Kerala Pathrika


Kerala Pathrika was the first and earliest Malayalam language newspaper published from Kozhikode, Kerala, India during 1885. Chengalathu Kunhirama Menon was the founder and chief editor of the paper.

History

Kunhirama Menon started the newspaper for the supporting the National movement. Financial help to start a newspaper was provided by two important persons of Malabar, Appu Nedungadi and Kannambra Valiya Unni Nair. Kunhirama Menon also attended the 1890 editors’ conference in England with S. Kasturi Ranga Iyengar of The Hindu. The editor placed emphasis on promoting nationalistic feelings and to oppose the autocratic functioning of the government. Menon was highly impressed with the working of Amrita Bazar Patrika from Calcutta newspaper, it is said this was the first congress newspaper in Malayalam. After a short interruption in 1930 the paper resumed publication in 1938. Later this newspaper continued publication from Cochin in 1947 for sometime. Sanjayan, the noted satirist, was the editor of the newspaper for a short period from 1935.