N. Mahalingam
Encyclopedia
Pollachi Dr. N. Mahalingam Gounder is the Chairman of Sakthi group of companies, educationalist, notable philanthropist and a prominent, influential person among the "Kongu Nadu
" region of Tamil Nadu.
. After finishing schooling at the Pollachi High School, he joined the Loyola College in Madras.
He was a member of the Tamil Nadu
Legislative Assembly
for 15 years — from 1952 to 1967— and played a key role in bringing about a number of development projects, including the Parambikulam - Aliyar Project that helps irrigate the agriculture lands in the Pollachi
region. He was elected to the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly as an Indian National Congress
candidate from Pollachi constituency
in 1952, 1957 and 1962 elections.
He counts himself lucky to have started business during the planning era in post-Independence India. After the banks were nationalised by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
, this entrepreneur found it a big boon to start businesses and expand as more and more banks were ready to lend money easily.
Today, the Sakthi Group of Companies is a name to reckon with as it has forayed into sugar, distilling, automobiles, finance, etc.
) in 1981. He received the Padma Bhushan
from the President of India in 2007. Other honours include: *Honorary Consul : 1989-92 from the Government of Mauritius
*Indira Gandhi National Integration Award : 1989 at the All India National Unity Conference, New Delhi *Aram Valarkkum Annal : 1983 from His Holiness Sri Sankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakodi Peedam *Doctor of Laws : 1984 from Bharathiar University, Coimbatore *Doctor of Science : 1988 from Anna University, Madras *Doctor of Science : 2000 from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. He is founder of many educational institutes from schools to autonomous institutions.Some of his educational institutions are Kumaraguru College of Technology-Coimbatore(popularly known as KCT), Nachimuthu Polytechnic,Mahalingam college of engineering [popularly known as mcet] etc.
, the Indian swamiji who emigrated to the United States of America and founded the Integral Yoga
Institutes. Mahalingham was a devoted follower of the Swamiji and contributed to the moral and financial causes of the Swamiji's works in the USA, especially to the Light Of Truth Universal Shrine (LOTUS) ecumenical temple in Virginia
.
Kongu Nadu
Kongu Nadu is a region comprising the western part of the Tamil Nadu India. The region is bounded on the west and north-west by the Karnataka state, on the west by the Kerala state, on the east by Tondai Nadu, on the south-east by Chola Nadu and on the south by Madurai regions of...
" region of Tamil Nadu.
Early life
Mahalingam was born on 21 March 1923 into an affluent agricultural family at PollachiPollachi
Pollachi is a taluk of Coimbatore Rural district of the Tamil Nadu state of India. It lies in the southern part of the Coimbatore city around 40 kilometres from downtown Coimbatore. This is the second largest town in the District after Corporation of Coimbatore. Owing to the proximity to the...
. After finishing schooling at the Pollachi High School, he joined the Loyola College in Madras.
Career
Since his father Late Thiru P. Nachimuthu Gounder was a municipal chairman, Mahalingam was initiated into politics very early in life.He was a member of the 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...
Legislative Assembly
Legislative Assembly
Legislative Assembly is the name given in some countries to either a legislature, or to one of its branch.The name is used by a number of member-states of the Commonwealth of Nations, as well as a number of Latin American countries....
for 15 years — from 1952 to 1967— and played a key role in bringing about a number of development projects, including the Parambikulam - Aliyar Project that helps irrigate the agriculture lands in the Pollachi
Pollachi
Pollachi is a taluk of Coimbatore Rural district of the Tamil Nadu state of India. It lies in the southern part of the Coimbatore city around 40 kilometres from downtown Coimbatore. This is the second largest town in the District after Corporation of Coimbatore. Owing to the proximity to the...
region. He was elected to the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly as an Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
candidate from Pollachi constituency
Pollachi (State Assembly Constituency)
Pollachi is the legislative assembly, that includes the city, Pollachi. Attur assembly constituency was part of Pollachi .- Madras State :- Tamil Nadu :- References :...
in 1952, 1957 and 1962 elections.
He counts himself lucky to have started business during the planning era in post-Independence India. After the banks were nationalised by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
, this entrepreneur found it a big boon to start businesses and expand as more and more banks were ready to lend money easily.
Today, the Sakthi Group of Companies is a name to reckon with as it has forayed into sugar, distilling, automobiles, finance, etc.
Honours and titles
The 83-year-old industrialist has served on the Board of Directors of several public sector undertakings and the State Planning Commission in two terms. A well-known philanthropist who donates towards the development of culture and sports, Mahalingam was involved in the establishment of the Institute of Asian Studies in Madras (now ChennaiChennai
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...
) in 1981. He received the Padma Bhushan
Padma Bhushan
The Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
from the President of India in 2007. Other honours include: *Honorary Consul : 1989-92 from the Government of Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
*Indira Gandhi National Integration Award : 1989 at the All India National Unity Conference, New Delhi *Aram Valarkkum Annal : 1983 from His Holiness Sri Sankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakodi Peedam *Doctor of Laws : 1984 from Bharathiar University, Coimbatore *Doctor of Science : 1988 from Anna University, Madras *Doctor of Science : 2000 from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. He is founder of many educational institutes from schools to autonomous institutions.Some of his educational institutions are Kumaraguru College of Technology-Coimbatore(popularly known as KCT), Nachimuthu Polytechnic,Mahalingam college of engineering [popularly known as mcet] etc.
Spiritual life
Mahalingam had an important association with Sri Swami SatchidanandaSwami Satchidananda
Swami Satchidananda , born as C. K. Ramaswamy Gounder, was an Indian religious teacher, spiritual master and yoga adept, who gained fame and following in the West during his time in New York. He was the author of many philosophical and spiritual books, including a popular illustrative book on Hatha...
, the Indian swamiji who emigrated to the United States of America and founded the Integral Yoga
Integral yoga
In the teachings of Sri Aurobindo, Integral yoga refers to the process of the union of all the parts of one's being with the Divine, and the transmutation of all of their jarring elements into a harmonious state of higher divine consciousness and existence.Sri...
Institutes. Mahalingham was a devoted follower of the Swamiji and contributed to the moral and financial causes of the Swamiji's works in the USA, especially to the Light Of Truth Universal Shrine (LOTUS) ecumenical temple in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.