BIOGRAPHY OF THE FOUNDER

Thiru. P. Ayya Nadar – Father of Match and Fireworks and Education in Sivakasi

             Sivakasi, a village having the population of 13,000 during the early twentieth century is situated in the dry belt area of Virudhunagar district in South Tamil Nadu, receiving scanty rains all along.  The livelihood of the people here was earned partly by agriculture and the sale of prepared tobacco, agricultural produces and flattened rice.  At present i.e. early in the 21^st century, the population of Sivakasi Municipality is more than one Lakh besides the floating population of a Lakh daily coming from the surrounding villages to seek jobs in the triple industries i.e., Match, Fireworks and Printing Press which were introduced one after the other respectively from 1923 onwards.  As a result of these industries the people of Sivakasi and its adjoining villages are enjoying the pleasure of getting three meals a day, which is forbidden to most of the villages in our country.

           The growth of these industries along with other allied industries increased not only the income of the people of this area but also that of State and Central Governments.  The net result is that the city of Sivakasi got the honour of being called as “MINI JAPAN” by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India. 

          One of the Industrial Magnates of Sivakasi Thiru. P. Ayya Nadar was jointly responsible, with his cousin brother Thiru. A. Shanmuga Nadar, for the introduction of hand made match industry in Sivakasi.  It is not known how they had the intuition of going to Calcutta to learn this trade.  But it is told that one Thiru. Chinna Nadar, another cousin brother, gave this information through a paper cutting and guided them to go to Calcutta.  It is definite that the hand made match industry was novel and a blessing to this locality.

          Accordingly both Thiru. P. Ayya Nadar and Thiru. A. Shanmuga Nadar went to Calcutta during 1922, when they were barely 17 and 19 years old respectively.  They went there for more than six months and learnt all the processes relating to the match industry.  On their return they started to manufacture matches at Sivakasi jointly at the early, 1923 and later independently of their own.  They themselves worked with the workers physically and trained them efficiently.  We can feel proud of their zeal in the venture, which later blossomed as the greatest boon for the society at large.  All credit goes to Thiru. P. Ayya Nadar and Thiru. A. Shanmuga Nadar.  At first it was a semi mechanized industry but later it was transformed into hand made cottage match industry. 

          Thiru. P. Ayya Nadar, hailing from a responsible family in Sivakasi, was born on 17.03.1905 ;  his parents were Thiru. Palaniappa Nadar and Tmt. Nagammal.  He had four sons and four daughters to continue his benevolent activities.  His wife Tmt. A.Janaki Ammal was the pivot on which he rotated himself to reach the zenith in his career.  They lived together happily enjoying the married life for fifty years.

          As an industrialist he had started several match and fireworks factories and printing presses gradually step by step to  provide ample job opportunities for more than 6000 persons.  He had much affection towards the workers but was strict in extracting work.  He used to participate in the homely functions of his workers.  At present his concern owns ten match factories, seven fireworks factories, one printing press, one packaging industry, one weaving loom, one spinning mill, one tin printing unit and agricultural lands.

           In later years Thiru. P. Ayya Nadar has a great interest for education.  Through his own endeavour started the Ayya Nadar Janaki Ammal Trust contributing 10% of his total income every year to the trust.  It is besides the whole income of two industries set apart for the trust.  This unique feature cannot be seen in any trust.  He became the Founder of the Ayya Nadar Janaki Ammal College, Sivakasi, which is expecting the declaration of Deemed University Status and Ayya Nadar Janaki Ammal Polytechnic College, Sivakasi.  He also established the Metal Powder Company and MEPCO Schlenk  Engineering College known  for  its  discipline and  state – of -  art facilities for which he donated 200 acres of land. 

          As a philanthropist he gave donations liberally for the development of buildings, equipments and play grounds for schools and colleges and for the education of poor students at Virudhunagar district and else where to the tune of Rs. 65 lakhs during his life time.  This is being continued by his illustrious sons even now.  Such is the impact he had on education and his sons.

          Thiru. P. Ayya Nadar was the Chairman of Sivakasi Municipality form 01.11.1955 to 09.01.1963 (two terms).  His services as Chairman were superb and had done a lot of amenities for the betterment of the city in all possible ways.  The ever increasing acute drinking water problem of Sivakasi was solved by him, by getting water from Vaipparu near Vembakottai 13 Km away from Sivakasi.  The foundation for the scheme during 1959 and opening of the same in 1962 were done by Thiru. K. Kamaraj, the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.  The water tank was named after him to honour  his strenuous efforts.  The Janaki Ammal Ayya Nadar Municipal Maternity Hospital was wholly donated by him.  The N.R.K.R. Rajaratnam Municipal Bus Stand was shifted to the town area of the Municipality during his regime.  New roads were formed and sanitary facilities were implemented to a greater extent.  His administration was considered to be a benevolent one of high order.  

          His patriotic fervour was a genuine one by  following Gandhian Principles.  He was a regular wearer of Khadhi clothes all along.  He joined with  congress and supported the Freedom Movement and helped Freedom Fighters.  He was an ardent well wisher of Thiru. K. Kamaraj and once he stood for the Parliament election. 

          He made a business trip to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and started a match unit at Colombo.  On a study tour he visited the United States and the European countries.  He was a devotee of Arulmigu Badrakaliamman, the presiding deity of Sivakasi.  He used to pray before attempting any venture.  He was appointed by the Government as one the Trustees of Lord Shiva Temple at Sivakasi and he did some yeomen service for the improvement of the temple. 

          To put it in a nutshell, Thiru. P. Ayya Nadar had been a patriotic citizen of India, a follower of Gandhian Principles, developed the rural areas  around Sivakasi , through education and cottage industries to remove the existing ignorance and poverty. Thus he was a  philanthropic humanitarian, a stern administrator by being a role model to the young industrialists and a service oriented gentleman of eminence with simplicity. 

          On the year long Birth Centenary (1905 – 2005) Celebrations of the Legand of Humanitarianism, the Architect of Modern Sivakasi, Our Founder Father, Thiru. P. Ayya Nadar, the Government of India has honoured him by bringing out a Commemorative Postal Cover which was released by  The Honorable Thiru. Dhayanidhi Maran, Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Government of India.