Lifesketch

Sri. Arunachalam Chidambara Thanu was born in Nagercoil in January 1929. Wife: Late. Bhagavathy Ammal - two sons, Mr. Arunachalarn and Mr. Ramachandran, both Industrialists.

He had his education in Trivandrum and Nagercoil. During the school days he was an active worker of Students Congress and later raised to the position of its Secretary for two years. Due to political involvement and active participation in the freedom struggle, Mr. Thanu could not complete his studies. He was magnetized by the Gandhian movements and soon became a follower of Gandhian line. He was instrumental for the opening of V O C Reading room and Library at Nagcreoil in 1946, as a memorial for Shri. V.O Chidambaram Pillai, the famous freedom fighter and staunch follower of Mahatma Gandhi. Shri V O C Pillai was the first Indian to run a shipping company. Also he was responsible for the introduction of the famous mesmarising words of the freedom struggle 'Vande Madaram' in South India. The memorial is still active and rendering its service to the public in promoting literacy. With Mr. Thanu's active participation, Gandhi Jayanthi was celebrated with poor feeding for more than 15 years, a rare fete in those days. In the Temples in Nagercoil area animal sacrifice were a common practice during festivals. His initiative and drive has resulted in a mass movement which has ultimately stopped this inhuman 'offers' in temples in Nagercoil area for ever.

After discontinuing his studies he became a social worker and was responsible for a large number of social movements like the organisation of the Handloom Co-operative Societies, Oil Crushing Societies and Hand pounding of Rice Industrial Society in Kanyakumari district. He is the first person in India who tried and succeeded in importing Kopra from Srilanka (Ceylon) to save the oil crushing co-operative socitics who were struggling hard to face the competition from the mechanised oil mills.

For taking part in the freedom movement in the erstwhile Travancorc Cochin State, at Sucheendram in Kanyakumari Dist., he was taken into custody by the Police. He also organised many Jathas and meetings for the propagation of Khadi movement, prohibition and other similar social causes. He served in the District Congress Committee as a member for a long time.

He is also an admirer of sports and took active part in many sporting activities. He was the 'Veteran Champion" in 1965 in South India as adjudged by the Kerala Sports Council at Udyogamandal, Ernakulam. He organised a sports club at Trivandrum in the name of Karamana Recreation Club and started giving training in Badminton (shuttle), Cricket, Chess etc. since 1961. From the very inception he has been the President of the Club for the past 39 years. Many members of the Club won laurels in various competitions in the State and National levels. With his persistent efforts the Govt. of Kerala has now donated 12 cents of Land in Karamana, Trivandrum where a two storey building is constructed with an Indoor Stadium.

In the late 1950's he started his career as a Medical Representative and in 1960 a pharmaceutical business firm was established in the name of Thanu and Company. In 1964, he started another pharmaceutical distribution unit in the name of Medico Distributors. In 1965 he extended his business by opening a branch of Thanu and Company at Tirunelveli, in Tamilnadu. The pharmaceutical business was expanded further in 1970 by inaugurating a pharmaceutical manufacturing unit - Teecee Pharma at Pappanamcodc Industrial Estate, Trivandrum.

On the religious front, in 1973, he gave leadership for the construction of The Ujjaini Mahakali Temple and Kalyana Mandapam at Karamana junction and completed it for the benefit of the people of the locality. It was inaugurated by Shree Deenabandhu Sahu, the former Home Minister of Orissa and President of All India Tailik Suhu Mahasabha. He has also instituted "Aruna Award" for the best S.S.L.C student, and started distribution of uniforms to the pour students of Karamana locality.

In recognition of his services in the field of Pharmacy he was elected in 1978 as the District President of the All Kerala Chemists & Druggists Association. From that position he was unanimously elected as the State President in 1983 and continued in that position till 1991. In 1984 he was unanimously elected as the Vice President of the All India organisation of Chemists and Druggists at the meeting held at Simla. His services in the field of pharmacy were further utilised by nominating him as a member in the Co-ordination Committee of the A IOCD. He bagged a number of awards in recognition of his social services. He was awarded the Dynamic Award of the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists presented by the then Central Health Minister Smt. Saroj Tarparde at Ashoka Hotel, New Delhi. In recognition of his selfless services to the Oil-mongering millions of Kerala, he was awarded the Title "Vanikar Thilakam" by Prof. Dr. S. V. Chittibabu, former Chairman of the All India Association of Vice Chancellors, in the presence of Shri Santaram Podukhe, M.P.and Ex. Minister of State for Finance, Government of India and former President of All India Tailik Sahu Mahasabha. During his tenure of office in various positions he was responsible for the construction of a beautiful nuilti-storeyed building for the All India Chemists and Druggists Association at Ernakulam Railway junction where its office functions to-day. By his initiative, a Free Medical Centre was also inaugurated there to serve the ailing public. He was also Founder Secretary of John Enoch College of Pharmacy under the management of Chemists and Druggists Educational Society, Kerala. A multistoried building with 18,000 sq.ft. was constructed with facilities for a Diploma Course in Pharmacy under his able leadership Mr. Thanu has not restricted his services to the field of pharmacy only.

Shri A.C Thanu's contribution to the Vanika Vaisya community is unique.

In recognition of his selfless service to the thousands of oil mongers he was unanimously elected as the Vice President of Kerala Vanika Vaisya Sangham during 1980 and as President from the year 1987. He continues to hold that position even now.

It was a long felt need of the Kerala Vanika Vaisya Sangham to have its own headquarters building in the heart of Trivandrum city. Mr. Thanu could achieve that long felt need with the co-operation of other members of the Director Board of KVVS. Sri. Thanu is also the founder Chairman of Vanika Vaisya Educational and Employment Trust, Trivandrum and Chairman of the three Colleges under the auspices of VVEE Trust. The cherished goal of the Vanika Vaisya Educational and Employment Trust was fulfilled in 1995, when the KVVS College of Science and Technology was inaugurated at Kaithaparambu in Pathanamthitta district in Kerala. The Trust now has three reputed Colleges viz. two colleges in Pathanamthitta Disrict and one in Palakkad district. Mr. Thanu was again elected as Chairman of Vanika Vaisya Educational and Employment Trust in 1996 and he continues in that position till September 2009.

Mr. Thanu also held the position of President of the Most Backward Classes Federation, an organisation of 71 small communities belonging to other backward communities, from 1992 to 2009. Another stall mark of his capacity as a champion of backward classes communities is the formation of Confederation of Depressed Backward classes in conjunction with Viswakarma Aaikya Vedi.

In 1996 in a convention of All India Tailik Mahasabha held at Bhopal in the chairmanship of Mr.Santharam Podukhe, the then president of the Sabha and Ex. Minister of State for Finance at the Central Govt. Mr. Thanu was elected as working President of the All India Tailik Sahu Maha Sabha. He is again unanimously elected to the same position at the conference of the Sabha held at Palakkad, Kerala in May 2000 which was chaired by Smt. Kesari Bai Ksheerasagar Ex.M.P. and President of the Sabha.

Although Mr. Thanu owns a flourishing business now, it is noteworthy that he started his career from nothing. His father was a penny less Accountant in a shop and financially he had nothing to leave for his sons. So Mr. Thanu had to start his life as a Medical Representative and only through his untiring personal efforts, hard working and peerless honesty in business that he has been not only able to build up a good business house and a factory; but also earn a reputed and enviable name among the business community and the public at large. He has a peculiar character of devoting and dedicating himself completely to whatever task he is entrusted with, without considering the hardships or expenses he has to entail in completing the work. Nowadays, he finds very little time to look alter his business and personal family affairs owing to his multifarious social activities. In brief, Sri. A.C Thanu is holding/was held the positions:

• President, Kerala Vanika Vaisya Sangham

• Chairman, Vanika Vaisya Educational and Employment Trust (till 2009)

• Chairman of all the three Colleges under the auspices of VVEE Trust (till 2009)

• President, Most Backward Communities Federation, Kerala (till 2009)

• Chairman, Samvarana Samudaya Munnani and Samvarana Samudaya Action Council, Kerala

• Working President of All India Tailik Sahu Mahasabha

• Front leader of All Kerala Chemists & Druggists Association and All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists
  
  

National Recognition

Sri. A.C Thanu has been presented the Indira Gandhi Sadbhavana Award on 21st November 2005 at New Delhi for his outstanding individual achievements and Distinguished Services to the Nation.

His 80th Birthday was on January 30th 2009. Kerala Vanika Vaisya Sangham celebrated this milestone on the 1st March of 2009 at Karthika Thirunal Theatre, Thiruvananthapuram where the celebrations was inaugurated by Shri, Oscar Fernandez, Honourable Minister of State for Labour & Employment, Government of India, State Ministers, MP's and MLA's. Political leaders, distinguished guests, thousands of members from Vanika Vaisya Community, leaders of various other allied organizations from Kerala, Tamilnadu and leaders of All India Tailik Sahu Mahasabha from across India were present.