K. Kalyanasundaramier
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K. Kalyanasundaramier (also spelt Kalyanasundaram Iyer) was a leading advocate, philanthropist and Indian politician from
Early life
He was born somewhere in the 1840s. He lost his father at a very young age and was brought up by his mother, Alamelu, in his native village of Kathiramangalam. It is believed[by whom?] his initial K. stands for his native village.
Through sheer hard work he ended up completing law studies and, though a late entrant to the law practice, went on to become a leading advocate in Tanjore becoming not only successful and wealthy but also a well-respected
In 1891, he donated land in Tanjore for a new school, which was subsequently named after him, the Kalyanasundaram Higher Secondary School (KHSS) which is still in operation. He was an admirer and good friend of Dr. U. V. Swaminatha Iyer; Dr. Swaminatha Iyer’s autobiography En Sarithiram, refers to this bond and to his 1892 visit to Kathiramangalam to attend the gruhapravesam of Kalyanasundarmier's newly built home.
Political career
In 1892, Kalyanasundaramier was nominated to the
In 1893, he succeeded Rao Bahadur S.A. Saminatha Iyer as the Chairman of the Tanjore municipal council.[citation needed] In 1896, he is credited with having introduced an individual bill in the Madras Legislative Council.[citation needed] In 1897, he built a hall (mandapam) for the dakshina thirupathi venkatesa perumal koil in Kathiramangalam in the name of his mother. He is reputed[how?] to have dug a few wells in Kathiramangalam and built a road from the village to the main Kumbakonam-Mayavaram road, all out of his own pockets.[citation needed]
Personal life
He had at least two sons, K. Ramaratnam Aiyer, B.A. and K. Balasubramaniam Aiyer. K. Ramaratnam Aiyer was a Tamil scholar who, amongst others, wrote an early modern day commentary on
Kalyanasundaramier died sometime in the late 1890s at the age of 54.[citation needed]
References
- ^ Hemingway, F. R. (1907). Madras district gazetteers, Volume 1. Superintendent, Government Press. p. 231.
Further reading
- K. C. Markandan (1964). Madras Legislative Council; Its constitution and working between 1861 and 1909. S. Chand & CO. p. 51.