Thousands attend last rites of K.M. Mathew

KOTTAYAM - The last rites of Malayala Manorama chief editor K.M. Mathew were held here Monday with life coming to a standstill in the city and thousands of people including politicians, religious leaders and filmstars turning up to pay him their last respects.

The 93-year-old media mogul, popularly known as Mathukuttychayan, died Sunday.

As the body was taken from his home in the afternoon and was kept at his office, Kottayam came to a standstill, with shopkeepers downing shutters as a mark of respect to Mathew, who was universally respected.

Various central and state government ministers, religious heads, social leaders and superstars like Mammootty and Mohanlal came to pay their last respects.

Congress general secretary Oscar Fernandes laid a wreath on behalf of party chief Sonia Gandhi.

At the church, more than two dozen bishops led the funeral ceremony and many people were seeing wiping their tears when the coffin was lowered into the grave.

Mathew became the managing editor of Malayala Manorama in 1954 and became the chief editor after his brother passed away in 1973.

During his long journalistic career, he served as the chairman of the Press Trust of India, president of the Indian Newspaper Society and the chairman of the Audit Bureau of Circulation besides holding numerous other positions. He was also a member of the Press Council of India, wage boards for working journalists and non-journalists and Central Press Advisory Committee.