House tax

Starting from the upcoming month of Kumbham (February-March 1910), the government has decided to lev...

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July 28, 1909

Spike in Violence

The spike in frightening violence that has gripped the city of Thiruvananthapuram for the past few d...

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December 20, 1909

Is this Journalistic ethics?

We are saddened and surprised to see that some of our fellow newspapers, who are reputed to have mor...

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November 04, 1908

Conservation of historical sites

The Gazette from yesterday features a report detailing the Government's appointment of a team in Tra...

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February 19, 1908

Sad state of affairs

We believe that a death related case mentioned in the article appended in another column about the s...

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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.