MALAPPURAM: At a time when news is increasingly consumed in quick scrolls and notifications, an 18-year-old from Malappuram has quietly built a loyal audience through a simple daily voice bulletin on WhatsApp.
Arunima, a native of Kalpakanchery, has now completed 1,000 episodes of ‘Varthamana Kadalas’, a five-minute audio roundup of major headlines curated from Malayalam and English newspapers designed for people who do not have the time and access to read newspapers.
Recorded entirely on her mobile phone, the bulletin is circulated through several WhatsApp groups, including Tirur Live and Rajana Sahrudaya Vedhi reaching thousands of group members.
Arunima began the initiative while studying in Class XI, inspired by her father Radhakrishnan, a cultural activist. “I was already in the habit of reading newspapers every day. My father suggested that I record the news and share it through WhatsApp groups so people with busy schedules could listen to the headlines,” she said.
She now selects news from 14 newspapers, both English and Malayalam and compiles them into a short bulletin that listeners tune in while travelling to work or college.
Currently a first-year political science student at Kerala Varma College, Thrissur, Arunima continues the recordings from her college hostel using e-paper editions of newspapers.
She credits her roommates and friends for encouraging her efforts. “Sometimes I have to read loudly while recording, but my friends are very supportive and motivates me to continue,” Arunima said.
According to Arunima, Malayalis working in Gulf countries form a major section of her audience.
“It is difficult for many expatriates to access Malayalam newspapers regularly. Not all news reaches social media either.
Many listeners from Gulf countries have told me that these recordings help them stay connected with the latest developments in Keralam,” she said, using the official name of the state.