A Vellayan|Picture Credit: BIJOY GHOSH
A senior Chartered Accountant summarized Arunachalam Vellayan, the 72-year-old previous Chairman of the Chennai-based Murugappa Group who died on Monday after an extended health problem, as”an ideal, soft, mild however firm individual.” He included Vellayan was “among the finest industrialists from Tamil Nadu.”
In spite of leading numerous business within the Murugappa corporation for years, Vellayan was understood for his humbleness. “Though he was an extremely effective industrialist, he constantly discovered as a modest entrepreneur. His humbleness stood apart,” stated an individual from the market.
For many years, Vellayan played a critical function in guiding the Group’s development. Under his management, profits almost doubled– from 15,907 crore in 2008– 09 to 30,023 crore in 2016– 17 – through a mix of natural growth and acquisitions, according to an earlier business release.
Beyond service, Vellayan was a popular existence in Tamil Nadu’s tennis circuit, with enduring association in the Tamil Nadu Tennis Association. He as soon as stated, “Tennis is my education. It’s a typical language throughout cultures.”
Venu Srinivasan, Chairman Emeritus of TVS Motor Company, reviewing their long association, stated, “I have actually understood Vellayan for over 6 years. He was very personalized and valuable as a good friend. As a magnate, he had a high level of company acumen and an excellent grasp of males and matters, consisting of worldwide trade, economics, and basic management. He was a high leader of my generation and an excellent organization contractor. It is a permanent loss for market and the nation. I will personally miss him significantly.”
Because 2018, Vellayan had actually worked as Chairperson of the Board of Governors at IIM Kozhikode. The institute’s Director, Debashis Chatterjee, remembered him as “amongst India’s finest magnate– an excellent human being whose clearness of mind, humbleness, and empathy made the regard of all who understood him. He guided the institute through a stage of excellent development and international presence. His steady assistance, sensible counsel, and belief in the institute’s objective allowed us to scale brand-new heights.”
Among the most difficult stages of Vellayan’s profession was available in 2015, when SEBI charged him with expert trading. He stepped down as Chairman of the Murugappa Corporate Board, highly rejecting the charge as “based simply on suspicion and an improbable rare guesswork.”
In January 2018, at the demand of the board, Vellayan resumed charge as Chairman. A couple of days later on, he retired upon turning 65, in line with Murugappa Group convention. MM Murugappan, Vice-Chairman of the Group, then took control of as Executive Chairman.
Public law
Vellayan likewise contributed concepts to public law. After the terrible floods in Tamil Nadu in 2015, he satisfied the then Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa and provided a strategy to connect all water resources– an effort targeted at alleviating floods and avoiding dry spell throughout the State. The proposition, nevertheless, did not advance following Jayalalithaa’s death, remembered abusinesslinereporter.
Vellayan is made it through by his spouse, Lalitha Vellayan, his boys Arun Vellayan and Narayanan Vellayan, and his grandchildren.
Released on November 17, 2025
