T.S. Santhanam passes away
Chennai: T.S. Santhanam, son of the founder of the TVS group, the late T.V. Sundram Iyengar, passed away on Friday morning, after a brief illness. He was 92.
He is survived by his wife Padma, two sons, S. Ram, Chairman, Wheels India Ltd; and S. Viji, Managing Director, Brakes India Ltd; and a daughter, Prema Ramanujam.

Over a span of seven decades, Santhanam managed several companies of the TVS group.

He also served the TVS group's holding company, T.V Sundram Iyengar & Sons Ltd, first as the Managing Director for a decade and then as the Vice-Chairman, till his death.

Santhanam was the Founder and Chairman of Sundaram Finance Ltd. He also promoted Madras Motor General Insurance Company, which was one of the companies that were merged into one entity and named United India Insurance Company.

Santhanam played a key role in the establishment of several automobile component-manufacturing units in the TVS Group which commenced production of vital components for the automobile industry in the early sixties, with the collaboration of reputed manufacturers.

Recognising his valuable contribution to the automobile, road transport and ancillary industries, the Government of India nominated him as a member of several important committees related to automobile and road transportation, taxation, company law and industrial development.

He was also the Founder Chairman of several trade associations notably the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations and South India Hire Purchase Association.

Santhanam also promoted in the late 1940s the `TVS Greens', which had leading national football players.
His demise marks the end of an era in the automotive and financial services industries.
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