Mamr muthiah biography template

Controversial Adoption

In 1996, Ramaswamy decided to adopt a son to take over the business and take care of him in his old age. The adoption was not without controversy. The ‘Nagrathars’, the community of Chettiars, is divided into seven sects following different temples. The rules of adoption of the community state that a family can adopt a child from the same temple-sect. Ramaswamy went against the Chettiar community and adopted a son from another sect. On adoption, Ayyapan became MAMR Muthiah. Today, Ramaswamy is quoting the same violation to disown him, he says he never adopted him under the community rules so he can disown him.

“Whatever the law may be, he is no more my son. According to me, he can only be S Ayyapan and not MAMR Muthiah,” he said at a press conference recently.

Ramaswamy says that his son MAMR Muthiah has betrayed him. According to Ramaswamy, the reason he wants to sever the relationship with his adopted-son is because he is stingy about spending on philanthropy, which has been the pride of the family. He says that his son wants to take over the entire wealth of the family and does not live up to family rituals. Ramaswamy also says that Chettinad Hospitals, which is under the control of MAMR Muthiah, used to send him medicines for several years but have now stopped doing so for the past three months.

MAMR Muthiah defends some of his actions. Those close to him say that he believes that one cannot do charity from others’ pockets, so the business arm of the group should not be forced to spend money on charity. Chettinad Cements, for example, is a publicly listed company with shareholders. “Is it fair for Chettinad Cements to pay the salaries of employees of the palace?” asks an observer. Muthiah also reportedly believes that Ramaswamy only indulges in charity for people around him, and not for the larger society or community. He has also said openly that the business comes first, and that he will not allow anything which harms the company’s interest.

Annamalai University – Root of All the Trouble

Some believe that the trouble between the father and son is rooted in the takeover of Annamalai University by Tamil Nadu government in 2013. For Ramaswamy, it was the crown jewel of his public life. Having been stripped off it, Ramaswamy felt that he needed to do something else to remain relevant.

There was another blow in 2014. At a shareholders’ meeting in Chennai, Ramaswamy was eased out of the board by shareholders, denying him the post of Chairman of the Chettinad Cement Corporation. A day before the meeting, the CBI had arrested the Registrar of Companies in Chennai for allegedly taking a bribe from Ramaswamy for declaring the meeting null and void. Ramaswamy is known to have been miffed, checked himself into a hospital later that evening and denied the post of the Chairman Emeritus which was offered to him.

The trouble reached a flashpoint recently when several men close to Ramaswamy were arrested for trying to attack Muthiah. Now, on the basis of another complaint by Ramaswamy, similar cases have been filed against Muthiah and his men.

At a press conference recently, MAMR Muthiah said that he is willing to accept any decision of his father as far as it was constructive for the business.  He also said that “five-seven people” including a “family member” have poisoned his father’s mind to take over the estate.

So Who is This Family Member?

At the press conference held by Ramaswamy, AC Muthiah sat beside him all along, complimenting what Ramaswamy said and helping him out with talking points. It has also been reported that AC Muthiah said that MAMR Muthiah ‘hijacked’ Chettinad Cements. Apparently, AC Muthiah had been approached by MAMR Muthiah to mediate between the father and the son, but AC Muthiah refused. Today, AC Muthiah will be chairing the two mammoth trusts which will hold the non-business assets of the group, running into several thousand crore rupees.