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Appa passes away

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India; 6:00 PM

விஜய வருடம், சித்திரை மாதம் 5- ஆம் தேதி, வியாழக் கிழமை மாலை 6 மணி

Appakutty Somasundaram Thayumanaswamy Pillai

Appakutty Somasundaram Thayumanaswamy Pillai (aka AST and Thayumanam) was born in Vedaraniam, Madras Presidency, India on Wednesday, December 8, 1926 as the third child of Appakutty SomasundaramPillai and Thillai Kannu Aachi belonging to the Saiva Vellalarsect. He grew up with three sisters and was well liked both by hisparents, sisters, and cousin. He completed eighth grade in the local middle school and went to Nannilam to complete his high school. After completing his high school, he returned to Vedaraniam to take care of the family businesses of salt production and tobacco farming.

In 1952, Thayumanammarried Kuppuswamy Pattammal of Velukudi. They both had two beautiful children, Swarnambal in 1954 and Somasundaram in 1959. Following his father’s death in 1956, he became the sole owner of the family business of salt production and ran it successfully until early 1990s. Despite his tireless efforts to find a cure and medicine for a heart ailment that afflicted his beloved first wifePattammal, in April 1965 he lost her.

ஓn September 8, 1965, he married Vedanayagam Rajalakshmi from Thirupayathan Gudi. They both had three wonderful children, Thiyagarajan in 1966, Thillaikkarasi in 1968,and Ambika in 1976. Even though he was only a high-school graduate from rural India, AST foresaw the importance of education and spent his life time and money in educating all his children. All of them went to on complete college and became educators and business owners.

AST was a courageous person never letting difficulties in his life impede with the goals he has set for himself and his children. He was a problemsolver, a pacifist, and a great organizer. He was the General Secretary for Salt Merchants Association for over a decade and foresaw expansion of salt production and distribution through Indian Railways. He was a patron of Hindu religion, donating money, time, and land to several religious activities and ceremonies. He gave free books to children from low-income households and took personal care of all his employees.

Appakutty Somasundaram Thayumanaswamy Pillai passed away on Thursday, April 18, 2013 at 6:00 PM in Chengal Pattu, Tamil Nadu, India surrounded by all his children, just four days after his second wife passed away.