President Pranab Mukherjee receiving the first copy of the English translation of K.M.Mathew's autobiography 'The Eighth Ring' from Mammen Mathew, Chief Editor , Malayala Manorama, in a function at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Fali S Nariman and Prannoy Roy, President , NDTV are also seen. New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday received the first copy of the English translation of 'The Eighth Ring', the autobiography of former Malayala Manorama Chief Editor late K.M. Mathew.
Malayala Manorama Chief Editor Mammen Mathew handed over the first copy of 'The Eighth Ring' to the President at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Many eminent personalities including NDTV president Prannoy Roy attended the function.
The eighth son of K.C. Mammen Mappillai, K.M. Mathew became the Chief Editor of Malayala Manorama in 1973 and led the media house till his demise in 2010. It was under K.M. Mathew's stewardship that Malayala Manorama launched numerous publications including the weekly English magazine, The Week.
Indian President Pranab Mukherjee with Mammen Mathew, Chief Editor, Malayala Manorama, during the function at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday.He was honoured with Padma Bhushan in 1998.
Pranab paid tributes to K.M. Mathew whom he had known personally. "I knew K. M. Mathew since early days of my life which is neither too long nor too short -- in early 1970s," he said.
Chief Editor of Malayala Manorama Mammen Mathew addressing the guests after presenting the first copy of the English translation of K.M. Mathew's autobiography 'The Eighth Ring' to Indian President Pranab Mukherjee in a function at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Highlighting the role Mathew had played in expansion of the Malayala Manorama group which was linked with the freedom struggle, the President said he "never compromised with the right of individuals to speak as per their conviction".
"However, technology will pose a problem. But I do feel that the Indian journalists and editors have the capacity to adjust and will adjust...I am confident that the media will succeed in meeting the challenge posed by the technology. You may like it or not but it is going to be there," he said.
Pranab said the media is best in private hands, and even die-hard socialists will not want it to be under government.
Indian President Pranab Mukherjee speaking to the invitees after receiving the first copy of the English translation of K.M. Mathew's autobiography 'The Eighth Ring' from Mammen Mathew, Chief Editor, Malayala Manorama, in a function at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Mammen Mathew said his father wrote the book "not to trumpet the historic events he had witnessed, but out of a child-like desire to share with everyone the tenderness of his parents and the unshakable faith he had in Malayala Manorama's destiny. But as the narration progressed it became a mellow commentary on Kerala's political undercurrents, which resulted in the shutting down of Malayala Manorama by the Travancore princely government for nine years in 1938."
Renowned lawyer Fali S. Nariman, while paying tributes to K. M. Mathew who was also his personal friend, expressed happiness that there are still people around who read books despite explosion of television and Internet.
He also showered praise on Pranab, saying he "speaks his mind" and is "one of the most forthright and plain-speaking Presidents" that he has seen.
Prannoy Roy described K.M. Mathew as a "towering figure" of journalism, who won the battles he had fought throughout his life. He said K.M. Mathew was "fiercely independent and tech-savvy" and he spearheaded "socially-sensitive and humane journalism".
He said the situation seen during the K. M. Mathew era has "intensified today, regardless of which party is in power. Roy talked about "McCarthyism", the practice of making accusations of subversion or treason without proper regard for evidence.
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