The importance of Kalakaumudi daily

Synonymous to the masthead statement, "A newspaper for Keralities living away from home" Kalakaumudi daily truly stands for the spirits of Mumbai Malayalis. Founded in 1990 Kalakaumudi daily is considered the first Malayalam newspaper from Mumbai. However, historically now defunct Mahakeralam which started in the eighties was the first Malayalam daily newspaper from Mumbai.

Kalakaumudi weekly offered special 10-year subscription scheme for readers and the management declared with the fund raised thus will utilize to start a newspaper from Mumbai for Keralites living away from home. As promised they started Kalakaumudi daily newspaper from Mumbai, then it was Bombay. At that time they purchased a beautiful office in the prime location at Nariman Point for Kalakaumudi daily for few lakh rupees, say peanuts to the present market rates. Now the value of this office commands crores of rupees.

Mumbai is considered the home of over 30 million Malayalis who are scattered and mostly live in the suburbs of Thane and Raigad districts. Now year after year the Malayali population is increasing, but the number of Malayalam speaking, reading and writing Malayalis are decreasing. The younger generation youths of Malayali parents are not interested in Malayalam newspapers or Malayalam publications. Nevertheless the first generation Malayalis want to read Malayalam newspapers.

Malayalis across Mumbai and its surrounding suburbs were very happy to have their own Malayalam newspaper. The welcome to Kalakaumudi from tender coconut vendors, hawkers, street merchants, small traders, nurses, office goers were amazing.

They blindly accepted the new newspaper because it was backed and managed by the legendary Keralakaumudi group. Keralakaumudi's founder editor late K.Sukumaran and his dynamic son M.S. Mani, who was the Chief Editor of Keralakaumudi and Kalakaumudi, are the most respected names in all Malayali families particularly in Travancore area.

Kalakaumudi started 21 years ago. I very much remember the day when Kalakaumudi started from Mumbai. The starting was very modest. Almost 13 years Kalakaumudi was the undisputed number one Malayalam newspaper from Mumbai. Seven years ago Mathrubhumi and Malayala Manorama, the two leading Malayalam newspapers in Kerala, entered Mumbai market with satellite editions which brought more competition and made the going of Kalakaumudi very tough.

Kalakaumudi daily has many accolades. It was the first continuously publishing Malayalam daily newspaper from Mumbai with lot of news related to Mumbai Malayalis, Malayali Associations, Samajams, temples, churches. It reported with importance and priority each and every social, cultural and religious activity amongst Malayalis living in and around Mumbai and even faraway places like Vapi, Surat, Ahmedabad, Pune, Nasik and Nagpur.

When Mathrubhumi and Malayala Manorama started Mumbai editions seven years ago, they started to divide Mumbai Malayalis as from Travancore and Malabar regions and thus encouraged classification and disintegration amongst Mumbai Malayalis. However, remarkably since beginning Kalakaumudi always stood out from the crowds with dignity. Till this day Kalakumudi considered its readers as one and always upheld the oneness and constantly encouraged integration.

Columns of the late V.T. Gopalakrishnan, M.G. Radhakrishnan and Cheppad Somanathan and articles of prominent Bombay writers were the attractions of Kalakaumudi Sunday issue. The Kalakaumudi daily Onam special issue was the most sought-after one and on Thiruvonam day people were virtually queuing up in the early morning near newspaper stands and news vendors to get a copy. Reminisce those days now is quite nostalgic. I am sure like me almost all first generation Malayalis will cherish those memories.

When Kalakaumudi daily started Viju V. Nair was the editor. After some years he has been transferred to Kalakaumudi group's head quarters at Thiruvanathapuram. Then Biju became the editorial representative who was succeeded by V.D. Selvaraj. Later the editorial representative post also disappeared.

Kalakaumudi shifted most of its operations to Thiruvanathapuram about four years ago, generating just two Mumbai pages, page two and three, and using the content of its parent newspaper, Keralakaumudi. This arrangement has also been changed slowly. Nowadays the practice is Mumbai matters are typed and being sent to Thiruvanathapuram together with relevant photographs. In turn from Thiruvanathapuram all pages were set and sent out to the press in Mumbai directly.

The most significant factor of Kalakaumudi daily is it gives the soothe feeling that irrespective of geographical regions, caste, creed and religion it is the own publication of Malayalis. How many newspapers in India or even in the world can match this magnificence?