Alagappa Chettiar
Encyclopedia
Padmabushan Dr. K.V. AL. RM. Alagappa Chettiar, in Tamil: வள்ளல் டாக்டர் திரு க.வி.அழ.அழகப்பா செட்டியார் (April 6, 1909 - April 5, 1957), was an India
n businessman and philanthropist.
in the Sivaganga
District of Tamil Nadu
to K.V.AL. Ramanathan Chettiar and Umayal Achi. He attended Presidency College
at Chennai
, where he became friendly with Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
, a model teacher who later on became President of India
. In 1930 at the age of 21 he was the first M.A. (English Language and Literature) from the community of Nattukottai Nagarathars.
After his graduation he went to England to pursue the study of Law. He qualified for the Bar at Middle Temple in England and became a ' Bar-at-Law ' to be cherished by the people of Chettinad. Adventurous by nature he was awarded a pilot certificate at Croydon
, London. During this time he became the first Indian trainee in the Chartered Bank
, London
.
His stellar record as a business entrepreneur was acknowledged by the British Government and he was knight
ed in 1945 at the age of 37, a title which he renounced when India attained independence. The President of India on January 26, 1956 conferred the distinction of Padma Bushan on him. He proved himself a versatile business tycoon and an intrepid academician with a vision to change the mere scrub jungle of Karaikudi to an educational Mecca. When he died prematurely at the age of 48, Dr. Alagappa Chettiar had redefined philanthropy and contributed more to the betterment of education in Tamil Nadu than any other person of eminence had done until then.
He launched his career by pioneering in textiles. In 1937 he started Cochin Textiles, later Alagappa Textiles at Pudhukaddu near Thirucheur in Kerala
. The township for Cochin textile staff was named "Alagappa Nagar". As a business savvy tycoon he practiced then, what the Harvard Business School
preaches today - diversification of portfolios with rubber
plantation
s in Malaya
, tin
mine
s in Burma, s in Kerala
, insurance
companies in Calcutta, hotel
s in Bombay, theatre
s in Madras, a flourishing stock exchange company and a private airline and has been referred to as the unsung business maharaja of South India in the thirties and forties.
Department of Travancore University.
In 1947 at the Dr.Annie Besant centenary celebrations he answered the call for industrialists to help educate India by spontaneously offering to start an Arts College in Karaikudi
. This college, Alagappa Arts College started at Gandhi Maleghai, opened three days later. His generous donations led to the establishment of a string of educational institutions, which formed the basis for the foundation of the Alagappa University
in 1985 by the Government of Tamil Nadu
.
He convinced Prime Minister Nehru to house one of the Government's National Research Institutes in the heart of the Alagappa campus. As Dr. Radhakrishnan, the Vice President of India surmised at the opening of the Central Electro Chemical Research Institute
(CECRI) on 14 Jan 1953. " The magnificent gift of 300 acres (1.2 km²) of land and fifteen lakhs (1.5 million) of rupees by Dr. Alagappa Chettiar helped the Government of India to select Karaikudi as the seat of Electro Chemical Research Institute. Being a businessman himself, Dr. Alagappa Chettiar is aware of the industrial possibilities of our country and the need for scientific, technical and technological education. In his lifetime he has built a monument for himself and you have only to look around. "
Dr. Alagappa Chettiar pioneered the centre of excellence "A.C.College of Technology" (named after him) at Guindy, Chennai, which offers specialised Engineering & Technology courses including Chemical Technology, Petroleum Refining & Petrochemicals, Textile Engineering, Leather Technology, Industrial Biotechnology, Ceramic Technology, Pharmaceutical Technology, Food Technology, etc. Presently it comes under the governance of Anna University
.
His crowning piece of philanthropy was giving away his own palatial residence in Kottaiyur to found a women's college.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n businessman and philanthropist.
Early life
Dr. RM. Alagappa Chettiar was born in KottaiyurKottaiyur
Kottaiyur is a panchayat town in Sivaganga district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-Geography:Kottaiyur is located at . It has an average elevation of 77 metres . kottaiyur is located close to karaikudi on the karaikudi - trichy highway.-Demographics: India census, Kottaiyur had a...
in the Sivaganga
Sivaganga
Sivaganga, also known as Sivagangai, is a town and a municipality in Sivaganga district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of Sivaganga district.-Geography:...
District of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
to K.V.AL. Ramanathan Chettiar and Umayal Achi. He attended Presidency College
Presidency College, Chennai
Presidency College is an arts, law and science college in the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu, India. Established as the Madras Preparatory School on October 15, 1840 and later, upgraded to a high school and then, graduate college, the Presidency College is one of the oldest government arts colleges...
at Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, where he became friendly with Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
Sir Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan , OM, FBA was an Indian philosopher and statesman. He was the first Vice President of India and subsequently the second President of India ....
, a model teacher who later on became President of India
President of India
The President of India is the head of state and first citizen of India, as well as the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. President of India is also the formal head of all the three branches of Indian Democracy - Legislature, Executive and Judiciary...
. In 1930 at the age of 21 he was the first M.A. (English Language and Literature) from the community of Nattukottai Nagarathars.
After his graduation he went to England to pursue the study of Law. He qualified for the Bar at Middle Temple in England and became a ' Bar-at-Law ' to be cherished by the people of Chettinad. Adventurous by nature he was awarded a pilot certificate at Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
, London. During this time he became the first Indian trainee in the Chartered Bank
Standard Chartered Bank
Standard Chartered PLC is a multinational financial services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom with operations in more than seventy countries...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Business Acumen
His stellar record as a business entrepreneur was acknowledged by the British Government and he was knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed in 1945 at the age of 37, a title which he renounced when India attained independence. The President of India on January 26, 1956 conferred the distinction of Padma Bushan on him. He proved himself a versatile business tycoon and an intrepid academician with a vision to change the mere scrub jungle of Karaikudi to an educational Mecca. When he died prematurely at the age of 48, Dr. Alagappa Chettiar had redefined philanthropy and contributed more to the betterment of education in Tamil Nadu than any other person of eminence had done until then.
He launched his career by pioneering in textiles. In 1937 he started Cochin Textiles, later Alagappa Textiles at Pudhukaddu near Thirucheur in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
. The township for Cochin textile staff was named "Alagappa Nagar". As a business savvy tycoon he practiced then, what the Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
preaches today - diversification of portfolios with rubber
Rubber
Natural rubber, also called India rubber or caoutchouc, is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid produced by some plants. The plants would be ‘tapped’, that is, an incision made into the bark of the tree and the sticky, milk colored latex sap collected and refined...
plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
s in Malaya
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya is the name given to a federation of 11 states that existed from 31 January 1948 until 16 September 1963. The Federation became independent on 31 August 1957...
, tin
Tin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...
mine
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
s in Burma, s in Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
companies in Calcutta, hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
s in Bombay, theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
s in Madras, a flourishing stock exchange company and a private airline and has been referred to as the unsung business maharaja of South India in the thirties and forties.
Philanthropy in Education
He harboured a firm conviction that education is an absolute must for a human being to become productive, wholesome and humane. In 1943 he donated one lakh (100,000) rupees for the installation and development of the TamilTamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
Department of Travancore University.
In 1947 at the Dr.Annie Besant centenary celebrations he answered the call for industrialists to help educate India by spontaneously offering to start an Arts College in Karaikudi
Karaikudi
Karaikudi is a town in Sivaganga District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.Chettinad literally 'Chetti land' in Tamil, is a collection of 76 villages/towns. Chettinad stretched from Ramnad District and Pudukottai State of 'British' India. The Chettiars, or more properly the Nattukottai...
. This college, Alagappa Arts College started at Gandhi Maleghai, opened three days later. His generous donations led to the establishment of a string of educational institutions, which formed the basis for the foundation of the Alagappa University
Alagappa University
Alagappa University is located on about in the business town of Karaikudi in Sivaganga District in Tamil Nadu, India. Karaikudi is 400 km south of Madras on the Madras–Rameswaram line and is accessible from Tiruchirappalli and Madurai in about 2 hours by road and rail. This seat of higher...
in 1985 by the Government of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
.
He convinced Prime Minister Nehru to house one of the Government's National Research Institutes in the heart of the Alagappa campus. As Dr. Radhakrishnan, the Vice President of India surmised at the opening of the Central Electro Chemical Research Institute
Central Electro Chemical Research Institute
Central Electro Chemical Research Institute is one of a chain of forty national laboratories under the aegis of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research in New Delhi. Founded on 25 July 1948 at Karaikudi in Tamilnadu, CECRI came into existence on the January 1953...
(CECRI) on 14 Jan 1953. " The magnificent gift of 300 acres (1.2 km²) of land and fifteen lakhs (1.5 million) of rupees by Dr. Alagappa Chettiar helped the Government of India to select Karaikudi as the seat of Electro Chemical Research Institute. Being a businessman himself, Dr. Alagappa Chettiar is aware of the industrial possibilities of our country and the need for scientific, technical and technological education. In his lifetime he has built a monument for himself and you have only to look around. "
Dr. Alagappa Chettiar pioneered the centre of excellence "A.C.College of Technology" (named after him) at Guindy, Chennai, which offers specialised Engineering & Technology courses including Chemical Technology, Petroleum Refining & Petrochemicals, Textile Engineering, Leather Technology, Industrial Biotechnology, Ceramic Technology, Pharmaceutical Technology, Food Technology, etc. Presently it comes under the governance of Anna University
Anna University
Anna University was a premier technical university in Tamil Nadu, India. Anna University was formed on September 4, 1978, as a unitary university that integrated four technical institutions in the city of Chennai , including the College of Engineering, Guindy, Alagappa College of Technology,...
.
His crowning piece of philanthropy was giving away his own palatial residence in Kottaiyur to found a women's college.
Notable donations & institutions
His other foundations and charitable donations included:- Alagappa Chettiar College of Engineering & Technology (ACCET) at Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu. (Now an autonomous government institution)
- Alagappa Matriculation Higher Secondary School, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
- Alagappa Arts College, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu
- Alagappa College of Polytechnic, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu
- Alagappa Physical Education College, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu
- Alagappa Primary School, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu
- Alagappa Montessori School, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu
- Alagappa Preparatory School, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu (this is a private school managed by his daughter founded after him)
- Alagappa Matriculation School, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu (this is a private school managed by his daughter founded after him)
- Alagappa Model Higher Secondary School at his birth place, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu
- A ladies' hostel at Vepery, Chennai
- A gift for the development of the township infrastructure of Kottaiyur
- A gift for the Meenakshi club at KandanurKandanurKandanur is a panchayat town in Sivaganga district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-Demographics: India census, Kandanur had a population of 6454. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Kandanur has an average literacy rate of 69%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male...
, Tamil Nadu - A donation for the H.M.I.S Fund
- Foundation of an engineering college at Annamalai UniversityAnnamalai UniversityAnnamalai University is a Public University located in Annamalai Nagar, Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India. The university offers courses of higher education in arts, sciences and engineering.The university also provides around 380 courses under distance mode...
, ChidambaramChidambaramChidambaram is a fast growing industrial city in Eastern part of Tamil Nadu and the taluk headquarters of the Cuddalore district. It is located in 58 km from Pondicherry, 60 km from Karaikal, and 240 km south of Chennai by rail...
, Tamil Nadu - Foundation of a college of technology at Madras University, subsequently named Alagappa Chettiar College of Technology, GuindyGuindyGuindy is one of the important neighbourhoods of Chennai , Tamil Nadu, India. It is located in the South-Western part of the city. It is the entry point or the gateway to Chennai city from the Southern parts of Tamil Nadu and the South Western suburbs of Chennai...
, Chennai - A donation to establish higher educationHigher educationHigher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
in Malaysia - A donation to establish the South Indian Educational Society at New DelhiNew DelhiNew Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
in 1948 - A donation to the Lady Doak College at MaduraiMaduraiMadurai is the third largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It served as the capital city of the Pandyan Kingdom. It is the administrative headquarters of Madurai District and is famous for its temples built by Pandyan and...
- A donation for constructing "Alagappa Mandapam" at Thakkar Baba Vidyalaya in 1946 - the Foundation Stone was laid by M.K.Gandhi
- A donation for publishing Tamil Kalangiyam
- A donation to the Cochin Cyclone Relief fund
- A donation for geological research by the TravancoreTravancoreKingdom of Travancore was a former Hindu feudal kingdom and Indian Princely State with its capital at Padmanabhapuram or Trivandrum ruled by the Travancore Royal Family. The Kingdom of Travancore comprised most of modern day southern Kerala, Kanyakumari district, and the southernmost parts of...
government - A donation for establishing a maternity hospital and childcare centre in Cochin
- A donation for indigenous medicine research by Ernakulam Maharaja College
- A donation to fund students from Cochin to study abroad
- Funding the morning food scheme for Cochin children
- Establishing the South Indian chamber of commerce in Cochin