The state of Kerala, a lightning streak on the map between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, is home to 32 million people, most of whom speak Malayalam, a Dravidian language. The Malayalam press has a rich heritage dating back to the colonial era, boasting such prominent figures as the late journalist 'Swadeshabhimani' Ramakrishna Pillai, whom the British exiled from Kerala because of his much-publicised opposition to colonial rule. Another old-time Malayali press icon is Muhammad Abdurahman Sahib, the late publisher of Kozhikode's Al Ameen, who according to local lore was offered valuable jewellery by one his anonymous admirers on the street to restart the paper after it closed. (Sahib declined.)
One of the most vibrant regional language presses in India, the Malayalam press is heavily influenced by European thought and, despite having a middling readership by Indian standards, exerts an influence beyond the confines of Kerala. The older generation colours its conversations with quotes from Marx, Fannon and Sartre; for young people, Derrida, Chomsky and Che Guevera hold sway. The Malayali may have to depend on imports from neighbouring states for staples like rice and vegetables, but not in the case of periodicals – Malayalam newspapers are available in many newsstands across India, and some even publish editions outside the state.