A Vellayan
| Photo Credit:
BIJOY GHOSH
A senior Chartered Accountant summed up Arunachalam Vellayan, the 72-year-old former Chairman of the Chennai-based Murugappa Group who passed away on Monday after a prolonged illness, as “a perfect, soft, gentle but firm person.” He added Vellayan was “one of the finest industrialists from Tamil Nadu.”
Despite leading several companies within the Murugappa conglomerate for decades, Vellayan was known for his humility. “Though he was a highly successful industrialist, he always came across as a humble businessman. His humility stood out,” said a person from the industry.
For years, Vellayan played a pivotal role in steering the Group’s growth. Under his leadership, revenues nearly doubled— from ₹15,907 crore in 2008–09 to ₹30,023 crore in 2016–17 – through a mix of organic expansion and acquisitions, according to an earlier company release.
Beyond business, Vellayan was a prominent presence in Tamil Nadu’s tennis circuit, with long-standing association in the Tamil Nadu Tennis Association. He once said, “Tennis is my education. It’s a common language across cultures.”
Venu Srinivasan, Chairman Emeritus of TVS Motor Company, reflecting on their long association, said, “I have known Vellayan for over six decades. He was extremely personable and helpful as a friend. As a business leader, he had a high level of business acumen and a good grasp of men and matters, including international trade, economics, and general management. He was a tall leader of my generation and a great institution builder. It is an irreparable loss for industry and the country. I will personally miss him greatly.”
Since 2018, Vellayan had served as Chairperson of the Board of Governors at IIM Kozhikode. The institute’s Director, Debashis Chatterjee, remembered him as “among India’s finest business leaders—an exemplary human being whose clarity of mind, humility, and compassion earned the respect of all who knew him. He steered the institute through a phase of stellar growth and global visibility. His unwavering support, wise counsel, and belief in the institute’s mission enabled us to scale new heights.”
One of the most challenging phases of Vellayan’s career came in 2015, when SEBI charged him with insider trading. He stepped down as Chairman of the Murugappa Corporate Board, strongly denying the charge as “based merely on suspicion and a far-fetched tenuous conjecture.”
In January 2018, at the request of the board, Vellayan resumed charge as Chairman. But a few days later, he retired upon turning 65, in line with Murugappa Group convention. MM Murugappan, Vice-Chairman of the Group, then took over as Executive Chairman.
Public policy
Vellayan also contributed ideas to public policy. After the devastating floods in Tamil Nadu in 2015, he met the then Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa and presented a plan to link all water resources—an effort aimed at mitigating floods and preventing drought across the State. The proposal, however, did not advance following Jayalalithaa’s passing, recalled a businessline journalist.
Vellayan is survived by his wife, Lalitha Vellayan, his sons Arun Vellayan and Narayanan Vellayan, and his grandchildren.
Published on November 17, 2025