2409:40D4:B:C5EB:3064:66E3:70F1:37C9 at 16:10, 16 May 2023

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{{short description|Indian writer}}
{{Indian patronymic|Krishnamurthy|Ramaswamy}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Infobox writer
| name = Kalki Krishnamurthy
| image = Kalki Krishnamurthy 1999 stamp of India.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Krishnamurthy on a 1999 stamp of India
| pseudonym = Kalki {{lang-ta|கல்கி}}
| birth_name = Ramasamy Aiyer Krishnamurthy
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1899|09|09}}
| birth_place = Puthamangalam, near [[Manalmedu]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1954|12|05|1899|09|09}}
| death_place = [[Chennai]], India
| occupation = journalist, critic and writer
| nationality = Indian
| education = High School
| alma_mater =Municipal High School, [[Mayiladuthurai]] & National High School, [[Tiruchi]]
| period = 1899–1954
| genre = Historic fiction, social fiction
| notableworks = ''[[Ponniyin Selvan]]'', ''[[Sivagamiyin Sapatham]]'', ''[[Thyaga Bhoomi]]'', ''[[Parthiban Kanavu]]'', ''[[Alai Osai]]'', ''[[Kalvanin Kadhali (novel)|Kalvanin Kadhali]]''
| children = Kalki Rajendran <br />& Anandi Ramachandran
| spouse = Rukmani
| awards = [[Sahitya Akademi Award]] for ''[[Alai Osai]]''
}}

'''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 chose the pen-name "[[Kalki]]", the tenth and last [[avatar]] of the [[Hinduism|Hindu]] God [[Vishnu]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Room|first=Adrian|title=Dictionary of Pseudonyms: 13,000 assumed names and their origins|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eSIhzKnNUf4C&pg=PA254|access-date=15 April 2013|year=2010|edition=5|publisher=Macfarland|location=Jefferson, North Carolina|isbn=978-0-7864-4373-4 |page=254}}</ref> He founded a magazine, which was also named [[Kalki (magazine) | Kalki]], with [[Kalki Sadasivam | T Sadasivam]] being the co-founder, in 1941. Kalki's writings include over 120 short stories, 10 novellas, 5 novels, 3 historical romances, editorial and political writings and hundreds of film and music reviews.

==Early life==
Ramaswamy Krishnamurthy was born in a [[Tamil language|Tamil]] [[Brahmin]] family on 9th September 1899 in Puthamangalam, near Manalmedu. 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 [[Non-cooperation movement|call for non-co-operation]] joining the [[Indian National Congress]] instead.<ref name="Frontline">{{cite web|url=http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl1621/16210810.htm|title=Renaissance man|last1=Viswanathan|first1=S.|date=9 October 1999|work=Frontline|publisher=The Hindu group|access-date=14 April 2013}}</ref><ref name="Anandhi">{{cite web|url=http://www.chennaibest.com/cityresources/Books_and_Hobbies/kalki.asp|title=Kalki – the man behind the legend: An intimate portrait by his daughter K. Anandhi|last1=Anandhi|first1=K.|work=ChennaiBest.com|publisher=Indias-Best.Com Pvt Ltd|access-date=14 April 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130414005117/http://chennaibest.com/cityresources/Books_and_Hobbies/kalki.asp|archive-date=14 April 2013}}</ref>

==WORKS==

===Historical novels===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Serial !! Name !! Setting
|-
|2|| ''[[Parthiban Kanavu]]'' (16 October 1941 – 10 February 1943)<ref name="periodref1">
{{cite web
| url = http://mdmk.org.in/article/mar09/sivagamiyin-sabatham
| title = 'சிவகாமியின் சபதம்' வைகோவின் இலக்கியச் சொற்பொழிவு
| author = Vaiko
| author-link1 = Vaiko
|date=March 2009
| work = Literary
| publisher = Marumalarchi DMK
| location = Chennai
| language = ta
|trans-title='Śivagāmiyin Śapathaṁ' Vaiko's literary speech
}}
</ref> || [[Pallava Dynasty]]
|-
|1|| ''[[Sivagamiyin Sapatham]]'' (1 January 1944 – 30 June 1946)<ref name="periodref2">
{{cite web
| url = http://mdmk.org.in/article/mar09/ponniyin-selvan-delhi
| title = பொன்னியின் செல்வன் புகழ்விழா தில்லி 21.12.2007
| author = Vaiko
| author-link1 = Vaiko
|date=March 2009
| work = Literary
| publisher = Marumalarchi DMK
| location = Chennai
| language = ta
|trans-title=Poṉṉiyin Selvan Glory festival Delhi 21 December 2007
}}
</ref> || Pallava Dynasty
|-
|3|| ''[[Ponniyin Selvan]]'' (29 October 1950 – 16 May 1954) || [[Chola Dynasty]]
|-
|4|| ''Solaimalai Ilavarasi'' (1947) || The Independence of [[India]]
|}

===Social novels (Tamil)===
* ''[[Kalvanin Kadhali (novel)|Kalvanin Kadhali]] (1937)''
* ''[[Thyaga 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===

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! 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''.{{citation needed|date=April 2012}} He also penned many lyrics for many songs, most of which were adapted into [[Carnatic Music]].{{citation needed|date=April 2012}}


==Honours==
* The release of a postage stamp in honour of Kalki was among the highlights of the centenary celebrations. [[Tamil Nadu Government|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 in India|tuberculosis]]. Kalki magazine's special issue dated 5 December 1954 (the day he died) for [[Sarada Devi|Annai Sarada Devi]] was his last editorial work. The magazine shared the information that his health was improving prior to his demise.<ref>[http://www.chennaimath.org/category/media/magazines/sri-ramakrishna-vijayam Sri Ramakrishna Vijayam December 2014 page 36,37]</ref>

==Biographies of Kalki==
* ''Ponniyin Puthalvar'' by Sunda<ref name=PonniPuthaRef1>{{cite book|last1=Sundaram |first1=MRM|year=1999|orig-year=1976 |title=Poṉṉiyiṉ putalvar |script-title=ta:பொன்னியின் புதல்வர் |trans-title=The great son of Ponni |language=ta |edition=2nd |location=Chennai |publisher=Vāṉati Patippakam}}</ref><ref name=PonniPuthaRef2>{{cite news |url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/Third-edition-biography-on-Kalki-released/2013/04/22/article1555219.ece |title=Third edition biography on Kalki released |agency=Express News Service |date=22 April 2013 |department=Cities: Chennai |newspaper=[[The New Indian Express]] |access-date=12 April 2015 |quote=The 912-page hard-bound volume, brought out by Vanathi Pathipagam, is priced at `450.<br />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.}}</ref>
* ''Amarar Kalki''
* ''Oray Roja''

== See also ==
* [[Kalki (magazine)]]
* [[Ponniyin Selvan]]
* [[Parthiban Kanavu]]
* [[Sivagamiyin Sapatham]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
*[http://ta.wikisource.org/wiki/பொன்னியின்_செல்வன் Kalki's ''Ponniyin Selvan'' (Tamil)] Wikisource (Unicode)
*[http://www.chennailibrary.com/kalki/kalki.html Kalki's novels online], Chennailibrary.com (in Tamil)
*[http://ponniyinselvan.in/tag/novel-characters ''Ponniyin Selvan'' Facts and Fiction], ponniyinselvan.in
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20190328110157/http://sivakamiyinsabadham.litintrans.com/ English translation by Nandini Vijayaraghavan of ''Sivakamiyin Sabadham'']

{{Sahitya Akademi Award For Tamil}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Krishnamurthy, Kalki}}
[[Category:Tamil-language writers]]
[[Category:Children's writers in Tamil]]
[[Category:Indian male novelists]]
[[Category:1899 births]]
[[Category:1954 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century deaths from tuberculosis]]
[[Category:Tuberculosis deaths in India]]
[[Category:Tamil dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Sahitya Akademi Award in Tamil]]
[[Category:People from Mayiladuthurai district]]
[[Category:Tamil journalists]]
[[Category:Indian independence activists from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Journalists from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian novelists]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian poets]]
[[Category:Indian male dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Novelists from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian journalists]]
[[Category:Poets from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Indian male poets]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian male writers]]

Kalki Krishnamurthy - Revision history

2409:40D4:B:C5EB:3064:66E3:70F1:37C9 at 16:10, 16 May 2023