Kalyanasundaram – Man of Millennium

Money is not everything in life. For some people, happiness and serving society is the only concern. No one around us can donate his entire life earning to a NGO or for some other social cause but one man, Palam Kalyanasundaram did it.

Born at Melakarivelamkulam in Thirunelveli district of Tamilnadu, Kalyanasundaram lost his father at an early age and after that it was his mother who inspired him to serve poor people. One can serve poor people by donating money in charity programs or by helping poor people but no one can donate his entire life earnings. This needs a lot of courage and strength.

Palam Kalyanasundaram is a bachelor and a gold medalist in the 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 works as a waiter in a hotel in exchange of two meals a day and a salary so that he could continue to donate to orphanages and to children’s educational fund.

He was awarded for his service to humanity. The union government honored him as the best librarian in India. The International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, has honored him as one of the ‘noblest of the world’ and the United Nations adjudged him as one of the most outstanding people of the 20^th century. He also received Man of the Millennium award and LifeTime of Service Award from Rotary Club of India in 2011.

For him life is not just about earning money, it is serving people and help children so that they can get proper education. He always says that, there are three ways of earnings. First is through earnings, second are through parents earnings and third is through donating money for charity. He also received many awards and donated 30 crore of prize money he got for these honors. Many superstars and businessperson in India do same kind of social work. South Indian actor Rajnikanth also does social work, but he is also inspired by Kalyanasundaram Life works and adopted him as his father.

He lives a very simple life in Chennai, works in office at Adyar regularly, and does whatever he can for the uplift of the unprivileged people. His life story is very motivating and inspiring. Friends we do not know that such people exist around us but such people are there in India who wants to do something for society and country. One must learn from his story that money is not everything in life if one has decided that he will do something for his country then he can do it, no power or situation will stop him to do.