DR. A.C. MUTHIAH

Annamalai Chidambaram Muthiah, AC to his friends – an Engineering Graduate from the University of Madras, completed an advanced Management program from the University of Detroit, USA is the Chairman Emeritus of a Business worth USD 1 billion. His Group has interests in Chemicals, Petrochemicals, Fertilisers, Electronics and Engineering Services.

A.C. Muthiah’s interest in business and industry are well known. He was the President of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the oldest Chamber of Commerce in India, in its Platinum Jubilee Year – 2003. Muthiah was President of the Southern India Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chennai (established in 1909) for a continuous period of 9 years (1979-87).

There are many other activities, lesser known, but in which he is equally interested. Education, Sports, Culture and Charity would be the broad categories in which we can cast Muthiah’s activities other than in business.

Muthiah is connected with a number of educational institutions in areas as diverse as Engineering, Biotechnology, Mathematics, Economics, the Pure Sciences, Management and Music.

Muthiah was the Chairman of the prestigious Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode for three successive terms. He founded the SPIC Bio-process Laboratory along with the Anna University.

The Chennai Mathematical Institute is Muthiah’s brainchild. The Institute, run with the active participation of many eminent Mathematicians, has an excellent reputation for quality work in Pure and Applied Mathematics. Muthiah is a Founder Member and a Member of the Board of Governors of the Madras School of Economics. He is the Chairman of the Sri Venkateswara Educational and Health Trust that runs the highly acclaimed Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering, near Chennai.

He is the Chairman of the ‘CHILDS Trust’, which runs the Kanchi Kamakoti CHILDS Trust Hospital, Chennai.

SPORTS

A.C. Muthiah has been a keen Polo player. He was the President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for two terms (1999-2000 and 2000-2001) and a Member of the Executive Board of the International Cricket Council (ICC) during the same period. He was the President of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association for eight years and is a Member of many prestigious Sports Clubs including the Marylebone Cricket Club, London and HAM Polo Club, Richmond, U.K. Muthiah has keen interest in equine sports.

MAC Spin Foundation was established in the year 1995 to promote cricket activities at the state and national level to help youngsters to blossom under the champions of high caliber. Foundation has facilities to give exclusive training to aspiring cricketers in the art of spin bowling. It is noteworthy to mention that some of the legendary cricketers namely Garfield Sobers, E.A.S. Prasanna, Muthiah Muralidharan, Ashley Mallet and Farouk Engineer had visited the Foundation, to share their experience.

CULTURE

Muthiah is the Hony. Secretary of the Tamil Isai Sangam, Chennai founded in 1943 by late Dr. Rajah Sir Annamalai Chettiar with the object of promoting Tamil Classical Music. The Sangam had celebrated its Golden Jubilee in the year 1993 and is continuing to pursue actively its ideals and objectives and is also running a Music College successfully.

CHARITY

Muthiah is the Managing Trustee of the ACM Medical Foundation which runs 17 Primary Health Care Centres, free of cost, catering to Primary Health Care and Health Educational needs and eye treatment including cataract surgery for approximately 25000 families located in villages of Sivagangai and Pudukottai District without medical facilities. He is also the Managing Trustee of ACM Educational Foundation which runs two Vocational Training Institutes one in Konapet in Sivaganga and one in Tuticorin providing employment opportunity through first level Industrial Training to about 300 students from the rural Tamil Nadu at substantially subsidized cost.

He is also the Chairman of Cheshire Homes – India, Chennai Unit.

AWARDS

Among the many awards that Dr. Muthiah counts dear to him are the Honorary Doctorates that Anna University, Chennai and Alagappa University, Karaikudi conferred on him, the Knighthood of Belgium, and OFFICIER IN DE ORDE VAN LEOPOLD II conferred on him by the Kingdom of Belgium, the ‘Sat Seva Ratna’ title bestowed on him by the Sankaracharya of Kanchi and “Muthamizhvel” award given by Kundrakudi Adheenam. Muthiah was felicitated by His Holiness Dharmapuram Adheenam in recognition of his laudable and meaningful contributions to Religion, Community and Tamil.

Mr. Muthiah’s immense contributions for the upliftment of various temples in South India, are noteworthy.

Muthiah was the Honorary Consul of Belgium for Southern India between 1988 and 2013.