Deepika

The dawn of April 15, 1887 witnessed a rare moment in the history of publishing in Kerala when Deepika, (Nazrani Deepika- as it was initially named) India's first Malayalam Newspaper was first published. A marvel at that time, it was the realization and fulfillment of a long-cherished dream of many, which its Founder Editor Fr. Emmanuel Nidhiry (Nidhirikal Mani Kathanar), a renowned priest and perceptive, creative thinker of those times, initiated and shaped. The newspaper was initially printed on a crude, hand-made wooden press built by the legendary and far-sighted visionary Carmelite monk, Fr. Kuriakose Elias Chavara (now Saint Chavara) at Mannanam; a remote hamlet near the town of Kottayam in Central Kerala over a quarter century before then. This event further marked the epoch-making but humble dawn of organized, elite, free press journalism in Kerala. The Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI) congregation managed the newspaper till 1989, when it was converted into a Limited Company with public participation named Rashtra Deepika Ltd.; with a view to giving it fresh impetus, added professionalism and new ethos. The newspaper's founders had high and noble ambitions for this unique project that served as a major milestone in the evolution and advancement of literacy in Kerala. Under the dynamic leadership of Fr. Emmanuel Nidhiri, (a versatile genius and renowned philosopher of those times) and his team of thinkers, Nazrani Deepika marched unflinchingly over the years into the 20th Century, growing in stature and spreading its wings further. The printing frequency gradually increased from weekly to twice a week and later thrice a week. Correspondents and contributors were from virtually all segments of society.