Serving until it hurts

Kalyanasundaram of Chennai has donated all his savings to charity. At 76, he continues to be hands on and is now helping flood victims in Chennai

“Don’t give me awards, they’re of no use. Help me reach out to those who need assistance,” says Kalyanasundaram every time he’s recognised for his charitable work. Kalyanasundaram, 76, set aside all his earnings from his day job as a librarian to help others while taking up odd jobs to make his own ends meet. He even donated his pension of Rs 10 lakh to the poor. Hailing from Tirunelveli, Kalyanasundaram now runs Anbu Paalam (Bridge of Love) in Chennai.

Dressed in a simple white baggy shirt, Kalayanasundaram might seem feeble and old at first glance but he is very active, is hands on and oversees the charity work himself. He worked actively in the field to help out those affected by the floods during the turbulent time in Chennai. He makes it a point to participate in all the functions he is invited to and was the chief guest at events organised by the Loyola College and the IIT recently.

The US Government had recognised his services to the poor and awarded him a cash prize of Rs 30 crore, which he donated to the poor. A man of simple needs, Kalyanasundaram was inspired by Jawaharlal Nehru’s speech on the radio urging citizens to contribute to the defence fund during the Indo-China war. He removed his gold chain and gave it to the DMK leader Kamaraj. As Karpagam, a member of his NGO, says, “He was born to serve others.”

Having lost his father when he was one, Kalyanasundaram was brought up by his mother and he says this inspired him to help the underprivileged people. A gold medalist in library science, he also has a Masters Degree in Literature and Listory. He wanted to do his post graduation in Tamil but being the only student interested in the subject, he was asked to choose another specialisation; he refused and pursued his cause and the founder of MTT College so was so impressed that he not only allotted him the subject but also agreed to pay for his education.

Kalyanasundaram has a shrill voice which was an embarrassment for him as a youngster, he even contemplated suicide but now his actions speak louder than words.

Currently, his mission is to help the flood victims in Tamil Nadu. He has set a target of Rs 100 crore for rehabilation work through his NGO. “We’re in the third phase. In the first phase, during the floods, we focussed on saving life and providing food. We organised and helped various areas in and around Chennai. In the second phase, immediately after the floods, we looked to provide shelter to those who had lost their homes and distributing a month’s ration for those affected. Now we’re looking to help schools and schoolchildren.”