V. Kalyanam (15 August 1922 – 4 May 2021) was an Indian freedom fighter and was Mahatma Gandhi's personal secretary during the last few years of Gandhi's life (1943–48).[1][2][3] He joined the freedom struggle during Quit India Movement in 1942,[4] and then worked with Gandhi till Gandhi's assassination. Kalyanam was just behind Gandhi when Nathuram Godse fired the shots.[5] According to Kalyanam, Gandhi died instantly after being shot and never uttered "Hey Ram" as his last words.[5] He was the first to inform Nehru and Patel about Gandhi's death.[6]
V. Kalyanam | |
|---|---|
| Born | 15 August 1922 |
| Died | 4 May 2021 (aged 98) |
Kalyanam later worked as Edwina Mountbatten's secretary in London. He returned a few years later and then worked for C. Rajagopalachari and Jayaprakash Narayan.[4]
Kalyanam criticized Congress Party for forgetting the legacy of Gandhi.[3][7] He said Gandhi wanted to dissolve the party which had started becoming corrupt.[8] He even said that Jawaharlal Nehru was responsible for corruption in India.[9]
Kalyanam joined the Aam Aadmi Party's Chennai wing Inauguration in 2014, which was portrayed as if he had joined the party. [10]
He died of age-related ailments on May 4, 2021.[11]
References
edit- ^ "It was more a Village than a City". The Hindu. 23 September 2009. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
- ^ "Mahatma Gandhi's personal secretary V Kalyanam hails Narendra Modi's 'Swachch Bharat'". The Economic Times.
- ^ a b "Gandhi vs Godse debate irrelevant, says Kalyanam". Deccan Chronicle.
- ^ a b "rediff.com: Mahatma Gandhi's secretary V Kalyanam recalls his days with the Father of the Nation".
- ^ a b "Mahatma Gandhi : Last Day / Last Hours".
- ^ "V Kalyanam, Mahatma Gandhi's ex- personal secretary joins AAP". www.oneindia.com.
- ^ "Gandhiji's PS Slams Godse Statue Plan". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 9 January 2015.
- ^ Mini Muringatheri. "Gandhiji would have begun a revolution". The Hindu.
- ^ "Nehru is responsible for corruption today". The New Indian Express.
- ^ "Mahatma Gandhi's ex-secretary joins AAP". The Times of India.
- ^ Yogesh Kabirdoss (4 May 2021). "V Kalyanam, Gandhiji's last personal secretary, dies in Chennai | Chennai News". The Times of India. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
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