D. C. Kizhakemuri
Born 12 January 1914 · Kerala
Died 26 January 1999
Founded DC Books, one of Kerala's largest and most influential publishing houses.
🔔 Add birthday reminderDominic Chacko Kizhakemuri was an Indian writer, activist, freedom-fighter and book publisher from Kerala. He founded the book publishing company known as DC Books.
✨ A detail that surprised us
D. C. Kizhakemuri’s campaign to abolish sales tax on books in Travancore directly inspired Jawaharlal Nehru to remove book sales tax across India.
1. 📚 In 1949, D. C. Kizhakemuri masterminded the merger of National Book Stall and Sahithya Pravarthaka Co-operative Society, transforming Malayalam publishing from a dismal state into a flourishing industry that covered every district of Kerala.
2. Born on 12 January 1914 in Kanjirappally, Travancore, he began teaching at age 16 and earned the nickname 'Kochusaar' meaning 'Little Teacher' before turning to activism and literature.
3. ✊ By 1937, Kizhakemuri was an active member of the Indian National Congress, organizing freedom struggle meetings alongside K. J. Thomas in Kerala’s hotbed of anti-colonial activity.
4. 💡 He played a pivotal role in abolishing sales tax on books in Travancore, a policy so impactful that it influenced Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to extend the tax abolition across India.
5. His founding of Sahithya Pravarthaka Co-operative Society with M. P. Paul and Karoor Neelakanta Pillai introduced Asia’s first cooperative publisher, pioneering author welfare and Malayalam literary production.
6. DC Books, under his stewardship, grew to publish over 6,500 Malayalam titles, distributing 70% of books across Kerala and nurturing generations of authors and readers.
7. Awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1999 shortly before his death, his legacy lives on through the DC Kizhakemuri Foundation, established in 2001 to promote literature and culture.
8. ❓ How did a former schoolteacher known as 'Kochusaar' catalyze a nationwide revolution in book publishing and influence Indian cultural policy?
Awards & Honours
- 🏅Sahitya Akademi Award
🔍 One thing most people don't know
In 1949, the Sahithya Pravarthaka Co-operative Society that Kizhakemuri co-founded became Asia’s first cooperative publishing house, focusing on Malayalam literature and author welfare.
🖼️ Through the Years
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📅 The Journey
🗝️ Discoveries
🎥 Speeches & Recordings
നാനൂറോളം പോലീസുകാർ , ജലപീരങ്കി. വൻ പ്രതിഷേധത്തിന് സാക്ഷ്യം വഹിച്ച പ്രസിദ്ധീകരണമാണ് 'മീശ' | RAVI DC |
YouTube📖 Curated Sources
🌱 What changed because of them
D. C. Kizhakemuri reshaped Malayalam literature by establishing cooperative publishing models that prioritized author rights and broadened distribution. His efforts led to policy changes abolishing sales tax on books, facilitating affordable access to literature nationwide. Institutions like DC Books and the DC Kizhakemuri Foundation continue to foster Malayalam literary culture and publishing innovation.
💬 Social Buzz
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