| NAGARATHAR
VIPs : |
As per the communal practice some VIP families are known by their
famous initials.
MAM Family, MCTM Family, AMM Family, KARU MUTHU Family
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| RAJA
SIR MUTHAIAH CHETTIAR |
| MCTM
CHIDAMBARAM CHETTAIR |
| AV.MEYAPPA
CHETTIAR (AVM) |
| KARUMUTHU
THIAGARAJA CHETTIAR |
|
P. CHIDAMBARAM CHETTIAR |
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| RAJA
SIR MUTHAIAH CHETTIAR |
There is a couplet in Thirkural the great Tamil work that it is worthy
to be born only when one amasses fame by his/her exemplified deeds
and achievements.
If born be born with fame withal
Otherwise better not to be born at all.
This is well exemplified by the lives of noble men. The have been
seeing great Dr.Alagappa Chettiar in our Site. Now we bring out to
you another great personality of whom our entire Nagarathar community
is proud of, Dr.Rajah Sir Muthiah Chettiar
Dr.Rajah Sir Muthiah Chettiar was born in 5th Aug 1905 in Kanadu Kathan
a small hamlet in Chettinadu . He is illustrious son of an illustrious
father Raja Sir.Annamalai chettiar.
As per tradition of the community he attended a school in his native
village and learned Ennchuvadi(Arithmatics), Kilvailakkam(Arithmatics)
and Nalvazhi(Ethical work in Tamil).
He moved to Madras there he had school education. Raja Sir.Annamalai
Chettiar was then living in building known as Natana Vilas in Purasawalkam.
The road is named after Raja Annamalai Road. Besides class-room learning
young Muthiah had tutors at home to teach him various subjects.
After schooling Raja Sir.Annamalai Chettiar joined the Presidency
college Madras in 1922 for degree course. He was pet student of many
distinguished scholars. It is a proud privilege that some of these
teachers were appointed by Dr.Raja Sir Muthaiah Chettiar
as faculty members in his own Annamalai University in later years.
One of the great qualities Dr.Raja Sir Muthaiah Chettiar had in abundance
was the creation of friendship. He had a vast net of friends whom he
had continued till the last moment of his life.
Dr.Raja Sir Muthaiah Chettiar got married to Meyyammai Achi at an
early age. This is again as per the practices of Nagarathar community
in those days.
Then Raja Sir Annamalai chettiar had established huge businesses in
Burma, Malaya and also in Tamilnadu and in other states. Dr.Raja Sir
Muthaiah Chettiar underwent training in the family businesses at the
very early age.
The peculiar quality the young Dr.Raja Sir Muthaiah Chettiar cultivated
was the interest in politics. This is quite contrary to the nature
of Nagarathars. They do not normally evince much interest in politics.
But young Raja evinced interest in politics. The Justice Party was
then came into existence and young Raja became active member in that
party. He became a member in the Madras Legislative Council in his
twenties. His acumen in banking sought him other coveting position
in the Banking Enquiry Commission. Here he studied and worked to improve
the working of the then banks.
At his 24th year Dr.Raja Sir Muthaiah Chettiar became the member of
the Madras municipality. Raja Sir Annamalai Chettiar during his visit
to England noted the role of the city mayors and influenced his young
son to consider the possibility of bringing it to Madras. Young Dr.Raja
Sir Muthaiah Chettiar saw that the necessary legislation was passed
by the British government. Dr.Raja Sir Muthaiah Chettiar became the
first Mayor of Madras in 1933. He was re-elected as Mayor the next
year.
The throne that the Mayor of Madras sits even today and the golden
ornaments he wears and the scepter that he carries are all not only
designed but also donated by Dr.Raja Sir Muthaiah Chettiar.
Dr.Raja Sir Muthaiah Chettiar became the leader of opposition during
the Rajaji's regime. He earlier served as education minister also.
His interest in the field of education and cultural activities were
inborn in the Raja. His father had already paved the way by starting
the famous Annmalai University. It was during Dr.Raja Sir Muthaiah
Chettiar's period that Annamalia university saw its phenomenal growth.
His interest to foster Tamil culture knew no bounds. He helped his
father in spear-heading the cause of Tamil Isai and was its patron
till his last days.
He was conferred Doctorate by Annamalai University, Madras University
and the World University, New York, US. The Rotary club International
had made him the Paul Harris Fellow.
Here was an universal man of the highest stature.
Dr.Raja Sir Muthaiah Chettiar's 61st birthday was celebrated in 1965.
Lady Meyammai Achi went to heavenly abode in 1970
The best quality that Dr.Raja Sir Muthaiah Chettiar had was his humility.
He had no small and petty feelings. His thoughts were always high,
his aims were always noble, his heart was always large, his look was
always soft and his touch was always healing.
The most useful life of Dr.Raja Sir Muthaiah Chettiar came to an end
in the year 1984 on May 12th
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| MCTM
CHIDAMBARAM CHETTAIR |
We will know
about MCTM family now .
One will wonder to note that the Raja of Chettinadu Raja Sir Annamalai
chettiar had his lineage to the MCTM family born to S.RM. Muthiah
Chettiar.
The first known chettiar in the MCTM family was one S.RM. Muthiah
Chettiar. Even as early as 1870 he was a wealthy man and settled
in the temple town of Chidambaram. He conducted a grand kumbhabhishekam
for the Chidambaram temple in 1879. He made improvements to the
then existing choultry in Kasi- Varanasi. He made lot of contributions
to the temple in Karur.
One of the descendants of the family Dewan Bahadur Pethachi chettiar
became the Zamindar of Aundipatti. He was a great personality of
varied activities.
He (Pethachi Chettiar) helped Pandithurai Theavar for the growth
of the Tamil Sangam in Madurai.
He endowed a lot of wealth to the Saiva Sabha, in Palayamkottai,
Thriunelveli.
He established a printing press in Palayamkottai.
He did major renovation work in the temple of Thiruvanaikkoil (near
Trichy) and Swamimalai.
He lived in Tiruchirappally and donated a lot to the National College
The MCTM family owned huge farm lands in Burma.
They started MCTM Bank which was the fore-runner to IOB.
They had huge business in Malaya also.
MCTM is one of the pioneer family which broke the tradition of money-lending
and entered into the foray of industries. The three main Industries
this family entered were 1. Banking 2) Insurance and 3) Rayons.
The family started the famous INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK, TRAVANCORE RAYONS
& UNITED INDIA LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED
MCTM Chidambaram Chettiar was a very famous personality in the MCTM
family who was responsible for the establishment and expansion of
all these businesses.
UNITED INDIA LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED was taken over by MCTM
in 1924
originally started by one Vijendra Rao in 1906.
The present LIC building only sky-scraper on Mount Road in Chennai
was the dream of MCTM. Chidambaram Chettiar.
INDIAN OVERSEAS BANK was established in 1937.
TRAVANCORE RAYONS was started in 1946.
The educational institutions received help and run by MCTM family
are :
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01. |
Karur higher Secondary school. |
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02. |
Pethachi Chettiar was the Trustee of The Pachaiappa
Charitable Trust |
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03. |
MCTM School for boys. |
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04. |
MCTM SCHOOL for girls in Purasawalkam- Chennai.
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05. |
MCTM School in Kanadukathan. |
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06. |
MCTM Matriculation School in Alwarpet, Chennai. |
Besides this MCTM family had given a number of endowments in various
universities for the cause of learning and research.
But this great visionary MCTM Chidambaram Chettiar died at the early
age of 46 in an air-crash in Singapore on March 13, 1954.
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|
P. CHIDAMBARAM CHETTIAR |
P. Chidambaram is India's Finance Minister and has held the
position since 2004. He's graduate of Harvard Business School, a
corporate lawyer, also served as finance minister between 1996 and
1998. Prior to that, he was Commerce minister in the early
1990s, when India began to liberalize its economy.
Born on September 16, 1945 in a village Kaanaadukaathan, Sivagana
District, Tamil Nadu and by profession a Lawyer P. Chidambaram
is known to be an honest politician, and one of the richest
politicians (based on declared assets) from Tamil Nadu.
P. Chidambaram is the finance minister of India in the Congress-led
UPA government (2004 - 2009). He was elected to the Lok Sabha in
2004 from Sivaganga in Tamil Nadu, the constituency from which he was
first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1984. He was minister of state
for commerce and also for personnel from 1985 to 1989 in Rajiv
Gandhi's ministry and was minister of state for commerce with
independent charge from 1991 to 1996 in the Narasimha Rao government.
He was Finance Minister from 1996 to 1998 in the United Front
government.
An MBA graduate from Harvard, he started as a leftist, went on to
be an architect of the Congress government's economic reform
strategies as Rajiv Gandhi's right hand man, and has today ascended to
the post of India's Finance Minister with the new United Progressive
Alliance Government, after a brief spell as Finance Minister in the
mid 90s, as part of the short lived United Front government (when the
Tamil Maanila Congress was part of the United Front).
In 1996, Chidambaran quit the Congress over its decision to ally
with AIADMK and joined the Tamil Maanila Congress. In 2001, he
broke away from TMC and formed his own party, Congress Jananayaka
Peravai. CJP has since merged with the Indian National Congress, and
in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections Chidambaram was elected on a Congress
symbol.
The letter P. in his name is simply an initial, as his father's
name is Palaniyappan.
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| AV.
MEYAPPA CHETTIAR (AVM ) |
AVM is renowned name with a magic touch. It shines like an eastern
star not only in India but all over the world. Especially in the
filed of silver screen.
AVM stands for AV.Meyappa Chettiar.
AVM was born 28th July 1907 in Chettinadu in the town of Karaikudi
which is the centre of Chettinadu. His father Avichi Chettiar was
running a departmental store in the name of AV & Sons in Karaikudi.
He used to sell quality goods of all nature. Gramophone was very
famous in those days and the taste the Nagarathar community had
for classical music saw the boom in sales both the gramophone players
and the records played in them. The famous brands like HMV, COLUMBIA
, HICHINS were in great demand . The sales were high thus making
the establishment AV & Sons a very profitable shop.
AV.Meyappan after his schooling entered the business of his father
and looked after the sales. The budding but enterprising Meyappan
saw big boom in the gramophone record sales. He was not contended
as mere seller of these records. Instead he craved to produce them
himself. This idea drove to him to Madras the present Chennai where
he established hi famous Saraswathi Stores on Mount Road. He had
drawn many good friends as partners. Saraswathi Stores was there
till recent years now houses a restaurant in the name of Dasa Dosa.
The technical advise was received from a German firm.
He produced,
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01. |
Classical music records. |
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02. |
Drama records |
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03. |
Humourous hits |
AVM entered into the field of cinema in 1931. His first film shot
in Calcutta was a failure. He did not worry. AVM started Saraswathi
Talkie Producing Company and produced many films.
"Mangamma Sabatham"- 1943 and "Apoorva
Sakothararkal" were great success.
AVM was the pioneer of the method of play-back singing which he
introduced as early as 1938. His attention was drawn to comedy pictures
in 1941 & 1942. His films in this filed were grand success.
Again AVM was the pioneer in the filed of dubbing. He first dubbed
a famous film Harichandra into Tamil.
AVM shifted his studios to his native town Karaikudi for some time.
Three or four films were shot there. Again he came back to Chennai
and established his studios in Kodambakkam in the present site.
AVM had some unique traits in him which fostered the Indian tradition
and culture.
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01. |
He never failed to introduce the
patriotic feelings in all his films. |
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02. |
He always gave place to the art of Bharatha
Nattaiyam in all his films |
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03. |
He always gave place to the poems of the great
poet Bharathi in all his films. |
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04. |
He always conveyed a message- a didactic message
thro' his films. |
The cine stars introduced by AVM rose to eminence in later years.
Some of them are T.R. MAHALINGAM, TR.RAMACHANDRAN BABY KAMALA, VAIJAYANTHI
MALA, M.K.RADHA, S.V.SAKASRANAMAM
So also the cinema directors introduced by AVM became eminent in
later years. Some of them are AT.KRISNASAMY, M.V.RAMAN, A.C.THIULOKACHANDAR,
K.SANKAR, SP.MUTHURAMAN
AVM was successful in taking some films in Hindi and they were roaring
success. He was very pious man and gave munificent contributions
to many good causes. He gave liberally to temples and schools.
This author has seen him personally and impressed upon by his,
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01. |
Strict discipline |
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02. |
Punctuality |
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03. |
Meticulous planning |
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04.. |
Perfect execution |
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05. |
Achieving perfection |
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06. |
Crave for quality |
AVM passed away on August 12, 1979 leaving a legend behind him.
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