In the business of Coimbatore

Sukran Chettiar's family was known as the 'Medhaikadai Chettiar' family for they were the first to own a multi storied house in Tirupur

April 17, 2015 07:13 pm | Updated 07:13 pm IST - Coimbatore

Sukran Chettiar lived in Naranapuram in Palladam taluk over 150 years ago. His family migrated from Tirunelveli and he belonged to a community of agrarian businessmen. His family was involved in buying and selling of cattle, running grain mundies and in the cotton business. They were also business intermediaries. Sukran Chettiar established a large toll centre at Palladam and was the first to contribute to the building of a primary school in Tirupur. With the coming of railroads, commerce shifted to Tirupur and the family migrated to there. The family of Sukran Chettiar was known as the “Medhaikadai Chettiar” family for they were the first to own a multi storied house in Tirupur.

Sukran Chettiar had four sons: Avinashilingam, Kandaswamy, Samy and Angappa Chettiar. T.A.Ramalingam Chettiar, the first MP from Coimbatore, was a grandson of Sukran Chettiar and T.S.Avinashilingam, pioneer of women’s education, was his great grandson. T.S.Sivasubramaniam Chettiar (TSS) was another grandson. TSS (1888-1969) was known as Appavu. He lost his father early. TSS studied at Tirupur and later shifted to Coimbatore and completed his schooling here. He got married in 1909 and completed his BA from the Presidency College in Chennai. Diwan Bahadur P.T.Kumaraswamy Chettiar was his classmate.

In 1914, the family portioned its assets. The family set up the SRSS Trust in 1914 and established charitable endowments to temples, to organise annadanam during festivals and set up choultries for the poor. This trust is managed by the family under the guidance of a grandson of TSS, Prof T.A.Venkatachalam.

In 1916, TSS decided to shift to Coimbatore for commercial reasons. He established a yarn trading company at Erode and Tirunelveli. He was quick to understand that Coimbatore was in need of a large financial institution that could infuse capital for the growing city and he brought in the P & O Bank which later merged into the Chartered Bank.

TSS managed the Coimbatore Murugan Mills for some years and was on the board of Kaleeswarar Mills. He was also on the Board of a number of companies, banks and mills including the Coimbatore Cotton Mills. According to his friend Kovaikizhar C.M.Ramachandran Chettiar, he rendered great assistance to the companies that he was involved with. TSS was keen participant in the Co-operative movement along with his cousin T.A.Ramalingam Chettiar and he was a director in several co operative institutions which included The Coimbatore Central Bank, Milk Co operative, City Bank, Mortgage Bank etc. He was also the Vice Chairman of the Coimbatore Municipality, Member of the Taluk Board and the Vice President of the Zilla Education Board. He served as the Secretary of the Cosmopolitan Club. It was during his time as the President of the Old Boys Association of the Government College, that its Centenary celebrated in a big way.

The Sai Baba Temple on Mettupalayam Road came up due to his initiative and he was actively involved with its management. His grandson and entrepreneur S.J.Balakrishnan says, “My grandfather was known for his diamond ‘nottam’ and was punctual all his life. He enjoyed annual vacations at Alwaye with friends and at Kotagiri with family . He took us for walks around Race Course and got us kadalai to eat. He enjoyed eating puli kozhambu and pongal. He was always neatly dressed in a pattu jibba, angavastram and carried a cane with him at all times. His residence, Tirupur House on Avanashi Road, was well known and several eminent people called on him regularly”.

The famous civil surgeon Dr.T.V.Sivanandam was his son-in-law and several of his close relatives including the popular Public Prosecutor T.R.Sundaram Pillai were leaders in their own right.

TSS and his circle of relatives and friends had significant roles to play in putting Coimbatore on the commercial map of the country.

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