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(1922-08-15)15 August 1922
Died4 May 2021(2021-05-04) (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

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  1. ^ "It was more a Village than a City". The Hindu. 23 September 2009. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  2. ^ "Mahatma Gandhi's personal secretary V Kalyanam hails Narendra Modi's 'Swachch Bharat'". The Economic Times.
  3. ^ a b "Gandhi vs Godse debate irrelevant, says Kalyanam". Deccan Chronicle.
  4. ^ a b "rediff.com: Mahatma Gandhi's secretary V Kalyanam recalls his days with the Father of the Nation".
  5. ^ a b "Mahatma Gandhi : Last Day / Last Hours".
  6. ^ "V Kalyanam, Mahatma Gandhi's ex- personal secretary joins AAP". www.oneindia.com.
  7. ^ "Gandhiji's PS Slams Godse Statue Plan". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 9 January 2015.
  8. ^ Mini Muringatheri. "Gandhiji would have begun a revolution". The Hindu.
  9. ^ "Nehru is responsible for corruption today". The New Indian Express.
  10. ^ "Mahatma Gandhi's ex-secretary joins AAP". The Times of India.
  11. ^ 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.