V Kalyanam, Mahatma Gandhi's former personal secretary, passes away at 99 in Chennai

Mahatma Gandhi's former personal secretary V Kalyanam died in Chennai on Tuesday, his daughter said. Kalyanam (99) died due to old age-related ailments, his younger daughter Nalini told PTI.

He was Gandhi's personal secretary from 1943 to 1948, when the Mahatma was assassinated. Kalyanam had earlier shocked the country by claiming that Mahatma Gandhi did not utter the words 'Hey Ram' when he was assassinated 73 years ago, but later said he had been then misquoted.

"I never said Gandhiji did not say 'Hey Ram' at all. What I had said was I did not hear him saying 'Hey Ram'," he had told PTI earlier. He said he "could not hear anything due to the commotion after the incident".

Netizens react

*Mahathma Gandhi's last Personal Secretary V Kalyanam dies in Chennai.He was 99. In this recent video he talks about assassination of Gandhi by Godse. He was so close at the site (Video courtesy: Parveen Papa)* pic.twitter.com/J6tvAa3Mvi

— MuthuPugal (@pugal_muthu)

Mahatma Gandhi's personal secretary V. Kalyanam is still alive (98) and lives in Chennai, He was just behind Gandhiji when Nathuram Godse fired the shot, He was the first to inform Nehru and Patel about Gandhi's Death #MahatmaGandhiji pic.twitter.com/XS5nKN6sJl

— Manjeet Singh Dagar (@SinghManjeet941)

Mahatma Gandhi's Private Secretary and Senior Adviser to our Gandhi World Foundtion , Mr. V.Kalyanam(100) passed away today... Let us pray that Aiya's soul rests in the shadow of Lord Thiruvadi ... Om Shanti ... pic.twitter.com/r5fnRAIYRD

— ML Rajesh (@MLRajesh2)

The last personal secretary of Mahatma Gandhi Thiru V Kalyanam passes away!

He was part of quit India movement and they became Mahatma's secretary in 1943, One of the few who witnessed the assassination of MK Gandhi in 1948. #Vkalayanam #India #Gandhi #Freedomfighter #India pic.twitter.com/olWuyrzCDR

— Maheswaran M (@mahi190796)

Gandhi's PS, U V Kalyanam, in a newspaper interview, said, "It is pertinent 2 mention here Nehru made corrupt colleagues like Krishna Menon, who was involved in the infamous 'jeep scam' while he was the Defense Minister"

An excerpt of the Jeep Scandal 1948 by @INCIndia

— VIKRAM GUPTA (@vg_stp)

(with PTI inputs)