| V. Kalyanam | |
| Birth Date: | 1922 8, df=y |
| Birth Place: | Shimla, Punjab, British India |
| Death Place: | Chennai, India |
V. Kalyanam (15 August 1922 – 4 May 2021) was an Indian freedom fighter and was Mahatma Gandhi's personal secretary during the last few years of Gandhi's life (1943–48).[1] [2] [3] He joined the freedom struggle during Quit India Movement in 1942,[4] and then worked with Gandhi till Gandhi's assassination. Kalyanam was just behind Gandhi when Nathuram Godse fired the shots.[5] According to Kalyanam, Gandhi died instantly after being shot and never uttered "Hey Ram" as his last words.[5] He was the first to inform Nehru and Patel about Gandhi's death.[6]
Kalyanam later worked as Edwina Mountbatten's secretary in London. He returned a few years later and then worked for C. Rajagopalachari and Jayaprakash Narayan.[4]
Kalyanam criticized Congress Party for forgetting the legacy of Gandhi.[3] [7] He said Gandhi wanted to dissolve the party which had started becoming corrupt.[8] He even said that Jawaharlal Nehru was responsible for corruption in India.[9]
Kalyanam joined the Aam Aadmi Party's Chennai wing Inauguration in 2014, which was portrayed as if he had joined the party. [10]
He died of age-related ailments on May 4, 2021.[11]