The biography was authored by veteran journalist K Balakumar. The Tamil translation of the book was also released simultaneously. The Tamil translation was done by V Ramesh, a former senior executive of The Sanmar Group. The biography is published by Kalamkriya, a part of The Sanmar Group.
The book was released by Dr. H.V. Hande, a former minister in the M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) cabinet in Tamil Nadu. Kuppuswami Chetti of Nalli group also participated in the book-release function.
Unlikely industrialist
The book was released at a function organised by the Sanmar group.”SNN belonged to an era when words were weighed, promise meant something and leadership had a moral spine,” wrote S B Prabhakar Rao, a long-time associate of the group who has seen four generations in the family, in his preface to the book. In his note, author Balakumar said,” this (book) is not a tale of cement bags and balance sheets but of the mind, habits and morals of a man who shaped an institution.”
It contains 20 chapters. A quick perusal of the book reveals how an “unlikely industrialist” managed to exert an “enduring influence beyond his time”.
It contains rare pictures of SNN Sankaralinga Iyear, photos of original documents, family tree and the like.
The push for the biography was provided by Chandra Sankar, the mother of Vijay Sankar, Chairman of the Sanmar group.
The book offers a peep into the man who transformed the region’s industrial landscape.
Significantly enough, the ventures founded by SNN Sankaralinga Iyer, including Indo-Commercial Bank and The India Cements, were established in pre-Independence India.
A discoverer
In his speech, Dr. Hande described late SNN Sankaralinga Iyer as a “discoverer” who played a steller role in transforming the industrial landscape of Tamil Nadu. He also pointed to the historical connection of the group with Denmark. The Denmark association of the Sanmar Group continues even today. A firebrand legislator with a rare insight into critical issues of public governance, the former minister advocated the need for fostering and encouraging domestic entrepreneurs rather than excessively focusing on attracting foreign investment. The context wasn’t missed considering the tremendous contributions made by persons like SNN Sankaralinga Iyer, who always wore the traditional attire.
“Without institutional support or a formidable entrepreneurial pedigree, he leveraged his experience as a banker to venture into the production of commodities that aligned with India’s spirit of self-reliance – from salt, rubber and ink to cementand chemicals.Among his several notable achievements was leading The India Cements to launch a public issue, the first in independent India. The issue was oversubscribed,” said a release.
Sankaralinga Iyer’s deep love for Hindi led him to learn the language in his thirties. He authored a primer for the students of the language, apart from writing novels in Hindi.
A devoted man
“For our family, thaatha was a deeply reassuring anchor. He was not emotionally expressive, yet he carried an unmistakable authority that stemmed entirely from his self-discipline anddignity. He commanded respect, whether he was discussing business expansion with associates or sitting on the floor with his grandchildren. His lifestyle effortlessly bridged the unyielding standards of a hard taskmaster with the profound simplicity of a devoted family man,” said N Kumar.
A family man
Vijay Sankar, who is the great-grandson of Sankaralinga Iyer, said “what stands out about SNN Sankaralinga Iyer is that he built enterprises without compromising on integrity, humility or humaneness. This biography reveals not only the entrepreneur and institution-builder, but also the family man whose principles continue to inspire us.”
