Palam Kalyanasundaram

It was simple message on whats app that i received about Mr Palam Kalyanasundaram.  The contents were rather intriguing and i did a quick search on the internet and I was amazed by the findings.

While everyone in today's world is amassing riches and material possessions, here is one man who donated all his salary to charity for decades.  I consider it an honour to be able to write about him.

He was born in August 1953 in Melakarivelamkulam, in Tirunelveli district of Tamilnadu.  It is reported that as an undergraduate, he ran a children’s welfare organisation to help slum children.  He also donated his gold chain to the National Defence Fund during the Indo-China war (During this period, it was also reported that several farmers and peasants too gave up their valuable gold ornaments for the war effort - but that would be another post!!!). 

He later met the editor of a Tamil magazine called  Ananda Vikatan under the impression that publicity through the magazine would attract more donations. The editor was not convinced by his intentions and gave him 5 years to prove his sincerity.  By this time, Kalyanasundaram was employed in Kumarkurupara Arts College at Srivaikuntam and he began donating his salary to charity for the next five years. He did not stop even after 5 years and continued the same throughout his service.  It is reported that he even did odd jobs in addition for his own sustenance.  Post retirement too, he worked as a waiter in a hotel to be able to continue to donate to charity.

He continued his work silently but all that changed in 1990 when he gave a cheque of rs 1 lakh to the district collector for charity (which were  his arrears of salary).  Though he did not want any publicity, the collector publicised it and the accolades started to follow.

For his service to humanity, besides several other awards, he was awarded the Man of the Millenium award by the United States which carried a reward of 30 crores.  Needless to say, he donated it to various charities.  He was honoured by the United Nations as one of the most outstanding people of the 20th century. He was also given the  Life Time of Service Award from Rotary Club of India in 2011.

He is now running an an organisation called 'Paalam' which works as a link between donors and beneficiaries.  He has a sound vision about his charitable activities and we wish him all the very best in his endeavours.

His address (as obtained from internet) for any future contact is given below:- 

No 1, 4 th main road , kasthurba nagar , chennai - 600020 .
contact number : 044 - 24402524.
Palam Home address :
No 49, Kodambakkam salai Mettupalayam, West Mambalam, Chennai - 600033
Mobile : 09840218847

signing with one of his famous quotes

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"We cannot sustain ourselves, unless we contribute to the society in someway or the other. I strongly feel if even one person does his bit towards social good, there will be some change.”  
– P. kalyanasundaram