P. Narayanan

P. Narayanan, known as Narayanji, spent half a century with the Malayalam daily Janmabhumi and as an organiser for the RSS in Kerala. In 2026 he was named for the Padma Vibhushan in the field of literature and education, from Kerala ^[1].

Early life

Narayanan was born on 28 May 1936 in Manakad, Thodupuzha ^[2]. He studied at Mahatma Gandhi College and University College in Thiruvananthapuram, earning a degree in physics ^[2]. He joined the RSS as a student and became a full-time pracharak, working mostly in northern and central Kerala, including in rural and tribal areas ^[2].

He was later state organising secretary of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, and helped host its 1967 national session in Kozhikode ^[2]. From 2000 to 2004 he was state convener of the Swadeshi Jagaran Manch ^[2].

Janmabhumi

He was with Janmabhumi from its start in 1975, working in every role from manager to chief editor ^[2]. During the Emergency he was arrested in Kozhikode and spent four months in jail ^[2]. His weekly column, Sanghapadhathiloode, ran for more than 1,300 weeks ^[2]. He also wrote a style book for the paper’s journalists ^[2].

Author and translator

He wrote a two-volume history of nationalist politics in Kerala, Desheeya Rashtreeyam Keralathil, and biographies of K. Kelappan and others ^[2]. He has translated works by V. D. Savarkar, M. S. Golwalkar and Deendayal Upadhyaya into Malayalam ^[2].

He received the Vidya Niwas Mishra National Award for journalism in 2018 ^[2].