Swadeshabhimani Ramakrishna Pillai - Journalism

Journalism

Ramakrishna was bitten by the newspaper obsession while studying for F.A. He used to read almost every newspaper published from Travancore, Malabar and Kochi states. He started writing articles in those days, during which he gained friendship and guidance of many literary legands and editors of that period like Kerala Varma Valiya Koil Thampuran, A R Rajaraja Varma, Ulloor S. Parameswara Iyer, Pettayil Raman Pillai Asshan, Oduvil Kunji Krishna Menon, Kandathil Varghese Mappillai etc. Due to his passion and activities on newspapers, he couldn't concentrate on his studies during that period and earned the wrath of his uncle and family. He passed in the F.A. exam in 1898. He was supposed to join for B.Sc. degree from Madras initially, but on the directives of his uncle, he joined for B.A. degree course at University College, Trivandrum.

During that time, Ramakrishna and other newspaper enthusiasts felt the need of a malayalam newspaper from Travancore. Two newspapers Kerala Darpanum and Vanjivibhujhika were started in 1900. His friends and well wishers persuaded him to take up the editorship of Kerala Darpanum newspaper. Due to immense resistance from his uncle Keshava Pillai, Ramakrishna had to leave his house to take up this job. Those days, he struggled to manage his B.A. degree studies, his survival and the editorship of the newspaper. He passed the B.A. (Malayalam ) degree with first rank and also receiving Keralvarmamudhra honorary award for the excellence.

He wrote strongly against the age-old malpractices and ill customs of those days. He believed more in action than the words. He challenged the society by marrying a lower caste woman from the Nair community. He married Srimati Nanikutti Amma, Thoopuveetil, Palkulangara, Thiruvananthapuram in 1901. Shri Prameshvaran Pillai, also a relative of Nanikutti Amma was the owner of Kerala Darappanum newspaper.Later,the swindle of Prameshvaran Pillai led to court cases between them.

In 1901, Kerala Darappanum and Vanjivibhujhika merged to form Keralapanjhika under the ownership of Shri. Marthanada Thampi. Ramakrishna continued to be editor of that newspaper from 1901 to 1903. During this time, he travelled around the state of Travancore to know its people and their problems. In February 1903, he resigned his position from Keralapangika newspaper. He continued to write articles in Nasranideepika and Malayali newspapers. In 1904 he settled with his family at Kollam to work as the editor of Malayali newspaper. During this time, he wrote editorials on the rights and duties of the people of Travancore. He spoke in conferences, mainly in Cherthala and Paravur Taluks those days, against the malpractices and wrong customs during this period, .

In 1904, his wife Nanikutti Amma died. Later he remarried B. Kalyani Amma. It was through many literary discussions and letters, Kalyani Amma and Ramakrishna Pillai become closer to each other and later they decided to enter into wedlock.