In a year marred by violence, wars and natural calamities, 2023 also saw some heartwarming stories that were lapped up by Onmanorama readers.
From the branded 'charayam' that is spreading Kerala's unique 'spirit' across continents; the inspiring life of John Kuriakose, who set up a dental business empire, to otter menace in Kozhikode, a bunch of stories added to the reading experience.
As 2023 comes to a close, here's a selection of news stories that our readers found the most interesting:
1. When Sajeesh Joseph from Fort Kochi tried brewing alcohol at home in Canada with his grandfather's recipe during the COVID lockdown, he ended up creating the modern version of the 'nadan charayam'. Along with his friend Ajith Padmakumar from Vaikom, he now sells the 'countryside arrack' under the Taika brand in North America.
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2. Hafeez Kudroli (29), accused of defrauding Rs 108 crore from his businessman father-in-law Abdul Lahir Hassan, led a financially risky life to repay the debts he incurred running Ponzi schemes. He has run up a debt of Rs 8 crore by just taking fancy luxury cars on rent to impress his father-in-law.
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3. From a boy who grew up in utter poverty, as the son of a mentally unwell father and a mother who attempted suicide thrice, John Kuriakose beat all odds to set up Asia's biggest dental tech company.
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4. In February, headload workers affiliated with major political parties protested against a vegetable wholesale merchant at Muvattupuzha against the decision to engage in-house headload workers. Trade unions use brute force to shut down businesses when courts rule against them.
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5. 'Sruthitharangam', a government project to provide cochlear implants to poor children came to a grinding halt when the state stopped releasing money for upgradation, leaving many children with faulty hearing devices.
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6. Abdul Hameed, the first Muslim principal of the Sree Moola Vilasam Government Model Higher Secondary School, is the man behind saving the Balaganapahy temple on the campus from ruins. The simple structure with an open space in front for devotees to get a glimpse of the deity, and the sanctum sanctorum, is a testament to Kerala's celebrated communal harmony.
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7. There are a thousand silent protests against the Muslim Law of Inheritance under which the girl child is entitled to only 50 per cent of her parents' estate. Many elite families are overcoming this hindrance by registering their marriage under the Special Marriage Act.
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8. Stray dogs, wild boars, gaurs and elephants are not the only animals involved in conflicts with humans in Kerala. Otters have emerged as a threat to the residents of Mukkam municipality and the Karassery, Kodiyathur, Mavoor and Chathamangalam panchayats in Kozhikode.
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9. In a case of remarkable ineptitude, officers of the Kerala Police arrested an innocent woman aged 80 named Bharathi Amma and forced her to face court procedures for four years instead of her namesake. After four years of legal proceedings, the court exonerated her in August.
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10. Malayalam emerged as the second most commonly spoken foreign language in Townsville, a city on the northeastern coast of Queensland, Australia, after 793 people were found using the language at home. The city has been witnessing a steady inflow of the Malayali population, courtesy of the rising demand for nurses in Australia.
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