An engineer by profession, Karthik Narayanan (1938) was born in Calcutta and had his early education in Tuticorin. He is an industrialist and heads companies that manufacture automobile components. He has occupied a number of important positions like the President of the Association of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, President of the Automobile Research Association of India, Chairman of the Southern Region of the Association of Indian Engineering Industry, Member of the Senate of the Annamalai University. Steeped in South Indian history, its arts and culture, KN is an avid reader of all the novels “Kalki” wrote, and is an accomplished player o of the percussion instrument the mridangam. KN is also an enthusiastic traveller, trekking in Himalayas being a favourite hobby. Married to Uma who is an accomplished translator of French and Tamil books and Managing Trustee of the SOS Children's Villages of India-Chatnath Homes and the Karna Prayag Trust, KN has a son Ramgopal, daughter Gayathri and a granddaughter Niveditha.

Ponniyin Selvan is Kalki R Krishnamurthy's magnum opus, set in 10th century Tamil Nadu, exploring the early life of Emperor Rajaraja the 1st. It might have been written more than 60 years ago, but this saga is timeless, reeling in readers with a gripping plot interwoven with intrigue, conspiracies, mystery, romance and adventure. Fresh Floods is Book 1 of a total of five volumes. Who is the rightful heir to the ancient Chozha throne? Will Madhuranthakar-son of the eldest son-or Aditha Karikalan-the grandson of the younger-wear the crown? And will justice prevail in this struggle for power? Follow our young, enthusiastic hero Vallavarayan Vandhiyathevan on his fascinating journey, as this historical fiction based on real characters and incidents unfolds at a spell-binding pace, delving deep into human tendencies, desires, personal motives, political ambitions and the fight to gain power at all costs.

Whirlwinds, the exciting second part of Kalki R Krishnamurthy's historic magnum opus Ponniyin Selvan, our hero Vallavarayan Vandhiyathevan's adventures continue as he rides into marshy quagmires, befriends a mysterious girl, becomes the object of intense suspicion by the wily Pazhuvettarayars - and meets the hero of his dreams. Meanwhile, Kundhavai Piratti, princess of the Chozha empire is thrown into confusion and outrage, while the beautiful but poisonous Nandhini Devi weaves more deceitful webs to ensnare her enemies. She will stop at nothing to bring about the downfall of the Chozhas ... but will the scions of that royal clan escape in time? Read on to find out as the epic continues.

About the Book A SCINTILLATING NEW TRANSLATION OF THE CLASSIC TAMIL NOVEL. Vallavarayan Vandiyadevan, a scion of the Vaanar clan, sets out across the Chozha land to deliver a secret message from Crown Prince Aditya Karikalan. Does he manage to safely deliver this message? Or does he get trapped in the sinister royal conspiracy that he unwittingly uncovers on his journey? When Ponniyin Selvan was first serialised in Kalki, no one could have imagined the impact it would have on the circulation of the magazine. Nor that, years later, this Tamil magnum opus, which blends travelogue with history and Chozha myth-making, would lend itself to the big screen, its cinematic form shaped by one of the finest directors of our time. The novel invented a distinct style, in which slang alternates with erudition, wordplay with euphoric prose and vivid imagery—a style that critics came to call ‘Kalki Tamil’. Today, this pioneering work is considered one of the great classics of Tamil literature. This unabridged and first-rate translation of Kalki Krishnamurthy’s masterwork by Nandini Krishnan is at once faithful to the original and accessible to the readers of this day. Carefully crafted in lyrical prose, First Flood—Book One in the Ponniyin Selvan series—is the quintessential page-turner: full of adventure, intrigue, conspiracy and romance.

Historical novel on the life and reign of Rajaraja I, active 985-1014, King of Chola dynasty.

Ponniyin Selvan is the pinnacle of Tamil Historical Novels. The way the Cholas ruled the country in a straight forward manner, with Love, Valor and Piousness has been brought to our eyes through this book in a grandeur and realistic fashion by the Legend writer Kalki. In today's, internet dependent world, we just wanted to take this fantastic novel to the kids and youngsters through this initiative of Nila Comics. We are sure kids, youngsters and ardent readers of this Novel will like this.

Translation of the Tamil novel, Ponniyin Selvan by Kalki. This is volume 1 of 5. Introduction to the bounteous Chozla heartland, and culture. Indra Neelameggham brings the beauty of Tamil style into English while retaining the original cadence. There is intrigue, politics, murder, mystery, power of women, life of the nobility and ordinary folk, war and ambition. Tamil culture and and Chozla history from 1000 years ago comes to life. Ponniyin Selvan was published as a serial - novel in the Tamil Magazine Kalki from 1950 to 1954. It was written by Kalki Krishnamurthy, an award winning author, in Tamil. Art work by Maniam brought life to the characters. This English translation by Indra Neelameggham maintains Kalki's "Nadai" or cadence of the original Tamil. Indra was the first to translate this epic into English as early as the 1990s. This five part novel introduces the grandeur of the Chozla Dynasty of Tamil people, whose empire at one time spanned large areas of south east Asia. They were famous for art, architecture, irrigation works, administration, naval warfare and most importantly global trade because of their naval prowess. The Grand Anaicut one of the oldest, still in use dams across any major river, was built by the Chozlas. The huge complex known as 'Big Temple ' in Tanjavur was built more than a thousand years ago by Rajaraja, the main character in this novel. He is known as the Beloved of the River Ponni , the Tamil name for The Cauvery. The activities of common folk, nobility, ordinary soldiers, the power wielded by women, conniving statesmen, terrorists, treason, war, pirates, murder and turmoil for a throne are the core threads in this panoramic story. References to Tamil poetry and myth enrich the story.