The businessman who became a brand himself

The businessman who became a brand himself

D.Govardan@timesgroup.com

29.08.2020

TNCC working president and Congress Lok Sabha MP from Kanyakumari, H Vasanthakumar, passed away on Friday at a city hospital, where he was admitted on August 10, after developing symptoms of Covid-19. He was 70. He leaves behind his wife, who is also undergoing treatment for Covid and an actor son, Vijay Vasanth.

On August 9, he participated in a virtual meet, organized by TNCC, for freedom fighter Chinna Annamalai’s centenary, which turned out to be his last public appearance. “I spoke to him over phone on August 11. He was sounding cheerful and said there was only mild symptoms for him and his wife. Since their grandson was at home, they got themselves admitted to hospital as a precautionary measure,” recalls K Chandrasekharan, secretary, TNCC arts wing. “With God’s blessings, I will be back home in a few days,” Vasanthakumar had told him.

Born on April 14, 1950 at Agastheeswaram in Kanyakumari, he was the younger brother of former TNCC president Kumari Ananthan. Vasanthakumar started his career as a salesman in VGP & Co selling ‘Murphy’ transistors door-todoor on instalment basis on a bicycle. After gaining some experience, he was keen to open his own shop.

While no one came forward to lend him money, a customer advised him to approach Indian Bank for loan. He met senior branch manager M Gopalakrishnan, who later went on to become CMD of the bank, who sanctioned him a small loan. Starting from scratch in 1978, he established Vasanth & Co. It later became TN’s largest consumer durable retail chain. It has over 80 branches in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka.

Vasanthakumar was elected to the Tamil Nadu assembly from Nanguneri assembly segment for the first time in 2006, when the Congress was part of the DMK alliance. He lost in the 2011 assembly elections.

He lost to BJP’s Pon Radhakrishnan in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Kanyakumari. In the 2016 assembly elections, when Congress was back in the DMK alliance, Vasanthakumar got elected from Nanguneri to the assembly for the second time. But he contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Kanyakumari and defeated Pon Radhakrishnan. Later, he resigned the MLA post.

“He was a man without contradictions. Even if he differed with what I said, he would put across his views with a smile and convince me. A complete family man, he took every decision only after discussing it threadbare with his wife and son,” recalls TNCC president K S Alagiri.

Vasanthakumar had spoken to former TNCC president and Trichy Lok Sabha MP S Thirunavukkarasar on August 14 and invited the latter to visit TNCC headquarters for the Independence Day flag hoisting ceremony. “Vasanthakumar was a pure nationalist and had a bright future for himself in the TNCC. In a short duration as MP, he proved himself as a very good parliamentarian,” Thirunavukkarasar said.

“His self-confidence was supreme. He was a businessman who made himself the brand for his trade. He connected with the customers and built an empire from scratch,” said former Congress MP Peter Alphonse.