**Executive Summary**
On May 31, 2026, the Vice-President of India, Shri C. P. Radhakrishna, attended the 140th Foundation Anniversary celebrations of Deepika Malayalam Daily in Kottayam, Keralam. During the event, he presented the Deepika Excellence Awards and delivered a keynote address on the essential role of responsible journalism in a democracy. The Vice-President emphasized the need for news reporting to remain objective and factual, highlighting the media's duty to balance constructive criticism with nation-building efforts.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Core Principles of Journalism**
* Journalistic dharma consists of praising good work while fearlessly criticizing wrongdoing.
* Constructive criticism must remain fair and balanced to support democratic leadership.
* A strict distinction must be maintained between editorials, which carry opinion, and news reporting, which must remain objective and factual.
* Journalists are cautioned against the growing tendency to "editorialise" news reporting.
**Social Responsibility and Nation-Building**
* Newspapers carry a broad social responsibility to highlight stories of hope, innovation, compassion, and scientific progress.
* Constructive journalism is essential to strengthen the confidence of the youth and motivate them toward nation-building.
* Deepika was recognized for promoting social harmony, education, culture, and constructive public discourse for 140 years.
**Modern Media Challenges**
* The media landscape faces increasing challenges from misinformation and declining public trust.
* Commercial pressures and rapid digital transformation are altering how information is consumed.
* There is a rising concern that audiences are influenced by captions and headlines without engaging deeply with underlying issues and debates.
* Despite these challenges, the media must view obstacles as opportunities to uphold the highest standards of integrity and professionalism.
**Impact Analysis**
**Journalists and Media Professionals**
**Impact**
They are reminded of their professional obligation to separate fact from opinion and to use their platform for social progress rather than just reporting events.
**Action Required**
Must ensure news reporting remains objective, avoid the trend of editorializing news, and focus on stories that contribute to nation-building.
**Deepika Malayalam Daily (Management and Staff)**
**Impact**
The institution is recognized for its 140-year legacy of commitment, courage, and credibility in public service.
**Action Required**
Maintain high standards of integrity and continue to inspire the next generation of journalists while navigating digital transformation.
**The Reading Public**
**Impact**
Readers are identified as being at risk of misinformation and superficial engagement with news due to digital platform trends.
**Action Required**
Engage more deeply with news issues and debates rather than relying solely on headlines and captions.
Key Entities Referenced
Deepika Malayalam Daily: A long-standing newspaper celebrating its 140th foundation anniversary, recognized for its legacy in public service and constructive journalism in Kerala.
Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan: The Vice-President of India who addressed the role of responsible journalism, nation-building, and the ethical distinction between news and opinion.
Deepika Excellence Awards: An initiative presented during the foundation anniversary to recognize excellence in various fields.
Kottayam, Keralam: The central location where the 140th anniversary celebrations and the presentation of awards took place.
Rashtra Deepika Limited: The organization and management behind the Deepika publication mentioned in the context of institutional leadership.
Vice President's Secretariat
Vice President Graces 140th Anniversary
Celebrations of Deepika Malayalam Daily in
Kottayam
“Journalistic Dharma Lies in Praising Good and Criticising
Wrongdoing”: Vice President
“Constructive Journalism Inspires Society and Strengthens
Nation-Building”: Vice President
“Editorials May Carry Opinion, but News Must Remain
News”: Vice President
Posted On: 31 MAY 2026 5:03PM by PIB Delhi
The Vice-President of India, Shri C. P. Radhakrishna, today graced the 140th Foundation Anniversary
celebrations of Deepika Malayalam Daily and presented the Deepika Excellence Awards at K.C. Mammen
Mappillai Hall in Kottayam, Keralam.
Vice President Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan graced the 140th Foundation Anniversary
celebrations of Deepika Malayalam Daily and presented the Deepika Excellence
Awards in Kottayam, Keralam today.
Addressing the gathering, the Vice-President described the 140-year journey of
Deepika… pic.twitter.com/iylVm4RwfS
— Vice-President of India (@VPIndia) May 31, 2026
Addressing the gathering, the Vice-President described the 140-year journey of Deepika as “a remarkable
legacy of commitment, courage, credibility and public service.” Reflecting on the challenges of
establishing a newspaper in the late nineteenth century, he said that it required extraordinary determination
and vision to start a publication 140 years ago at a time when access to education and communication was
limited.
Highlighting the role of responsible journalism in a democracy, the Vice-President observed that political
leadership is one of the most demanding fields of public life and that constructive criticism must remain
fair and balanced. He stated that the true dharma of journalism lies in appreciating good work while
fearlessly criticising wrongdoing whenever necessary.The Vice-President underlined that newspapers carry a larger social responsibility beyond reporting
events. He said that journalism must also highlight stories of hope, innovation, compassion and scientific
progress, as such constructive journalism strengthens confidence among youth and motivates them
towards nation-building.
The Vice-President said that editorials are the legitimate space for opinion in newspapers, while news
reporting must remain objective and factual. He cautioned against the growing tendency to editorialise
news reporting. He also appreciated Deepika for promoting social harmony, education, culture and
constructive public discourse over generations and for enriching Keralam’s literary and cultural sphere.
Expressing concern over the changing media landscape, the Vice-President pointed to the growing
challenge of misinformation, declining public trust, commercial pressures and the rapid transformation
brought by digital platforms. He observed that people today are increasingly influenced by captions and
headlines without engaging deeply with issues and debates.
Expressing confidence in the future of the institution, the Vice-President said that every challenge before
the media also presents an opportunity and voiced hope that Deepika would continue to inspire young
journalists while upholding the highest standards of integrity and professionalism.
Congratulating the management, staff, contributors, advertisers, distributors and readers of Deepika, the
Vice-President wished the newspaper many more years of success, relevance and excellence in the service
of society and the nation.
The Governor of Keralam, Shri Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Chief Minister of Keralam, Shri V. D.
Satheesan, Speaker of the Keralam Legislative Assembly, Shri Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, former
Governor of West Bengal, Shri C. V. Ananda Bose, Archbishop of Kottayam, Mar Mathew Moolakkatt,
Chairman of Rashtra Deepika Limited, Shri Francis Cleetus, Managing Director Shri Michael Vettickatt,
and Chief Editor Dr. George Kudilil were among those present on the occasion.
******
PR/ASM/VMJ
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