Professor P.K. Ravindranath: The veteran journalist-writer-editor-teacher gone to glory

Professor P.K. Ravindranath

Veteran journalist, writer, editor, columnist, teacher and activist Professor P.K. Ravindranath died on Monday, 18^th February, 2013 at his residence in Kala Nagar, Bandra East, 44, Patrakar Colony, Mumbai, at 5:00 pm.  He was 86 and is survived by his wife Tara and three children Jayesh, Anuja and Naresh.

Prof. Ravindranath fell off his bed the previous night and thereafter he was unconscious. He was suffering from throat cancer since last few months and was fed liquid food through tube. Therefore, medical experts advised not to shift him to hospital immediately and kept under observation. The end came the following day suddenly in the evening. I was at his bedside when he breathed his last.

His relatives, former colleagues, friends, disciples, well-wishers, students, writers, journalists, editors, publishers, bureaucrats and people from all walks of life paid tributes to Prof. P.K. Ravindranath on Monday evening and the following day between 12.00 pm and 2.00 pm.  There was no cremation and traditional last rites function. As per his will, his eyes were donated to the Eye Bank, skin to Skin Bank and body to J.J. Medical College, Mumbai.

In his condolence message Governor of Maharashtra K. Sankaranarayanan said, “He was one of the finest and well-read persons I met after coming to Maharashtra.  His knowledge of affairs of the state and of the nation was amazing.  A meeting with him was always an enriching experience.  Ravindranathji distinctly seemed to me like a modern-day sage.  At the personal level, he was a gem of a person, full of energy and zest for life.”

Professor P.K. Ravindranath is a familiar name both in English and regional press in India. Since last six decades he was silently continuing his work with passion and dedication. This veteran of Indian media has several accolades to his credit. To name a few they start from correspondent, sub-editor, film editor of Free Press Journal, freelance writer, bureau chief, political analyst, organizer, activist, columnist, writer and translator. He was Press Advisor to former Maharashtra Chief Minister Shard Pawar, Director of Nehru Centre, editor, consulting editor and teacher of journalism.

Professor P.K. Ravindranath was epitome of simplicity, dignity, experience, knowledge, authenticity and truth. It is difficult to find any other person in Indian media of his stature with wide experience of life. His persona is unique and he is really a role model of ethics and purity.

His journalistic career started in The Free Press Journalas a sub-editor and continued through The Times of India, the National Herald, the Mathrubhumi and other newspapers and periodicals in various positions.

Circumstances made him a leader, organizer and activist.  During his college days in Samuthiri College at Calicut (now Kozhikode), he took active part in students union activities and become the secretary of students union. Noted writer late N.P. Muhammad was the president of the students’ union. Later, during his short stint in Kuwait Oil Company he organized employees against the haughty attitude of the British and American bosses of the KOC.  They called a strike, and the entire operations of the mighty company came to a standstill for five days. These leadership and organization capacity helped him to hold the posts of Chairman of the Bombay Union of Journalists and the Treasurer of the Indian Federation of Working Journalists.

From 1978 to 1986, Ravindranath ran a very popular column in Mathrbhumi-“Maharashtra Kathu” (Maharashtra newsletter, which caught the attention of the entire political leadership of Kerala.

In 1984 he had written “Chandrashekhar: A Political Biography”. He also wrote “Sardar Patel in a New Perspective”. “A Slice of Life” and a coffee table book “Iyer Weddings”. “Sharad Pawar – The Making of Modern Maratha” is a biography of former Maharashtra Chief Minister and current agricultural minister in central ministry. Since 2000 when the Mumbai University introduced the BMM (Bachelor of Mass Media course), he was invited to conduct classes in various colleges. In the last decade has turned out over 400 journalists, who now adorn good positions in the print and electronic media. He has also published many books on journalism, which include “Indian Regional Journalism”, “Contemporary Issues”, “Press Laws and Ethics of Journalism”, “The Art of Editing”, “Broadcast Journalism”, “News Media Management”.  Further he published books like “A Citizen’s Manual on How to Survive Riots”, “National Police Commission – Its Relevance Today”, Sustainable Development and Future Papers”,  “Laws and Practices Related to Banking (With A.D. Salvi and K.D. Zakharias)”, and Master of News Room K. Shivaram – The Man and the Journalist”.

Prof. P.K. Ravindranath translated three novels from Malayalam into English. He has translated for Kendra Sahitya Akademi Keshavadev’s famous novel ‘Ayalkar’ as The Neighbours. He also translated Jnanpith Award winner M.T. Vasudevan Nair’s ‘Randaamoozham’ as The Second Turn, which was published by Macmillan. Another novel translated is ‘Arabi Ponnu’ as Arab Gold, written jointly by N.P. Muhammed and M.T. VasudevanNair published by Rupa.

Since the start of Kerala in Mumbai in 2010, Prof. P.K. Ravindranath was its consulting editor. The Publisher and Managing Editor of Kerala in Mumbai P.V. Vijay Kumar will shortly publish Prof. P.K. Ravindranath’s latest book “In the Labyrinths of Indian Journalism”.

As his trademark white shirt-white pants attire resembles the purity of his outer personality, his calm and quiet face with a serene smile wrapped with ‘I know it’ mark presents his cool temperament. Like the purity signature he carries with his clothing, his face reveals his inner beauty.

This unique persona will attain eternal glory in the annals of Indian literature, journalism, translation, editorship and social work and remembered for generations.

Maharashtra Governor K. Sankaranarayanan’s wreath placing by Governor’s PRO Mr. Umesh Kashikar on Tuesday. Next to him Kerala in Mumbai Managing Editor P.V. Vijaykumar. Also seen in the picture are noted drama actor and writer Viswanathan Palloor and Novelist Girijavallabhan waiting for their turn to pay tribute.