Leadership
The Textile King
Karumuttu Thiagarajan Chettiar
(1893–1974)
Karumuttu Thiagaraja Chettiar was indeed ‘The Textile King’—a moniker given by those who recognised his rare ability to build textile mills and make them succeed. A member of the enterprising Karumuttu family, Thiagaraja Chettiar spent his early years in Colombo, in Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka).
A man of fierce integrity, he worked in Colombo as a journalist, documenting the hardships faced by Indians labouring on the plantations of Ceylon. On his return to India, he was confronted by the condition of his own people, particularly in his hometown and the surrounding regions. At that time, most industries were British-owned, and opportunities for meaningful employment were scarce.
Driven by a deep desire to improve lives through the creation of livelihoods, and guided by the spirit of nationalism, the seeds of entrepreneurship were sown. He went on to build a textile conglomerate that, in its time, was unmatched in scale, purpose, and impact. Virudhunagar Textile Mills (VTM) was part of this larger textile conglomerate. Thiagaraja Chettiar not only set new benchmarks in production through the pursuit of unparalleled quality, but also embedded integrity and fairness—towards labour and processes—into the very fabric of all his enterprises.
Karumuttu T. Kannan
(1953–2023)
The vision and legacy of Thiagaraja Chettiar were carried forward by his son, Karumuttu Kannan, who imbibed the values his enterprising father stood for.
Karumuttu Kannan took the ventures further, shaping products and weaves to meet dynamic and evolving requirements. He ensured that the founding values were retained, even as the mills adapted to newer technologies, processes, and principles—yet remaining relevant to contemporary needs without deviating from the core philosophies of quality and trust. Merit, compliance with government policies, and working within the framework of the law became embedded in the institution’s values, owing to his steadfast adherence to these founding principles.
This passing of the baton, and the continuity in philosophy and offerings, has been a cornerstone of the Karumuttu family and its enterprises.
Hari Thiagarajan
Managing Director
With a bachelor’s business degree from Warwick University, Hari Thiagarajan, Managing Director of VTM, represents the third generation of the enterprise, along with his sister Sala Kannan.
His philosophy is to remain firmly rooted the vision and values of the company, even while processes are strengthened and are constantly improved by embracing newer technologies that enable the creation of top-of-the-line product lines that promise quality and durability.
Visalakshi Kannan, popularly known as Sala, joined the company to give impetus to its export business. An MA in Economics from Cambridge University, Sala drives market expansion in new geographies, while helping evolve product lines that are contemporary and relevant.
Visalakshi ‘Sala’ Kannan
Director
T. Satyanarayana
President Marketing
Satyanarayana bring 33 years of sales and marketing experience in the textile industry. He heads Thiagarajar Group’s sales, including yarn and greige fabric sales. With his commitment and tenacity, Satyanarayana has achieved significant turnover growth for the group. He has an MBA in Marketing Management from Adam Smith University.
S. Saravanakumaran
Vice President Technical
Saravanan has 38 years of experience in weaving and loom technology. Leveraging his significant expertise and knowledge in textile machinery, he has achieved record efficiencies in production. He also spearheads modernization projects for VTM. He has a Diploma in Textile Technology and an Executive MBA.
P. Senthil Kumar
Chief Financial Officer
Senthil has 29 years of experience in Strategic finance, Reporting, Treasury and Compliance. He is an expert in leading large companies, as well as ERP implementation at scale. He has a Master’s degree in Finance & Control from Madurai Kamaraj University, a Diploma in International Financial Reporting from ACCA, and a Fellow Member of Institute of Cost Accountants of India.
S.Jayaraj
Vice President Home Textiles
Jayaraj has 22 year’s experience in the textile industry spanning spinning, weaving and made ups. He is part of VTM Home Textiles’ founding team and oversees its unprecedented growth. He has a B.Tech in Textile Technology, where he achieved a silver medal.
