KM Mathew visionary leader of Indian media: Maharashtra governor

Maharashtra governor K Sankaranarayanan has expressed deep sense of grief and bereavement on the demise of the chief editor of Malayala Manorama, KM Mathew.

In a message to Jacob Mathew, Sankaranarayanan said he was at a loss to describe the life and work of the late Mathew.

"KM Mathew was a visionary leader of the Indian media who took Malayala Manorama to dizzying heights in terms of circulation, readership and popularity. It would not be an exaggeration to say that he created benchmarks for language press in India and brought journalism closer to masses," he said.

A staunch nationalist, Mathew stood for development and through the medium of newspaper worked for a stable democracy. He had genuine concern for the common man and helped people from all walks of life, the governor said.

"The picture of village people sitting across a road side corner in the morning, reading newspaper and debating over issues of topical interests is not uncommon in Kerala. It was Mathew who inculcated the habit of newspaper reading among ordinary people and impressed upon them the power of debate in a democracy. If Malayala Manorama has become a folklore name, the major credit goes to its main protagonist Mathew," he said.

"Mathew maintained friendship with all people, cutting across the political spectrum. His death is therefore a personal loss for me. I offer my deepest condolences on the demise of this doyen of Indian media and convey them to the members of the bereaved family," he said.