Mithavaadi Krishnan
Changaramkumarath Krishnan Vakkeel was a community leader, banker, social reformer, and journalist from Kerala, India.
Biography
C. Krishnan was born in Thrissur on 11 June 1867. He took over the newspaper called Mithavaadi ("Reformist") from Moorkoth Kumaran. Dr. Ayyathan Gopalan a great social reformer of Malabar, Kerala, during those times, was the one who gave C. Krishnan the impetus and advice to start this newspaper. Later on he is known by Mithavaadi C Krishnan. Mitavadi was the "Bible" of the socially depressed and it is also known as the "Magazine of Thiyya's".
The Kochi metro entrance has the history of the Kerala press and C. Krishnan is listed amongst the first under 1907. It says “MITAVADI – From Tellicherry marks the next important milestone in the history of the press in Kerala. It published a daily news sheet featuring the latest news from the war front during the First World War. Separately, the Government of Kerala states "The Mitavadi was in the forefront of the movement for social reforms and the uplift of the weaker sections of society".[1]
C. Krishnan was a follower of Sree Narayana Guru. He was a leader of the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam and was active in organizing the meetings of the northern Malabar district his area of Kerala. He participated in many SNDP yogam conventions and chaired its 9th anniversary at sivagiri along with the consecration ceremony of ‘Sharada’ temple there. He was an excellent organizer and fund raiser for the SNDP. He was appointed the Dharmakartha of all the Ashram properties. He actively participated in Vaikom Satyagraha. In 1907 Krishnan (along with Rarichan Moopan of the famous Kallingal Madom) invited Sree Narayana Guru to Malabar. The guru accepted the invitation and visited many places in Malabar.
C. Krishnan however did not support the freedom movement, and was against the Indian National Congress and Mahatma Gandhi. He supported the British rule because he believed that freedom for rule without freedom from serfdom was meaningless. He blamed Gandhiji for his failure to prevent the Malabar rebellion. He was suspicious of the national freedom that would be won without putting an end to the social inequalities. He wanted the freedom of the oppressed classes to be attained before the nation achieved freedom.