KM Mathew, chief editor of Malayala Manorama daily and doyen of the Indian media industry, passed away at his residence in Kottayam on Sunday morning.
KM Mathew, chief editor of Malayala Manorama daily and doyen of the Indian media industry, passed away at his residence here this morning, family sources said.
Mathew, 93, was a former chairman of the Press Trust of India.
He is survived by three sons, Mammen Mathew, Philip Mathew, and Jacob Mathew, and a daughter.
Mathew's wife died a few years ago.
The media baron's funeral will take place at Puthenpally church cemetery here tomorrow.
Mathew played a key role in making Malayala Manorama one of the major Indian-language dailies after he took over the reins of the media house a few decades ago.
Kerala's chief minister VS Achuthanandan, leaders of all political parties, and people from different walks of life expressed profound grief at the passing of Mathew.
Born on January 2, 1917, Mathew joined the organisation as managing editor in 1954 and became chief editor in 1973.
Mathew launched many publications such as the women's magazine Vanitha in Malayalam and English, 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 the encyclopaedic Manorama Year Book in Malayalam, English, Hindi
Tamil, and Bengali.
In 1988, Mathew received the Padma Bhushan. He has received many other awards, including the Foundation of Freedom of Information Award (1991), National Citizen's Award (1992), Ramakrishna Jay Dayal Award (1995), Durga Prasad Chaudhary Award (1996), BD Goenka Award (1996), and Kerala Press Academy Award.
Mathew served as chairman of the Press Trust of India, president of the Indian Newspaper Society, chairman of the Audit Bureau of Circulation, vice-president of the Indian Language Newspaper Association, and founder trustee and chairman of the 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.
Mathew's wife Annamma (1922-2003) was a culinary expert and chief editor of Vanitha, who wrote under the name Mrs KM Mathew.
Mathew's book of memoirs, Annamma, was published by Penguin in Malayalam (2004) and in English (2005). His autobiography, Ettamathe Mothiram, was published in 2008.
Mathew also revived the elite literary magazine Bhashaposhini. Manorama Weekly became the largest selling weekly in the country under his guidance.
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