Velu Chelam

A pioneering Indian journalist who exposed corruption in British colonial administration through investigative reporting

Velu Chelam (1898-1970) was a trailblazing journalist from Tamil Nadu who made groundbreaking contributions to India's media landscape. As editor of Ananda Vikatan, he pioneered investigative journalism techniques that exposed systemic corruption within British colonial institutions. His 1930s exposés on the Madras Port Trust scandal revealed how officials embezzled funds meant for public infrastructure projects. Chelam's work established new standards for ethical reporting, inspiring generations of journalists to pursue truth despite political pressures.

His most notable contribution was developing a network of informants across southern India, creating the first decentralized news gathering system in the subcontinent. This model later influenced the formation of All India Radio's news division. Chelam also trained over 200 young reporters through his journalism workshops, many of whom became key figures in India's post-independence media.

In 1946, he pioneered the use of undercover reporting when investigating the tragic Madras Port Trust scandal, which led to the resignation of three government officials. His memoir Behind the Headlines (1958) remains a seminal text in South Asian journalism studies. Chelam's legacy lives on through the annual Velu Chelam Award for Investigative Journalism, established in 1985.