K. M. Mathew | |
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Cover art of the autobiography by K. M. Mathew |
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Born | January 2, 1917 Alappuzha, Kerala |
Died | August 1, 2010 Kottayam, Kerala |
(aged 93)
Known for | Chief Editor - Malayala Manorama |
Spouse | Annamma Mathew |
K. M. Mathew (January 2, 1917 – August 1, 2010) was a former Editor-in-chief of leading Malayalam daily Malayala Manorama.[1][2][3][4]
He joined the newspaper as Managing Editor in 1954 and went on to become Editor in chief in 1973.
Mathew launched many publications such as the women’s magazine Vanitha in Malayalam and Hindi, the English magazine The Week, the farmer’s magazine Karshakasree, children’s magazines Balarama, Amar Chitra Katha and Kalikudukka in Malayalam and Magic Pot in English and encyclopedic Manorama Yearbook in Malayalam, English, Hindi, Tamil and Bengali.
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In 1998 he received Padma Bhushan. He has received many other awards including Foundation of Freedom of Information Award (1991), National Citizen’s award (1992), Ramakrishna Jay Dayal award (1995), Durga Prasad Chaudhary award (1996) and B D Goenka Award (1996).
On his first death anniversary, India Post issued a commemorative postage stamp [5]. At the Parliament House, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh received an album containing the stamp from Kapil Sibal, Union minister for communications and information technology. The five-rupee stamp had a print run of 3,00,000. The stamp, first day cover and cancellation were designed by Nenu Gupta.
Mathew has served as chairman of Press Trust of India[1], President of the Indian Newspaper Society, Chairman of Audit Bureau of Circulations, Vice-president of Indian Language Newspaper Association, founder trustee and chairman of Press Institute of India as well as the Research Institute for Newspaper Development. He was a member of the Press Council of India, wage boards for working journalists and non-journalists and Central Press Advisory Committee. He was also on the executive committee of the Federation of International Newspaper Publishers and Editors, France.
His wife Annamma Mathew (1922–2003) was a culinary expert and Chief Editor of Vanitha, who wrote under the name Mrs. K.M. Mathew. His book of memoirs, "Annamma"[6], was published by Penguin in Malayalam (2004) and in English (2005).
His autobiography titled "Ettamathe Mothiram" [7][8][9] (The Eighth Ring) was published in 2008.