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MOTORINDIA
l
June 2012
T.S. Santhanam
, an outstanding
visionary industrialist
Delivering the T.S. Santhanam
Memorial Lecture organised by
the Indian Roads & Transport De-
velopment Association (IRTDA),
Southern Region, Mr. G. Srinivasan,
Chairman & Managing Director
of United India Insuance Co. Ltd.,
said: the late T.S. Santhanam was
a true visionary industrialist whose
ideas and approach were far ahead
of his times. Considered an author-
ity on automotive and road transport
industries, he is also remembered
for his pioneering efforts in the ar-
eas of hire purchase and insurance.
He gained rich experience in road
transport, marketing of automobiles,
manufacture of automobile compo-
nents, general insurance and finance,
and played a crucial role in the es-
tablishment of several auto compo-
nent units in the TVS Group.
United India Insurance Company,
as a PSU, was born in 1971 out of
the amalgamation of many private
insurance companies, of which Ma-
dras Motor General Insurance Com-
pany promoted by Santhanam was
a major one. Today, it is widely ac-
cepted that upstream activities like
financing provides a major push to
vehicle sales, which Santhanam vis-
ualized in the 1940s
and 1950s by estab-
lishing his credit
and finance com-
panies. Similarly
the insurance busi-
ness was thought of
many decades ago
by this visionary.
Transport is an in-
dustry was close to
Santhanam’s heart.
It is often said that
the transport system
of a country reflects
the efficiency of its
economic activity. He thus pitched
for more investment in the road sec-
tor. This contributed in no mean
measure to the beneficial evolution
of the roads and transport regulations
in India over the past few decades.
With the emergence of the Indian
Road Transport Development Asso-
ciation (IRTDA) as the nodal organi-
zation spearheading the evolution of
the country’s surface transport sector,
Santhanam who envisioned Chennai
to become the automobile manufac-
turing hub of India became the first
Indian to be elected its Chairman.
Earlier Mr. K.N. Krishnamurthy,
Chairman, IRTDA (SR), delivered
the welcome address and Mr. Shar-
ath Vijayaraghavan, Executive Di-
rector, Sundaram Motors, Chennai,
spoke about the contribution made
by T.S.Santhanam to the Indian
economy in general and the road
transport sector in particular.
w
events
Mr. G. Srinivasan, Chairman & Managing Director, United India Insurance Co. Ltd., Chennai,
delivering the T.S. Santhanam Memorial Lecture. The others (from left) are Mr. Sharath Vi-
jayaragavan, Executive Director, Sundaram Motors, Mr. K.N. Krishnamurthy, Chairman, and
Mr. K. Srinivasan, Secretary, IRTDA (SR)
Santhanam’s financial acumen was always regarded highly, not just
in the TVS Group but outside as well. He had the distinction of serv-
ing on the Government’s Direct Taxes Advisory Committee and the
Study Group on Road Transport Financing, among others. For him,
quality was paramount. This ensured that his auto component distri-
bution companies provided transport operators genuine and quality
products at fair prices.