Kalyanasundaram, a true humanitarian, was born in Melakarivelamkulam in Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli district, lost his father when he was a child, and was raised by his mother, Thaayammal, who inspired him to help others.
A gold medalist in library science, he also holds a masters degree in literature and history. During his 35-year-long career at Kumarkurupara Arts College at Srivaikuntam, he diligently and willingly donated his salary month after month towards charity and did odd jobs to meet his daily needs.
Even after retirement, he worked as a waiter in a hotel in exchange for two meals a day and a meagre salary so that he could continue to donate to orphanages and to children’s educational funds.
At the age of 23, he donated 8.5 gold sovereigns to the National Security Fund in response to then-Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s call for people to support the country during the war with China.
During the May Day celebrations in 1963, then Chief Minister Kamarajar highlighted his contribution to the National Security Fund.
He was amply rewarded for his service to humanity. Along with the award he also received an amount of ₹30 crores, which he donated to charity.
There are many awards and accolades received by P. Kalyanasundaram. He was given the BAPASI award for best librarian in 2012 and Lifetime Service Award from Rotary International in 2011.
The Government of India awarded him the ‘Best Librarian in India’ in 1990. Similarly, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi recognized him as ‘One of the top ten librarians of the world’. United Nations Organizations (UNO) honoured him as ‘One of the outstanding people of the 20th Century’.
An american association conferred him the title “Man of the Millennium”. The International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, honoured him as ‘one of the noblest of the world’.
‘Best Social Worker Award’ from Tamil Nadu Government, Punjab State government award for ‘Best Library Scholar’, ‘Best Educator’ from Manonmaniam Sundaranar University Tamil Nadu and ‘Being Human Being’ from Rotary International are some of the other honours that has been conferred on him.
In recognition of his self-less service, the Government of India conferred the Padma Shri in 2023.
Former Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam stated on 6 July 2000, “A life without self-luxury is one called as living life in a purest form. The Supreme power has graced one such life to Shri.Kalyanasundaram. Under his able shadow there are many who are divine and blessed to travel in a righteous way.”
Former President of USA Bill Clinton said that Kalyanasundaram has introduced a new method for strengthening relationship between the countries of the world and named it as “Kalyanasundaram Plan.”
Nelson Mandela, former South African Prime Minister, stated about Kalyanasundaram that “The progress of the country depends upon the children and the students of the country. In deed it is very great Mr. Kalyanasundaram has been doing yeomen services to this section of the society for the past 50 years and without publicity.”
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru called Kalyanasundaram as “Light of India.”
He was one of the two persons former US President Bill Clinton wanted to meet personally on his visit to India and superstar Rajinikanth has adopted him as his father.
The Incident That Changed Kalyanasundaram
When Kalyanasundaram visited a slum in Triplicane, Chennai, during his graduation ceremony, he was deeply disturbed by the living conditions of the children and decided to establish the Triplicane Slum Children Welfare Organization. The organisation was responsible for the education, cleanliness, and hygiene of the children of the triplicane slum. Soon after, a large wave of assistance arrived for Kalyanasundaram to run the organisation, which grew to become a pan-India organisation known as the Indian Children’s Welfare Organization. Through his contacts at Chennai University, the Indian Children’s Welfare Organization began assisting children in common wealth nations, and the organization’s name was changed to World Children’s Welfare Organization.
Palam Kalyanasundaram worked for the upliftment of Arundhathiars, one of the most disadvantaged and the oppressed even amongst the oppressed communities. He also worked for the the upliftment of Scheduled Caste people of four villages in Padmanabamangalam in Srivaikundam, where he worked in Sri Kumara Gurupara Swamigal Arts College, through Padmanabamangalam Villages Development Sabha.
During 1970s, his life hit rock bottom when he took to the streets to live as a platform beggar and then as a hotel server, but this did not shake his determination to serve the children of the world.
The Man Of The Millenium
This retired librarian has given away all his earnings to the poor over the past 36 years. This man of no possession has, however, given away all his award money, salary, and pension for charity. The amount he has given away over the past four decades for the cause of humanity sums up to ₹30 crore. He gave away his share of the family property worth several lakhs of rupees to people in his village. Palam did not get married because he wanted to spend his income to help the poor instead of his own family.
Palam Kalyanasundaram is truly a man of the millenium!
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