Sir Alagappa Chettiar (6 April 1909 – 5 April 1957) was an Indian businessman and philanthropist. He received the Padma Bhushan award (the third highest civilian award in India) in 1956.[2]
After his graduation he went to England to study law. He qualified for the Bar at Middle Temple, London, in England in 1933[1] and became a 'Bar-at-Law' in Chettinad, India. During that time he also earned a pilot certificate at Croydon, London, and became the first Indian trainee in the Standard Chartered Bank, London.
Business career
Chettiar's activities as a business entrepreneur were acknowledged by the British Government when he was knighted in the 1946 New Year Honours at the age of 37;[3] however, he renounced using the title of the knighthood when India attained independence. The President of India on 26 January 1956 conferred the distinction of Padma Bhushan onto him.
Chettiar launched his career by pioneering in textiles. In 1937 he started Cochin Textiles, later Alagappa Textiles at Alagappa Nagar near Thrissur in Kerala. The township for Cochin textile staff was named "Alagappa Nagar" in his memory. He held a diverse portfolio including rubber plantations, tin mines, textile mills, insurance companies, hotels, theatres, a stock exchange company and a private airline.[citation needed]
Philanthropy
Chettiar believed that education is needed for a human being to become productive, wholesome and humane.[4] In 1943 he donated one lakh (100,000) rupees for the installation and development of the Tamil Department of Travancore University.[4]
In 1947 at the 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.
The magnificent gift of 300 acres of land and fifteen lakhs of rupees by 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.
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 Engineering, 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 gave away his own palatial residence in Kottaiyur to start a women's college.
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 Travancore 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
Death
At the age of 48, Chettiar succumbed to his illness. He was treated for cancer in 1955. After a brief recovery, his health worsened and died on 5 April 1957 at his residence in Vepery, Madras (now Chennai).[1]
References
^ abc"Dr. Alagappa Chettiar Passes Away". The Indian Express. 6 April 1957. pp. 1, 8.
^"Padma Awards"(PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. 2015. Archived from the original(PDF) on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
