"Malayala Manorama" the largest circulated daily in our country celebrates its centennial year on March 23, 1988. Malayala Manorama was started as a weekly from Kottayam, a town in Travancore, then a princely state, by Kandathil Verghese Mappillai in 1888. In 1901, it became a bi-weekly and in 1918 a tri-weekly. Finally on January 16, 1928 Manorama became a daily.
Manorama's emblem is a royal gift by Sree Moolam Tirunal, the then Maharaja of Travancore. Manorama is the first joint stock company in Kerala.
After the demise of Kandathil Verghese Mappillai in 1904, his nephew K.C. Mammen Mappillai became Chief Editor. He was a pioneer in many fields. Under his guidance and active leadership Manorama played a vital role in the Civil Rights agitation, the movement against untouchability and formation of the State Congress. For its active role in the Independence struggle, the Manorama office was seized and sealed by the then Dewan of Travancore, Sir C.P. Ramaswamy lyer.
Mammen Mappillai and his son K.M. Eapen were arrested and jailed. Manorama remained sealed from 1938 to 1947. After India's independence Manorama revived on 6th November, 1947 with K.C. Mammen Mappillai as Chief Editor, which office his son K.M. Cherian took over from him on his demise in 1954. The history of Manorama is synonymous with the political, social and cultural history of erstwhile Travancore -Cochin and Malabar because of its active role in various fields. Manorama is now published from Kottayam, Calicut, Cochin and Trivandrum under the Chief Editorship of K.M. Mathew. The Trivandrum unit uses the latest technology like facsimile transmission.
In addition to the daily, Manorama publishes a weekly with a circulation of over 8 lakhs copies per week and an English weekly The Week' and several other publications like 'Bhashaposhini', Onam Special, Manorama Year Book etc. Manorama completes 100 years as an active witness to history in 1988.
Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India
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