New Diwan

Even before these lines catch the attention of our readers, Diwan Bahadur P. Rajagopalachari will ha...

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May 23, 1908

Uproar in Bengal

On May 17th of last year, bombs were discovered at the door of St. Andrew's Church in Calcutta in an...

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March 14, 1906

Prince of Wales and Muslims

The Prince of Wales, heir apparent to the throne of the British Empire, after visiting the state of...

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July 25, 1906

Expensive education

We think that the new provisions published in the Travancore Government Gazette last week on the arr...

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October 02, 1907

Southern Police

Southern Police (Staff reporter) There is an Assistant Superintendent, namely Hughwarf, for the So...

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About the Collection

The Svadesabhimani was a weekly Malayalam language newspaper founded by the noted writer and journalist Vakkom Abdul Khader Moulavi (1873-1932), who was the owner and publisher and its managing editor. This digital collection contains the original Malayalam and their English translations.

Throughout its existence, it was funded through the personal funds of Vakkom Moulavi, who imported a modern press from Britain. The newspaper began publication in Anjengo, a small village in the princely state of Travancore, on 19 January 1905. Chirayinkeezhu C.P Govinda Pillai was the first editor for one year, after which Sri. K. Ramakrishna Pillai became the editor. The newspaper ceased publication on 26 September 1910, when it was banned by a Royal Proclamation, the editor Ramakrishna Pillai was exiled and the press was confiscated.

The Svadesabhimani served to inform the public in Travancore, as well as in the Malayalam speaking regions, about local, national and international issues. It stood apart from other Malayalam newspapers of the time in exposing corruption in the government, analysing and critiquing government policies, discussing important issues of social and religious reform and bringing news of the national anti-colonial movement and international developments. It is considered a trailblazer in Malayalam journalism, contributing to the development of a new political consciousness in the state.