Govindaswamy Rangaswamy Govindarajulu(1919 - 1986) was born as the fourth child of Krishnammal and the Diwan Bahadur P.S.G.Rangaswamy Naidu in Peelamedu. His siblings were Lakshmi Ammal, Dr.G.R.Damodaran, Rukmani Ammal, G.R.Venkatesalu and G.R.Varatharajan. He spent his childhood in Peelamedu in the company of the members of his family at a time when they were establishing a number of businesses and institutions.
G.R.Govindarajulu (GRG) went to Loyola for his undergraduate programme but destiny brought him back to Coimbatore. His father P.S.G.Rangaswamy Naidu (1882 - 1947) was a visionary all his life. He had founded the P.S.G Institutions along with his brothers P.S.G.Venkataswamy Naidu, P.S.G.Ganga Naidu and P.S.G. Narayanasamy Naidu.
The mills and the institutions belonging to the family helped the young apprentice GRG to shape his future under the directions of his elders. Young GRG did amazingly well, and eventually became an important person in the management team. His mother P.S.G.R.Krishnammal was considered to be the lady luck of the family.
The meticulous approach and hard work of GRG helped his father P.S.G.Rangaswamy Naidu and brother Dr.G.R.Damodaran to go ahead with their work. The youngest G.R.Varatharajan the agriculture expert did his part over the years.
This helped them to implement a number of programmes connected with business and charity. GRG was eventually appointed as the manager of the P.S.G Industrial Institute founded by P.S.G & Sons Charities. The journey of GRG ensured that he used every single opportunity to add value to his family and the society around him. He married Chandrakanthi of Peelamedu Pudur in the year 1941 and the couple was blessed with G.Devarajan and G.Rangaswamy. GRG took over as the Managing Trustee of the P.S.G & Sons Charities on the passing away of his father P.S.G.Rangaswamy Naidu (1882 - 1947) and Uncle P.S.G.Ganga Naidu (1889 - 1949).
Over the next quarter of a century GRG did much along with his brother G.R.Damodaran for the society through the P.S.G Institutions. Several institutions and campuses were created during his tenure. Over the years Chandra Textiles and The Coimbatore Pioneer Mills (managed by GRG) used to contribute money for the upkeep of the P.S.G Institutions.
GRG was greatly devoted to the Lord Almighty and he used to take a tray of flowers to the temple priest, get it offered to the deity and have a flower picked out. If the color of the flower picked by the priest matched the color in his mind, he considered that to be the decree of God.
GRG used to work for 18 hours a day during the early years of his career. He used to tour the mills on horseback at 4 AM every day and then go around the institutions until 10 AM.
His hard work ensured that the yarn made by Pioneer Mills became known for quality. He believed in a very clean environment and spared no effort in ensuring the same. GRG had a checkered career and it began in the year 1939 when he was made the Secretary to T.R.Narayanaswamy & Co, the Managing Agency which governed The Coimbatore Pioneer Mills and he went on to become a partner of the same in the year 1944.
He served as the President of the Indian Chamber of Commerce at a tender age of 31 years. GRG promoted Chandra Textiles (1954), Pioneer 'B' Mills (1957), Coimbatore Pioneer Fertilizers (1962), UNICEF aided plant at Sri Ranga Vilas Ginning & Oil Mills (1965), Pazhamudir Pannai (1967) at Mayiladumparai in Theni, Raja Rajeswari Dairy farm (1973), Coimbatore Pioneer Mills Processing Unit near Erode (1975), Nektar Fruit Products in Hosur (1975) and Coimbatore Pioneer Machine Works in Hosur (1979).
The US Consul who had visited The Coimbatore Pioneer Mills was impressed with the hygiene and environment that was prevalent in the campus. GRG contributed enormously to a number of temples and this included the Pittsburgh Perumal Temple in the USA and the Peelamedu Karivaradaraja Perumal Temple. He founded the P.S.G.R.Krishnammal High School (1956), GRG Trust (1958), Pioneer Mills High School (1961), P.S.G.R.Krishnammal College for Women (1963), was President, Coimbatore District Supply and Marketing Co Operative Society and Chinthamani Co Operative Super Market (1966 - 1976), Chairman - Southern India Mills Association (1966), founded GRG Children’s School (1969), GRG Higher Secondary School (1972), G.R.Varatharajulu High School (1973), Published Pioneer Workers' World (1974) among a lot of activities.
Swami Chidbhavannanda (1898 - 1985) of Sri Ramakrishna Tapovanam at Tirupparaithurai near Trichy was his spiritual mentor all his life. The Pioneer Sports Club was another of his initiatives and National Champions P.G.Chengappa, Partho Ganguli was brought in for the purpose of coaching the players. GRG was great with human resource management and his common sense accompanied by his extraordinary intuition did wonders in the organizations managed by him.
GRG had several unique traits which stood by him at all times. He ensured that every key belonging to his institutions were brought to his house after the working hours. Every window and door had to be closed during the after-hours. He personally inspected the accounts every day in Pioneer House and he ensured that his wife Chandrakanthi participated in the process. This kind of an approach helped in the grooming of the members of his family.
The GRG couple were known for being wonderful hosts and their guests included the Maharaja of Mysore Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar besides all the top political leaders of India. GRG had the best of facilities but yet was most comfortable with his shirt, dhoti and handspun towel. His favorite car was the Chevrolet numbered MDM 2299. The family spent time at their residence in Ooty during the hot months of summer while ensuring that the maintenance work was done in the institutions. GRG acknowledged every good work, every communication during his 68-year sojourn on this planet.
The Chinthamani Super Market was a retail revolution when GRG was at the helm of its affairs. He was a social entrepreneur beyond measure who made Chinthamani a fabulous shopping destination. Honesty was the byword at Chinthamani during the GRG era and his innovations stood the test of time. The Ladies Super Market, the beauty parlor for women (first one in Coimbatore) and the city's first Chinese restaurant were part of Chinthamani. The dial balance at the sales counters ensured transparency for the customers. The imported goods seized by the authorities were sold through Chinthamani and several other sick cooperatives came under his management. The golden touch of GRG did wonders with the cooperatives.
It used to be an endearing sight watching the kids accompanying their mothers and grandmothers picking out Binaca Flouride tooth paste boxes containing the cute 'Binaca minitiature dolls'. The self-service system with trolleys were introduced in Coimbatore for the first time by G.R.Govindarajulu. The industrialist spent a lot of time on a day to day basis at Chinthamani. GRG believed in all the three - Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Family Social Responsibility (FSR) and Individual Social Responsibility (ISR).
GRG and his younger brother G.R.Varatharajan did a lot of good work in connection with agriculture and they set a standard over the years. They spent a large part of their lives engaging with the farmer community. Once when Coimbatore was ravaged by Parthenium weeds, GRG funded the eradication campaign. He was also instrumental in bringing the Coimbatore Medical College to Coimbatore along with G.K.Devarajulu of the Lakshmi family. The Guild of Service, The Indian Red Cross Society, SITRA and many other organisations witnessed the contribution of the couple - Chandrakanthi and GRG.
Deeply spiritual GRG was devoted to Lord Karivaradaraja, the patron deity of Peelamedu and was always seen sporting a Thiruman on his forehead. He loved finer forms of classical art and he had an enviable collection of spool tapes, ceramic and vinyl records. The GRG couple were very close to the Bharat Ratna awardee M.S.Subbulakshmi and the pictures of the music trinity and Swathi Tirunal gifted by her continue to adorn the auditorium at P.S.G.R. Krishnammal College for Women. GRG groomed his sons G.Devarajan, G.Rangaswamy and their spouses Suguna Devarajan, Nandini Rangaswamy. K.Kamaraj, Indira Gandhi, Y.B.Chavan, Bharat Ratna awardee C.Subramaniam, P.S. Kumaraswamy Raja, M.Bhaktavatsalam, Dr.S.Radhakrishnan, Dr. R.K.Shanmukham Chetty, M.G.Ramachandran, K.Karunanidhi, Zakir Hussain were some of the important personages who were received by GRG during his tenure at both the P.S.G and G.R.G Institutions.
G.R.Govindarajulu was an educationist who had worked towards gender equality for decades successfully. Today the P.S.G.R. Krishnammal College for Women founded by him and his beloved wife Chandrakanthi stands tall as the best one offering women’s education in our part of the country. The Sashtiabhapoorthi of G.R.Govindarajulu was celebrated in a befitting manner in the year 1979. The Silver Jubilee of the GRG Institutions witnessed many events and high light being a documentary on the good work of GRG. Chandrakanthi and G.R.Govindarajulu were always in the company of their near and dear. They made sure that they took part in the lives of all their employees and ensured that the best standards were used as a yard stick while remunerating them. Dr. G.K.Devarajulu of the Lakshmi Group was always part of a number of auspicious beginnings connected with the efforts of G.R.Govindarajulu.
The Centenary Celebrations of G.R.Govindarajulu were recently held at the P.S.G.R.Krishnammal College for Women and the family had put up an exhibition of the items and artifacts used by G.R.Govindarajulu. The second son of GRG, G.Rangaswamy and his wife Nandini Rangaswamy hosted the occasion at the P.S.G.R.Krishnammal College for Women. The book ' beyond measure' by Shobhana Kumar carrying the tale of G.R.Govindarajulu was released on the occasion.
The story of G.R.Govindarajulu - the Pioneer from Peelamedu is a milestone in the history of Coimbatore - a city known for its charity and enterprise. G.R.Govindarajulu was one of the rare leaders who understood that empowerment should be achieved with wisdom, wealth and knowledge. Coimbatore was lucky to have given birth to G.R.Govindarajulu, the Entrepreneur with a golden touch.
Source: http://simpli-city.in/
