Name Chengalathu Menon | Died 1935 | |
Chengalath Kunhirama Menon (1857–1935) is the founder/editor of Kerala Pathrika—first and earliest Malayalam newspaper published from Kozhikode,calicut Kerala during 1885.
Kunhirama Menon is one of the first five Graduates of erstwhile Malabar, completed his Bachelors from the Maharajah's College Trivandrum, Kerala. He represented erstwhile Malabar and attended the first Indian National Congress in 1885. Also met Bipin Pal who suggested Kunhirama Menon to start a newspaper from Kerala supporting the National movement. Financial help to start a Newspaper was provided by two important persons of Malabar, Mr.Appu Nedungadi and Mr. Kannambra Valiya Unni Nair. Kunhirama Menon also attended the 1890 editors’ conference in England with Kasturiranga Iyengar of ‘The Hindu’.The editor layed emphasis on promoting nationalistic feelings and to oppose the autoocratic functioning of the government.Kunhirama was highly imprressed with the working of Amrita Bazar Pathrika of culcutta newspaper It is said this was the first congress newspaper in malayalam. Kerala pathrika was published for a longtime.after a short Interuption in 1930 the paper resumed publication in 1938.Later this newspaper continued publication from cochin in 1947 for sometime.
Kunhirama Menon was conferred the title of Rao Sahib by the then Gov.General of India as a personal distinction.