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University of Calicut,
Edapally - Panvel Hwy, Thenhipalam,
Kerala 673635, India
Chengalathu Kunjirama Menon (1857–1935) also called Chengalathu Valiya Kunjirama Menon was a writer and journalist from Malabar. He is called the father of modern Malayalam journalism as he was the founder of the earliest Malayalam newspaper, “Kerala Pathrika,” published in Kozhikode in 1885.
Kunjirama Menon was born into the renowned Chenkalath family in Malabar. He was born in August 1857 to Mullasserry Karunakara Menon, the supervisor of Kottackal Kizhakke Kovilakam, and Chenkalath Narayani Amma.
After passing the F.A. examination, he joined Basel Mission High School in Calicut. Further, he completed his B.A. at Madras Presidency College. He was first among those who completed B.A. from Malabar.
Chenkalath Valiya Kunnhirama Menon started the Kerala Pathrika from Calicut in 1884.
Kunjirama Menon, while appointed as a teacher at Calicut Basel German Mission High School and Zamorin’s School, became aware of the cultural backwardness of his students’ parents. This realization, coupled with his involvement in the national movement, inspired him to establish Kerala Pathrika. Menon was also a teacher at Kerala Vidyasala, now known as Zamorin’s Guruvayurappan College, and attended a conference of the Indian National Association in Calcutta in 1884. The conference included editors of the Bengali newspaper, ‘Amrita Bazaar Patrika,’ which further motivated Menon to create a similar publication in Malayalam. Thus, Kerala Pathrika was born.
Chenkalath Kunhirama Menon, who served as a member of the Calicut Municipal Council and Assistant Master at Zamorin’s College took on the role of editor for the journal. The publication was printed at the Vidyavilasini Press founded by Kalahastiyappa Muthaliyar, a former Munsif of Calicut.
The emergence of Kerala Patrika was prompted by Kunhirama Menon’s interest in the national movement. The strengthening of the Congress Movement and a campaign against corruption were the other two main goals of the journal.
Kunhirama Menon’s commitment to social reform and his desire to hold officials accountable caught the attention of Travancore Maharaja Vishakham Thirunal, who subscribed to 200 copies of Kerala Pathrika to distribute among government officials. Menon’s dedicated journalistic efforts also gained him recognition beyond Malabar, leading to his invitation as a delegate to the world conference of editors in London in 1895.
Kunhirama Menon died in 1935.
