Author Name:
Kalki
Krishnamurthy, called Kalki, was born on September 9, 1899 at Puttamangalam in the old Thanjavur district. After primary education in the village, Krishnamurthy joined the National High School at Tiruchi, about 100 km away. When Mahatma Gandhi launched his Non-Cooperation Movement in 1921, thousands of students gave up their studies to participate in the movement. Krishnamurthy was one among them.
Krishnamurthy was freedom fighter, social crusader, novelist, short story writer, journalist, humorist, satirist, travel writer, script-writer, poet, critic and connoisseur of the arts - all rolled into one. A prolific writer, he wielded his pen with for ce and tenderness for three decades (1923-1954). He wrote on varied subjects during an eventful period in Indian history. His writings include over 120 short stories, 10 novelettes, five novels, three historical romances, editorial and political writings and hundreds of film and music reviews.
Although there is practically no subject he left untouched and no genre he did not experiment with, he is best known for his historical romances, which are acclaimed as classics and remain popular to this day, nearly five decades after his death. His historical novels, Parthiban Kanavu (Parthiban's Dream), Sivakamiyin Sapatham (Sivakami's Vow) and Ponniyin Selvan (Ponni's Son)