Legends of Journalism

Hermann Gundert (1814-1893)

Hermann Gundert was born in Stuttgart in Germany on 4 February 1814. He became a
missionary, scholar, and linguist. His name found a place in the history of Malayalam
journalism as the one who started the first Malayalam newspaper, Rajyasamacharam in 1847
from Illikkunnu in Thalassery.
Gundert had left Germany at the age of 22 for missionary work in India. He reached Madras
in 1836. Joining Basel Mission, he reached Mangalore. Travelling to various places in
southern India he found a good place to settle down in Illikkunnu near Thalassery. He lived
there for twenty years and during that period made remarkable
contributions to Malayalam journalism and language. Besides Rajyasamacharam he
launched another newspaper Pashchimodayam as an easy way to spread Gospel and for
missionary works. His helper Frederick Muller was the editor of the newspaper.
Gundert compiled a Malayalam grammar book, Malayalabhaasha Vyakaranam (1859), and
contributed to work on Bible translations into Malayalam. Gundert also contributed to the
fields of history, geography and astronomy. He published around thirteen books in
Malayalam including a translation of the Bible, Old Testament from Hebrew and New
Testament from Greek. The archives of information he collected from Tellicherry are kept in
the Tuniberg University, Germany and were collected and compiled by the scholar Dr Skaria
Zacharia as Thalassery Rekhakal.
He returned to Germany in 1859. There he took ten more years to complete the Malayalam-
English dictionery
Though Gundert came to Kerala as a missionary, he is remembered today mainly for his
contributions the language Malayalam. In Thalassery, known earlier as Tellicherry, he has
been honored with a statue.He lived in Calw, Germany where he passed away on April 25,
1893.
Rajyasamacharam
Rajya Samacharam is the first Malayalam journal published in Kerala, started in June 1847.
Hermann Gundert was the editor of the journal and was a religious propagator from German
Basal Evangelical Mission society (BMS). Rajyasamacharam started publishing from
Illikkunnu, in Thalassery, in Kannur District of Kerala, it was published as eight cyclostyled
sheets in demy octavo size produced from a litho press. The pages were without columns or
cross heads and was in simple language, it was distributed free of cost.
It was a religious journal mainly meant for the propagation of Christian faith, it main features
were the spreading of Christianity throughout the world, spiritual and material benefits to
people who practice the Christian faith. It ceased publication in December 1850 and a total of
42 issues were published.
Kandathl Varghese Mappilaii (1857-1904)
In 1857 Varghese Mappillai was born as the fourth son of Karuthalil Eapen Mappillai. With
the financial support of his father, Varghese Mappilai was fortunate to get access to English
education and studied up to F.A. After studies Varghese Mappillai joined as Treasury Officer
(Muthalpadikkaran). Later, he took up a job of ‘Munshi’ (Malayalam teacher) in CMS School
for a short period. He was the editor of ‘Keralamithram’which was published in 1881 from
Cochin. His journalistic mind and love for literature paved way for establishing the Malayala
Manorama Company in 1888. On 22 March 1890 (M.E 1065, Meenam 10th) the first issue of
Malayala Manorama was published.

Literary contributions

The Malayalam language and journalism were the soul and spirit of Varghese Mappillai.
Under his leadership and vision Malayala Manorama progressed. He utilized the media to
nourish and flourish Malayalam language and literature. O M Cherian, Kattakkayathil
Cherian Mappillai, Kottarathil Shankunni, K C Keshava Pillai and C S Subramaniam Potti
were his close associates. Varghese Mappillai became an established writer at his young age.
The Malayalam Primer for Children written by Varghese Mappillai was not known to many.

The drama Abrayakutty, an independent Malayalam translation of William Shakespeare’s

The Taming of the Shrew, and Keerthanamala were some of the contributions by him to
Malayalam literature. Varghese Mappillai formed an association for Malayalam Writers,
Kavisamajam. He also formed an association called Bhashaposhini, and later on it turned into
a magazine encouraging literature and language.

Swadeshabhimani Ramakrishna Pillai (1878-1916)

K.Ramakrishna Pillai was born on 25 May 1878 (ME :1053 Edavam 16)[13] as the youngest
son of Narasimhan Potti and Chakkiamma at Neyyattinkara, Travancore state.[14]
Bharmashree Narasimhan Potti was a poojari in a temple.

Ramakrishna was bitten by the newspaper obsession while studying for F.A. During that
time, Ramakrishna and other newspaper enthusiasts felt the need of a Malayalam newspaper
from Travancore. Two newspapers Kerala Darpan and Vanjivibhujhika were started in 1900.
His friends and well wishers persuaded him to take up the editorship of Kerala Darpan
newspaper. Due to immense resistance from his uncle Keshava Pillai, Ramakrishna had to
leave his house to take up this job. Those days, he struggled to manage his B.A. degree
studies, his survival and the editorship of the newspaper.

He wrote strongly against the age-old malpractices and ill customs of those days. He believed
more in action than the words. He challenged the society by marrying a lower caste woman
from the Nair community. He married Srimati Nanikutti Amma in 1901

In 1901, Kerala Darappanum and Vanjivibhujhika merged to form Kerala panjhika under the
ownership of Shri. Marthanada Thampi. Ramakrishna continued to be editor of that
newspaper from 1901 to 1903. During this time, he travelled around the state of Travancore
to know its people and their problems. In February 1903, he resigned his position from
Keralapangika newspaper. He continued to write articles in Nasranideepika and Malayali
newspapers. In 1904 he settled with his family at Kollam to work as the editor of Malayali
newspaper. During this time, he wrote editorials on the rights and duties of the people of
Travancore. He spoke in conferences, mainly in Cherthala and Paravur Taluks those days,
against the malpractices and wrong customs during this period, .

In 1904, his wife Nanikutti Amma died. Later he remarried B. Kalyani Amma. It was through
many literary discussions and letters, Kalyani Amma and Ramakrishna Pillai become closer
to each other and later they decided to enter wedlock.

SWADESHABHIMANI

Abdul Khader Moulavi, popularly known as Vakkom Moulavi, was the owner of the journal
newspaper named Swadeshabhimani. C P Govinda Pillai was the editor of Swadeshabhimani
before RamaKrishna Pillai took over as the editor in January 1906. Ramakrishna Pillai and
his family had to shift to Vakkom in Chirayinkil Taluk where the newspaper office and the
priniting press were located. The newspaper office was moved to Thiruvanthapuram only in
July 1907 and the family moved to Thiruvanthapuram . Though Vakkom Moulavi was still
the proprietor, Ramakrishna had been given total freedom in the running of the newspaper by
Moulavi. They never had any legal or financial contracts between them. Still, Moulavi
provided all the financial aid to set up the press also in Thiruvananthapuram. Ramakrisha also
started a woman's magazine called Sharadha, a student's magazine Vidhyarthi and another
magazine named Keralan. P. Rajagopalachari, the Diwan of Travancore, was the centre of his
attacks through the newspaper.The newspaper accused the Dewan of gross immorality and
that the corruption had riddled the government of Travancore. But "the most serious thing
against the Swadeshabhimani," wrote the Dewan, "has always been the remarkable
persistency with which it preached the gospel of government by the people, and the
exhortation which it held out to the people of Travancore to unite and demand self-
government.

Swadeshabhimani's pen moved against corruption of the state and injustice in the society.[17]
Soon he irritated the Maharajah Moolam Thirunal himself by criticising the large expenses
incurred by the Royal consort, the Panapillai Amma, through the construction of private
palaces and public celebration of the wedding of the Maharajahs daughter and so on.

On 26 September 1910, Swadeshabhimani newspaper and the printing press was sealed and
confisicated by the British Police and Ramakrishna Pillai was arrested and banished from
Travancore to Thirunelveli. The Kingdom of Travancore itself was a princely state under the
Madras Presidency. His family joined him later and he moved to a rented house in Madras.
He was offered the editorship in several newspapers in Kochi and Malabar but he chose to
stay in Madras. Many of the Indian newspapers, during that time, reacted strongly against the
arrest and banishment of Ramakrishna Pillai and the confiscation of the newspaper. After
Independence of India, the Government of Kerala returned the press to Moulavi' s family in
1957.
Kesari Balakrishna Pillai (1889-1960)

Kesari Balakrishna was a Malayalam writer, art and literary critic, journalist, thinker and
visionary. He known by the name of the newspaper he ran, Kesari. He was also a literary
critic, essayist and translated literary works form French and other languages into Malayalam.
Kesari is the most influential figure in modern Kerala's intellectual life. M. N. Vijayan has
compiled many of Kesari's works with the title Kesariyude Lokangal. He was a mentor to
many writers. The Trivandrum Kesari Memorial Hall is named after him. When the rulers of
Travancore banned his newspaper, he left Trivandrum and the rest of his life was spent at
Paravoor.

Pillai first worked as an editor of Samadarshi and later started his own journal, Prabodhakan,
by collecting funds from within and outside of India. When Prabodhakan was banned, he
founded and published Kesari, an important weekly discussing politics and literature.
Through the columns of Kesari, he fought against the formidable autocracy of the Dewan of
the erstwhile princely state of Travancore. Kesari was also banned by the government
because of its unrelenting criticisms against the misdeeds of Government.

K.P. Kesava Menon (1886-1978)

(Kizhakke Pote Kesava Menon) was a patriot, idealist, journalist and Indian independence
activist. He was born in Tharoor village of Palakkad as the grandson of the Maharajah of
Palghat and as the son of Bhiman Achan. He graduated in Arts from Madras University and
Bar-at-law from Middle Temple. Menon was the founder of Mathrubhumi, a popular daily
newspaper which owned the second place in circulation in Kerala. He was the first Executive
President of the Kerala Sahtiya Academy.

Kesava Menon established the news paper called Mathrubhumi in 1923. ‘Truth, Equality
and Freedom’ was the motto of Mathrubhumi. The first issue of the paper was on 18th
march, 1923. In those days Mathrubhumi was used to publish only on Tuesdays, Thursdays
and Saturdays. From 6th April, 1930 onwards Mathrubhumi became a fulfledged daily
newspaper.

Kesava Menon was its Chief Editor from the beginning till his death, except for a brief
interregnum when he moved out of Kerala and went to practice law in Malaysia and
Singapore where also he actively involved in nationalist movements. He wrote inspiring
articles, editorials and books. His autobiography has been published by Mathrubhumi Books.
He was a recipient of the civilian honour of the Padma Bhushan. He was honored with
Kendra Sahithya Academy Award in 1958 He also recived the highest civilian honour Padma
Bhushan in 1966. Kerala Sahithya Academy honoured Menon in1969 by giving him Kerala
Sahithya Academy Award

C V Kunhiraman (1871-1949)
C V. Kunhiraman was an Indian social reformer, journalist and the founder of Kerala
Kaumudi daily. A follower of Sree Narayana Guru, Kunhiraman was the author of several
books covering the genres of novels, short story, poetry, biographies and essays. He was one
of the leaders involved in the Vaikom Satyagraha of Reformation movement in Kerala which
led to the Temple Entry Proclamation.

Kunhiraman was born on February 6, 1871 at Mayyanad in Kollam district of the south
Indian state of Kerala to Njarakkal Vasudevan, an astrologer and magician, and
Kallumpurathu Kunjichali. After early education at Mayyanad L. M. S. School, he joined the
Government High School, Kollam but had to discontinue studies after 8th standard and
started his career at the Forest department in 1893 as a clerk during which time he resumed
his studies to pass the teachers' examination to become a teacher in 1894 at Vellamanal
School, Mayyanad. He taught at a number of schools at Kollam, Kadakkavoor, Kayikkara
and Paravur before returning to Vellamanal school by which time he had passed the lawyers'
examination and resigned from the school in 1913 to take up the career of a lawyer by
practicing at the Magistrate Court at Paravur. In between, he founded Kerala Kaumudi daily
in 1911 and later, he shifted his base to Kollam, after quitting his career as a lawyer,
resuscitated Kerala Kaumudi daily in 1920 with the assistance of his son, K. Sukumaran. His
early journalistic articles were published in Sujananadini, run by Paravoor Kesavan Asan ,
where he became a sub-editor in due course and wrote poems and articles, mostly on social
affairs.

Kunhiraman was married to Kunjikkavu and the couple had two sons, K. Sukumaran and
K.Damodaran and a daughter, Vasanthi, who was married to C. Kesavan, former chief
minister of Travancore-Cochin. He died on April 10, 1949, at the age of 78.

Kerala Kaumudi

To launch a newspaper of his own was his all time-dream. In 1911, C.V. launched Kerala
Kaumudi as a weekly newspaper. He was the proprietor - editor, printer, publisher and even
the proofreader! Started in 1911, in Mayyanad, it had grown over the years as one of the most
influential dailies in Malayalam with 9 editions from Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam,
Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Kochi, Thrissur, Kozhikode and Kannur.

Kunhiraman was also the editor of Malayalarajyam, Navajeevan, Kathamalika, Yukthivadi,

Navasakthi and Vivekodayam. He had the rare distinction in Malayalam journalism being the
founder of Kerala Kaumudi and founder editor of Malayalarajyam.He had been on the
editorial board of Malayala Rajyam, Navajeevan, Navasakthi, Malayala Manorama,
Bhashaposhini, Kathamalika, Vivekodayam and Yuktivadi.