Prime Minister of India - Dr. Manmohan Singh

PM Inaugurates centenary celebrations of Kerala Kaumudi Publications

I am very happy to participate in this function being held as part of the centenary year celebrations of Kerala Kaumudi. This is a publication which started as a journal in 1911 and transformed itself into a daily newspaper in 1940. The publication has a history to be proud of. It has had very accomplished men and women associated with it. The founding editor Shri C.V. Kunjuraman was not only a brilliant journalist but also a noted literary personality and a revolutionary thinker. Later Shri M.K. Kumaran edited Kerala Kaumudi for over a decade. Apart from his journalistic and literary pursuits, he was also active in public service, having been twice elected to the Lok Sabha. The Sunday columns of Sahodaran Ayyapan are legendary and he continued writing them till he passed away. Kerala Kaumudi's political correspondent Shri K. Balakrishnan is also a famous figure in the journalistic history of Kerala. He served as a Member of Parliament too. In this centenary year, it is time for all those associated with Kerala Kaumudi to cherish the memory and genius of all these talented men and women who have contributed in building this celebrated newspaper.

Journalists have a very special role to play in the building of our society. They inform and educate public opinion. In some sense, they are the conscience keepers of society - pointing out what is wrong not only with the administration and government but also society at large. If they are true to their professions, journalists can become agents of change - and change for the better.

The qualities that a good journalist should possess are well known. The two which I would like to emphasize here are accuracy and fairness. Accuracy is relatively easy to understand and uphold. However, fairness implies not merely the absence of bias in reporting on events but also a very conscious attempt to present diverse and different views on a situation or an issue. It implies bearing in mind that truth often lies somewhere between extreme positions adopted by interested parties. And today, in an increasingly complex world, journalists must also take pains to be continuously on their toes, to update and educate themselves relentlessly. I am sure all those in Kerala Kaumudi family will bear these essential qualities of good journalism in mind as they build on their glorious tradition to face the challenges of the future.

I am very happy that the Kerala Kaumudi group will start a TV channel also after a few months. This should enable this Group to serve the public better. I hope the channel, like the Kerala Kaumudi newspaper will play an important role in shaping public opinion.

Let me end by wishing the Kerala Kaumudi newspaper and its TV channel all the best in years to come. It is my fond hope that they will serve the public cause even more zealously than before.