Kovai’s First MP Elected Unopposed
By SHEFA RAFI
Can anyone imagine that the first MP from Coimbatore T A Ramalingam Chettiar brought laurels to Saibaba Colony neighbourhood. Yes, Tirupur Angappa Ramalingam Chettiar was a multifaceted personality as an acclaimed lawyer, politician, businessman, one of the pioneers of cooperative movement in Madras Presidency. Not many are aware of the fact that T A Ramalingam Chettiar was the first MP of Coimbatore (Indian National Congress), who was elected unopposed wayback in 1952. However, he passed away in the same year resulting in a byelection with N M Lingam (INC), pitted against CPI’s Parvathy Krishnan, getting elected.
It is interesting to note that TAR established the Tamil Nadu Cooperative Federation and came out with a monthly mag titled Kooturavu. And he established the Ramalingam Co-operative Training Institute in Coimbatore which is functioning even now. He was instrumental in the formation of the Central Co-operative Bank, Urban Bank, Land Development Bank, co-operative milk union and co-operative printing press in Coimbatore. T A Ramalingam chettiar’s services in bringing a facelift to Coimbatore as vice chairman and chairman of Coimbatore Municipality is noteworthy. It may be noted that the heirs of T A Ramalingam Chettiar established a trust in his memory after he passed away. And the trust is doing yeomen services thru’ scholarships and endowments in various educational institutions.
Ramalingam Chettiar Higher Secondary School on Alagesan Road at Saibaba Colony stands testimony to the services of this multifaceted personality.
