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{{Short description|Indian philanthropist and social worker}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Palam Kalyanasundaram
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| image = Mr. Palam Kalyanasundaram.JPG
| caption =
| birth_date = August 1940
| birth_place = Melakarivelamkulam, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu, India
| education = {{Plainlist|
* Master of Arts (Literature)
* Master of Arts (History)
* Gold Medalist in Library Science, University of Madras
}}
| occupation = {{Plainlist|
* Librarian (retired)
* Philanthropist
* Social worker
}}
| organization = Paalam
| known_for = Philanthropy, Social service
| awards = {{Plainlist|
* [[Padma Shri]] (2023)
}}
}}

'''Palam Kalyanasundaram''' (born {{Circa|August 1940}}) is an Indian [[librarian]], [[philanthropist]], and [[social worker]] from [[Tamil Nadu]], India. He is known for his extensive charitable work, having reportedly donated all his earnings, including his salary throughout his 35-year career as a [[librarian]], his pension, and numerous cash awards, to charitable causes.<ref name="TheBetterIndia30Years">{{cite web |first=Shreya |last=Pareek |date=20 August 2014 |title=The 73-Year Old Librarian Who Has Been Donating Every Rupee He Earned To The Poor For 30 Years! |url=https://thebetterindia.com/12607/man-donated-every-rupee-earned-help-poor-kalyanasundaram-librarian/ |access-date=15 May 2024 |website=[[The Better India]]}}</ref><ref name="DeccanChronicleUnwavering">{{cite web |first=Merin Maria |last=James |date=20 April 2016 |title=An unwavering commitment to charity |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/lifestyle/viral-and-trending/200416/an-unwavering-commitment-to-charity.html |access-date=15 May 2024 |newspaper=[[Deccan Chronicle]]}}</ref> He was awarded the [[Padma Shri]], India's fourth-highest civilian honor, in 2023 in the field of social work.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-23 |title=Padma Awards 2023 Announced |url=https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1893797 |access-date=19 May 2025 |website=[[Press Information Bureau]]}}</ref><ref name="NewIndianExpressPadmaTN">{{cite web |author= |date=26 January 2023 |title=Singer, snake catchers, doctor among six Padma Shri awardees from TN |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2023/Jan/26/singer-snake-catchers-doctor-among-six-padma-shri-awardees-from-tn-2541456.html |access-date=15 May 2024 |newspaper=[[The New Indian Express]]}}</ref>

== Early life and education ==
Palam Kalyanasundaram was born in August 1940 in Melakarivelamkulam village in the [[Tirunelveli district]] of [[Tamil Nadu]], India.<ref name="PrinchBio2">{{cite web |first=Gopal Mohan |last=Shukla |title=Librarian of the Millennium: Palam Kalyanasundaram |url=https://princh.com/blog-librarian-of-the-millennium/ |access-date=15 May 2024 |website=[[Princh]]|date=30 March 2023 }}</ref>{{better source needed |date=May 2025 |reason=This is a blog that does not appear reliable.}} He lost his father when he was a child, and was raised by his mother, Thaayammal.<ref name="TeenagerTodayLibrarian">{{cite web |first=F. M. |last=Britto |title=Librarian of the Millennium |url=https://theteenagertoday.com/librarian-of-the-millennium/ |access-date=15 May 2024 |website=The Teenager Today|date=23 January 2024 }}</ref>

Kalyanasundaram pursued higher education at the [[University of Madras]], where he earned a gold medal in [[Library and information science|Library Science]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-26 |title=Palam Kalyanasundaram: The Man Of The Millenium - The Commune |url=https://thecommunemag.com/palam-kalyanasundaram-the-man-of-the-millenium/ |access-date=2025-05-16 |language=en-US}}</ref> He also holds [[Master of Arts]] degrees in Literature and History. His interest in [[Tamil literature]] led the founder of MTT Hindu College to introduce the subject and sponsor his education.<ref name="TeenagerTodayLibrarian" />

== Career and philanthropy ==
Kalyanasundaram worked as a librarian for 35 years at the Kumarkurupara Arts College in [[Srivaikuntam]], [[Thoothukudi district]], retiring in 1998.<ref name="HinduPractising">{{Cite web |archive-date=2013-05-02 |date=22 August 2004 |title=Practising what he preaches |url=http://www.hindu.com/lf/2004/08/22/stories/2004082209260200.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502105905/http://www.hindu.com/lf/2004/08/22/stories/2004082209260200.htm |access-date=2025-05-16 |first=Prathiba |last=Parameswaran |website=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref> A significant aspect of his philanthropic journey was the decision to donate all his earnings.<ref name="TheBetterIndia30Years" /> During the [[1962 Sino-Indian War]], he donated his gold chain to the war fund,<ref name="TheBetterIndia30Years" /><ref name="SRDalviFoundationWhoIs">{{cite web |first=Ramachandraa |last=Dalvi |title=Who is Palam Kalyanasundaram? |url=https://srdalvifoundation.com/who-is-palam-kalyanasundaram/ |access-date=15 May 2024 |website=S R Dalvi (I) Foundation|date=10 November 2022 }}</ref> an act acknowledged and felicitated by the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, [[K. Kamaraj]].<ref name="SRDalviFoundationWhoIs" />

Upon retirement, Kalyanasundaram also donated his pension arrears of {{INR convert|10|l}}.<ref name="TheBetterIndia30Years" /> He is also reported to have donated prize money from various awards, including a sum of {{INR Convert|30|c}} that he received with a 'Man of the Millennium' award from some unidentified American organisation.<ref name="TheBetterIndia30Years" /><ref name="DeccanChronicleUnwavering" />

Kalyanasundaram founded the Paalam (meaning "bridge" in Tamil) organization in 1998 after his retirement. The organization acts as a conduit, connecting donors with those in need and facilitating various social welfare activities.<ref name="HinduPractising" />

== Awards and recognition ==

* [[Padma Shri]] (2023)<ref name="TOIVideosPadma2">{{cite web |date=6 April 2023 |title=Retired Librarian Palam Kalyanasundaram awarded Padma Shri for social work |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videos/news/retired-librarian-palam-kalyanasundaram-awarded-padma-shri-for-social-work/videoshow/99290638.cms |access-date=15 May 2024 |publisher=Times of India Videos}}</ref>
* Man of the Millennium, from some American organisation<ref name="NewIndianExpressPadmaTN" />
* Best Librarian in India (1990), from the Government of India.<ref name="RediffEveryRupee">{{cite web |first=Shobha |last=Warrier |author-link=Shobha Warrier |date=23 March 2016 |title=He donated EVERY rupee he earned to the poor |url=https://rediff.com/news/special/he-donated-every-rupee-he-earned-to-the-poor/20160323.htm |access-date=15 May 2024 |website=[[Rediff.com]]}}</ref>

== Personal life and legacy ==
Kalyanasundaram lives in [[Saidapet]], [[Chennai]], and remains unmarried.<ref name="TheBetterIndia30Years" /> He has pledged his body and eyes to the [[Tirunelveli Medical College]] for medical research and donation after his death.<ref name="HinduPractising" />

== References ==
{{Reflist}}{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Social Work}}

[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Indian philanthropists]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in social work]]
[[Category:Indian librarians]]
[[Category:1940 births]]

Palam Kalyanasundaram - Revision history

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