We must become the Change, we want to see in the World - Mahatma Gandhi
True to the words of Gandhiji, we see in this section, an interesting article about Shri K.Gopalakrishna & Smt Mathuram who rose from humble beginnings to greater heights in their career and life. Shri Gopalakrishna would probably be the 1st Industrialist in our Sattanathapuram family.
The below article contributed by Smt Uma Narayanan grand daughter of K.Gopalakrishna & Smt Mathuram.
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Shri K.Gopalakrisha was born to N.Kailasam Iyer (hailing from Sattanathapuram) and Smt Meenakshi (hailing from Umayalpuram near Swamimalai/Kumbakonam). Shri N.Kailasam Iyer was a sub-Judge in the Madras presidency and served in what is to day Andhra Pradesh.
Born on the 19th July 1899, in Cuddappah (A.P). K Gopalakrishna had his early education in Kumbakonam. His College principal, an Englishman sensed his passion for engineering and encouraged him.
He came to Madras in his twenties and began life as a “Dubash” with Gillanders Arbuthnot. His love for motor vehicles led him to establish an agency for AJS motorcycles and Robert Bosch of Germany. This led to the establishment of the Union Company Motors which became one of the earliest Indian owned distributors for cars like Wolseley, Nash and others, and later Standard cars.
The assembly of Standard cars was started in a shed in Chrompet. On acquiring land at Perungalathur, Standard Motor Products of India Ltd. became full scale manufacturers of Standard cars - the Vanguard, Standard Pennant, Standard Companion, the Standard-20 van and the Standard 2000 car.
In 1956, he formed a collaboration with Armstrong of UK to produce shock absorbers and in 1959 with Solex & SEV of France to produce carburettors. These led to the manufacture of various car ancillaries under the banner of UCAL.
Shri Gopalakrishna passed away on 06.03.1977
In the 21st century vocabulary, he was a man with a strong corporate responsibility. The trusts began by him led to the founding of SOS Children’s Villages of India – Chatnath Homes, Karna Prayag and the K Gopalakrishna Dept. of Neurology at the Institute of Neurological Sciences, Voluntary Health Services, Taramani.
SOS Children's Villages of India - Chatnath homes : Chatnath Homes, a charitable trust affiliated with the SOS Children’s Villages of India! http://www.soschatnathhomes.in/
Karnaprayag Trust Centre for Women and Children is a reception centre for abandoned infants and babies: http://www.karnaprayag.in/
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| Shri K.Gopalakrishna and Smt Mathuram Gopalakrishna |
Sattanatahapuram family tree link
Smt Madhuram Gopalakrishna
Born in Kumbakonam, to Sharada and Srinivasan, Madhuram Goplakrishna was born in the year 1903, and was the youngest of five children .
She was an outstanding beauty. She was given in marriage to Shri.K.Gopalakrishna at the age of thirteen .They had one daughter Alamelu and four grandchildren. Smt. Madhuram was a very pious woman . She was instrumental in renovating the Balasubramanya Swamy temple in Teynampet and in performing its Kumbabishegam. She was very generous and contributed money and of her time to various charitable and social organisations like the Srinivasa Gandhi Nilayam and the Saradha ladies union She donated property to Chatnath Trust,. She was an ardent devotee of Maha Periyava of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam and followed the Sage's precepts. She died in 1986...
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Another connection between Sattanathapuram and Arupathy family
Arupathy Selvaganapathy Iyer (S/O Arupathy Natesa Iyer) wife is known as Smt Alamelu. (We affectionately call her as ambukka patti). Her grand mother was Sanamma patti a direct sister of Meenakshi Ammal (Shri K.Gopalakrishna’s mother). Sanamma patti was married to Yagnaswami Iyer of Nangavaram who practiced as a lawyer in Madurai.
Shri Gopalakrishna's daughter is Alamelu alias Baby. She was married to Shri K.V.Srinivasan a Chartered accountant of Komal near Kuttalam.
