Mahatma Gandhi’s last personal secretary V Kalyanam dieddue to old age-related ailments. The announcement was made by his youngerdaughter Nalini on May 4. He took his last breath at Nalini’s resident in Padurat 3.30 pm.
His last rites were performed at Besant Nagar crematoriumaround 1.30 pm on May 5.
According to Kalyanam’s biographer Kumari S Neelakandan,he was associated with Mahatma Gandhi since 1944. He was Gandhi’s personalassistant from 1944 to 1948 and was present when Mahatma Gandhi wasassassinated in New Delhi on January 30, 1948. He was behind Gandhi Ji whenNathuram Godse fired shots.
The autobiographer was quoted saying “Kalyanam was inSevagram Ashram in Maharashtra and was engaged in compiling the letters toMahatma Gandhi in various languages. He had been assisting the Father of Nationfor four years.”
It is said that when Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated heuttered the words ‘Hey Ram’ before dying. Earlier, V Kalyanam claimed thatGandhi did not utter these words and shocked the nation. However, later he saidthat he was misquoted and said, “I never said Gandhi Ji did not say ‘Hey Ram’at all. What I said was I did not hear him saying ‘Hey Ram’.
Born on August 15, 1922, in Shimla, V Kalyanam was afreedom fighter. He had joined the freedom struggle in 1942 during Quit IndiaMovement. Kalyanam was the first person to inform Nehru and Patel about MahatmaGandhi’s death.
Kalyanam had been the critic of the Congress Party forforgetting the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and said Gandhi wanted to dissolve theparty after it started becoming corrupt. In 2014, he had joined Aam AadmiParty.