About the author

Ramaswamy Krishnamurthy, also known as Kalki, was an Indian writer, poet,

journalist, and independence activist. He wrote about social issues like caste,
gender discrimination, and child marriage, advocating for women's liberation
and scientific progress. Kalki's notable works include Sivagamiyin Sapatham,
Thyaga Bhoomi, Parthiban Kanavu, and Kalvanin Kadhali. His historical fiction
novel Ponniyin Selvan is considered a masterpiece. Kalki received numerous
awards, including the Sahitya Akademi Award for Alai Osai and the Sangeetha
Kalasikhamani award from The Indian Fine Arts Society.
ABOUT HIS EARLY LIFE
• Ramaswamy Krishnamurthy, born on September 9, 1899, in Tamil Nadu, India, was
an accountant. He attended his village school and Municipal High School in
Mayavaram. Krishnamurthy quit his studies in 1921, just short of completing his
Senior School Leaving Certificate, in response to Mahatma Gandhi's call for non-co-
operation in the Indian National Congress.
• Krishnamurthy began writing fiction stories in Navaskthi in 1923 and worked as a
sub editor under Thiru Vi Ka. He published his first book in 1927 and later worked
with C Rajagopalachari in Gandhi Ashram. He published Vimochanam and Rajaji, a
journal advocating for liquor prohibition. Krishnamurthy was involved in the
freedom struggle and was jailed for six months in 1931. He joined Ananda Vikatan, a
popular Tamil magazine, and became a popular critic, author, political commentator,
and short story writer. He left Ananda Vikatan in 1941 and started Kalki, a weekly,
with Sadasivam. He was the editor until his death in 1954.
 THEME
The Tiger King is a story that portrays the wilfulness and arrogance of
those in power during the British rule. The rulers were uninterested in
serving the people and bent the law to their advantage. The Maharaja
of Pratibandapuram tries to disprove a chief astrologer's prediction that
a tiger would kill him, hunting down 99 tigers. However, the tigers, not
flesh and blood, killed him. He dies from infection after cutting his right
hand with a silver silver.
• The Tiger King by Kalki uses a writing style that is satirical, and
conversational yet has a narrative style.
• Satire is a comedic and humourous style that provides insight into our
perception of society and mocks its ideals. It aims to make a point and
tell us something we wouldn't otherwise consider. In contrast,
conversational writing takes its audience into consideration, providing
a story spoken directly to them, without preaching or superiority. This
style maintains its narrative structure, including exposition, rising
action, climax, falling action, and conclusion, while maintaining the
tone of the conversation. Satire is a unique and enjoyable way to tell a
story, allowing readers to enjoy it as another story.