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{{short description|Indian journalist and author}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = M. Chalapathi Rau
| birth_name = Manikonda Chalapathi Rau
| birth_date = 1908 or 1910
| birth_place = Visakhapatnam district, [[Madras Presidency]], [[British India]] (present-day [[Andhra Pradesh]], India)
| death_date = 25 March 1983 (aged 73 or 75)
| death_place = [[Delhi]], India
| other_names = M.C., Magnus
| known_for = [[Nehruvian]] thought
| occupation = {{hlist|[[Journalist]]|[[Editor]]|[[Author]]}}
}}
'''Manikonda Chalapathi Rau''' (1908 or 1910 – 25 March 1983) was an Indian journalist and author who served as the [[Editor-in-chief]] of the [[English language|English]] daily ''[[National Herald]]'' from 1946 to 1978.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=mint>{{Cite web |last=Bansal |first=Shuchi |date=2012-11-14 |title=Tracing the journey of the 'National Herald' |url=https://www.livemint.com/Politics/VT35XNMTv1luHOdj72kmuO/Tracing-the-journey-of-National-Herald.html |access-date=2023-05-14 |website=[[Mint (newspaper)|Mint]] |language=en}}</ref> He is regarded as one of the greatest editors in the history of Indian journalism.{{Refn|<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite book |last=S. R. Nath |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2Cw-AAAAMAAJ&dq=Chalapathi+Rau&pg=RA10-PA24 |title=A Tribute to India's Greatest Living Editor—M. Chalapathi Rau |date=25 November 1966 |work=Socialist Congressman |publisher= |volume=6 |pages=24, 43, 44 |language=en |issue=121–144}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{Cite book |last=Ståhlberg |first=Per |url=https://www.academia.edu/33054334 |title=Lucknov Daily: How a Hindi Newspaper Constructs Society |publisher=Stockholm Studies in Social Anthropology |year=2002 |isbn=978-91-7265-542-3 |pages=59}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Pillai |first=Ajith |date=2015-05-29 |title=Death of the Indian editor |url=https://www.himalmag.com/vinod-mehta-and-death-of-the-indian-editor/ |access-date=2023-05-14 |website=[[Himal Southasian]] |language=en-GB}}</ref>|name=prominence}} He worked as an assistant editor of ''[[Hindustan Times]]'' early in his career and his weekly column under the pseudonym 'Magnus' was one of the most widely read in the country.<ref name="DK" /> During the independence struggle he was a part of the underground press movement.<ref name=":4" /> He was also the author of several books on Indian journalism, politics, and personalities.<ref name=":2" /> He was awarded the [[Padma Bhushan]], India's third-highest civilian award in 1968, but refused to accept it.<ref name="Padma Awards">{{cite web |date=2015 |title=Padma Awards |url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015193758/http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |archive-date=15 October 2015 |access-date=21 July 2015 |publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sh6qWN4dcp4C&q=Chalapathi+Rau |title=The Illustrated Weekly of India |date=1972 |publisher=[[The Times Group|Bennett, Coleman & Company, Limited]] |pages=35 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="DK" />

Chalapathi Rau was closely associated with the development of several press institutions in independent India.<ref name=":8" /> He was instrumental in the formation of Indian Federation of Working Journalists (IFWJ) and served as its first president from 1950 to 1955.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":8" /><ref name=":9">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EZ0aAQAAIAAJ&dq=Chalapathi+Rau&pg=PA1791 |title=Parliamentary Debates: Official Report |date=1958 |publisher=Council of States Secretariat |pages=1791 |language=en}}</ref> He was a member of the Initiating Committee of the [[International Press Institute]] in 1950.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":4" /> He was also a member of the [[Government of India]]'s goodwill mission to [[China]] in 1952.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5" /> He was a friend and long-time associate of [[Jawaharlal Nehru]]<ref name="mint" /> and was the leader of the Indian Press Delegation, which accompanied Nehru on his historic 1955 tour of the [[USSR]], [[Poland]] and [[Yugoslavia]].<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5"/> He was a member of the [[UNESCO]] Press Experts Commission in 1956 and also worked on various UNESCO Commissions.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":5"/> He represented India in the [[United Nations General Assembly]] in 1958.<ref name=":4" /> Harinder Srivastava wrote a book on him titled "Magnus and the Muses<nowiki>''</nowiki>.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=17 June 2002 |title=Delhi's own muse and more .... |url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/06/17/stories/2002061700660200.htm |access-date=2023-05-14 |website=[[The Hindu]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031002182140/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2002/06/17/stories/2002061700660200.htm |archive-date=2 October 2003 }}</ref>

== Early life ==
Manikonda Chalapathi Rau was born in a [[Telugu language|Telugu]]-speaking [[Kapu (caste)|Kapu]] family<ref name=":52">M. L. Kantha Rao (July 1999), [https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/25437/ ''A Study of the Socio-Political Mobility of the Kapu Caste in Modern Andhra'']. [[University of Hyderabad]]. Chapter 6. p. 291–300. hdl:10603/25437</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Kumari |first=A. Vijaya |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r-ffeWmj2JUC&q=kapu&pg=PA89 |title=Social Change Among Balijas: Majority Community of Andhra Pradesh |date=1998 |publisher=M.D. Publications |isbn=978-81-7533-072-6 |pages=14 |language=en}}</ref> in Visakhapatnam district of present-day [[Andhra Pradesh]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Bhavaraju |date=1983 |title=In Memorium: M. Chalapati Rau |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/history/compilation/triveni-journal/d/doc71089.html |access-date=2023-05-14 |website= |language=en |via=Wisdom Library}}</ref> His birth year is variously given as either 1908 or 1910.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=YV Ramakotaiah |date=2015-03-08 |title=The Great Indian Editor |url=https://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Hyderabad-Tab/2015-03-08/The-Great-Indian-Editor/136088 |access-date=2023-05-14 |website=[[The Hans India]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6BU6AAAAIAAJ&q=Chalapathi+Rau |title=Triveni: Journal of Indian Renaissance |date=1983 |publisher=Triveni Publishers. |pages=50 |language=en}}</ref> His father was a police officer. Chalapathi Rau had his early education in Visakhapatnam district. He completed his [[Master of Arts|M. A.]] degree in English Language and Literature from [[Presidency College, Chennai|Presidency College]], [[Chennai|Madras]] in 1929. Later, he earned a law degree from [[Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College, Chennai|Madras Law College]].<ref name=":2" />

== Career ==

=== Early career ===
After an apprenticeship under Pappu Somasundaram, a leader of the Madras Bar, Chalapathi Rau enrolled as an advocate in 1932. He shifted to [[Visakhapatnam]] and practised there for a short time. He organised a literary cultural association called Atheneum with [[Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan]] as President and himself as Secretary. He soon realised that his real interest was in literature and journalism, rather than in law or government service.<ref name=":2" />

=== Journalistic career ===
in 1936, Chalapathi Rau joined as an Assistant Editor and leader-writer in ''The People’s Voice'' under K. Iswara Dutt in Madras. ''The People’s Voice'' was an organ of the People’s Party founded by the [[Pithapuram Estate|Maharaja of Pithapuram]]. After the paper ceased publication in 1937, he was invited by Dutt to [[Prayagraj]], where he started a journal named ''The Week End''. During this time, Chalapathi Rau also wrote for ''Triveni Quarterly'', contributing reviews, translations and articles of literary and political interest.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":5"/>

Chalapathi Rau's political articles brought him to the attention of [[Jawaharlal Nehru]]. When Nehru founded ''[[National Herald]]'' in [[Lucknow]] in 1938 with [[K. Rama Rao]] as Editor, Chalapathi Rau joined its staff as an Assistant Editor and leader-writer.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":2" /> ''National Herald'' was considered the voice of India during the country’s fight for independence.<ref name=mint /> As per Dasu Krishnamoorty, Rama Rao and Chalapathi Rau together made a formidable force in unearthing British conspiracies to deny independence to India.<ref name="DK" /> ''National Herald'' heeded to [[Mahatma Gandhi]]'s call during the [[Quit India Movement|Quit India movement]] for newspapers to not censor themselves and voluntarily closed in 1942.<ref name=":10">{{Cite book |last=Sethi |first=Devika |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ToOWDwAAQBAJ&dq=Chalapathi+Rau&pg=PA206 |title=War over Words: Censorship in India, 1930-1960 |date=2019-05-23 |publisher=[[Cambridge University Press]] |isbn=978-1-108-48424-4 |pages=153, 154 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=Print>{{Cite web |last=Rohmetra |first=Amogh |date=2022-08-04 |title=National Herald — 80-yr journey of paper at centre of ED-Congress row started with freedom battle |url=https://theprint.in/india/national-herald-80-yr-journey-of-paper-at-centre-of-ed-congress-row-started-with-freedom-battle/1067892/ |access-date=2023-05-14 |website=[[The Print]] |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Varun HK |date=2018-09-11 |title=National Herald: History of the paper and the case |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/national/national-herald-history-paper-692206.html |access-date=2023-05-14 |website=[[Deccan Herald]] |language=en}}</ref>

{{Quote box
| quote = People think it is my paper. It really is Chalapathi Rau’s paper; he has made it what it is. He is the ablest journalist in India today.
| author = — [[Jawaharlal Nehru]] at the [[Silver Jubilee]] function of ''National Herald''.<ref name=Print/><ref name=":5"/>
| width = 25%
| bgcolor = #F5F6CE
}}

Chalapathi Rau then moved to [[Delhi]] as one of the Assistant Editors of ''[[Hindustan Times]]'' under the editorship of [[Devdas Gandhi]].<ref name=":4" /> Along with editorials, he wrote a weekly column titled 'Off the Record' under the [[pseudonym]] Magnus.<ref name=":2" /> [[Avadhanam Sita Raman]], former editor of ''[[The Illustrated Weekly of India]]'' noted, "His column in ''Hindustan Times'' which he wrote every week under the pseudonym "Magnus" was the most widely read column in the country".<ref name="DK" /> While working for ''Hindustan Times'', Devdas Gandhi once offered him a large salary hike. Chalapathi Rau was said to have declined the offer saying, "Devadasji, no, thanks. Don't spoil me".<ref name="DK">{{Cite web |last=Dasu Krishnamoorty |date=2013-07-26 |title=Ring side view: Marking of a significant era |url=https://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Sunday-Hans/2013-07-26/Ring-side-view-Marking-of-a-significant-era/10753 |access-date=2023-05-15 |website=[[The Hans India]] |language=en}}</ref>

After the revival of ''National Herald'' in November 1945,<ref name=":10" /> Chalapathi Rau returned to Lucknow as a Joint Editor, taking over as Editor on 1 July 1946.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Biswas |first=Rathin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ftDpDwAAQBAJ&dq=Chalapathi+Rau&pg=PT110 |title=Rafi Ahmed Kidwai: BRIDGING REGION and nation: a political biography |date=2020-06-04 |publisher=Notion Press |isbn=978-1-64892-991-5 |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=M Chalapathi Rau |date=July 1964 |title=The Press after Nehru |url=https://www.epw.in/system/files/pdf/1964_16/29-30-31/the_press_after_nehru.pdf |journal=[[Economic and Political Weekly]] |pages=1247}}</ref> He continued as an editor at ''National Herald'' for 32 years from 1946 till 1978. From 1968 onwards, he worked from Delhi, where the paper had started its new edition.<ref name=":2" /> Despite being close to Nehru, he would criticise Nehru's policies in his editorials.<ref name="mint" /> He eschewed sensationalism relating to sex, crime, and scandal and emphasised integrity and social vision as journalistic values.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6BU6AAAAIAAJ&q=Chalapathi+Rau+greatest+editors |title=Triveni: Journal of Indian Renaissance |date=1983 |publisher=Triveni Publishers. |pages=40 |language=en}}</ref> He left the newspaper in 1978.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sethi |first=Sunil |date=31 January 1978 |title=National Herald revived on Indira Gandhi's request |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/indiascope/story/19780131-national-herald-revived-on-indira-gandhis-request-822785-2014-10-29 |access-date=2023-05-14 |website=[[India Today]] |language=en}}</ref> After retiring from ''National Herald,'' he authored many books.<ref name=":2" />

=== Other work ===
Chalapathi Rau organised the journalistic fraternity on [[trade union]] lines for the improvement of its working conditions. He served as the first president of the Indian Federation of Working Journalists (IFWJ) from 1950 to 1955.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Doyen of Indian journalism M. Chalapathi Rau passes away |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/signposts/story/19830415-doyen-of-indian-journalism-m-chalapathi-rau-passes-away-770613-2013-07-22 |access-date=2023-05-14 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref> He also fought for the setting up of the first Press Commission on whose report the Wage Board was appointed which fixed the salaries and service conditions of journalists of all categories.<ref name=":9" /><ref name=":2" />

He was a friend of Nehru and was closely associated with the [[Nehru Memorial Museum & Library]] and the Nehru Foundation for the International Awards for Peace and Friendship.''<ref name=":2" />'' He was also associated with other publications as an Editor including ''The Gandhi Commemoration Volume'' (Gandhi Abhinandan Granth) and the ''Volume on Gurazada.'' A few weeks prior to his death, he joined as the Chief Editor of ''Meredian International,'' a non-political monthly in Delhi.''<ref name=":2" />''

== Personal life ==
Chalapathi Rau was a bachelor.<ref name=DK /><ref name=":5"/> He had a simple lifestyle. He was known for his love for the [[English language|English]] language and literature, [[Carnatic music]], and Andhra pickles.<ref name=DK /> He died of a heart attack in Delhi on 25 March 1983.<ref name=":1">''Luminaries of 20th Century, Part 1'', [[Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University]]. 2005. pp. 178, 179.</ref>

== Legacy ==
{{Quote box
| quote = Rau was close to the prime minister and accompanied him on most important foreign visits as a representative of the newspaper, but he didn't crave a government position or sinecure. He held no post in the party, nor did he push for a nomination to the Upper House like many editors today.
| author = — Shubhabrata Bhattacharya, former editor of ''National Herald'' on Chalapathi Rau in 2012.<ref name=mint/><ref name=DK />
| width = 31%
| bgcolor = #F5F6CE
}}

Chalapathi Rau is regarded as one of the greatest editors in the history of Indian journalism.{{refn|name=prominence}}

Dasu Krishnamoorty wrote of him, "His reclusion, his integrity and learning and contempt for revenue-centred journalism explained why editors of his time had high regard for him."<ref name="DK" /> YV Ramakotaiah noted about him, "Manikonda Chalapathi Rau known for his fearless, unbiased and forceful writing remains the greatest Editor that English journalism in India has seen".<ref name=":4" />

S. R. Nath called him 'India's greatest living editor' in 1966 and remarked as follows, "His articles on the Second World War created a sensation in those days; even to-day they serve as a textbook to aspirants in journalism. Being steeped in classics, Rau manifests a literary style which is individualistic; he converts journalism into literature."<ref name=":5" />

==Bibliography==

*Chalapathi Rau, M. ''Fragments of a revolution; essays on Indian problems.'' Oxford, New York, Pergamon Press [1965] [1st ed.]
*Chalapathi Rau, M. ''Gandhi and Nehru.'' Bombay, New York, Allied Publishers [1967]
*''Govind Ballabh Pant, his life and times / M. Chalapathi Rau.'' New Delhi : Allied, 1981.
*''India : portrait of a people / produced by India Tourism Development Corporation''; commentary by M. Chalapathi Rau; design and picture editing by Zehra Tyabji and T. S. Nagarajan. New Delhi : Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India, c1976.
*''Jawaharlal Nehru [by] M. Chalapathi Rau''. [New Delhi] Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India [1973]
*''Journalism and politics / M. Chalapathi Rau''. New Delhi : Vikas, c1984.
*''Magnus & muses : "off the record" musings of 'MC' (M. Chalapathi Rau) / compiled and edited by Harindra Srivastava''. Gurgaon : Academic Press, 1980.
*''The press / M. Chalapathi Rau.'' New Delhi : National Book Trust, India, 1974.
*''The press in India [by] M. Chalapathi Rau.'' Bombay, New York, Allied Publishers [1968]
*''Selected works of Jawaharlal Nehru.'' [Advisory board: M. Chalapathi N. Y. Sharada Prasad, and B. R. Nanda;general editor: S. Gopal. New Delhi, Orient Longman [1972-
*''Twenty-five years of Indian independence.'' Edited by Jag Mohan. Contributors: M. Chalapathi Rau [and others], Delhi, Vikas Pub. House [1973]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.msu.edu/~manikond/Rau/nehru_message.htm Signed message by Nehru about the National Herald and Chalapathi Rau]
*[http://www.msu.edu/~manikond/Rau/About_MC.htm About MC by Indian National Leaders ]
*[https://www.dawn.com/news/1063496/dawn-features-august-20-2002 Chalapati Rau among top Indian editors]
*[https://www.dawn.com/news/1068718/dawn-features-february-6-2006 Chalapati Rau as unofficial media advisor of Nehru]
*[http://taylorandfrancis.metapress.com/(2hsn0tvccbm0n0m0xnfg1035)/app/home/contribution.asp?referrer=parent&backto=issue,7,14;journal,36,36;linkingpublicationresults,1:102235,1 An article] by [[Derek Ingram (journalist)|Derek Ingram]] titled "The Commonwealth and the media" in [[The Round Table Journal]] Volume 93, Number 376 / September, 2004, pp. 561–569, mentions Chalapati Rau as one of the top journalists in Pre-Independent India.

{{PadmaBhushanAwardRecipients 1960–69}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rau, Manikonda Chalapathi}}
[[Category:1910 births]]
[[Category:1983 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian journalists]]
[[Category:Indian newspaper editors]]
[[Category:Writers from Lucknow]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in literature & education]]
[[Category:Journalists from Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Telugu people]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male journalists]]

M. Chalapathi Rau - Revision history

Ieagle at 16:48, 30 April 2026