Senior journalist and BJP leader K Kunhikannan passes away

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Senior journalist and BJP leader K Kunhikannan (72) passed away Thursday morning. He fell at his home on Monday evening and lost consciousness by night. He was then admitted to a hospital and breathed his last this morning.

Kunhikannan was a member of the BJP state committee. He was a prominent figure who remained active in the media and political spheres for five decades. He entered journalism from the start of Janmabhumi. Even after his official retirement, he worked as the resident editor of Janmabhumi in Thiruvananthapuram.

He was the first general secretary of Yuva Morcha. He had contested as a BJP candidate from the Peravoor and Kannur constituencies. He held several posts over the years including BJP state committee member, media convenor, state vice president and Thiruvananthapuram district president of the Kerala Union of Working Journalists, chairman of the Kesari Memorial Journalist Trust, secretary of the Kannur Press Club, member of the Film Censor Board, member of the Telecom Advisory Board, and member of the Journalists' Accreditation Committee.

He authored several books, including biographies of K G Marar--K G Marar: A Sea of Affection and K G Marar: The Epitome of Compassion--as well as Marupuram, The Wonder Called Atalji, and Political History of Kerala.

He had received recognition from the Kerala Legislative Assembly for his contributions as a senior journalist. He was also the recipient of the B. K. Shekhar Award, the Kanhangad Tapasya Award, and the Guruji Seva Samiti Award.

He was born in 1954 in Kuttavu village of Irikkur in Kannur. He was a resident of Thiruvananthapuram. His wife Premaja predeceased him. His children are Prakula (ASIANET) and Manjila. His son-in-law is Ratheesh Anirudhan (Mathrubhumi News) and his grandchildren are Gauthami and Balamani.