* Here is an interesting story, which appeared in the Wall Street Journal Today: CHENNAI, India -- After his father died in April, Syed Arifullah took the reins of a newspaper that stands out even in India's increasingly crowded media market. The Musalman, the oldest Urdu-language daily paper in India, has been handwritten by Urdu calligraphers since it was founded by Mr. Arifullah's grandfather 81 years ago. "That is the advantage of this paper," said Mr. Arifullah, 30 years old. "This is easier to read, and the lettering is more graceful." India's Handwritten Daily View <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122152136886139367.html#articleTabs_slidesh ow-SLIDESHOW08-SB121796351390414213> Slideshow <http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122152136886139367.html#articleTabs_slidesh ow-SLIDESHOW08-SB121796351390414213> [SB121796351390414213] The Musalman has retained its old-school look despite the availability of Urdu computer fonts and an onslaught of new media in India. The country's economic boom has spawned hundreds of television channels and dozens of newspapers and magazines. The handwritten stories are the Musalman's biggest selling point. The paper has about 23,000 subscribers, most in this southern city, who pay less than $10 a year. The calligraphers, known as katibs, who transcribe its headlines and articles use the swooping horizontal strokes of Nastaliq, one of the most fluid styles of Islamic calligraphy. Urdu, a mix of Arabic, Persian and local Indian languages, was the language of the Mughal royal courts and is still spoken by more than 50 million people in India. Parvez Ali, a truck driver, has subscribed to the Musalman for 15 years. The 32-year-old resident of Chennai said the calligraphy appeals to him, and he wants to support a paper available in his language. "It is unique," he said. "We get a personal touch when the newspaper is written by hand." The paper endeavors to cover a wide range of topics in its four pages, with international to local news, editorials and a special Urdu poetry section every Friday. The paper has about 10 part-time reporters who write in English and fax their stories to Mr. Arifullah every morning. It takes as long as 30 minutes to translate the stories to Urdu. Then they are handed to the three katibs, who dip their reed quills into capfuls of ink and start writing. Three hours later, they are done. Negatives are made from the handwritten pages and pressed onto printing plates. "I like it a lot," said Rehaman Hussein, the 51-year-old calligrapher responsible for the first two pages. "But there is no money in it." He started at the paper as an apprentice 25 years ago. Today he earns less than $2 a day. Mr. Arifullah's father edited the paper 40 years, up to his death. Putting Mr. Arifullah in charge was a decision taken by his mother and two older brothers. "Because I am the youngest one, they decided," he said. "If they say you run the business, I have to run the business." The paper struggles to turn a profit, but Mr. Arifullah said that it is a family heirloom and that he won't shut it down "at any cost." Since taking over, Mr. Arifullah has focused on improving the paper without taking away from its old-world charm. He had a computer and printer installed in his office in June so advertisers could email ads. Most of the advertising comes from local jewelry and clothing stores. "I have to fight to get advertisements," he said. "Most companies these days have a budget for English and the local language. In Chennai's case, that is Tamil. That means fewer advertisers will advertise in an Urdu newspaper." While the paper's operations are tiny, the Musalman has had its moment in the national spotlight. Mr. Arifullah said his father was fond of telling a story about how the Musalman once came to symbolize a more modern India. At a press conference given by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the reporter for the Hindu, a national daily, was Muslim, while the reporter for the Musalman was Hindu. Mrs. Gandhi noticed and announced to the gathering that this is what she meant by national integration.