Kandathil Varghese Mappillai
{{Short description|Indian journalist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2015}}
Kandathil Varghese Mappillai (1857 {{endash}} 6 July 1904{{Cite web|url=http://www.keraladirectory.net/news/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141208193451/http://www.keraladirectory.net/news/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2014-12-08|title=Kerala News Directory - Kerala Web Directory|date=2014-12-08|access-date=2020-02-15}}) was an Indian journalist, translator and publisher who was the founder of the newspaper Malayala Manorama and the magazine Bhashaposhini.
Early life
Varghese Mappillai was born in 1857 as the fourth son of Moothedathu Eapen Mappillai to a Malankara orthodox church family. He studied up to F.A. with the financial support of his father.{{cite news |title=K.M. Mathew Laid to Rest |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/K.M.-Mathew-laid-to-rest/article16117857.ece |website=The Hindu |date=2 August 2010 |access-date=25 October 2023}}
After completing his studies, Mappillai began working as a treasury officer (Muthalpadikkaran). Later on he took up the job of a ‘munshi’ (Malayalam teacher) in a CMS School for a short period.
He was the editor of Kerala Mithram which was published in 1881 from Kochi. His journalistic mind and love for literature paved way for establishing the Malayala Manorama Company in 1888.{{cite web|url=http://kandathil.org/|title=Kandathil Family History|accessdate=22 April 2018}} On 22 March 1890, (M.E 1065, Meenam 10th) the first issue of Malayala Manorama was published.{{Cite web|url=https://india.mom-rsf.org/en/owners/individual-owners/detail/owner/owner/show/the-mappillai-family/|title=The Mappillai Family|website=india.mom-rsf.org|language=en|access-date=2020-02-05}}
Literary contributions
The Malayalam language and journalism were the soul and spirit of Varghese Mappillai. Under his leadership and vision Malayala Manorama progressed. He utilized the media to nourish and flourish Malayalam language and literature. Kattakayam Cherian Mappillai, Kottarathil Sankunni, K. C. Kesava Pillai and C. S. Subramaniam Potti were his close associates. Varghese Mappillai became an established writer at a very young age. The Malayalam Primer for Children written by Varghese Mappillai was, however, not known to many.
The drama Abrayakutty, an independent Malayalam translation of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, and Keerthanamala were some of the contributions by him to Malayalam literature. Varghese Mappillai formed an association for Malayalam writers called Kavisamajam. He also formed an association called Bhashaposhini which later on became a magazine encouraging literature and language.
Varghese Mappillai also made noteworthy contributions in reforming the Malayalam alphabet.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bookshare.org/browse/book/139946?returnPath=L2Jyb3dzZS9hdXRob3IvQy4lMjBKLiUyMFJveT8%253D|title=Kandathil Varghese Mappillai {{!}} Bookshare|website=www.bookshare.org|access-date=2020-02-05}} He died on 6 July 1904 (M.E. 1079, Mithunam 23), at the young age of 47.
References
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Category:19th-century publishers (people)
Category:Indian publishers (people)
Category:Malayalam-language writers
Category:Journalists from British India