A life anchored in nationalism, democratic conviction and value-based journalism received national recognition as Union Minister George Kurien lauded Padma Vibhushan P. Narayan ji during a felicitation held in Kochi on February 25.
The senior journalist, former Jan Sangh leader, was honoured at Ernakulam Town Hall, where distinguished personalities from various fields gathered to celebrate the nonagenarian following his declaration as a Padma Vibhushan awardee by government of India.
Inaugurating the programme, Union Minister George Kurien observed that Narayan ji chose the path of national service with a deep sense of commitment. He noted that Narayan ji’s journalistic journey marked by patriotism and ideological clarity stands as a guiding example for future generations.
Recalling his steadfast role in upholding democratic values, Kurien stated that Narayan ji even courted imprisonment in defence of democracy. He added that the nation’s decision to confer the Padma honour acknowledged a lifetime dedicated to socially responsible journalism.
Describing him as a “walking encyclopaedia,” the Minister remarked that during the liberalisation era, when advertisers began influencing editorial content, Narayan ji and Janmabhumi consciously chose to chart an independent course rooted in principles.
Kummanam Rajasekharan, former Mizoram Governor and senior BJP leader, stated that Narayan ji was his guru and guide in his journalistic endeavours. He reminisced that Janmabhumi was launched in the same Town Hall 49 years ago on November 14, 1977.
He recalled the question posed by Dr K.N. Raj, the well-known economist and former Vice Chancellor of Delhi University, after inaugurating the newspaper. Dr Raj had asked how Janmabhumi would survive. The first editor, Prof. M.P. Manmadhan, a reputed Gandhian, responded that the man-in-charge was P. Narayanan, an efficient manager and journalist.
Kummanam noted that there was no profit motive behind Janmabhumi. Narayan ji, he said, was a scholar par excellence with the unique ability to draft editorials instantly, that too without requiring any corrections. He also recalled that the old printing machine often broke down and its repairs were expensive. However, Narayan ji surprisingly learnt to repair it himself without calling a mechanic.
He further recalled the closure of two Sangh-inspired evening newspapers when the Emergency was declared on June 25–26, 1975, Rashtravartha from Kochi and Janmabhumi from Kozhikode. When Janmabhumi was raided and sealed, Narayan ji and editor octogenarian P.V.K. Nedungadi were arrested under DIR and jailed for several months.
Dr Sebastian Paul, former MP and MLA, felicitated Narayan and recollected his days with Indian Express during the Emergency.
P.R. Sasidharan, RSS Kshetra Sadasya and former Pranth Pracharak, lauded the various roles played by Narayan during his seventy-year-long association with the RSS.
Sreekumari Ramachandran spoke about the series of articles authored by Narayan that were published in the Janmabhumi Sunday supplement.
Prof. P.G. Haridas, working president of the Tapasya Art and Cultural Forum (Kerala Chapter of Sanskar Bharati), referred to Narayan’s calibre as an organiser, writer and journalist. Janmabhumi editor K.N.R. Nambootiri also spoke on the occasion.
M. Radhakrishnan, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Dakshin Kshetra Karyavah and managing director of the Malayalam morning daily Janmabhumi, chaired the event.
While, K.B. Sreekumar, Janmabhumi general manager and Dakshin Kerala Pranth Sahkaryavah, welcomed the gathering, while deputy general manager KM Sreedas proposed the vote of thanks.
Bio of Narayan:
Narayan came into contact with the RSS during his college days in Thiruvananthapuram and later became a Sangh Pracharak in 1957. He carried out Sangh work in several parts of Malabar and Kottayam until 1966. In 1966, he was deputed to the Bharatiya Jan Sangh, where he served as the organising secretary for Kozhikode district. In 1967, he took over from P. Parameshwa, the then state organising secretary.
After his release from jail during the Emergency 1975, he worked underground to coordinate Lok Sangharsh Samiti activities in the state.
Following the defeat of Indira Gandhi in the 1977 elections and the subsequent lifting of the Emergency and ban on the RSS, Narayan chose not to enter politics. Instead, he ventured into journalism while simultaneously shouldering the responsibilities of state organising secretary of the Swadeshi Jagaran Manch and the Bharatiya Itihas Sankalan Yojna.
He has authored around 30 books and translated nearly 100 books into Malayalam from both English and Hindi. He also served as an efficient translator for the speeches of former PM Atal, former Dy PM Advani and other prominent leaders during their visits to Keralam.
Narayan’s weekly column “Sanghpathathiloode” (Through Sangh’s Path) in Janmabhumi ran from 1999 to 2025. It is considered the longest continuously published series of articles on a single subject in the country, reflecting what many describe as his photographic memory even at an advanced age.
