CHENNAI: Renowned politician-turned-educationalist and founder of Jeppiaar Educational Trust Jeppiaar passed away here late on Saturday evening. The 85-year-old was declared brought dead at the Global hospital after he complained for chest congestion.
Jesadimai PangiRaj, better known as Jeppiaar, was born in a Latin Catholic Christian community in Muttom near Nagercoil. Early in his life he was a policeman and rose up the ranks in the State politics despite tremendous odds. During MG Ramachandran’s regime, he acted as the government whip of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Council. In addition to having been the secretary of the Chennai district in AIADMK party from 1972 to 1987, he was special envoy to the Chief Minister. He was the only non-official member to have occupied the post of chairman of the Madras Water Supply and Sewage Board.
His involvement in the field of technical education found its manifestation in the form of establishing a full-fledged institution named Sathyabama Engineering College in 1988. Six years later, he added the St. Joseph’s College of Engineering and St. Mary’s School of Management Studies to the bouquet. He also established the Panimalar group of institutions.
Besides, he successfully produced seven Tamil movies, directed one movie in Tamil and featured as the hero in a Tamil flick. Sources close to his family pointed out that MGR has laid the foundation for his empire that now comprises more than a dozen engineering institutions and close to 10 industries. Once his daughter Maria was quoted saying, “Appa was very close to MGR and they shared a close relationship.” In fact, when his children were born, it was MGR who named them.
His institutions were known for strict discipline, which was a big draw for parents. His Sathyabama University is expected to make history by becoming first university in the country to have sent a nano-satellite into orbit, when Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch it along with 19 other satellites on board PSLV C34 on June 22. The project was said to be very dear to him.