Swaminathan "Swami" Srinivasan

Swami, who is alternately referred to as both Swami and Swaminathan, is the titular character, protagonist, and primary point of view character of Swami and Friends. Swami is a ten-year-old boy living in the fictional town of Malgudi, in the South of India. He is from a upper-middle-class, high-caste Hindu home, and lives with his father, a lawyer, his mother, his somewhat senile but doting Grandmother, and later, his baby brother. Swami has a good relationship with his family, though he is often at odds with his father when it comes to devoting himself to schoolwork.

Swami has a small group of friends at the Mission School, however he spends most of his time with Rajam and Mani, who he feels close to. Despite being close to Rajam, the two are sometimes at odds, such as when Swami participates in a political protest and clashes with...