CatharineJorgens at 21:18, 7 January 2026

2026-01-07T21:18:23Z

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{{Short description|Indian journalist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2015}}
[[File:Varghese Mappillai.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]
'''Kandathil Varghese Mappillai''' (1857 {{endash}} 6 July 1904<ref>{{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}}</ref>) 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 Kandathil Eapen Mappillai to a Malankara orthodox church family. He studied up to F.A. with the financial support of his father.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

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|Malayala Manorama Company]] in 1888.<ref name="family">{{cite web|url=http://kandathil.org/|title=Kandathil Family History|accessdate=22 April 2018}}</ref> On 22 March 1890, (M.E 1065, [[Meenam]] 10th) the first issue of ''Malayala Manorama'' was published.<ref>{{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}}</ref>

==Literary contributions==
The [[Malayalam|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]].<ref>{{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}}</ref> He died on 6 July 1904 (M.E. 1079, Mithunam 23), at the young age of 47.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Varghese Mappillai, Kandathil}}
[[Category:1857 births]]
[[Category:1904 deaths]]
[[Category:19th-century publishers (people)]]
[[Category:Indian publishers (people)]]
[[Category:Malayalam-language writers]]
[[Category:Journalists from British India]]
[[Category:Translators from British India]]
[[Category:19th-century Indian translators]]

Kandathil Varghese Mappillai - Revision history

CatharineJorgens at 21:18, 7 January 2026