*Many journalists stop writing the day they retire. Some continue for a few more years, but there's rarely a scribe who keeps on writing. *
Madhav Vittal Kamath, popularly known as MVKamath, who passed away on Thursday morning, belonged to the latter category - he never stopped writing even when he was ill.
Even at the age of 93, he wrote three columns. One on current affairs (Prachalitha, Udyavani), another on the media (Media Watch, Afternoon Dispatch and Courier, Mumbai) and the third on book reviews (Literati, Free Press Journal, Mumbai).
A great source of inspiration for not only the students of School of Communication in Manipal, but also to whoever came in contact with him, Kamath's very presence at Manipal enlightened many.
Quite interestingly, when almost all journalists use laptops, smartphones and tabs, Kamath had a fascination for the typewriter he had bought more than 50 years ago and he continued to send whatever communication through that typewriter and perhaps never used a computer. (He sent a two-page typewritten message to City Herald, when it was launched in Mangalore). He even fondly used to say he was married to the UK-made typewriter.
From chemist to scribe
Going by his education (degree in Physics and Chemistry), he seems to have had little knowledge about his future in journalism as he began his career as a chemist and quickly changed three companies in a span of five years.
However, his hidden talent came to light when he joined the Free Press Journal in 1946. He had the rare opportunity (once in a lifetime) of watching the Tricolour go up and the Union Jack come down when India got Independence on the midnight of August 14 -15, 1947. He also had the credit of covering the Constituent Assembly and the Nathuram Godse trial and other major events like the second Asian Relation Conference.
Marriage to UScitizen
He went on climbing the ladder of success when he was appointed a special correspondent of the Press Trust of India (PTI) at the United Nations, New York, from 1955-58 when he had the rare privilege of covering all major international events. Perhaps at this point, he met Elinor, a US citizen, with whom he fell in love and married later. However, it is sad that she did not like India and decided to stay back in the US.
Recalling MVKamath and Elinor's visit to Kamath's home in 1959, Kamath's nephew Jayaram NKamath told Deccan Herald on Thursday that "unlike many Indian women, his grandmother and MVKamath's mother Girija, welcomed her foreign daughter-in-law Elinor with open arms. "Inter-caste marriage was unthinkable that time," recalls Jayaram, a banker, who took VRSfrom Syndicate Bank a few years ago.
It was MVKamath's last wish that his body be kept for sometime in his ancestral house at Kadabettu and Jayaram did exactly that. Though MVKamath was the youngest among seven siblings, he was the first child to be born in this 94-year-old house and he had a great affection towards this house in Udupi, though he lived in Manipal.
Avid reader, writer
An avid reader and prolific writer, he had a very clear rightist leanings and he was proud of it, unlike many who pose or claim to be leftists. He also had a very close relationship with veteran politicians like Jayaprakash Narayan and Ramakrishna Hegde.
Recalling an incident, Kamath always used to tell many about his dilemma when JPtold him that though Nehru offered him (JP) a cabinet berth, he refused it. When JPtold this to Kamath, he published the same, inviting the wrath of JP. However, Kamath later patched up with JP, he had said.
Similarly, when Kamath authored a book 'Cheluva Kannada Nadu' after the then chief minister Ramakrishna Hegde requested him, he had to invite the wrath of the people's representatives in the Assembly. But such incidents did not deter him from continuing writing.
In fact, he authored more than 45 books on a wide range of subjects like journalism, history, politics, biography and fiction. He, along with a co-author, also wrote a book on Narendra Modi (The Architect of a Modern State (2009)).
Incidentally, in his last column titled "Indian era of resurgence begins," which appeared in a Kannada daily on October 9, he wrote about the future of India and that the dream of India becoming a superpower by 2020 was not just a dream.
School of Communication Director Varadesh Hiregange in his condolence speech on Thursday made a reference to one of Kamath's columns "Moving finger writes" (published in Organiser, Delhi) and said the present generation has lost one of the very few individuals who told stories of Gandhi-Nehru age. It's true indeed. Reported by Deccan Herald 9 hours ago.
Madhav Vittal Kamath, popularly known as MVKamath, who passed away on Thursday morning, belonged to the latter category - he never stopped writing even when he was ill.
Even at the age of 93, he wrote three columns. One on current affairs (Prachalitha, Udyavani), another on the media (Media Watch, Afternoon Dispatch and Courier, Mumbai) and the third on book reviews (Literati, Free Press Journal, Mumbai).
A great source of inspiration for not only the students of School of Communication in Manipal, but also to whoever came in contact with him, Kamath's very presence at Manipal enlightened many.
Quite interestingly, when almost all journalists use laptops, smartphones and tabs, Kamath had a fascination for the typewriter he had bought more than 50 years ago and he continued to send whatever communication through that typewriter and perhaps never used a computer. (He sent a two-page typewritten message to City Herald, when it was launched in Mangalore). He even fondly used to say he was married to the UK-made typewriter.
From chemist to scribe
Going by his education (degree in Physics and Chemistry), he seems to have had little knowledge about his future in journalism as he began his career as a chemist and quickly changed three companies in a span of five years.
However, his hidden talent came to light when he joined the Free Press Journal in 1946. He had the rare opportunity (once in a lifetime) of watching the Tricolour go up and the Union Jack come down when India got Independence on the midnight of August 14 -15, 1947. He also had the credit of covering the Constituent Assembly and the Nathuram Godse trial and other major events like the second Asian Relation Conference.
Marriage to UScitizen
He went on climbing the ladder of success when he was appointed a special correspondent of the Press Trust of India (PTI) at the United Nations, New York, from 1955-58 when he had the rare privilege of covering all major international events. Perhaps at this point, he met Elinor, a US citizen, with whom he fell in love and married later. However, it is sad that she did not like India and decided to stay back in the US.
Recalling MVKamath and Elinor's visit to Kamath's home in 1959, Kamath's nephew Jayaram NKamath told Deccan Herald on Thursday that "unlike many Indian women, his grandmother and MVKamath's mother Girija, welcomed her foreign daughter-in-law Elinor with open arms. "Inter-caste marriage was unthinkable that time," recalls Jayaram, a banker, who took VRSfrom Syndicate Bank a few years ago.
It was MVKamath's last wish that his body be kept for sometime in his ancestral house at Kadabettu and Jayaram did exactly that. Though MVKamath was the youngest among seven siblings, he was the first child to be born in this 94-year-old house and he had a great affection towards this house in Udupi, though he lived in Manipal.
Avid reader, writer
An avid reader and prolific writer, he had a very clear rightist leanings and he was proud of it, unlike many who pose or claim to be leftists. He also had a very close relationship with veteran politicians like Jayaprakash Narayan and Ramakrishna Hegde.
Recalling an incident, Kamath always used to tell many about his dilemma when JPtold him that though Nehru offered him (JP) a cabinet berth, he refused it. When JPtold this to Kamath, he published the same, inviting the wrath of JP. However, Kamath later patched up with JP, he had said.
Similarly, when Kamath authored a book 'Cheluva Kannada Nadu' after the then chief minister Ramakrishna Hegde requested him, he had to invite the wrath of the people's representatives in the Assembly. But such incidents did not deter him from continuing writing.
In fact, he authored more than 45 books on a wide range of subjects like journalism, history, politics, biography and fiction. He, along with a co-author, also wrote a book on Narendra Modi (The Architect of a Modern State (2009)).
Incidentally, in his last column titled "Indian era of resurgence begins," which appeared in a Kannada daily on October 9, he wrote about the future of India and that the dream of India becoming a superpower by 2020 was not just a dream.
School of Communication Director Varadesh Hiregange in his condolence speech on Thursday made a reference to one of Kamath's columns "Moving finger writes" (published in Organiser, Delhi) and said the present generation has lost one of the very few individuals who told stories of Gandhi-Nehru age. It's true indeed. Reported by Deccan Herald 9 hours ago.