Sebastian Joseph

Sebastian Joseph
Born	(1957-12-22) December 22, 1957 (age 66) Thodupuzha, Kerala, India.
Occupations	Author Journalist
Years active	1980–present
Spouse	Stella Joseph ​ (m. 1961)​
Children	Chitra Rahul
Awards	Full list
Website	www.sebastianjoseph.in

Sebastian Joseph is an Indian writer and award-winning journalist from Kerala. He won several national and state awards during his career as a journalist. He wrote several books on various political subjects from the perspective of Kerala, including one on Arikkad Varghese.^[1]

Sebastian was born in Thodupuzha, Kerala, to an agrarian Catholic family. He completed his early education in a local school near Thodupuzha. He graduated from Christ College, Irinjalakuda and later got master's degree from F.M.N.C. Kollam, in English Literature.

Soon after completing his graduate degree, the chief editor of Malayala Manorama K M Mathew recruited him as a reporter. He later became one of its chief reporter, focussing on investigative journalism and general reporting. Starting in Kozhikode, his career in Malayala Manorama took him to different parts of Kerala including Wayanad and Palakkad.

During his career he wrote hundreds of reports and several series. Notable series include Tinsa Ki Raani (The Queen of Tinsa), Kabaniyude Kanneer (tears of Kabani), Maranathinte Therottam (dance of death), Javaadmalayile Aadhivaasikal (tribals of Javaad hills), Kaaraappuzhayile Kallakkalikal (mischief in Kaaraappuzha), Anyam Nilkkunna samudhayangal (Marginalised communities). Besides these series, he wrote several exclusive reports that shook the foundations of the policital lanscape in Kerala. His analysis exposed the antinational inclination of a book by the Jehova's Witnesses, which led to its being banned by the state of Kerala.

Few of his other major achievements include uncovering the cause of unwed tribal mothers in Wayanad and revealing the prevalence of genetic disease sickle cell anaemia among the tribals in Wayanad.

Sebastian Joseph has received numerous awards during his career as a journalist.^[2]

He popularised the unknown Indian social worker Mercy Mathew, also known as Dayabai. This earned him the Statesman Award, 1988, Kerala Press academy's K.C. Sebastian award 1988, C.H.Award Coimbathore 1988.

He exposed the story of unwed tribal mothers of wayanad. For that he won Kerala Press academy's award for developmental journalism 1991.

He shed light on the story of tribals in Jawaad hills of Tamil Nadu committing filicide, which won him the Vadapuram Bava award in 1997.

In 1998, he suspected foulplay in the construction of a dam at Kaarappuzha in wayanad and later exposed corruption which amounted to a value of hundred and fifty crore. For that he won Kerala Press academy's Chowara award 1998.

He was the first journalist to write about the four denominations of tribals in wayanad who are almost extinct. This story earned him the Swadeshabhimani award 2000.

Sebastian Josephs's series titled "Swasrayam Sindabad" highlighted the Marxist party's double standard of resisting self financing colleges in Kerala while sending their children to private colleges in neighbouring states. This series won for him Kerala government's state award 2001, and Swadeshabhimani award 2001.^[3]

The series "Pinnottaticha Pidivaashikal" exposed the Marxist party's policy of initially opposing government project and later welcoming the same project after 15 years. This work earned him the Trivandrum Press club's K.C.Sebastian award 2002 and Calicut Press club's P.Unnikrishnan Award 2002.

Sebastian Joseph is married to Stella Joseph who is the history professor at the Sulthan Bathery College. They have two children Chitra (Govt.College Asst.Professor) and Rahul (entrepreneur in Saudi Arabia). They live in Sulthan Bathery, Wayanad.

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