Kalki Krishnamurthy

Ramaswamy Krishnamurthy (9 September 1899 – 5 December 1954), better known by his pen name Kalki, was an Indian writer, journalist, poet, critic and Indian independence activist. He was named after "Kalki", the tenth and last avatar of the Hindu God Vishnu.[1] His writings include over 120 short stories, 10 novellas, 5 novels, 3 historical romances, editorial and political writings and hundreds of film and music reviews.

In this Indian name, the name Ramaswamy is a patronymic, not a family name, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Krishnamurthy.

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Krishnamurthy on a 1999 stamp of India
Born	Ramasamy Krishnamurthy (1899-09-09)9 September 1899 Puthamangalam, near Manalmedu
Died	5 December 1954(1954-12-05) (aged 55) Chennai, India
Pen name	Kalki Tamil: கல்கி
Occupation	journalist, critic and writer
Nationality	Indian
Education	High School
Alma mater	National High School, Tiruchi
Period	1899–1954
Genre	Historic fiction, social fiction
Notable works	Ponniyin Selvan, Sivagamiyin Sabadham
Notable awards	Sahitya Akademi Award for Alai Osai
Spouse	Rukmani
Children	Kalki Rajendran & Anandi Ramachandran

Early life

Krishnamurthy's father was Ramaswamy Aiyar, an accountant in Puttamangalam village in the old Tanjore district of erstwhile Madras Presidency. He began his primary education in his village school and later attended Municipal High School in Mayavaram but quit in 1921, just short of completion of his Senior School Leaving Certificate, in response to Mahatma Gandhi's 1921 call for non-co-operation joining the Indian National Congress instead.[2][3]

Bibliography

Historical novels

Serial	Name	Comments
2	Parthiban Kanavu (1941–1943)[4]	About Pallava Dynasty
1	Sivagamiyin Sapatham (1944–1946)[5]	About Pallava Dynasty
3	Ponniyin Selvan (1951–1954)	About Chola Dynasty
4	Solaimalai Ilavarasi (1947)	About Independence of India

Social novels (Tamil)

• Kalvaninn Kaadhali (1937)
• Thiyaga Bhoomi (1938–1939)
• Magudapathi (1942)
• Abalayin kaneer (1947)
• Alai Osai (1948)
• Devagiyin Kanavan (1950)
• Mohini Theevu (1950)
• Poiman Karadu (1951)
• Punnaivanathu Puli (1952)
• Amara Thara (1954)

Short stories

Serial	Name	Comments
1	Subhathraiyin Sagodharan
2	Otrai Roja	This story is about two strangers – a young man and a young woman – who meet on a train from Tirunelveli to Chennai. The woman is originally from Sri Lanka and the man is from Madras (now Chennai). They have failed in their respective exams and plan to end their life. Things take a different turn from here and all ends well.
3	Theepiditha Kudisaigal
4	Pudhu Ovarsiyar
5	Vasdhadhu Venu
6	Amara Vazhvu
7	Sunduvin Sanyasam
8	Thirudan Magan Thirudan
9	Imayamalai Engal Malai
10	Pongumaangkadal
11	Master Medhuvadai	Collection of 5 short stories
12	Pushpa Pallaaku
13	Prabala Nakchatiram
14	Pithalai Ottiyanam
15	Arunachalathin Aluval
16	Parisil Thurai
17	Susila MA
18	Kamalavin Kalyanam
19	Tharkolai
20	S.S.Menaka
21	Saradhaiyin Thandhiram
22	Governor Vijayam
23	Kanaiyazhiyin Kanavu
24	Banker Vinayakarao
25	Tiger King	The story revolves around a King whose death at the hands of a tiger had been foretold by astrologers when he was born. He tries to reverse the fate spelled out for him and the author uses thinly-veiled satire to walk the reader through the King's attempts which later prove futile, in a manner that makes them laugh.
26	Punnaivanthupuli
27	Devakiyin kanavan
28	onbathu kulinilam
29	number 888
30	Thiruvazhundhur sivakozhundhu
31	Zamindar Mahan
32	Mayilak kalai
33	Rnagathurkam Raja
34	Idintha kottai
35	Mayilvizhi maan
36	Thappili cup
37	Kethariyin Thaayar
38	Gandhimadhiyin kadalan
39	Srikandhan punarjenmam
40	Paladaindha Bangala
41	Chandramathi
42	Chiranjeevi kadhai
43	Kadithamum kaneerum
44	Vaira mothiram(Kaanama pogaathathu)
45	Veenai Bavani
46	Dhanakodiyin Manoratham

Critical work

Kalki was also a film and music critic who wrote under the pseudonym Karnatakam. He also penned many lyrics for many songs, most of which were adapted into Carnatic Music.

Honours

• The release of a postage stamp in honour of Kalki was among the highlights of the centenary celebrations. Government of Tamil Nadu announced the nationalisation of Kalki's works, this will enable publishers to come out with reprints of his works.
• Kalki Krishnamuthy received the Sangeetha Kalasikhamani award conferred on him by The Indian Fine Arts Society in 1953.

Death

Kalki died in Chennai on 5 December 1954 aged 55 years from tuberculosis. Kalki magazine's special issue dated 5 December 1954 (The day he died) for Annai Sarada Devi was his last editorial work. That magazine shared the information that his health was improving prior to his demise.[6]

Biographies of Kalki

• Ponniyin Puthalvar by Sunda[7][8]
• Amarar Kalki
• Oray Roja

See also

• Kalki (magazine)
• Ponniyin Selvan
• Parthiban Kanavu
• Sivagamiyin Sapatham

References

1. Room, Adrian (2010). Dictionary of Pseudonyms: 13,000 assumed names and their origins (5 ed.). Jefferson, North Carolina: Macfarland. p. 254. ISBN 978-0-7864-4373-4. Retrieved 15 April 2013.
2. Viswanathan, S. (9 October 1999). "Renaissance man". Frontline. The Hindu group. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
3. Anandhi, K. "Kalki – the man behind the legend: An intimate portrait by his daughter K. Anandhi". ChennaiBest.com. Indias-Best.Com Pvt Ltd. Archived from the original on 14 April 2013. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
4. Vaiko (March 2009). "'சிவகாமியின் சபதம்' வைகோவின் இலக்கியச் சொற்பொழிவு" ['Śivagāmiyin Śapathaṁ' Vaiko's literary speech]. Literary (in Tamil). Chennai: Marumalarchi DMK.
5. Vaiko (March 2009). "பொன்னியின் செல்வன் புகழ்விழா தில்லி 21.12.2007" [Poṉṉiyin Selvan Glory festival Delhi 21 December 2007]. Literary (in Tamil). Chennai: Marumalarchi DMK.
6. Sri Ramakrishna Vijayam December 2014 page 36,37
7. Sundaram, MRM (1999) [1976]. Poṉṉiyiṉ putalvar பொன்னியின் புதல்வர் [The great son of Ponni] (in Tamil) (2nd ed.). Chennai: Vāṉati Patippakam.
8. "Third edition biography on Kalki released". Cities: Chennai. The New Indian Express. Express News Service. 22 April 2013. Retrieved 12 April 2015. The 912-page hard-bound volume, brought out by Vanathi Pathipagam, is priced at `450.
   With a preface by 'Kalki' K Rajendran on how the biography was born, the back cover shows 'Kalki', conceiving Alai Osai, a famous novel set against the background of India's freedom struggle. The first edition was brought out in 1976 and the second in 1999.

External links

• Kalki's Ponniyin Selvan (Tamil) Wikisource (Unicode)
• Kalki's novels online, Chennailibrary.com (in Tamil)
• Ponniyin Selvan Facts and Fiction, ponniyinselvan.in
• English translation by Nandini Vijayaraghavan of Sivakamiyin Sabadham