Athi Kumanan: A brave journalist remembered for transforming the Malaysian Tamil media
(The late Athi Kumanan is often remembered by fellow Tamil journalists for his bravery in upholding the independence of the media without bowing to political pressure from those in government positions. Born on 9th February 1950, he passed away on the 28th of March 2005 due to health reasons when he was only 55. Malaysian Indian Today.com editor R.Mutharasan in this article remembers Athi Kumanan for his contributions to the Tamil media and how he transformed the Tamil media industry single-handedly)
Athi Kumanan, born Kumana Boopathy in Penang, was sent by his father, Athimoolam, to pursue higher education in Tamil Nadu, India, where he graduated with a degree in arts from the prestigious Annamalai University in Chidambaram. Upon returning to Malaysia during a challenging job market for Indian university graduates, his passion for literature and journalism led him to the newspaper Tamil Malar, then owned by billionaire N.T.S. Arumugam Pillai. It was the late M. Durairaj, former President of Malaysian Tamil Writers Association and editor of Udhayam, a monthly magazine published by the Malaysian Information Department, who introduced Kumanan to the Tamil newspaper industry.
From Adversity to Innovation
While Kumanan began his career as a sub-editor at Tamil Malar, his journey was marked by defiance and activism. After being dismissed for his involvement in organising a trade union for the Tamil Malar journalists, he and several colleagues launched Vanambadi, a weekly publication. At a time when the Tamil media market was dominated by Tamil dailies Tamil Nesan and Tamil Malar, Vanambadi broke new ground with the financial backing of Abdul Kader, an Indian Muslim businessman.
To launch the weekly Vaanampadi, surprisingly, the leader whom Kumanan approached was Datuk S. Subramaniam (Subra), who at the time was not holding any government position. He had just lost in the Parliament seat of Damansara, Kuala Lumpur, in the 1978 general election against DAP’s V.David. Subra, who was then also the Secretary General of MIC, was equally surprised at the invitation and attended the event launching the Tamil weekly.  From there, a close friendship blossomed between Subra and Kumanan, which lasted until the latter’s demise.
Athi Kumanan transformed the weekly magazine by introducing high-impact articles and political reporting. He wrote political commentaries against those in political power without mincing words. Within a short period, he grew the publication’s circulation to an unprecedented 40,000 copies per week, a remarkable feat for the era. Athi Kumanan also became popular among Tamil readers and had a cult following for his writings.
A Political and Journalistic Nexus
The landscape of Tamil media at the time was deeply intertwined with the rivalry between prominent MIC (Malaysian Indian Congress) leaders. While Tamil Nesan was acquired by Tun S. Samy Vellu in 1980, Tamil Malar was eventually shut down by the government following a controversial article regarding Islam.
Tamil Malar appealed against the closure of its operations, but when approval for the appeal was not forthcoming soon, the arch-rival of Samy Vellu and MIC’s Vice President (Tan Sri) Datuk S.Subramaniam, wanted to start a new Tamil daily, as he did not have coverage for his political activities in Samy Vellu’s Tamil Nesan. Seeking a platform to counter the influence of Tamil Nesan, then-MIC Deputy President Datuk S. Subramaniam (Subra) sought to establish a new daily. This political need aligned with Athi Kumanan’s journalistic vision, gave birth to a new Tamil daily Tamil Osai.
It must be recalled that, despite Subra’s electoral defeat in the 1978 Damansara parliamentary election, Kumanan invited him to officiate at the launch of Vanambadi, an event that fostered mutual respect between the politician and the writer.
Recognising Kumanan’s literary prowess and influence, Subra, with the help of his close friends, moved to launch Tamil Osai with Kumanan as its Editor.
Athi Kumanan, then an editor at the popular weekly Vanambadi, took responsibility for leading the new daily as its editor. Kumanan accepted the challenge, initially balancing both roles. However, the move sparked a confrontation with Abdul Kader, the owner of Vanambadi, who presented Kumanan with an ultimatum: choose between the weekly or the new daily.
Refusing to compromise his professional integrity and his principles, Kumanan staged a dramatic exit from Vanambadi, taking his core team with him to dedicate his full expertise to Tamil Osai.
The Rise of a Bold Voice
The impact was immediate. While Vanambadi saw a sharp decline in its readership following Kumanan’s departure, Tamil Osai experienced an unprecedented surge in popularity despite being a new paper. Kumanan’s fearless investigative reporting and provocative articles captivated the public, earning him a reputation as a journalist who spoke truth to power.
Tamil Osai became the mouthpiece for those challenging the status quo, championing the causes of leaders like Subra, M.G. Pandithan, and Datuk Pathmanaban against the political dominance of the era. More importantly, Kumanan used his platform to highlight the systemic issues facing the Malaysian Indian community, advocating for the marginalised and those without a political voice.
An Enduring Influence
Despite its success, Tamil Osai was forced to close its doors in 1989 due to internal disputes among its owners and stakeholders. Undeterred, Kumanan went on to revive and helm Malaysia Nanban, which was then owned by (Datuk) Sikander Batcha. Kumanan later founded Makkal Osai, another Tamil daily, while continuing his mission to provide a robust, independent voice for the Tamil-speaking population.
Makkal Osai and Malaysia Nanban continue to be the only two Tamil dailies in Malaysian Tamil media even today.
The Malaysian media fraternity mourned a great loss when Athi Kumanan passed away in 2005 at the age of 55. His career stands as a testament to the power of a free press and the enduring influence of a journalist who placed principle above all else.
Athi Kumanan is remembered not just as an editor but as a “warrior journalist” who redefined the standards of Tamil journalism in Malaysia.
