Relatives, Employees, Well-wishers and Neighbors
The names of some notable employees of Thagasamy Nadar's establishment including his relatives employed by him are given below:-
Relatives :
A.S.Samuel, & A.P.Joseph, (Sons of his sister), S.M.David, S.P.Ponnusamy & S.Thangiah, (sons of his brothers), S.Ganapathy (a relative of Thangasamy Nadar)
A.S.Samuel
His beloved sister’s elder son, whose Hindu name was Samiyar. He was employed in his establishment. He converted into Christianity and his name changed as Samuel. His marriage was arranged by Thangasamy Nadar’ and his wife Joyce was from a Christian family.After the marriage they were settled in Thenmallay Estate. After some years, since he wanted to start his own business in Karivalamvanda Nallur, he helped him establish a shop and settle down there. A.S. Samuel is no more.
A.P.Joseph
His only sister’s younger son, whose Hindu name was Pillaiar. He was also employed in his establishment in Munnar Town. He was also converted to Christianity and name changed as Joseph. He married Ms.Joyce, eldest daughter of Mr.Gnaniah Nadar (younger brother of Dasan Nadar, his first employer). The marriage was also arranged by Thangasamy Nadar. A.P. Joseph and his wife Joyce are no more. Gnaniah Nadar couple attended and blessed the marriage of Job Anbalagan held in Trivandrum on 15-09-1977 - Photo: Parents of Joyce Joseph i.e. Late Gnaniah Nadar (first cousin of Paul Nesam Thangasamy) and wife.
S.M.David
His elder brother, Mr.Subbiah Nadar’s eldest son. His Hindu name was Madasamy who was also employed in his establishment in Thenmallay Estate. He was also converted to Christianity and his name changed as David. His wife Susceela was from a Hindu family, who was converted to Christanity before the marriage, and the marriage was also arranged by Thangasamy Nadar at Rajapalayam. David’s two younger brothers, Pitchaikani and Thangasamy stayed in Sivalingapuram to look after their lands there. Susceela, the wife of David died in 2010. David has two brothers, Pitchaikani and Thangasamy. He has two sisters, Avada Thangam and Valliammal. Mr. S.M. David went to be with the Lord during August 2013.
S.P.Ponnusamy Nadar
His eldest brother, Mr. Shanmugavel Nadar’s elder son. His Hindu name was Palanisamy who was also employed in his concern in Thenmallay Estate. He was also converted to Christianity and his name changed as Ponnusamy whose wife’s name is Chellathayee. His marriage also was arranged by Thangasamy Nadar.at Chintamani, Puliangudi in Tirunelveli District. S.P. Ponnusamy Nadar died in 2010. Ponnusamy Nadar has 4 daughters and one son, namely, Murugaraj who is settled in Chinthamani, Puliankudi. Ponnusamy Nadar is no more. This photo was taken after his demise.
Muruguraj is a businessman in Puliankudi, a dealer in Hero Honda motorbikes. He is married to Sundara Vadivu (Sundari), who hails from Surandai. Murugaraj has one elder daughter, Selva Sneha and one younger son Pon Vishakar.
S.Thangiah Nadar
His eldest brother’s second son. He was also employed in his concern. But since he had to look after his properties he returned and stayed in Sivalingapuram. He later married a Roman Catholic named Mary and settled in Chintamani, the native place of his brother's wife. Thangiah Nadar has four daughters and one son, Antony Raj, who is presently working in Singapore. Thangaiah Nadar is no more.
S.Ganapathy Nadar
His distant relative who was also employed in his establishment in Thenmallay Estate, whose marriage also was organized by him. He hails from a village , Pottalpatti near Rajapalayam. His wife was also from a Roman Catholic family and her name was Amalorpa Mary who died three decades ago. He was very much talkative and was a ‘lime light’ in the establishment. Ganapathy Nadar, a believer of Christ Jesus, expired on 29th July 2013 in Trivandraum where his son is doing a business and buried in the Christian cemetery in Karivalamvandanallur on 30th July, 2013.
Ganapathy Nadar has three sons, namely, late Sounderapandian, Thangasamy and Jebakani. Jebakani is a businessman settled in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
M.R. Ponniah
Late Mr M.R.Ponniah was the paternal cousin of Mr. M.A Thangasamy Nadar from his native village Sivalingapuram. Also, he was the first Christian convert from the village who was working in the James Finlay Tea Company as a clerk in Munnar. He brought Thangasamy Nadar to Munnar and got him a salesman job in S. Dasan Nadar's shop. M R Ponniah has two sons and two daughters. One of his brothers Mr. Christudhas joined in the company later, as a teacher. His another younger brother M.R.Vellachamy Nadar was running a newspaper shop in the backside row shops in Munnar, who was a thick friend of Thangasamy Nadar's brother in law G. J. Samuel. Vellachamy Nadar was a very staunch follower of Thanthai Periyar, the great Revolutionary and social reformer such as abolishing casteism in the society and working for equal status of women etc. Hence, he gave life to a married girl whose husband died on the same day of the marriage. He married the widowed girl on the same day of her groom's death. (Photo: 1st one on the left margin)
Non-Relatives
Other than his and his wife’s relatives, he organized the marriages of the other loyal employees of his establishments without any partiality and a few examples are given below. One Mr. Lakshmanan’s marriage was organized by him in Bodinaickanur, near Theni. One Selvaraj and his brother Rajamani’s marriages were held in Virudhunagar. One Sundararaj’s marriage was organized at Aruppukottai, near Virudhunagar.
Mr K J Antony, the Company's tailor, a simple but rich hearted honest man is one of such persons, worthy to be remembered! The house, his shop and surrounding he lived in, the old main bazaar area, the roads leading to all the divisions, the fertile black soil along the roads, tea bushes, jungles on the way etc would speak volumes about him as he was a very familiar person for them. He was living as one among them, for a long time.
He was a short and pleasant looking man in jibbah.
He was a Roman Catholic, hailing from Kathir Parrambil house, East Potta, Chalakudy, Kerala. (There is a reference to him on the page of Calvin). A Malayali by birth he used to speak Tamil well in Tirunelveli style. He was brought to the estate by Thangasamy Nadar, who got him the job of Company’s tailor and provided a portion of the bazaar for him to run a tailoring shop. So, he considered Thangasamy Nadar as his godfather and had a great respect and affection for him. Thangasamy Nadar also treated him as one of his family members and had great faith in him.
He married a woman from Edappally near Enakulam and brought her to the Estate and Thangasamy Nadar provided separate quarters for them. Her brother was a Catholic priest and her sister's husband was a clerk in St Albert's college, Kaloor. The K J Antony couple had 2 sons namely Joshi and Ponshi and one daughter named Elizabeth.
He was affectionately called as "Anthony Annan", "Anthony chetan", "Anthony mama" by the staff and family members and relatives of our father. Though he was not a direct employee of the MAT Group, he was the “limelight" of the concern by his sincerity to Thangasamy Nadar and used to consult him in crucial matters. He used to participate in the functions of the estate workers and staff without disparity. He knew everyone in the estate by name including children and relatives.
He was a light hearted person and everybody liked his company. When the family of Thagasamy Nadar visited Thenmallay Estate during vacation, they preferred to spend most of the time with his company.
Besides the children, relatives and employees of Thangasamy Nadar, the Estate people and staff had great affection for Antony. He was talented to stitch clothes correctly by a glance at men and women without taking measurements. He was hard working and lived within his income as a role model. He was neither greedy for money nor jealous of others.
Later days he settled his family in his native place for his children's education after the demise of Thangasamy Nadar and resumed his career as a tailor there and ultimately expired in 1980s.
Wife’s Relatives :
Late G.J.Samuel (Her brother), Amos Rajamoney, (Her other brother Late G.J.Pauldurai’s brother- in- law).
Others :
Lakshmanan, A.M.Manickam & Keppanan (Bodinaickanur), Madasamy alias EdwinJeyaraj (Sivakasi), Patchaiappan (Kamatchipuram), Sundararaj, Mahalingam, Rajamani& Selvaraj (Virudhunagar), Thangavel (Dohnavoor), Ramasamy Raja (Karivelampatty, Madurai), Daniel & his son Anthony (Srivilliputhur).
He maintained a very good relationship with persons of all walks of life, irrespective of the religion, community, language, place of origin etc. He had no enmity towards anybody and hence, he had lot of well-wishers.
Some of the names of his well-wishers are furnished below:-
Mr. Krishna Thevar, Shanmugiah Thevar, from Thenmallay Estate
Late Sarkur Bai, Gaffoor Sahib, from Munnar.
Late Urumbath Mathai Thariath, from Alwaye (who was supplying goods to his shops,
and also one of the directors of the erstwhile The Bank of Cochin Ltd. which was later amalgamated with SBI)
Late Abraham Spr. of Anaimudi, Periavurrai Estate.
Late Manuel Raj, Field Officer, Letchmi Estate, who later settled in Thisaiyanvillai.
Establishments once owned by Thangasamy Nadar in Munnar Town and Old Munnar
1) 'T B Simon Amirtham & Co' (Shop No 26 in the main bazaar, as a partner in 1940s). Now ''Suganthi Tea Stall''
2) 'M A Thangasamy Nadar & Sons' (No 46 bazaar in GH Road, as proprietor in 1950s. Now an Electrical shop & Men's saloon, next to ''Latha Corporation'', a cloth shop)
3) 'Jeya Stores', main bazaar from late 1950s as proprietor. Now, ''Golden Stores'', a cloth shop
4) 'Raja Stores' in Old Munnar bazaar, as proprietor from late 1950s (Now, ''Madheena Stores'')
The details of some unforgettable neighbors of Thangasamy Nadar and his family in Munnar
1) Immediate neighbour, Late Mr. Srinivas (Prop:Srinivas Hardwares), his wife, son Ganesan, daughter Jeyanthi and siblings.
2) Late Sri.A S Palanisamy Nadar, his wife, sons Mariappan, Subbiah, Ganesan, daughters Thai, Valliammal (Pappa) & Janaki,
3) Late Sri M.Vellaisamy Nadar, his wife Sakkaraithai & 2 girl children (relatives also)
4) Late Sri Raman, Rajamani & sister whose father was a cashier in the erstwhile Bank of Travancore, owned by Mr. Sharma Iyer of Trivandrum
5) Late Mr. C.V. Xavier (Staff in Marikar & Co.), his wife, sons Kochappan (nick name), C.X. Varghese(Jose), Baby, Louis, daughters Josephine and Mary (Photo of Mr. Xavier, second one on the left margin)
6) Late Mr. James Samuel (DMS & Sons), his wife Jemima, sons Late Sampson, Johnson, Late Robinson, Emerson, Bennison & daughters Felicia & Melanshia (relatives also) - they are also related to Dr. C.B.S. Ragland of Valaiady, the father in law of Mr.A.T. Abraham, brother of Alvina Job, (wife of Job Anbalagan). Dr. Ragland was also born and brought up in Munnar in olden days.
7) Sri. Ganapathy (Ex-MLA) his wife Nesammal and daughter,
8) Late Sri. T B Simon Amirtham, his wife, sons Selwyn G Thomas, Edwin, daughters Getzie, Kasthuri, Kamala, Surya, Gnanam
9) Late Sri. Soundaram (shop No2), his wife Sugirthamani, sons Pavalavel, Rathnam and daughters.
10) Late Sri. Rajendran (shop No1), his wife Santha and daughters.
Personal, moral life of Thangasamy Nadar