The Story of Palam Kalyanasundaram: How a Selfless Librarian’s Life Led Actor Rajinikanth to Adopt Him as a Father

Key Points:

Palam Kalyanasundaram is a man who has selflessly worked for the good of society and has been recognised by several national and international organisations for his extraordinary service. He was born in 1940 in Melakarivelamkulam village in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. He lost his father at a very young age and was raised solely by his mother, who played a decisive role in shaping his values. The lessons she imparted became the foundation of his lifelong commitment to service and compassion.

Kalyanasundaram pursued his education with distinction. He earned degrees in literature and history and later completed a master’s degree in Library Science, graduating as a gold medalist. Despite his academic achievements, his primary goal was never personal success or wealth, but service to society.

See Also: Supreme Court Allows SC Certificate Based on Mother’s Caste in ‘Non-Sweeping’ Ruling

He began his professional career as a librarian at Kumarkurupara Arts College in Srivaikuntam, Thoothukudi district. From the moment he received his first salary, Kalyanasundaram decided that the money was not meant for him. Over the next 35 years of service, he donated his entire salary every month to support poor and orphaned children. To meet his own basic needs, he took up odd jobs.

His commitment to charity began early in life. During the Indo-China war in 1962, when then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru appealed to citizens to support the nation, Kalyanasundaram was deeply moved. He met Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Kamaraj and donated the gold chain he was wearing. Kamaraj later felicitated him, an incident that further strengthened his resolve to dedicate his life to public service.

After retiring in 1998, Kalyanasundaram donated his entire pension amount of ₹10 lakh to charitable causes. Even after retirement, he continued working as a waiter in a hotel so that he could keep contributing to orphanages and educational funds. Over four decades, he donated not only his salary and pension but also his ancestral property for social welfare.

His work eventually drew international recognition. He was honoured by several international institutions, including being named “Man of the Millennium”, and was recognised by organisations in the United States, the International Biographical Centre in Cambridge, and the United Nations as one of the most outstanding and noble individuals of the 20th century. An American organisation awarded him prize money amounting to ₹30 crore, which he donated in full for charitable purposes.

Reflecting on his philosophy, Kalyanasundaram once said, “I am able to manage doing odd jobs in a hotel or a laundry. I simply do not wish to own anything. In fact, one of my happiest moments was when, after being chosen as the ‘Man of the Millennium’ by an American organisation, I donated the entire amount of Rs. 30 crores I received towards charity. Everything is, therefore, a state of mind. Finally, what do we take with us when we leave planet earth?”

See Also: UGC Notifies New ‘Promotion of Equity’ Regulations to Tackle Discrimination in Higher Education

In India, Kalyanasundaram received several honours for his work, including being named Best Librarian in India in 1990. Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi, recognised him as one of the top ten librarians in the world, while the Tamil Nadu government awarded him the Best Social Worker Award. The Punjab government honoured him as the Best Library Scholar, and he received the Booksellers and Publishers Association of South India (BAPASI) Award for Best Librarian in 2012. In recognition of his extraordinary service to society, the Government of India conferred the Padma Shri on him in 2023, presented by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan—among many accolades that acknowledge his lifelong dedication to public service.

Despite widespread recognition, Kalyanasundaram never sought fame or personal comfort. He continued to live simply and remained actively involved in social work even in his later years. He is also associated with charitable initiatives through an organisation bearing his name, Paalam.

Actor Rajinikanth has publicly expressed deep respect for Kalyanasundaram for his selfless nature and service to the people. In 2012, moved by his moral strength and compassion, Rajinikanth chose to adopt him as his father. Despite repeated invitations from the actor to live with him, Kalyanasundaram declined and chose to continue his simple, independent life.

He once said, “We cannot sustain ourselves unless we contribute to society in some way or the other. I strongly feel that if even one person does his bit towards social good, there will be some change.”

Suggested Reading: