Govindaswamy Rangaswamy Govindarajulu (1919 - 1986) was born
as the fourth child of Krishnammal and the Diwan Bahadur P.S.G.Rangaswamy Naidu
in Peelamedu. His siblings were Lakshmi Ammal, Dr.G.R.Damodaran, Rukmani
Ammal, G.R.Venkatesalu and G.R.Varatharajan. He spent his childhood in
Peelamedu in the company of the members of his family at a time when they were
establishing a number of businesses and institutions.
G.R.Govindarajulu (GRG) went to Loyola for his undergraduate
programme but destiny brought him back to Coimbatore. His father
P.S.G.Rangaswamy Naidu (1882 - 1947) was a visionary all his life. He had
founded the P.S.G Institutions along with his brothers P.S.G.Venkataswamy
Naidu, P.S.G.Ganga Naidu and P.S.G. Narayanasamy Naidu.
The mills and the institutions belonging to the family
helped the young apprentice GRG to shape his future under the directions of his
elders. Young GRG did amazingly well, and eventually became an important person
in the management team. His mother P.S.G.R.Krishnammal was considered to be the
lady luck of the family.
The meticulous approach and hard work of GRG helped his
father P.S.G.Rangaswamy Naidu and brother Dr.G.R.Damodaran to go ahead with
their work. The youngest G.R.Varatharajan the agriculture expert did his part
over the years.
This helped them to implement a number of programmes
connected with business and charity. GRG was eventually appointed as the
manager of the P.S.G Industrial Institute founded by P.S.G & Sons
Charities. The journey of GRG ensured that he used every single opportunity to
add value to his family and the society around him. He married Chandrakanthi of
Peelamedu Pudur in the year 1941 and the couple was blessed with G.Devarajan
and G.Rangaswamy. GRG took over as the Managing Trustee of the P.S.G & Sons
Charities on the passing away of his father P.S.G.Rangaswamy Naidu (1882 -
1947) and Uncle P.S.G.Ganga Naidu (1889 - 1949).
Over the next quarter of a century GRG did much along with
his brother G.R.Damodaran for the society through the P.S.G Institutions.
Several institutions and campuses were created during his tenure. Over the
years Chandra Textiles and The Coimbatore Pioneer Mills (managed by GRG) used
to contribute money for the upkeep of the P.S.G Institutions.
GRG was greatly devoted to the Lord Almighty and he used to
take a tray of flowers to the temple priest, get it offered to the deity and
have a flower picked out. If the color of the flower picked by the priest
matched the color in his mind, he considered that to be the decree of God.
GRG used to work for 18 hours a day during the early years
of his career. He used to tour the mills on horseback at 4 AM every day and
then go around the institutions until 10 AM.
His hard work ensured that the yarn made by Pioneer Mills
became known for quality. He believed in a very clean environment and spared no
effort in ensuring the same. GRG had a checkered career and it began in the
year 1939 when he was made the Secretary to T.R.Narayanaswamy & Co, the
Managing Agency which governed The Coimbatore Pioneer Mills and he went on to
become a partner of the same in the year 1944.
He served as the President of the Indian Chamber of Commerce
at a tender age of 31 years. GRG promoted Chandra Textiles (1954), Pioneer 'B'
Mills (1957), Coimbatore Pioneer Fertilizers (1962), UNICEF aided plant at Sri
Ranga Vilas Ginning & Oil Mills (1965), Pazhamudir Pannai (1967) at
Mayiladumparai in Theni, Raja Rajeswari Dairy farm (1973), Coimbatore Pioneer
Mills Processing Unit near Erode (1975), Nektar Fruit Products in Hosur (1975)
and Coimbatore Pioneer Machine Works in Hosur (1979).
The US Consul who had visited The Coimbatore Pioneer Mills
was impressed with the hygiene and environment that was prevalent in the
campus. GRG contributed enormously to a number of temples and this included the
Pittsburgh Perumal Temple in the USA and the Peelamedu Karivaradaraja Perumal
Temple. He founded the P.S.G.R.Krishnammal High School (1956), GRG Trust
(1958), Pioneer Mills High School (1961), P.S.G.R.Krishnammal College for Women
(1963), was President, Coimbatore District Supply and Marketing Co Operative
Society and Chinthamani Co Operative Super Market (1966 - 1976), Chairman -
Southern India Mills Association (1966), founded GRG Children’s School (1969),
GRG Higher Secondary School (1972), G.R.Varatharajulu High School (1973),
Published Pioneer Workers' World (1974) among a lot of activities.
Swami Chidbhavannanda (1898 - 1985) of Sri Ramakrishna
Tapovanam at Tirupparaithurai near Trichy was his spiritual mentor all his
life. The Pioneer Sports Club was another of his initiatives and National
Champions P.G.Chengappa, Partho Ganguli was brought in for the purpose of
coaching the players. GRG was great with human resource management and his
common sense accompanied by his extraordinary intuition did wonders in the
organizations managed by him.
GRG had several unique traits which stood by him at all
times. He ensured that every key belonging to his institutions were brought to
his house after the working hours. Every window and door had to be closed
during the after-hours. He personally inspected the accounts every day in
Pioneer House and he ensured that his wife Chandrakanthi participated in the
process. This kind of an approach helped in the grooming of the members of his
family.
The GRG couple were known for being wonderful hosts and
their guests included the Maharaja of Mysore Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar besides
all the top political leaders of India. GRG had the best of facilities but yet
was most comfortable with his shirt, dhoti and handspun towel. His favorite car
was the Chevrolet numbered MDM 2299. The family spent time at their residence
in Ooty during the hot months of summer while ensuring that the maintenance
work was done in the institutions. GRG acknowledged every good work, every
communication during his 68-year sojourn on this planet.
The Chinthamani Super Market was a retail revolution when
GRG was at the helm of its affairs. He was a social entrepreneur beyond measure
who made Chinthamani a fabulous shopping destination. Honesty was the byword at
Chinthamani during the GRG era and his innovations stood the test of time. The
Ladies Super Market, the beauty parlor for women (first one in Coimbatore) and
the city's first Chinese restaurant were part of Chinthamani. The dial balance
at the sales counters ensured transparency for the customers. The imported
goods seized by the authorities were sold through Chinthamani and several other
sick cooperatives came under his management. The golden touch of GRG did
wonders with the cooperatives.
It used to be an endearing sight watching the kids
accompanying their mothers and grandmothers picking out Binaca Flouride tooth
paste boxes containing the cute 'Binaca minitiature dolls'. The self-service
system with trolleys were introduced in Coimbatore for the first time by
G.R.Govindarajulu. The industrialist spent a lot of time on a day to day basis
at Chinthamani. GRG believed in all the three - Corporate Social Responsibility
(CSR), Family Social Responsibility (FSR) and Individual Social Responsibility
(ISR).
GRG and his younger brother G.R.Varatharajan did a lot of
good work in connection with agriculture and they set a standard over the
years. They spent a large part of their lives engaging with the farmer
community. Once when Coimbatore was ravaged by Parthenium weeds, GRG funded the
eradication campaign. He was also instrumental in bringing the Coimbatore
Medical College to Coimbatore along with G.K.Devarajulu of the Lakshmi family.
The Guild of Service, The Indian Red Cross Society, SITRA and many other
organisations witnessed the contribution of the couple - Chandrakanthi and GRG.
Deeply spiritual GRG was devoted to Lord Karivaradaraja, the
patron deity of Peelamedu and was always seen sporting a Thiruman on his
forehead. He loved finer forms of classical art and he had an enviable
collection of spool tapes, ceramic and vinyl records. The GRG couple were very
close to the Bharat Ratna awardee M.S.Subbulakshmi and the pictures of the
music trinity and Swathi Tirunal gifted by her continue to adorn the auditorium
at P.S.G.R. Krishnammal College for Women. GRG groomed his sons G.Devarajan,
G.Rangaswamy and their spouses Suguna Devarajan, Nandini Rangaswamy. K.Kamaraj,
Indira Gandhi, Y.B.Chavan, Bharat Ratna awardee C.Subramaniam, P.S. Kumaraswamy
Raja, M.Bhaktavatsalam, Dr.S.Radhakrishnan, Dr. R.K.Shanmukham Chetty,
M.G.Ramachandran, K.Karunanidhi, Zakir Hussain were some of the important
personages who were received by GRG during his tenure at both the P.S.G and
G.R.G Institutions.
G.R.Govindarajulu was an educationist who had worked towards
gender equality for decades successfully. Today the P.S.G.R. Krishnammal
College for Women founded by him and his beloved wife Chandrakanthi stands tall
as the best one offering women’s education in our part of the country. The
Sashtiabhapoorthi of G.R.Govindarajulu was celebrated in a befitting manner in
the year 1979. The Silver Jubilee of the GRG Institutions witnessed many events
and high light being a documentary on the good work of GRG. Chandrakanthi and
G.R.Govindarajulu were always in the company of their near and dear. They made
sure that they took part in the lives of all their employees and ensured that
the best standards were used as a yard stick while remunerating them. Dr.
G.K.Devarajulu of the Lakshmi Group was always part of a number of auspicious
beginnings connected with the efforts of G.R.Govindarajulu.
The Centenary Celebrations of G.R.Govindarajulu were
recently held at the P.S.G.R.Krishnammal College for Women and the family had
put up an exhibition of the items and artifacts used by G.R.Govindarajulu. The
second son of GRG, G.Rangaswamy and his wife Nandini Rangaswamy hosted the
occasion at the P.S.G.R.Krishnammal College for Women. The book ' beyond
measure' by Shobhana Kumar carrying the tale of G.R.Govindarajulu was released
on the occasion.
The story of G.R.Govindarajulu - the Pioneer from Peelamedu
is a milestone in the history of Coimbatore - a city known for its charity and
enterprise. G.R.Govindarajulu was one of the rare leaders who understood that
empowerment should be achieved with wisdom, wealth and knowledge. Coimbatore
was lucky to have given birth to G.R.Govindarajulu, the Entrepreneur with a
golden touch.
Source: http://simpli-city.in/
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