The Ram-Janaki rath yatra had originally begun in October 1984, but was called off following the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The second attempt was thwarted by a large number of Ayodhya residents, hailing from all communities – Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Jain.

Even in the midst of criticism, there was an acceptance that at the policy level, there were many things that Chandy had done as chief minister which had the potential to evolve into more ideologically coherent political plan.

At least two generations of new writers owe their place in the limelight to this truly perceptive editor, whose journalistic endeavors not merely promoted Malayalam literature’s forays into modernism but literally galvanised it.