Ramaswamy Krishnamurthy was born on 9 September 1899 in Puthamangalam, near Manalmedu, in Mayiladuthurai district. Krishnamurthy started writing fiction stories in Navaskthi in 1923 where he worked as a sub editor. He was working under the tutelage of Thiru Vi Ka when he published his first book in 1927. He started working with C Rajagopalachari in Thiruchengode in Gandhi Ashram. He published Vimochanam along with Rajaji, a journal propagating liquor prohibition. He was working in the freedom struggle and during 1931, he was jailed for six months. He joined Ananda Vikatan, a popular Tamil magazine along with editor S S Vasan. He became very popular as a critic, witty author, political ator and short story writer. He wrote under various pen names like "Kalki", "Ra. Ki", "Tamil Theni" and "Karnatkam". He left Ananda Vikatan and joined the freedom struggle in 1941. On his release, he and T. Sadasivam started a weekly named Kalki. He was the editor of the journal till his death on 5 December 1954.