Ark Colony was named after the founder of the amalgamation S. Anantharamakrishnan
It was a moment for me. For years I have passed Ark Colon, dead ends outside Eldams Road, and I have always thought about what these initials were worth. Recently, when I learned that he could collide with the feathers at Anantharamakrishnan when I recently learned. Yes, S. Anantharamakrishnan, founder of amalgamation, this engineering conglomerate, has a space in the city.
It was S. Muthiah when India got in motion, the 150 -year -old saga of the Simpsons of Madras, which has developed a large part of the good work of Anantharamakrishnan in recent years, or “J”, as he was known in the group. What can never stun me is two aspects – the first is to nalate the names of amalgamation for a group that has at least in the early stages has encountered several companies. You can’t beat the kind of branding that says everything. The second was faith, in 1949, that India would one day rose like an automobile giant. He urged that JE was set up by India Pistons Limited as the first manufacturer of automotive components in the country at a time when there was no car in India!
Amalgammations Founder S. Anantharamakrishnan. | Photo Credit: Hindic Archives
Another big step was the kickstarting Indian diesel revolution. The legend thinks it was on the Wall Tax Road, that the truck operator was truly paid by Simpson & Co., then imported Perkins Diesel Engines, convert his vehicle to work on this alternative fuel on gasoline. It was in 1948 and followed that the country was moving and continued today when public transport, people and goods, still based on diesel.
Read also: Bikes that helped Madras to Madras to Metropolis
Transport operators were very considered J and many worshiped it. One of them was Venugopala Mudaliar, who lived in a large house outside Eldams Road. The country was part of the 13-Acre property known as Baobab, the former residence of John Bruce Norton, the general advocate of Madras in the 19th century and later the land of P. Chenstal Rao, MLC. Other divided parts of the property had equally famous residents, namely Sir CP Ramaswami Aiyar and Sir Mohammed Usman.
When Venugopala Mudaliar developed his country as a residential enclave, it was named S. Anantharamakrishna Iyer Colony, which was shortened over time to Ark Colony. The plaque inside the compound still bears the full name. I think it is the only public brand for J – a man who eliminated Madras on his way to become a car major. Inside Huzur Gardens, Sembium, is also a statue before the race in India Pistons.
S. Anantharamakrishna Iyer Colony has been shortened over time to Ark Colony
Industrial heritage
This led me to think about which other industrialists from Madras have in honor of the road. In Mogappair there is TS Krishna Nagar and remembers one of the four TVS brothers. Ganapati Colony in GoPalapuram resembles TR Ganapathy Iyer, founder of the Rane group. And I assume that Arunochalam Road in Kotturpuram resembles AMM ARUNACHALAM, while Murugappa Road resembles its father Dewan Bahadura Amm Murugappa Chettiar and older brother Amm Murugappa. Although he remembered more for his philanthropy, it must not be forgotten that KV Al RM Alagappa Chettiar, commemorated in Purasawalkam, was an industrialist. Raja Sir Annamalai and his son Raja Sir Muthiah of the Chettinad group have roads in their names. The first also has Ra Puram named after him and his second son Ramanathan is the name for M (Ayor) R (Amanathan) C (Hettiar) Nagar. IOB Enclave near Loyola is called Chidambarama Gardens after MCTM Chidambarama Chettyar, founder of the bank.
In its last rename, the government would be doing well to include several industrialists in its list.
(Sriram V. is a writer and historian.)
Published – October 15, 2025 08:10
