Published Feb 11, 2026 | 8:58 AM ⚊ Updated Feb 11, 2026 | 8:58 AM
P Ramiah.
Synopsis: Veteran journalist and former Karnataka MLC P Ramaiah passed away on Tuesday, 10 February. His nephew remembers his humble life and journalism marked by integrity.
I still remember the warmth in Mava‘s words when he messaged me during his final days in the hospital. Mava was my maternal uncle, P Ramiah, and even though I never physically visited him — knowing it would break me emotionally — we stayed connected through phone calls and messages.
He was never just a maternal uncle to me — he was a living legend in our family and in the world of journalism. When P Ramiah left us on that Tuesday night (10 February) in Bengaluru, he took away with him five decades of memories, countless friendships, and a legacy that can never be forgotten. Though distance kept us apart, his love always reached me.
Let me tell you who Ramiah truly was, because when people hear his name, they may not immediately recognise it. But the moment you say “Hindu Ramiah,” everyone knows exactly who you are talking about. He was the legendary journalist from The Hindu, a man who had shaped journalism in Karnataka since the early 1950s.
Born on 12 September 1933 in Bindenahalli village in Mandya district, Ramiah was 92 when he passed away, yet his mind was sharper than that of people half his age.
Even through our messages, he could describe major events in Karnataka’s history with such detail and clarity, as if they happened yesterday, not decades ago. This was because he did not just read news — he lived it, reported it, and understood it from every angle.
What amazed me most about Ramiah was his humbleness. You see, senior journalists usually keep a distance from younger ones. They act proud, untouchable, like they are in a different world. But not Ramiah. When young journalists reached out to him, he treated them with the same respect and warmth that he showed to anyone else.
I have heard so many young reporters tell me how Ramiah would guide them, mentor them, and help them grow through patient conversations and thoughtful advice. He made them feel valued and important.
This was not fake kindness — this was genuine love for the profession and for people. That is why people called him “Ajatha Shatru,” which means a person without enemies. In all his fifty years of journalism, he did not make enemies. He made friends everywhere.
Ramiah leaves behind his loving wife Jayamma, his three children, Dr Balaji, Usha, and Suresh, and a huge family of people and followers who adored him. His children have inherited not just his name but also his values of integrity, hard work, and compassion.
He also left behind a legacy that will remain forever in journalism. After serving The Hindu for almost half a century, he retired as Chief of Bureau of Karnataka in 1998.
However, his work did not stop there. He was then nominated as a Member of the Legislative Council, where he served until 2004. During this time, he did something very special — he headed a committee that looked into ways to help small newspapers in Karnataka.
Even though he worked in a big, prestigious newspaper, he never forgot about the smaller papers struggling to survive. That report, which became famous as the “P Ramiah Report,” helped many small newspapers. The small newspaper community still remembers him with gratitude.
What made Ramiah truly different was his integrity. He had close connections with almost all the important political leaders in Karnataka because of his work as a journalist. But he never used these connections for personal gain.
He kept his professional life separate from his personal life. This honesty made even politicians respect him deeply. When he walked into a press conference, there was something special about his presence — a dignity that came not from pride, but from character. He was a man who dressed simply, lived simply, but thought and worked at the highest level.
In 2022, at the age of 90, Ramiah released a book in Kannada named Naanu Hindu Ramiah (I am Hindu Ramiah). During the book release, he said something beautiful. He said that his greatest achievement in those fifty years of journalism was not awards or positions — it was the love and affection he received from ordinary people, from all classes and all sections of society.
“I consider this love and affection as my main asset,” he had said. That sentence captures everything about who Ramiah was. A man from a small village in Mandya who rose to become a respected voice in journalism, yet remained humble, kind, and connected to common people.
Even in his ending stages, through our messages and calls, Ramiah’s warmth never faded. Though I could not visit him physically without becoming too emotional, those final words and messages will stay with me forever.
Now that Ramiah is gone, condolences and tributes are pouring in from every corner of Karnataka. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that Ramiah was associated with The Hindu for over five decades, always working in the interest of the state, and that his deep knowledge of politics, history, culture and social issues was truly admirable.
Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar called his passing away a big loss to journalism itself. Former chief minister Kumaraswamy described Ramiah as “the best representative of value-based journalism” who had guided him through difficult times.
Even Sri Sri Jagadguru Nirmalanandanatha Swamiji of Adichunchungiri Mutt expressed his deep condolences. Former prime minister HD Deve Gowda and Union Minister for Industries HD Kumaraswamy also paid their respects to this great man.
The outpouring of love shows just how much Ramiah meant to everyone — from political leaders to common people, from senior journalists to young reporters, and across his vast network of family members and followers.
Ramiah will always be remembered as one of the finest journalists Karnataka ever produced, and as a beautiful human being who lived with kindness, integrity, and purpose. His love and affection will forever be his greatest legacy.
(Girish Linganna is an award-winning science communicator and a defence, aerospace and geopolitical analyst. He is the Managing Director of ADD Engineering Components India Pvt. Ltd., a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany.)
