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.

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Krishnamurthy on a 1999 stamp of India
BornRamasamy Krishnamurthy
(1899-09-09)9 September 1899
Puthamangalam, near Manalmedu
Died5 December 1954(1954-12-05) (aged 55)
Chennai, India
Pen nameKalki Tamil: கல்கி
Occupationjournalist, critic and writer
NationalityIndian
EducationHigh School
Alma materNational High School, Tiruchi
Period1899–1954
GenreHistoric fiction, social fiction
Notable worksPonniyin Selvan, Sivagamiyin Sabadham
Notable awardsSahitya Akademi Award for Alai Osai
SpouseRukmani
ChildrenKalki 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
SerialNameComments
2Parthiban Kanavu (1941–1943)[4]About Pallava Dynasty
1Sivagamiyin Sapatham (1944–1946)[5]About Pallava Dynasty
3Ponniyin Selvan (1951–1954)About Chola Dynasty
4Solaimalai 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
SerialNameComments
1Subhathraiyin Sagodharan
2Otrai RojaThis 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.
3Theepiditha Kudisaigal
4Pudhu Ovarsiyar
5Vasdhadhu Venu
6Amara Vazhvu
7Sunduvin Sanyasam
8Thirudan Magan Thirudan
9Imayamalai Engal Malai
10Pongumaangkadal
11Master MedhuvadaiCollection of 5 short stories
12Pushpa Pallaaku
13Prabala Nakchatiram
14Pithalai Ottiyanam
15Arunachalathin Aluval
16Parisil Thurai
17Susila MA
18Kamalavin Kalyanam
19Tharkolai
20S.S.Menaka
21Saradhaiyin Thandhiram
22Governor Vijayam
23Kanaiyazhiyin Kanavu
24Banker Vinayakarao
25Tiger KingThe 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.
26Punnaivanthupuli
27Devakiyin kanavan
28onbathu kulinilam
29number 888
30Thiruvazhundhur sivakozhundhu
31Zamindar Mahan
32Mayilak kalai
33Rnagathurkam Raja
34Idintha kottai
35Mayilvizhi maan
36Thappili cup
37Kethariyin Thaayar
38Gandhimadhiyin kadalan
39Srikandhan punarjenmam
40Paladaindha Bangala
41Chandramathi
42Chiranjeevi kadhai
43Kadithamum kaneerum
44Vaira mothiram(Kaanama pogaathathu)
45Veenai Bavani
46Dhanakodiyin 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

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.
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