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{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific-prefix = [[Diwan Bahadur]]
| name = Cozhissery Karunakara Menon
| honorific-suffix =
| image =
| caption =
| imagesize = 200px
| birth_date = 1863
| birth_place = [[Parappanangadi]], Malabar district, [[Madras Presidency]]
| death_date = 1922
| death_place = [[Parappanangadi]], Kerala
| nationality = Indian
| party = Independent
| alma_mater = Madras University
| occupation = Journalist,Politician
| spouse = C. Parukutty Amma
}}

[[Diwan Bahadur]] '''Cozhisseri Karunakara Menon''' (1863–1922) was an Indian journalist and politician from the erstwhile [[Madras Presidency]]. He was the second editor of [[The Hindu]] after [[G. Subramania Iyer]] and the founder of the ''Indian Patriot''.

Karunakara Menon was born at Parappanangadi, Malabar district (Cozhisseri Tharavadu, Neduva) and had his higher education in Madras. He served as a sub-editor of ''The Hindu'' till 1898 and as editor from 1898 to 1905. In 1905, he started the ''Indian Patriot'' which was closed in 1924. He was a prominent public man and took part in the political events of his time.

Menon died in 1922 in his residence 'Cozhisseri' at Parappanangadi, Kerala State due to complications following a stroke. He was highly regarded by V. Krishnaswamy Iyer, Veeraraghavachariar, [[G. Subramania Iyer]] and [[Governor of Madras]], [[Arthur Lawley, 6th Baron Wenlock|Sir Arthur Lawley]].

== Early life ==

Karunakara Menon was born in a [[Nair]] family (Cozhisseri Tharavadu) of [[Parappanangadi]], Malabar district, [[Madras Presidency]].{{citation needed|date=September 2011}} He graduated in law from the [[University of Madras]]{{citation needed|date=September 2011}} and joined [[The Hindu]] as a sub-editor.<ref name="madrasleadersp88">[[#Some Madras Leaders|Some Madras Leaders]], Pg 88</ref>

On graduation, he plunged into public life in 1890 when he opposed the Malabar Marriage Bill of [[T. Muthuswamy Iyer]].<ref name="madrasleadersp88" /><ref name="madrasleadersp87">[[#Some Madras Leaders|Some Madras Leaders]], Pg 87</ref><ref name="malabarmarriagebill">[[#Observations on the Malabar Marriage Bill|A short essay by Karunakara Menon on the Malabar Marriage Bill]]</ref> Menon's opposition to the bill impressed Muthuswamy Iyer to such an extent that a close friendship developed between the two.<ref name="madrasleadersp88" /> During this time, Menon also developed friendship with [[T. Madhava Rao]].<ref name="madrasleadersp88" />

== Rise to prominence ==

When [[G. Subramania Iyer]], the editor of ''The Hindu'', travelled to the United Kingdom to give evidence before the [[Welby Commission]], Menon managed the newspaper in his absence<ref name="madrasleadersp88" /> with the assistance of Mr. Natarajan, who later became the editor of the ''Indian Social Reform''.<ref name="madrasleadersp89">[[#Some Madras Leaders|Some Madras Leaders]], Pg 89</ref>

When [[M. Veeraraghavachariar|Veeraraghavachariar]] took over The Hindu in October 1898, he appointed Karunakara Menon as the editor.<ref name="thehindu">{{cite news|title=Willing to strike and not reluctant to wound|work=[[The Hindu]]|url=http://www.hindu.com/th125/stories/2003091300770200.htm|date=13 September 2003|first=S.|last=Muthiah|author-link=S. Muthiah}}</ref> Menon edited The Hindu till 1905 when he founded ''The Indian Patriot''.<ref name="madrasleadersp89" /><ref name="talesofmadras">{{cite book|title=Tales of Old and New Madras: The Dalliance of Miss Mansell and 34 Other Stories of 350 Years|pages=53|publisher=Affiliated East-West Press|year=1989|first=S.|last=Muthiah|isbn=8185336253|author-link=S. Muthiah|id=}}</ref>

In 1903, Veeraraghavachariar said of Karunakara Menon:

{{quotation|I have every reason to be proud that he has maintained the prestige of the paper unimpaired, coming as he did after Mr. G. Subramania Aiyer<ref name="thehindu" />}}

== Editorship of ''The Indian Patriot'' ==

The Indian Patriot toed a difficult path. It was one of the few newspapers of the time which openly supported the [[Indian National Congress]].<ref name="madrasleadersp90">[[#Some Madras Leaders|Some Madras Leaders]], Pg 90</ref> It strongly opposed the perpetuators of the [[Alipore bomb case]] and claimed to stand on the side of law and order.<ref name="madrasleadersp89" />

The British responded by honouring Karunakara Menon with a "Diwan Bahadur" for his assistance .<ref name="madrasleadersp90" />

Menon antagonised both the [[extremists]] as well as the British establishment and devoid of support, he was forced to sell his newspaper to meet expenses.<ref name="talesofmadras" /><ref name="madrasleadersp91">[[#Some Madras Leaders|Some Madras Leaders]], Pg 91</ref>

== Death ==

Menon died in 1922 at his residence Cozhissery House in Parappanangadi due to complications of stroke.<ref name="encyclopedia">{{cite book|title=Encyclopaedia of Political Parties|pages=61|first=O. P.|last=Ralhan|publisher=Anmol Publications PVT. LTD.|isbn=8174888659|id=}}</ref>

== As a statesman ==

[[V. Krishnaswamy Iyer]] had a very high opinion of Menon's abilities. He felt that Menon was a statesman of good calibre and that he was wasting his time in the journalism profession. He is believed to have remarked once:

{{quotation|You are a statesman. You cannot run a newspaper without sensationalism nowadays. You must go elsewhere.<ref name="madrasleadersp91" />}}

Krishnaswamy Iyer's views were supported by the fact that the then Governor of Madras, [[Arthur Lawley, 6th Baron Wenlock|Arthur Lawley]] consulted Menon regularly.<ref name="madrasleadersp91" /> It is believed that Menon had enough statesmanship ability to serve as a [[Diwan of Travancore]] or Chief Minister of Madras.<ref name="madrasleadersp91" /><ref name="madrasleadersp93">[[#Some Madras Leaders|Some Madras Leaders]], Pg 93</ref>

== Ideology ==

Menon supported the [[Home Rule Movement]] in [[Madras Presidency]].<ref name="madrasleadersp93" /> Even while he opposed the political ambitions of the non-Brahmin movement he still supported their social reform activities.<ref name="madrasleadersp90" />

== Notes ==

{{Reflist|2}}

== References ==
* {{cite book | title=Some Madras Leaders| year=1922 |url=https://archive.org/details/somemadrasleader00allauoft |access-date=30 September 2011|ref=Some Madras Leaders}}

== Works ==

* {{cite book|title=Observations on the Malabar Marriage Bill|year=1890|publisher=National Press|last=Menon|first=C. Karunakara|ref=Observations on the Malabar Marriage Bill}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Menon, C. Karunakara}}
[[Category:1922 deaths]]
[[Category:People of British India]]
[[Category:19th-century Indian journalists]]
[[Category:Malayali politicians]]
[[Category:1863 births]]
[[Category:Dewan Bahadurs]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian journalists]]
[[Category:Malayalam-language journalists]]
[[Category:Indian male journalists]]
[[Category:Journalists from Kerala]]
[[Category:People from Malappuram district]]

C. Karunakara Menon - Revision history

>Citation bot at 11:35, 6 April 2021