Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], June 10 : Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and Telugu superstar Pawan Kalyan has revealed the interesting story behind the name that millions of fans know him by today, tracing it back to his martial arts training days, long before he became a film star or political leader.
In a conversation with ANI, Pawan Kalyan opened up about how his birth name evolved over the years and how the addition of "Pawan" became a defining part of his identity.
Recalling his naming ceremony, the Deputy Chief Minister said his original name was given at the Tirumala Devasthanam. He explained that during the ceremony, he was named Sri Kalyan Kumar, though the name underwent a slight change when the prefix "Sri" was eventually dropped from school records, leaving him as K Kalyan Kumar.
"I was named in Tirumala Devasthanam, right in the temple of Lord Yoga Narasimha. However, I don't think that was my actual given name. During the Namakaranam ceremony, my name was given as Sri Kalyan Kumar," he said.
"In school records, I think the 'Sri' was dropped, and it became K. Kalyan Kumar. Kalyan Kumar is my family name, so it was recorded as K Kalyan Kumar," he added.
The actor-politician also revealed the fascinating story behind the addition of "Pawan" to his name. Speaking about his martial arts training days, he recalled how one of his instructors drew a comparison between him and Lord Hanuman after witnessing his strength demonstrations.
"Before I entered the film industry, and even after I joined cinema, one of my martial arts teachers added 'Pawan' to my name."
"At the time, I was doing a lot of strength and martial arts training. I used to perform power demonstrations, taking nearly half a ton, close to 450 kilograms, of weight on my chest. Stone slabs were also broken on my chest during these demonstrations," he added.
"I think my teacher once said something like, 'You're like Hanuman, Pawan Putra Hanuman.' I believe that's the reason he added the name Pawan," he further said.
Today, Pawan Kalyan is one of the most recognisable names in Telugu cinema and politics. Popularly known as the "Power Star" among fans, he has enjoyed a successful career as an actor and martial artist before emerging as a major political figure in Andhra Pradesh.
Kalyan currently serves as the 11th Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh and remains one of the most influential personalities in South India.