalmag.com/calcutta-days/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/shashi-tharoor/shashi-on-sunday/this-ones-for-you-js/articleshow/1568437.cms|title=This one's for you, JS|work=The Times of India |date=February 4, 2007|via=The Economic Times – The Times of India|access-date=December 31, 2023|archive-date=December 31, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231231234226/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/shashi-tharoor/shashi-on-sunday/this-ones-for-you-js/articleshow/1568437.cms|url-status=live}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

[[Category:Magazines established in 1967]]
[[Category:Magazines disestablished in 1977]]
[[Category:Defunct magazines published in India]]
[[Category:Defunct teen magazines]]
[[Category:English-language magazines published in India]]
[[Category:Youth magazines published in India]]

JS (magazine) - Revision history

ViolaCnr7137989: created initial stub and citations